Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-08-23

of majestic edifices which overlook the
sands at a tremendous height. Twice
d day the waves plunge wildly against
this mass of granite, and not being
able to submerge it, they isolate it
completely from the coast, then they
withdraw leaving the quicksands all
the more treacherous.
Let the traveller enter and climb
the mountain in order to approach the
abbey. New wonders await him for
he will meet that vaulted gateway be-
fore which a visitor can not help say
ing, Never has the genius of poetry
or the artist imagined an entrance
more imposing or more POLITICALLY
mysterious
From there we climbed up to that
superb church whose holiness and
proportions have caused the admira-
ton of the most skilful architects.
What picturesque aspect this build
ing offered us, what an austere
grandeur in those waves, what eX-
Qusite delicacy, what harmony, what
elegance in that Gothic apse. If only
the obscure crypts of the Mont St.
Michel might speak to us of the sad
ness of exile, if that graceful Gothic
| might transport us into a divine
sphere from whence one would not
wish to descend!
Farther beyond us is the Marvel,
that wonderful creation which COM
prises two long crypts, the hall of the
knights, the refectory, the dormitory
and the cloisters. The cloister! What
an astonishing creation of human
genius enlightened by faith. They
have named it in their pride the
dwelling place of the angels, this
flower which has blossomed in the
midst of severe GRANTEES, this most ele-
CANT masterpiece of Gothic architec-
ture. 1t is there that it is necessary
to retire in order to see Heaven near
er and to pray without being inter-
rupted by the vain noises of the
world. One has rightly said that this
cloister is a fitting medium between
God and men; God can descend there
without losing any of his majesty;
man by ascending there is exalted.
of the spire appears the archangel St
Michel in the attitude of warrior.
pointing to heaven with one hand,
and holding in the other a flaming
sword, with which he menaces the
enemies of France and of the church
In the middle of the cloisters there
is a green enclosure where the Bene-
dictines used to SOW flowers, and In
one place we saw the fountain which
used to serve for the washing of the
feet. But today there is no longer the
austere grandeur nor the majestic
gravity which we found in the other
rooms. All is blooming, smiling and
gracious. There in the oden times
above the noise and tumuIt of the
world, the monks used to pray and
read and listen to spiritual converse
ton at the close of the meal. Later
this divine walk served as the prone
made of the victims of the civil war.
During the fourteenth century Mont.
ST. Michel was one of the principal
boulevards of France. Not only did
the flag of the foreigners never float
over the city of archangel, but the II
lustrious defenders of the citadel gain.
ed great advantages over the English
The greater part of these feats of arms
took place in the years which proceed.
cd the providential mission of Joan Of
Arc. Do you remember that the hero
inc herself received her orders from
heaven through the Archangel? he
guided her in the midst of all dangers
and made her triumphant over all on
stacles. While Saint Michel was pre-
pairing Joan of Arc to save France, ~
transformed his sanctuary into an I'M
pregnable citadel whose defenders r
ceived the first serious invasion OF tns
enemy. ~
This fortress is called Mont SAM
Michel au Peril de la Mers Althousn
1T hasabeen in danger from the sss
| man has never harmed it. Once ~
calvinist montgomery nearly gainss
access to 1t, but the traitor VINO
Continued on Page Eighth