THE LIFE AND LEGENDS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISITRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF FATHER CANDIDE CHALIPPE, O. F. M. REVISED AND RE-EDITED BY FATHER HILARION DUERK, O. F. M. Imprimatur FATHER SAMUEL MACKE O. F. M. _Min. Prov. _ St. LouisSeptember 1, 1917Nihil obstat ARTHUR J. SCANLAN, S. T. D. _Censur Librarum_Imprimatur JOHN CARDINAL FARLEY _New York_This Jubilee Edition of the Life and Legends of St. Francis of Assisiis Respectfully Dedicated to all Members of the Third Order in theCity of Cleveland and Vicinity, above all, to the Nobel Patrons andZealous Workers of Our Tertiary Branches. INTRODUCTORY NOTEThe Life and Legends of St. Francis of Assisi by Father CandideChalippe, O. F. M. , need no apology. The work was first published atParis in 1727. It is not only well written and reliable withal, butalso instructive, elevating and inspiring. The facts and legendsmentioned are drawn from the oldest and most reliable sources. Theabundance of incidents and anecdotes not to be found elsewhere makethe volume eminently interesting, while the reflexions and applicationswhich the author now and then interweaves with the narrative are soreplete with practical hints on spiritual life, that they willundoubtedly produce the best spiritual results in the reader. The stylethough simple, at times graphic, is very pleasing; the narrative flowson with equal ease and freedom. In 1852 a priest from the Oratory of St. Philip Neri made a translationinto English from what was then the latest French edition. This Frenchedition came from the press in 1850. With the English translation theoriginal work appeared in an abridged form. The original work is dividedinto six books, the English translation contains but half of these, so rearranged for the sake of clearness that they form five books. Most elucidations of the original work regarding characteristics ofSt. Francis, events and dates that are doubtful, are omitted, likewisemost of the writings of St. Francis. The former were and still areundergoing changes, owing to new historical researches and discoveriesmade by students of Franciscan sources, while the latter were butlately again newly translated into English and edited as completelyas possible with many critical notes and references of great value bythe scholarly Father Paschal Robinson, O. F. M. --The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi by Father Paschal Robinson, O. F. M. The Dolphin Press, 1906. The marvellous progress the Third Order of St. Francis is making inthis country causes the story of the life of St. Francis that isherewith presented to the public in a newly revised edition to beespecially welcome. For all Tertiaries know that mere devotion to St. Francis is of itself not sufficient to acquire the spirit of theirSeraphic Father; all are aware that membership in the Third Order doesnot necessarily argue the possession of this spirit--and yet, everyreal Tertiary desires nothing more than to acquire the poor, humble, loving spirit of St. Francis. This spirit can scarcely be acquired, unless the life of St. Francis be well known, meditated upon andimitated as far as practicable. The Life and Legends of St. Francisof Assisi by Father Candide Chalippe, O. F. M. , is peculiarly adaptedto help Tertiaries to perform this task; the spirit of St. Francisbreathes in every page. Not once, but several times may Tertiariesread this book to great advantage. With every reading new items ofinterest will be discovered, new lessons will present themselves tobe learnt, new inspirations will be imparted to the soul from above. The more this book is read, the more it will be loved; the more it isstudied, the more it will be admired. For Tertiaries a book of thiskind is a necessity; it is as necessary for them as a text-book isfor a scholar. May this wonderful work spread in the future even more rapidly thanbefore, may it receive the hearty welcome it deserves among theinnumerable Tertiaries and clients of St. Francis of Assisi and be tothem a sure guide to God's abundant graces in this world and to lifeeverlasting in the next. PREFACE BY THE AUTHORWHEREIN THE PREJUDICES OF CERTAIN PERSONS AGAINST MIRACLES WHICH ARERECORDED IN THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS ARE SHOWN TO BE BOTH UNREASONABLEAND DANGEROUS, AND THAT THE MIRACLES ATTRIBUTED TO SAINT FRANCIS AREVERY WELL AUTHENTICATED. A very common failing amongst men is to adopt one extreme in theendeavor to avoid another, and sometimes not to perceive that theextreme into which they fall is greater than that which they had soughtto flee from. To insure themselves against weak incredulity, some haveimbibed such prejudice against the miracles in the Lives of the Saints, that they cannot endure to hear of them; the very ideas of miracles, revelations, ecstasies, visions, apparitions, are hateful and disgustingto them; all that is said on these subjects they look upon as fabulousand incredible; they call in question the most undeniable evidence, or attribute these wonders to natural and unknown causes. The wonderswhich are recorded in the Life of St, Francis, afford an opportunityof grappling with these prejudices. In the first place, no man using his right reason will reject thewonders recorded in the Lives of the Saints, because of theirimpossibility. Miracles are extraordinary events, which break throughthe laws of nature, and exceed the force of all natural causes; it isonly necessary to make use of our reason to be aware that God, whosepower is infinite, having freely established these laws, may, wheneverHe thinks fit, break through them Himself by the ministry of Hiscreatures, whom He makes use of as He pleases; that these suspensionsmay enter into the external designs of His wisdom and providence, andthat they occur by successive acts, without there having been anychange in Him, because it is an act of His will which causes them, asit does every other thing. Now this proves that miracles are possible, and that there is no impossibility in the wonders recorded in the Livesof the Saints. In the second place, these wonders ought not to cause an increduloussurprise in any sensible person who pays due attention to the wondersof nature. "Man, " says St. Augustine, "sees extraordinary things happen, and he admires them, while he himself, the admirer, is a great wonder, and a much greater miracle than any things which are done by theintervention of man. There is nothing more marvellous done in theworld, which is not less wonderful than the world itself. All natureis full of what is miraculous; we seem unconscious of it, because wesee those things daily, and because this daily repetition lowers themin our eyes. And this is one reason why God has reserved to Himselfother things