The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-07-21
LEO XIII.

The great spirit of Pope Leo XIII has passed from
earthly into everlasting peace Scarce is the dividing line
to between the serenity of earth that distinguish
ed him during the weeks when physicians struggling
to proong his life and that which heaven has set
seal upon the delicate and ethereal features familiar to
SO many millions of devoted followers. Never there
inspiring to the faithful more alluring to
the aithess his slow but glad approach to the eter
nal mysteries, and his almost impercephbe passage from
this life to another.
The direction which this illustrious has given
to the work of the Roman Catholic church and the
ample of his wondrousy beautiful life vie with each other
the honor that this and future will render to his
memory. He filled the ideal of one who should be su-
preme ruler of of the greatest religious organizations
of the world He the embodiment of gracousness
benignty holiness and authority gently exercised as
it was irresistible in its might The beauty of his
sona character has fallen upon others than those of his
faith vision of human possibilities and bene-
dicon The wearer of the triple and representa-
tive to his church of God earth more i'm
pressve figure than the of all the Christian virtues
admirably blended in human harmony
If his personality remains influence of ncalculable
power toward righteousness of life, his attitude toward
the of his time related to the mighty body
under his guidance is admirable and as potent He
yielded nothing of the traditions, the beliefs the system
of faith committed to him. Never the Roman Cath
olic church united, ardent mbued with
confidence itself and belief in the height and sacredness
of its mission than under his leadership There has been
abandonment retreat, surrender. Yet, while
preserving all that through many conflicts and
many generations the church has cherished her most
precious heritage, Leo Kill informed and enriched it
by his intelligent and sympathetic attitude toward all that
true and lofty in the tendencies of the times.
1t needs the long survey which his pontifcate
interpret this nestnabe his church and
the world 1t has been a time of and momentouS
changes in the intellectual and spiritual development of
man. narrow man. harsh man, unconscious of
the infinite unoldngs of which mind and soul are capa-
ble invested with his vast authority might have SO bound
and limited the church place it outside the path Of
the modern triumphant march, of rash tempera-
ncautious judgment might have forfeited the DID,
changeess treasures, strained obedience and faith
grow loose cold But the cam incisive comprehend
ing mind of this wise leader sted the issues they
passed and kept his faithful facing with hand upon
the lifeline reaching from the eternal shore the breaking
OF that storm and stress through which all
most precious possessions have passed passing
There is no lost dignity today at the Vatican because
the temporal power has vanished with the passing of
systems. The papacy not weakened when the high
est rulers of the earth sought voluntarily render
their personal homage; that high and willing tribute that
speaks of enlarged and enduring domain among the peo-
pies The proudest poentate and the toilng and COM
planning millions of men have found that which com
anded their in the life the genius and the
services of who above all his fellows might we'll be
styled "a of God" Because of him, essentially the
changeless faith reconciled with the transformations
of intellectual systems and of human progress He has
been interpreter of his church and his time to each
other and has left them with the casped hands friend
ly understanding
life like this is full of beauty and of solemnity
Simplicity and kindness the Towering of authority
before which princes bowed dignity unrnpaired and
without oense consciousness of such nearness to the
divine lent words and actions its high significance
a serenity and nobility that gave to high and low the
keynote of this wonderfully pure lofty character and
withal talent for leadership that guided new and
larger fortunes the mighty church of which he was the
supreme headthee the qualities the great man
who lies III silent state in the worlds most ancient cap
a In his life and death the world has looked upon the
beauty of holiness.