The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-02-21
'GAPuGHII life
II DETROIT MICH.

iii DL lh!Ulls lEllbns
MONKS 20 ESeELLENT woRE
AMONG; PEOPLE 10 RE Il
MEvE DISTRESS.
4. LEAD SIMPLE LIFE
Monastery In Vicinity of Mt. Elliot
cemetery One OF Good
Works.
Detroit Michigan. The cas-.
raj stroller In the vicinity OF Mt. Ell,
!iiott cemetery often meets beardea
man, bareiooted save for rude san,
dals, and clad In q coarse robe d
brown material girdied with rope
and hooded with a long, peaked cowf
1t is a carnchin monk, from the
monastery of st. Bonarenture, abroad
ION some errand OF mercy, or fperhap.
ITO perform the Offices OF some priest
who is forced to be absent from his
rarish. The dress Of the man "a pc.
ealiar and attracts the attention Of
the curious, but should you engage
tho monk in conversation, you would
Ind In HIN, "a man OF rather unusual
scholarly attachments, OF kindly man.
ner and simple, earnest attitude to.
ward life.
Whatever may be ones opinion Of
the value OF the monastic institution;
there isssomething IN the self-renun:
Citation of these men that challenges,
the admiration of the most frivolous.
There Is a fascination In the contras,
between the hubbub OF the outer
world and the restful quiet of the,
monastery THAT deeply fmpreeses
even the worldly man who Is permit.
ted a peep within, andsl him 10
ask II !, after all. these men in somber
garments have not discovered the
hest way out Of the perp!exfties Of
existence nd,the best solution Of the
world problem.
Push the button at the door be-.
heath the arched entrance; loud
gong in the inner hall Will announce,
your; coming, aid soon. a brown-robed
brotherwiIl open to you and give YOU
lfcourteous greeting. Your first i'm.
preston Of the. interior as you are
led Into the reception room is Of !se.
we're simplicity with perfect cleanli-
mes. The monks gre good housekeep-
srs, setting an excellent example for
al keepers Of bachelor apartments.
The rooms are bare except for the
most necessary furniture. There are
no carpets! and the chairs are OF the
inhospitable straight backed variety.
On the walls are a few religious pic!
cures OF the kind familiar In, Catholic
Institutions.
The building surrounds a pretty
.!nner;eourt, after the, manner OF Eu-
-opean fffonasterics. Here at recre.l
alton time YOU! may find one or more
9ff the fathers strollihg among the
flowers and palms which border the
walks and are sprayed by the waters
Of a. tiny fountain. An ancient tree
Or two. affords shade, and the ivy
creeping over the gray walls gives
,ne the impression Of yenerableness
which one associates with monastic
architecture.
II 1t happens to be at the hour Of
he yespers you may SEQ the monks in
procession coming from their dining
lall and chanting as they pass! The
sight is most interesting and impress.
iive. This life In which religion ia
continually given first place, SO that
n his downsltting and his uprising,
It bis meals and at his work, In fact,
n, every waking moment OF his life,
!he monk seems to- be engaged in
prayer or praise, sets the worldly
nan thinking. 4
The routine OF life In a monastery |
8 most exacting. At 1880 the monks
arc awakened by a gong and prompt:
arise. Fifteen minutes are devot-,
I'd to theYtoilet; then the day 10 be:
isun With. private prayer and medita-
Ion. AT $3.50 mass is celebrated in
ithef ehapelband at Z o'clock the
3snonks repair to the dining room for
breakfast, The meal consists Of bread
md coffee AMI Is taken in absolute
,iilence, accordlngyto the VOWS OF the
order. :asssps -
After the breakfast the fathers re.
lire TO study and the brothers begin |
their daily tasks; some go to the gar
den. others wash the dishes; mean:
while reciting the rosary. still 9TH
ars do the chamberwork, while 9th.
srs are busy In bakery, Laundry and
all the departments Of a large house
hold.
4 At 1880 dinner Is, ready and again
in silence the monks take their places
at the long dining tables. As the
simple meal proceeds. one brother az
ter another reads aloud for the edIa-
cation otgall. There Is no CONVERSE
ton. Forsan$ hour after the midday
neal the fathers have recreation,
during which they are at liberty to
converse for the. first time ofg,the
Nnp y ! Al Il