The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-23

away before a smile, as he turned to
the stranger his other cheek.
Believe in Work.
1t is not held good that a mans
mind should be altogether unoccu-
pied, however, and accordingly the
monks are assigned plenty of work.
Idleness is placed as an enemy to the
soul, and the Biblical expression,
Thou shalt eat thy bread in the
sweat of thy brow" is an enforced
rule. u-
An ancient story relates that these
men may only speak these words,
'Frere IL faut mourir,' which translat-
ed implies, Brother, remember
true years ago, it is not to-day. 1t is
an expression scarcely needed, as
there is plenty Of evidence of the
brevity of life on every hand. Here
men strive for the modification of
body and spirit. Rising at o'clock
in the morning for devotion and
spending the time from then till Z in
the evening at devotions and manual
labor, with no nourishment other than
bread and water, sweetened with fruit
juice, is the daily allotment of time.
They sleep upon beds Of straw and
under covering as thin as practicable,
In narrow cells, arranged along the
sides of a great dormitory. Meat and
eggs are allowed only In cases of ill
ness. When a monk is about to die,
he Is placed upon bed of ashes,
and when his spirit has fed he is
wrapped in his gown and carried to
the little patch Of ground where rise
simple white crosses to mark the
graves of the departed brothers. No
shroud or coffin is given him. He Is
laid in the cold earth with silent pray
ers, and even as his survivors fill his
grave with dirt, that for the next who
may die is marked out by his side.
When Silence May Be Broken.
The only time these men are per-
mitted to speak is in chapel, when
each may accuse himself of a breach
Of rules, and when his confession is
another brother In the chapel
everything is plain and simple. There
is neither gold nor silver on the altar.
Music, except the solemn chant, is
completely interdtcted. Feet-wash-
ing is one Of the great festivals. On
prior occupying for the nonce his
chair, washes the feet of a dozen
monks as demonstration Of his level
with them. In the refectory long ta-
bles are stretched and at one side is
raised chair where one reads of
scripture during the spare meals, TWO
of which are served a day. It is ruled
by the order that the monks shall be
entire strangers to the ways and Gus
toms Of worldlings.
The abbey Is twelve miles south
west of Dubuque and Is approached
by the old military road which in war
times was the only solid road in the
state. For ten miles one may travel
over this macadamized highway, then
he turns off for two-rnile jaunt over
a road which crosses the undulating
ground until he turns abruptly into
a dark forest upon road constructed
| by the monks themselves. is in the
stone upon the earth.
How Guests Are Received.
The immediate grounds are sur
rounded by a high fence and guests
are received at side door near the
building by the superior. The grounds
are laid out with much taste and are
beautiful in the summer time. The
great building, which was constructed
by he tnonks themselves, is in the
form of cross, 212 feet being the
length Of the longer arm and 12O that
| Of the shorter. To the rear Of this
are two distinct avenues Of trees re-