The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1909-02-13

YUAN VT ~
taken. after which the candidate is
called sthe venerable" This stage
was passed with Joan some years ago.
The next step is that Of Qualification,
which has just been completed, the
pope during the ceremony having seen
a vision of the maid, it Is reported.
and having received from her a proph-
ecy Of great deeds and tribulations to
come. This stage oyer, the candidate
becomes 1.-The blessed" which is Joan's
official designation at this time. The
6nal act is canonization proper, when
the candidate comes into full saint
ship. When that stage will be com
pleted with the warrior maid it Is Inn
possible to say, but probably next April.
At least 1t viii be over long before the
1--WE hundredth anniversary Of her
birth, Jan. g. 1912
While there is now but one voice
concerning Joan Of Arc herself, there
has been criticism Of the proposed
c~anonixation, her friends in the liberal
and anticlerical elements declaring
that the act will be one of solemn
mockert, since 1t was the church that
put her to death. These even go so
far as to charge that the step is a
political. one and Is intended to win
back French allegiance to the church,
which has been sadly shaken Of late.
They further aver. that, whereas the
name Of Joan Is M to conjure with
among the friends Of liberty and hui
mainly, there will be many Of such
who Will never take it upon their lips
after she Is officially made a saint.
In reply to all this the Catholic
friends Of Joan assert that 1t Is not
correct to say the church as such put
her to death. For this the English
were responsible. and certain clerical
officials only were involved in the con-
spiracy. In proof they point to the
fact that the church fully rehabilitat
ed her twenty-five years later. That
the ca~nonization is not q political
move Ii shown by the fact, they aver,
that the movement for 1t has been
going on more than a quarter Of a
century. Or long before the present
troubles started In France.
The world In general favors the &C.
clesiastical view, regarding canoniza-
ton as a tardy act Of Justice. The
fame OF Joan Of Arc is secure. She
is too firmly established in the hearts
Of all mankind for this ceremony to
ALLEVIATE even the opponents Of the
church, while with the millions Of its
adherents the enrolling of her name
ON the calendar Of saints will bring
to her memory added devotion.
The simple story of Joan Of Arc Is
n Of the most spiritual, beautiful and
pathetic In all history. 1t is the sort of
thing men take to their hearts and
cherish as long as the world stands.
Indeed, 1t IL a question II there has
ever been an episode outside Of sacred
history that has SO appealed to the
souls Of men. Certainly there has been
none that has received more univer-
sal treatment In painting. sculpture,
drama and letters. Yet for nearly four
centuries after her death scant justice
was done to the memory Of the war
rior maid. She was misrepresented By
0Aktcko dS great ~ cudhcoRcafo dHo
voltaire. 1t has been only In the last
hundred years that the world has
awakened to the miracle, the purity
and the un~selfshness Of her life. I'm
iettered peasant girl hearing her
voices. she was a prophecy OF the spir-
ttual discoveries now being made by
science hundreds Of years after her
death Unversed for a day In the arts
Of war. she yet displayed genius as a
strategfst and tactician that has been
the marvel Of military authorities from
that day till the present. Without re-
ligfous knowledge other than that
gained from her own soul and her sim
pie devotfons. she gave answer that
Attended the keenest ecclestastics and