The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-24

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recording angels in heaven such. pre-
: cisely. VAS the age % which Savonarola
Z brought his message. There was out
ward respectablity. but inward rotten
res.
Lorenzo De Nedici. Lorenzo the Mag
nidceut was al the zenith Of his fame
and popularity. he had made FlOrenci
the idol q his heart. he had made her
a city Of palaces. and her neighborh0od
a garden Of delights. When Savonarola
came 70 Florence. he greeted a queen
Z in beauty and in power He found there
, 10 churches representing the very high
est forms OF architecture and the mag
nlfceut cathedral OF the DuomO. far
famed in history. The deep notes Of the
organ were heard the gorgeous ritual Of
/ religion was not neglected. the long
drawn aisles and fretted roof. and the
dim. subdued Hghis-all we're there. Sa-
vonarola could have said Of Florence.
zs Paul said Of Athens when he looked
upon gods innumerable; ] perceive that
Z in al things you are TOO religious
~But all this was outward spiendor
II was the old story OF the whited Sc
puicher beautiful without. but degraded
within. Il was as the gorgeous plunes
on the hearse that bears the dead man
10 his grave; il was as some maus0leum.
[ in which lay dead faith and religion.
NO age. perhaps. other than that
which is characterized by the Apostle
I Paul IN his letter 20 the Romans. was
! more corrupt than that Of the time Of
I Lorenzo. The most corrupt popes that
had ever sat in the chair Of -. Peter
disgraced that high office The church
was absolutely rotten The state was
absolutely corrupt. Licentiousness. ly-
/ ing. cheating. gambling. ali of the gros-
ser vices and all OF the finer vices char
lacterized that civilization Il was 10
such a people and al such a time that
SaYOnarOia. the prophet OF Col came
When he first entered Florence. after
having preached for a while. no inn
preston was made and modestly he
writes. ! have not even moved a chick
en-. have no voice. no lungs no
style. Il is always true. my friends
that the truly great man does not know
he l. great Re wears his greatness as
uncOnsciOD-sy as the rose bears its
blushes a. unc0nsci0usly ar the sun
gives forth his beneiict.on upon a wait
ing world. he does not dream os fame.
he does not think Of leadership He
IS concerned simply with the task Of the
hour and the importance Of getting il
done with dispatch. and getting Il done
under the spirit of God Himself
-But one day Savonar0la announced
q sermon TO be delivered al the convent
u - Marx. u was great 0cca SION
great multitude assembled in the
great church and the great preacher
stood before them. The man auI the
hour had met The opportunity for
which iu the providence Of God be had
kept back now flashed in all liz bril-
lance before him Behold the orator as
be comes before his audience ] .ei-e
70 you brief description Of his personal
appearance: He was of slight stature.
about I'VE feet. six or seven inches high.
erect in carriage and easy in bearins
his complexion was dark. but clear His
eyes were nis wonderful feature Thev
were dark blue under chick heavy exc
hrows They were luminous. they
sparEied. they sh0ue. they emitted
sparks q fire. they giowei ike lamps
10 his head ir times u his impassionad
orator. They were ike the eyes Il
Frederick the Great awful Boz their BOZ
tensity when aroused with anger r- rp-
sentiment. and most pleasing in :h.ir
expression when rest'1r upon sou aith
favor 0r affection Ls nose was very
prominent and hooked bis ueth.- .D
protrliiug his mouth ia-ge-a c9Ilt-r-
ance on the whole rather repuis.-e arI
ugly. but the sou. benind the face trans
figured the sauut feature and they be-
came beautiful. and winning
-fi- stood af lhis critical moment h4
fore ihis critical audience. Here was 90
man who did Dor strive in his speech co.
drop ruby commas and emerald emi
col0nF' He was mo- c0urtier IL might
be asked concerning him as Iesus asse.
concerning John the Baptist What went
you out 0f the wilderness % see9 8
man clothed in soft raiment2 Behold
they that wear soft clothing axe in
kings houses But what went ge out
for % see2 q prophet Yea. and say
20 you. more than "a prophet
"lf ever man was m earnest if ever
a man felt the awful responsibilities
resting upon him 40 given crucial
moment. Il was Savonar0la as ho facet
the sc.findulgent and wicked and ele-
giant Florentines
lie spoke Of the crimes of Lorenzo.
Ile spoke OF the immoalities of the
pope. BE denounced the sins of tho
age He warmed the people that unless
they turned from their sins. the wrath
% Cod would come upon them There
was no. minclng There was no use 0f the
soft pedal in his speech There were
no flute tones. II was the trumpet
tone of q mighty leader summonins
upon bis blast the host 10 conflict and
20 victory ] imagine that those ewes
OF his flashed with unwontel srlendor
and than the great orators elDqueuce|
swept that audience as the wind s.t,tp
through the pines with no' quite so|
much melody.producing effect. but with
the same majesty and glory.
The crusade had begun. nn1 The
sound Of the trumpet announcing tne
battle had been heard The oifr ,fI
Florence Was aroused Lorenzo had
heard that something was going on
aud he sent q committee 20 wait upon