The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-08-20
the partial suspension O
steamship service.
Spared Horrors Of War.

Prayers we're said by thousands and
church bells sounded yesterday
when the sacrament was exposed upon
all the sltsre. When the court learned
OF the pops's condition there was the
deepest concern King Victor En-
manuel personally informed Queen
Helena and the news was communi
Gated 10 the queen mother. The last
sacrament was administered by Mgr.
Zampini. sacristan to his holiness.
amid a most touching scene. The sis
tiers Of the pope and his niece were
overcome with grief.
Cardinal Merry del Val knelt by the
side Of his bed. where other cardinals
Joined him. the members OF the house
holding intoning prayers.
The dying pope, In a moment Of
lucidity. said:
Now ] begin 10 think. as the end
is approaching. that the Almighty, in
his inexhaustible goodness wishes TO
spare me the horrors Europe is under
going"
War Brought On Crisis,
The pope's last Illness began almost
coincidently with the great war in
Europe. Those close to him believe
that grief over the situation brought
on the final crisis and so overwhelmed
him that he was unable in his eight
ieth year to withstand stu another
attack Of his Old enemy. equity catarrh.
Ill health had been the pontiff's lot
for many years and Internationally the
attacks have been SO serious that the
world was prepared several times to
hear OF his passing.
During the summer there had been
numerous denials from the vatican
that his indispOsition was serious. AS
late as August 10 last, upon the occa-
sion OF the eleventh anniversary OF
his coronation, Pope Plus granted nu-
merous audiences. Two days later it
became known that he had cancelled
practically all engagements. His at
tendants reported that he was unable
TO work and that he sat lstless and
silent for hours, evidently brooding
over the great clash OF arms in Europe.
NcCH
His physician. DIR. Marchifava, or
dered his holiness to bed on August
49, when II was announced that the
war and the intense heat In Rome had
combined to depress him. In bed he
continued 10 dream OF the conflict by
night and to discuss 1t by day.
II shall not cease to implore God to
put a stop to this inhuman butch
cry" he declared.
His physicians had to deal with this
mental condition as we'll as physical
suffering. Arrangements were made
by which Cardinal, Merry del Val. the
papal secretary OF state, would render
his holiness a daily report on the war
situation. The pope desired to sec
some way in which he might exert his
influence To check the bloodshed and
he was the more affected because any
action seemed useless.
Called For Public Prayer.
At the commencement OF the Euro
pean crisis he had addressed an ex-
hortation to all the Catholics OF the
world, asking them to lift their souls
toward Christ, who alone was able to
aid, and he called upon the clergy to
offer public prayer.
The break between Austria and Ser
via from the first became a source of
great grief to him. for the vatican was
most friendly toward both nations.
He vss inexpressibly shocked. he
said, at the ASA ssinat ton OF Archduke
Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the
Austrian throne, who. like all the
Hapsburgs. was an ardent Catholic
and was sympathetic toward little
Servia. with which the vatican had
but recently concluded a friendly con-
cordat.