The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-07-21
POPE LEO XIII.

Peaceful and calm as was the death Of |
Pope Leo XIII, 50 was his life through |
out, and the end was most fitting culmi-
nation to career Of singular quietude,
yet, withal, of wonderful power. The
placid current of his life, unmarried by the
tumult Of storm, pasted serenely into the
mysteries Of death, and the soul of man,
to which the rough things OF life were for
eign, moved as serenely into the great I'M
known TO those watching at the bedside
Of the illustrious prelate the transition
from life to death was almost impercepti-
Bile. So 1t Is that one can say, and say
most truthfully, that the end was a fitting
elimination to the whole life OF the man
for whom the world irrespective Of creed.
now mourns. His life was of such breadth
and sweetness that all persons, be they
members OF the Roman church or Of other
faiths, cannot fail to be impressed by il.
Leo's mission was not only for the adj
vancement Of the Catholic church, but for
the uplifting Of mankind ia general His
was not a narrow view Of life, and this is
attested fully in his many encyeical let
ters. Time and again it was said by him
that all he desired was the glory Of God
and the salvation Of souls His was
character Of rare purity and the devotion
to the cause which he espoused has prob
ably never been equalled in the whole his
tory Of the Catholic church. He was ae-
corded universal respect BY all men, and
he carried with him that quiet dignity that
commanded reverence.
Not only was he remarkable man in
respect to his spiritual and moral side but
in his intellectual life he had few peers
Endowed with exceptional qualities Of
mind, those qualities received thorough
training in his early life. For about is
years, as a young man, he was student
In various colleges and theological schools
in Italy, winning prizes for marked pro-
iiciency In several courses Of study. After
finishing his preparation he became
schooled In the practical things Of life as
governor Of Benevento Here he was en-
abled to gain much knowledge of the
ordinary affairs 81 life, which was Of In
comparable value to him in his later deal.
ings with men. 10 be able to maintain
friendship in spite Of the hostilitles Of
would-be enemies was peculiar gift Of
Leo. In fact 1t was said of him that he
bad no animoslties. He was really hostile
to no one as he was constantly laboring for
friendship Clear Of perception and
gifted with unusual insight be was able to
avoid those conflicts which most men are
unable to foresee.
Then, too, Leo turned his unusual gifts
OF mind TO use in a literary way and many
were the Italian and Latin poems that
came from bis pen. Naturally these were
mostly Of a religious nature, but they did
not lack for literary merit, for epigrammatic
dietion or for force. When one considers
the remarkable work both in the spiritual
and temporal sense it Is difficult to recon
cile that work with the fact that the late
pope. was not Of strong physique, but in
stead was Of most delicate health. Frail
and slender, he was far from being Of the
type Of man to whom one looks for great
things. But such was his indomitable
win power that he was able 10 carry to
successful issue things which would have
oYertaxed the physical abilities OF much |
stronger aud more vigorous men. Thus
taken al in all his was most remarkable
career There have perhaps been greater
men to occupy the papal seat, probably the
career Of Leo's immediate successor, Plus
*, being reckoned more important, but
the world has few examples Of such well
rounded life