The guardian., 1951-01-27
INTRODUC

tered throughout the Imitation,
with which one clinging to the
doctrines of the Reformation and
the primitive belief cannot but
dissent. While we confess the ex-
istence of these imperfections,
consequent upon the age in which
the book appeared and the cir
eumstanoes under which its
words were penned, we surely
have reason for grateful surprise
that so little of an exceptionable
nature is met with here. So clear
is the Imitation in its allegiance
to Him, our Lord, who is 'all
in all" so free is it from ming
lings with the erroneous teach
ings of the times, so plainly are
even the leanings of its errors
to the side of truth, that the
earnest and well-grounded Chris
tian heart has no difficulty in
separating the true from the false
in its words and precepts.
Though, in reference to the
nature of the Sacrament, as
earlier with regard to monkish
austerities and mediaeval teach
ings, its language may be very
strong,-too strong, in fact,-it
may even in its exaggeration in
spire us, in an age of low views
of the sacraments and loose no
tions of doctrines as well as
duties, with greater reverence as
we draw near so adorable a
mystery in which to feed on
Christ our Lord by faith with
thanksgiving. It should inspire
us to agonizing effort to enter in
at the straight gate that leadeth
unto life.
Passing from the book to its
author, 1t would hardly accord
with our plan to open anew the
controversy which for a time
agitated the ecclesiastical world,
whether the writer of the treatise
De Imitatione was Thomas a
Kempis, one of the regular
canons of Mount st. Agnes, near
Zwoll, or the Benedictine Jean
Gerson. This dispute, which sur
rounded the death-bed of Bellar-
mine with chickering's of contend
ing Kempists and Gersenites;
which engaged the attention of
Richelieu, though it failed of a
decision at his hands; which was
at one time deemed so danger
GUS to the peace of Paris that the
Prevot forbade its discussion in
that excitable city, and which
was hardly settled by the dictum
of st. Francis de. Sales, who
ascribed the authorship neither
to the one claimant nor the
other, but to Him by whose in
spiration the Scriptures had been
penned, has of late years beer
decided by the popular acclaim
giving to the pious Kempis thi;
long-disputed honor. In fact, sc
completely is his claim estab,
lished, that DR.. Ullman, in an eX-
haustive memoir of Thomas a
Kempis, contained in his "Re-
formers before the Reformation, .
does not even raise the question
of a rival claimant, and Milman,
in his Latin Christianity" adds
his conviction as to the correct
ness of the same conclusion.
A little town on the Rhine, not
far from the ancient city Of
Cologne, was the birthplace of
the author of the Imitation. +"
From this town of Kempen or
Kampen, Thomas Hamerken re-
ceived, agreeably to the custom
of the time, the name by which
he is generally known-Thomas
a Kempis. Springing from pow
erty as he did, the schools Of
the Brethren of the Common Lot
offered the means of shelter, sup
port, and instruction to the youth,
already taught by a Christian
mother the lessons of purity and
piety never to be affaced. Won
by the beauty of holiness as ex-
hibited in the lives of Brethren
of the Common Lot, the young
scholar soon entered into full
outward fellowship with the So
ciety. Under their direction his
days were divided between the
study and the copying of the
Holy Scriptures and the devo-
tional exercises of the Brethren.
The natural bent of a Kempis
towards the life Of quiet, con-
templative piety, had now its
full exercise. The retirement of
the cloister for private medits-
ton, and the devotions Of the
Church for public worship, gave
him rich antepasts Of heaven.
The peaceful flow of quiet hap
piness, interrupted only by the
requirements of duty or the calls
to prayer, knew nothing of the
angry swellings of the waves Of
this troublesome world without.
It was this attractive feature in
the life of the Brethren around
him in the Brother-House of De-
venter, where seven years passed
swiftly in PRAYER and study, that
led the young brother, under the
advice of his beloved friend and
master Florentius, to enter the
Aupustiniau convent of Zwoll