The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-02

and humble his heart, living as near to
death as is possible, and yet keep the
life blood moving SO, for his palms, he
may be fit to mediate between God and
man.
The governors pretty wife shall see
the altar and much else that will
crafty and interest her, but it is doubt
full If there viii be a monk other than
her guides-the abbot and the guest mas
ters-within her sight as she is shown
through the big building. Most of the
monks will be at work on the farm. the
products of which make self sustaining
the monastery, and are free to such of
the destitute as ask for them. The few
whose duties detain them at the abbey
will probably be sequeStered until the visit
is over. For what is there that speaks
more potently of the worldly charms
monk has fOrswOrn than a woman. in
Stinct with youth and life, goWned in
the mode, and breathing the spirit of
material joy as the wife of man
treading the ladder of political ambition
one CHEEKY, smiling and tactful, as Is
this first lady of Kentucky? Father Ed
ward knows full well that flesh is weak,
even in men who believe their vocation
lies behind the cloiSter walls; for there
are those who have sought him in the
deepest shame and humility, and con-
fessed that their hearts had gone back
to the world renowned. and that they
would follow, obeying the longing that
would not down.
WHY TEMPT THESE MEN.
Why bring into the abode of devotion.
solitude and peace, where no one speaks
to his fellow other than to utter the
warning, Remember DEATH in the
Latin tongue and in low voice, so poig-
nant reminder of the throbbing life
outside as a woman fair, with great
brown eyes and velvet skin, whose
voice with its melody of the Southland,
stirs the heart and makes the moaning
chant of the cathedral seem horrible as
the sobs of the helpless souls in misery.
Why tempt these men, striving by
prayer and fasting to forget that life
cruelty even greater than that en-
forced against the governors pretty
wife, whereby she might not see the
white and brown cowled monks who
plead so many hours each day with
heaven.
The abbot, whose robe is white. for he
is priest. is free to speak with whom
he viii. The guest master and his as
sistant. both brown-rObed, may speak
when duty demands. Silence is the law
for all the others. The conduct of the
big establishment requires that three of
the brotherhood shall not be mute. The
monastery has guests always. In other
ages of which this abbey is a survival
monasteries stood like inns along the
routes of infrequent travel The rule
of hospitality provided that any way
farer who knocked must be aceommo-
dated for one night at least. There was
nothing to pay, but the refugee might
show his feeling. Men who had COM
mitted wrong, or who felt as though
they had forgotten their God. sought the
devotional atmosphere and harsh exac-
lions of the abbey. to stay until through
prayer and thought they had adjusted
their differences with heaven.
A PLACE TO EASE THE SOUL.
And so it is here today in Nelson
county, men-priests and laymen-seek
the abbey of Gethsemane to ease their
souls. There are sometimes two dozen
persons ''on retreat - They do not
mlngle with the monks, but live. much
as in a hotel though on plain fare even
to tableness-browned rye for
coffee, sodden corn bread, no butter. All
the While you eat, or try to eat, a monk
sitting on a high chair nearby reads
from chronicles of the lives and suffer-
ings of the saints, of disease and pain,
facts that disturb the best of appetites
This is part of the penance that helps to
purify the wicked heart. The govern
or's wife will probably not see this phase
the good abbott will no doubt eliminate
it from the entertainment.
Connected with the monastery is the
kitchen, presided over by lay brothers,
the shoe shop, where monks make a
stout leather shoe with wooden sole, all
on one last, so that the small monk from
France with his neat foot, shuffles about
clatteringly in a shoe that just fits the
foot of the biggest monk from Ireland
The visitors may walk in the little Gem
etery, where an open grave, dug perhaps
by the monk that will lie in it, waits sug-
gestively for another death in the grim
old building. In the refectory the WIS.,
ltorS Will see many long board tables,
with benches alongside, and at each
monks place knife and fork of iron, a
tin platter and little cruet of the start
lingly sour wine. Truly it is a punish
ment to drink this liquid, which surely