The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-12-11

matter for Brother Felipe 10 lCFBeJ the
world. The difficulty for him would
have been TO remember 1t. lie could
not even remember the little worldly
calls which, even In a monastery. must
needs be hardened TO from day tC day
and though In themselves trivial are
yet, when properly responded to, OF
no small use in keeping the devil al
bay. For example, the call to meals
Fasting to the proper and enJoined eX-
tent is an excellent thing; no brother,
not even Brother Antonio, would have
dared deny it. For by fasting the flesh
is mortified. as It should be. But to for
get the times and seasons for the par
taking of food altogether, as Brother
Felipe sometimes did, is to 50 TO eX-
tremes. And when, as also sometimes
happened. Brother Felipe forgot when
he was, as a matter of rotation, htch-
ener for the day, the mortincation-ot
other people rather than Of himself
was excessive. -''s"ssss 1919
II he did not forget to prepare
meal, Brother Felipe was as likely as
not to err on some other sue OF his
memory. Such was the case when, be-
ing engaged in the composition OF
liquor for which the monastery was ia
nous throughout the province, ne
used, quite unsupported, soda by mis-
take for sugar. Brother Antonio sut-
fering from sharp attack OF rheum
which required in the abbot's opinion
AS we'll as In Brother Antonio's-a
warming draught, was the victim OF
this monstrous brew His words, as
he rushed from the buttery plucking
at his chest, which the torrid liquid
was burning from within, were such
as had never been dreamed of in that
unworldly place, and caused his broth
ers to hang their heads for weeks af-
terward.
Brother Antonio did penance for the
words, as aid Brother Felipe for the
brew. Brother Felpe did it without
grumble. He denghJed in dong pen
ance-another strange thing.
Often he implored something to be
put upon him when from his confession
there vas no need Of it, Only it must
be borne in mind that he never could
remember anything-not even his sins
And that in itself becomes a sin"
said The abbot upon one occasion.
Punish me, therefore; punish me,
Father" Felipe replied, and was given
his wish; though, it must be admitted,
If absent mindedness made him sin
ner, it also prevented him from being
a sufferer, seeing that he usually for
got that what he was uoIng was a
penance, and ne had none of the pangs
of conscience. Of this doubtless, the
Abbot was aware.
The others often wondered what
Brother Felipe hau been like in the
outside world. They themselves had
been so different in some ways. Not
in all, of course. Brother Antonio mad
never hated meat and wine then any
more than he did now. The difference
was that now he tried to late them.
They all tried to hate the past, and if
they ever spoke of it, which was sell
dom, they spoke Of it with fear and
loathing.
Brother Felipe, on the other hand,
had thrown a thunderbolt once or
twice into their nidst by speaking OF
some incident of the past with obvious
qualification.
His devoutness was beyond question
his docility equally so, the only proofs
of his having been not unvisited by
the devil in his youth being certain
suggestions of quick temper Once
for nothing at all he had knocked
a brother down, sign of depravity
indeed, in anybody else but Brother
Felipe. Somehow it was, like its
cause, nothing at all in him. The alb
bot had visited it mildly, plainly find
ing it impossible to punish overmucE
one who was beyond doubt as uncon-
scious Of his sin as a summer sky that
a moment before had been streaket
with lightning.
Every one was agreed, in fine, thai
Brother Felipe was without guile. But
for his wool gathering wits he NIGH
have been a saint Also--but for VIVA
follows.
It is possible, though not easy. Il
forget the world at all times excep
one. That Is in time Of war If tai
enemy thunders on ones gates hr
brings the world with him. Neithe
prayers nor communications cal
keep him out. And so, one might say
a captain is stronger than the devi
himself, who is not. at least, at hi
ease in a holy place II this be an.
4,.-o fo- what pwnthnr WrIsnn az