Evening star., 1928-03-04
Continued from Third Page.)

tire and shudder at the world as II h
we're about 10 plunge into a sea o
hood" For seven years RomaUld livct
shut up in his cell. never speaking ;
word in all this time The figure of ST
Simon Stylites living alone on column
capital shines out from his age as al
illuminating symbol How ridiculous
these self-chastiscments might become
appears in Peter Damian's account o
the life OF Dominic Loricatus:
Through long course of gliding
years. girt With iron mail. he has
waged trucelesS war against the
wicked spirits; with cuirassed body
and heart always ready for battle.
lie marches as an eager warrior
against the hostile array.
Likewise IL is his regular and uil-
femitting habit with rod in each
hand every day to beat time upon
his naked body. and thus Scourse
out two pSalterS. And this even III
the Stacker season. For in Lent or
when he has a penance 10 perform
land he often undertakes q penance
Of hundred yearsb, each day. while
he plies himself with his rods, lie
paws of at least three pSalters. re-
peating then mentally tmcditan0ol.
The penance of a hundred years
Is performed thus: With us 5000
blows satisfies a year or penancc,
and the chanting tmoduatiol OF 10
psalms, as has often bcen tested. ad-
f,lits 1000 blows Now. clearly. as
the psalter consists Of $50 psalms.
any one computing correctly IaA sec
that FIVE years Of penance' lie III
chanting one psalter. with this dis
sat-
times 90 or 20 times 5 you have
hundred. Consequently, whoever
chants 20 pSalters. with this accom-
0anying discipline. may be confident
Q. having performed hundred
years Of penance. Herein our Domi-
mic outdoes those who struck With
only one hand; for he. true son Of
BENJAMIN. wars indefaiigably with
both hands against the rebellious al
lurements Of the flesh. He has told
me himself that he easily accom-
piishes penance OF hundred years
IN six days.
More social than the myStics were
the monks. The tradition OF Stolcism.
perhaps even OF Brahman!Sm ana
combined with the desire
for a life Of peaceful scholarship and
secure simplicity 10 develop the grea.
monastic orders. Despite the VOWS OF
chastity. obedience and poverty. which
were exacted Of the monk his life con-
tanned attractions appealing 10 those
who did not care for the duliness OF
economic drudgery or the risks and
turmoil Of war. There was quiet in the
scholars could copy ancient
and preserve something of
Greek and Roman literature for the
modern mind: indeed. for many GEN.
turies none but priests kept the knoWl-
edge Of writing. and the clerical art
reflects by its name its association with
cle-ics and the clergy. Perhaps, too.
there vas a conmunistic satisfaction
N the monastic life. soothing regu-
lari:y Of routine that fell like ointment
upon sensitive souls who would have
suffered from the shafts OF the world.
The first nonastic center was Egypt:
there Anthony met his temptations and
struggled il his solitude. In $50 St.
Benedict founded the greatest OF the
orders. on essentially democratic princi-
pies: the abbot was to be elected by the
monks. and every man was TO share
equally In the simple goods OF the mon
ssterv. Later ST. Bernard (born l09o)
founded his order at Clairraux. and in
spired Il with his passionate piety.
Man" SAYS Bernard. 'is none else
than a fetid sperm. sack Of dung. the
food Of worms: you have never
seen a viler dunghill than man" And
he calls upon the Pope 10 punish a
great hereto: Arnold OF Brescia,
whose speech Is honey and whose
touch poison. who has the heart of a
dove and the tail OF a scorpion. whom
E-escia yorni'ed forth. Rome abho-red.
France repelled. Germany abominates
End italy will not receive is said 10 be
With you" Then. he goes on TO speak
o. Christian mercy and love.
The most powerful Of the Inonas'ic
r-fers was founded bv ST Dominic IN
1914. Wandering on foot over the face
Of Europe. under burnin; suns or chill
!ng blasts. rejecting aims In money. but
receiving thankfully whatever coar5e
sood might be set before the wayfarer,
enduring hunger In silent resignation.
taking TO thought for the morrow. but
h1tied eterT7sily in sna.ching souls from
Satan and lifting men up from the sor-
id cares Of daily life"-so We picture
The monks who. more than any other
order. helped 70 spread Christianity
among the nations OF Europe. Gradual
'y the cid pagan mythology Of the
north gave way: and Odin. Thor and
F-eya fwhon We still commemorate on
Thursday and Fr.day)
vielded 10 the Virgin Mother and the
Son OF Man. Patrick won Ireland ir-
70 the faith. and another All
-ust!ne brought the glad tidings 10 Eng
land. When Gregory The Great say
so7ne captive English and vas told that
they we're called Angles he said that
they only needed Christianity 70 be
changed into angels. He was mistaken.
''TThe Kingdom of the Clergy" said
had been long since Il.
II end Il the reputation and reverence
'rvar6 the poTerty o. the monks ha@
ROT MADE up for the exceHses u bishops
2 &c pyeiates." in the midst Of q church
that vas growing corrupt with its
wealth. and even a. time when
orders were charged with In
and greed. the figure u 81
Francis appeared 70 remind men If
wfst Christianity had intended 70 be
In a.! The middle ages there Is no more
.oYs DE figure when Ye read of him
kss'Se AFihS .HsE ILs&lg1F y 81 AststR. am
'hat The last Christian Gid no, de on
ne cross
pTancls Was born In 1892 in the little
Z TDr1an town u Essis,. q! Wealthy
sn1 ariSNcTat,c family He had every
'arir? ~ enloying the goods If tu.e
= nrlc srf he CD not neg.-ct his ,pY,or-
nifty, lie i1Yed " wear costly clot3es
s1r 70 dream q! xpigntlY ad"tnt4rc,s,
f.e wrote ippetty and agYaHdcred MA
."'fasES Money Ia q romantic ard gen
'aFnan5t "s?. He was happy when s
~ bet%eFn Cmb.!a anc teru2is Pave
!lin chance " be cagaller. He
.rineo tie army II once, only " h. son
f*pt1Fec. aAd spent most ~ thr war
p"Fioc IN Il Dungeon When ii~ Was te-
= %btc MS taste !pf war lad lost ts
k"eflnesa t'1 the midst II ne caug,Ja.Y3
fnfist s%fulec 80 appear " him. point g
:H2 o3t TIE vanity 81 hts life ant 'he
'f!F;a. iEs;gn;ttaHne ~ al earthly
Inns j/J'c, ssld Francis what
= p1seS' Tn0l have me Go7" The visi0n
h%6e MIN abarccp var anc ."tufn 1,