The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-02

| views on Quietism were condemned by
the Holy Father. Even without 'Teh-
maque. its author could not have returned
to Court, 10 which he had already made
himself exceedingly distasteful. but, as
II was. the Kings anger knew 10 bounds,
for he regarded -Telemaque' as a masked
satire upon himself and his surroundings.
Thenceforth Fenelon was banished to his
diocese. but Lord st. Cyres regards the
Punishment as the turning point In his
subjects life. II bore impressive witness
to the truth OF the saying that only through
trials do men rise to moral dignity and
worth. The stroke brought Fenelon what
his character needed. Exile from the
Court freed one who was by nature an
intriguer from tho temptations OF the place:
shame, and wounded honor. and sense OF
failure, broke through the crust OF dill
lettantist effectation and unreality. Under
the stress Of his troubles. Fenelon gained
new breadth and depth Of piety, new self
reliance. new self-control; a moral unity
not before observable began TO draw to-
gether the scattered fbres OF his mind.
His ideals became more practical: his prac-
tice grew more ideal. The dreamy Utopian
and the subtle, smiling c~ourtler met In
tho high-minded, generous-hearted coun-
sellor Of his subordinate clergy; mystic
enthusiasm, joined with worldly graces
TO make the devoted and idolized Arch
bishop. Two Of his letters mark the con-
trast In the views which he took at different
times Of his. episcopal duties. A few days
after his nomination 10 Cambria in 1905.
he wrote that: MY life has been full of
liberty and pleasantness, OF congenial
study and delightful friends. l am leav-
ing them for a life OF ceaseless slavery In
a foreign land Hardly had tho blow
OF condemnation fallen In 1899 when he
wrote again: Nothing now remains TO
me but a perpetual silence. wherein the
one consolation will be the labors OF my
diocese"
Why did Fenelon speak OF his diocese ~
n foreign land7' Because Cambria. a
TOW OF no great size or beauty on the
Scheldt. was the ecclesiastical centre Of
the Flemish provinces. conquered during
the earlier half Of Louis XIV.'s reign, and
confirmed to France by the Treaty Of
Nimeguen In i67s. Quite half Of the arch
diocese lay altogether beyond the frontiers
OF France, M Eenelon's administration
had much TO suffer from the jealousy OF
the Estates Of Hainault and OF the Spanish
Viceroy at Brussels. Matters became
worse after the outbreak Of the Mar OF the
Spanish Succession. For several years
Fenelon's archdiocese was a principal
theatre Of the war. the battles OF Malplaquet
and Denain being fought within it's borders.
Although the position Ind its storms. how-
ever, II was still one OF the most splendid
in Louis's gift. Fenelon ranked. both
as a Prince OF the Holy Roman Empire
and az a Duke Of France, and, although all
the feudal privileges Of the archbishopric
had been lost. he was still tho principal
landowner Of his province, with n f'uc-
tuating revenue amounting on the average
TO 100 900 francs, equivalent to at least
si00. 600 In modern American mone
The last fifteen years OF Fenelon's life
were spent in unremitted devotion to his
flock. Not only was he assiduous In preach
ing and In the discharge Of the other normal
functions OF his Office. but he founded at
Cambria a seminary for his archdiocese.
The fame o. his ~benevolence. character
and enlightened iberality il attested by
the order issued by the Allies IN the cam
paign Of 1909 TO spare the palace and the
stores OF the Archbishop of Cambria. lie
died Jan. 7, i7i5, and was buried in his
cathedral.