The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-20

and to his care. During his cure OF
Selzano the cholera swept over italy
His parish did not escape the visitauon'
but he remained at his post and was
fearless In his duty.
His service was not spectacular In
Salzano: II was parochial duty well ana
honestly performed. But his ordinary
comprehended. his visitations gave him
good opportunity to see what had been
done. The Bishop of Treviso could use
talent of that description, honest zeal OF
that sort, In the more difficult task or
diocesan administration. In 1875. after
eight years of undivided parochial re-
sponsibllty. after seventeen years In
the priesthood. Sarto was raised TO a
canonry in the Cathedral OF Treviso.
This was no mere honor. Hard admin
istratlve work fell to him In connection
with his stall. His was no plurality
II btnefice: II was more than plural
lty OF duty. II was a magnitude OF re-
sponsihility, for he was called upon
to be rector OF the diocesan seminary
examiner OF the clergy, Nicar-general
OF the diocese. How hard he worked.
how soundly he wrought. IL seen three
wears later on the demise OF the Bishop,
when the chapter unanimously selected
the canon az its vicar capitular.
Six years later, November 20, 1884
he was consecrated Bishop OF Mantua.
This is slow preferment. 1t may be the
recognition of hard work; 1t certainly Is
the reward of long work for the epls-
copal purple to come when cleric lacks
less than half year of so. when he has
been twenty-six years in orders.
A Quarrelsome Diocese.
Mantua was a stormy diocese. II was
n turbulent centre OF great activity.
II was filed with socialism. with liber-
allsm. with agnosticism. Whatever her
asy or schlsm CHANGED uppermost In Its
favor, that It proclaimed as the saliva
! ton of society and the state. IL was
/ argumentative. hot headed. quarrel
some. In a general way Mantua was
! inclined to believe that the Church had
long since served It's usefulness; the
debating society, the corner GRAFTON
was far more efficacious. In strict logic
Mantua needed no Bishop just as IL
needed no Church TO Withstand the dis
ordered movement which seemed prog
ress, leaving the Janglmg details or so
cialism and liberalism to be fought out
at leisure. In logic less strict Mantua
maintained it's indefeasible right to
choose it's own Bishop, even though II
did not approve Of bishops
This was pleasant diocese into winch
to send the vicar-capltular or TreViso
In effect Mantua protested against its
new Bishop because 1t had not IN
vited him, had not selected him 10 De-
come the Bishop of it's choice when II
did not choose TO have any Bishop al
all There is something childish In such
an attitude, a great community can be
puerile; Bishop Sarto had not pleas
ant task, yet II proved not wholly Diff
cult task. He had ut least tho salts
faction of the knowledge that none OF
his fellows In the clergy enVied MN
the conservation to such turbulence
Somehow he succeeded In winning
Mantua: the man under the purple sue
ceeded first in winning Vergil's city t.
himself So far as II Is given to see into
the workings Of the Spirit. It seems tina
the Bishop won Mantua to his grea
cause.
Two things developed for him In this
eplscopate. From the necessity OF thu
conditions with which he found himsel
surrounded he was obliged to study thu
appeal which socialism In Its varioui
forms possesses for the people. e
study the causes which left the paro
chial clergy weak to resist in them
selves and to combat in others the socia
disorders. These topics he studied II
all the phases in which they seethe'
before his view. lie was able to cop'
with them in the diocese, he HEALED
! much of the arrangement Of the condi
lions OF the community and of thu
church. Thus at first hand he &C
; quired tho knowledge with which h,
should later deal with these topics.
Retained Mantua Title.
Less poemic, n relief from the tur
: moil which from his conservation bese
him. the Bishop Is found studying on
, the original type OF the Gregorian chan
and cultivating II with his seminarians
This Is the second theme which he de
veloped In Mantua. 1t, too, has COM
to a wider fame in his pontificate.
OF what sort was his administration
|. of this blshopric, how II was REGARDED
by the ever watchful Vatican. appear
in this most significant fact: When h
was elevated to Venice as Patriarcl
he was expressly not disjolned from tina