The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-10-06
THE CARTHUSIAN.

protest, captain, against the or
ders which you gave us. We are citi-
zens of France. We have broken no
law. We have wronged no man, and
the people here will give testimony
that we have helped many
A low murmur of approval went
through the assembled throng, and
many heads nodded approval.
Now see here, Father, you must
not address the people," interposed
the captain hazily. IF there is any
trouble, you will be charged with hav-
ing melted a riot and the charge will
be serious if there are any soldiers
killed or wounded"
1T was far from my intention, cap
tain, to rouse the people. In fact, we
found them reused over the passage
of these Ubiquitous and unjust laws
and we have preached and urged the
futility of resistance to the powers
which rule France today. You need
not fear any trouble. | assure you
captain. The people will obey the or
ders and will follow the advice which
the Fathers have steadily given them.
But l will not leave the monastery
without at least a protest. Here for
hundreds of years our Fathers have
dwelt peaceably, injuring no man and
helping many. Look about you at the
country round! Do you know that
the prosperity, nay the wealth of the
country people here, has had it's
source in this monastery We have
taught them how to plant the vines
and to care for them SO that they
have fiourished and borne rich fruit
We have provided the knowledge and
meaning for warding off the diseases
to which the vines are subject. We
have shown them how to enrich the
SOIL We have fed the hungry and
clothed the naked; we have cared for
the sick and buried the dead. We
have built schools and churches to lift
the French people from the grounds,
and what is our reward-eXile-which
to Frenchman is DEATH
The captain flushed red He was
a little angry and a little ashamed.
His task was not a pleasing one to a
soldier He was to evict the Carthu-
slams from the monastery of Grenoble
and he did not like the work, but it
was his duty and he proposed to do it
He wished to avoid trouble with the
people who had gathered about, fol
he knew that word from the SUI
perior of the monastery would pre-
cipitate pitched battle. The people
would get the worst of it, but his or
ders were strict. He was to carry out
the commands he had with as little
excitement and strife as possible. II
would not do for the republic to &C
pear to be carrying out high-handed
without the consent, nay, the positive
appreciation of the people. He allowed
his tongue to get the better of him
for the moment.
There are too many priests in
France" he said; you are the drones
in the hive You have done much,
but you have received much,' and he
pointed to the splendid monastery and
noble church.
The Superior smiled little bitter
ly. This represents the lives and la
bors of monks for hundreds of years.
Here they came and prayed and toiled,
asking nothing and receiving nothing
for themselves. They had a cot to
sleep on which you, captain, would
despise, and narrow cell to sleep in,
which you would find very uncom-
Portable, though you are soldier and
supposed to be Injured to hardships.
They gave up their life and liberty,
and in subsection to The will of others
they lived here What did they re-
ceive for all this, captain? Let us
hope, heavenly crown, for certainly
this world did little for them, though
they did much for the world by their
example, by their charity, by their
study and toll Today the French peo-
ple-the peasants are the richest in
Europe, if not in the world. Yet the
government must drive us forth in
it's insane hatred of the Church and
in it's Unsuitable greed for wealth.
Are we not Frenchmen? Are we not
citizens? l myself have served
France in Africa"
Il regret" answered the captain,
that it is nay unpleasant duty to
carry out the will of my superior Of
ficers. We have been ordered to close
this monastery and expel the monks,
as have told you before, and pro-
longation of the discussion is not of
any avail. Even if l recognize that
there is much truth and justice in
what you say, it is beyond my power
to change the laws which Paris makes
for France
THAT is the difficulty, that Paris
makes the laws for France" cried the
Superior These laws are not the
will of the French people.
1T is useless to argue cried the
captain, "and I must ask you now for
the third time to open the door,
And t. answered the Superior,
calmly, for the third time refuse.
We will not surrender our monastery
willingly. We shall not resist, but
you must expel us if we are to leave
the place where we have hoped and
II 4 & -