Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-07-23
POPE LB0
Aged and Respected POntiff Pas.
sed Away Monday.
BECAME HEAD OF CHURCH IN 1878
Honorei The World over High
Tributes Paid To His
Memory.

Pope Leo XIII, supreme Pontiff OF
the Roman Catholic Church, died in
the Vatican at Rome on Monday af'
ternoon about 4:30 O'Clock, at the ad-
vanced age of "a years. His name
was Joachim Pecci and he was born
March 2nd, 1870 at Carpeneto, small
town thirty miles from Rome. At 10,
Re entered the Collegio Romano
where he took front rank as scholar
and in few years enrolled himself
as divinity student and entered up
upon his career as a churchman, plac-
ing his foot on the first round of the
ladder on which he ascended TO the
very highest, being elected to the pa
pacy to succeed Pope Plus N in 1878.
In all of his years he never for a
day relaxed the simple life of his boy
hood in the Carpineto hills. Only a
short time ago, it is said, a woman
who had lived 100 years, secured an
audience with the pope. Leo greeted
her kindly, and speaking of her age
and of his own, he said: "Ah, madam,
we indeed have solved the problem of
long life. The trouble with most
people is that they eat too much
drink too much and work too little"
When President Roose velt was in
formed of the Pope's death he ex-
pressed his profound regret at the
death of the venerable Pontiff, whose
long career no less than his exalted
character has commanded the respect
of all Christendom. The president
said that in uttering these sentiments
he was giving expression to the feel
ing of all the people in the United
States without regard to their re-
ligious faiths. !"
A splendid tribute to the dying
head of the Roman Catholic church
Das uttered by the Rev. G. w. Grim
ton of the Forty-fourth Street Meth
odist Episcopal church, New York, at
the time when, ten days ago, it was
flashed over the world that the end
was near
at is generally the rule he said,
to criticise man numerically while
he lives, TO expose all his weaknesses
and follies; if he is public servant
to caricature him and hold him up TO
a worldwide ridicule, and then when
dead to gather up his good deeds into
a wreath and place them on his cas-
ket.
THE rule has been reversed in the
application to the pontiff about whose
health and well-being millions of per-
sons have been deeply solicitous and
whose good acts have been recorded
in all lands.
LEO has known no nationality, but
bas been interested in all Deprived
of temporal power he has possessed a
greater power, dynamic that has
controlled the hearts of men and
shaped in many instances, the poll
cies of monarchies and republics. He
has restored the golden age of the
papacy in its best sense As philan
thropist, poet, educator and reform
er the name of Leo XIII, will be plac
ed Smong the very great, if not the
greatest pope in history"
The following poem is from the pei
of Frederick Andrews Bush OF thii
city.
In the massive halls OF the Vatican
There's a soft and silent tread,
For the loved and honored Leo
Lies numbered with the dead.
On the brow of every prelate
look of pain is seen,
While tear drops glisten in the eyes
OF men of stately mien.
Ripe old age has answered at last
The summons that comes from above
And the aged pontih has closed his eyes
To awake in his Masters love.
And over the land. and over the sea,
wherever mortals are found,
solemn mass for his souls repose
Floats out on the air around.
Rest for thy weary soul,
For over beyond the border
Thy spirit has found its goal.
While all of thy trusting legions
Who have loved thee many long years
Are praying to God for his blessing
While their ewes are heavy with tears,
"