out of the common course of nature, on which He shows Hispower from time to time, in order that their novelty may strike us;but when we consider attentively, and with reflection, the miracleswe constantly see, we find that they are far greater than others, however surprising and uncommon these may be. "The holy doctor admits that the prodigies which are out of the commoncourse of nature, and which are properly called miracles, are to beviewed with astonishment, since they are works of God, worthy ofadmiration; he only requires that the surprise they cause shall bequalified by a consideration of the wonders of nature, to which helikewise gives the name of miracles, in a more extended sense: on thesame principle, and _a fortiori_, what there is surprising in themshould not make them appear to us incredible. An enlightened minddoes not believe in miracles which are communicated to him, unless dueproof of them is adduced; but it is not because what is wonderful inthem renders him incredulous, because he sees more marvellous thingsin the universe and in himself. If men who apply themselves to thestudy of nature, are pertinacious in refusing to believe in the miraclesof the saints, it is because they do not make use of the light theyhave received, and do not reason deductively; they have only soughtto gratify their curiosity, or to gain credit for their discoveries;and do not some of them lose themselves in their speculations, andbecome impious, even so as to recognize no other God than nature itself?In the third place, faith in the great mysteries of religion mustincline us to believe in the wonders we read in the Lives of the Saints. Are we, then, not called upon to say to those whose prejudices weoppose: "As you belong to the society of the faithful, you not onlybelieve that three Persons make only one God; that the Son of God wasmade man; that the dead shall rise again; but also, that Jesus Christbecomes every day present on our altars, under the species of breadand wine, at the words of consecration; and you believe all the otherastonishing wonders that are proposed to you in our holy religion:why, then, do you find such repugnance in believing those of the Livesof the Saints, which are far inferior to the former"?It is useless to say in answer, that these last are only based on humantestimony, which we are not obliged to receive; that the mysteries arepropounded to us by Divine authority, to which we are bound to submit;for this is not the question before us. We only compare one wonderwith another, and we maintain that the belief in the one shouldfacilitate the belief in the other. In fact, if we believe with a firmand unshaken faith what God, in His goodness, has been pleased toeffect for the salvation of all men, and what He continues daily toeffect in the Eucharist; may we not easily convince ourselves that Hemay have given extraordinary marks of His affection for his mostfaithful servants?In the fourth place, similar wonders to those which are found in theLives of the Saints are also found in the Holy Scriptures. Raptures, ecstasies, frequent visions and apparitions, continual revelations, an infinity of miracles, miraculous fasts of forty days, are thingsrecorded in the Old and New Testaments. We believe all these wonderfulcircumstances, and we are obliged to believe them, although they farsurpass our understanding; on what, then, shall we rely for maintainingthat the wonders recorded in the Lives of the Saints are improbable, and that we may reasonably call them in question? Reason, on thecontrary, marks them as so much the more probable and worthy of credit, as we know and believe similar ones which we may not doubt of. Christians should be accustomed to what is marvellous, and requirenothing but proofs for the most unusual prodigies. In the fifth place, the promise which Jesus made that the power ofworking miracles should be given to true believers, gives authorityto the belief in miracles in the Lives of the Saints. "Amen, amen, Isay to you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do he shall doalso, and greater than these shall he do; because I go to the Father. And whatsoever you ask the Father in my name, that will I do. " "Andthese signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall castout devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take upserpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurtthem; they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. "Our Saviour, according to the doctrine of the Holy Fathers, has promisedthe gift of miracles, not to each one of the faithful in particular, but to the Church in general; and His promise is for all times, whenthe good of religion requires its accomplishment. Heretics pretendthat it only related to the days of the apostles, and that miracleswere only required for the establishment of the faith. What right havethey to limit the words of the Son of God? Do they imagine that theyunderstand the Scriptures better than the holy doctors? How will theyprove that since the time of the apostles there have been nocombinations of circumstances in which the good of religion shall haverequired that miracles should be performed? They were required for theinfidels, to whom the Gospel has been preached in different centuries, as well as for the Greek and Roman idolaters, to whom it was firstannounced. The Church has required them to silence the heretics whohave successively endeavored to impugn her dogmas, and to strengthenthe faith of her own children. They have been always useful formanifesting the eminence of virtue, for the glory of God, for theconversion of sinners, for reanimating piety, for nourishing andstrengthening the hopes of the good things of another life. We are, therefore, justified in saying that the promise of Jesus Christ is forall times, in certain occasions, and that the belief in the miraclesin the Lives of the Saints is authorized thereby. In the sixth place, that there have been miracles in the Lives of theSaints are facts, the proofs of which are unquestionable. The Acts ofthe Martyrs, which have always been read in the Church, and thegenuineness of which has been admitted by the most talented critics, contain recitals of the most wonderful events: the confessors of thefaith instantaneously cured, after having undergone the most crueltortures; wild beasts tamed and crouching at their feet; lights andcelestial voices, apparitions of Jesus Christ and His angels, and manyother wonderful circumstances. In the first six centuries there are scarcely any ecclesiastical writersand Holy Fathers who do not record miracles worked by the servants ofGod, and by their relics; and they speak of them as of things whichthey have either seen with their own eyes, or were of public notoriety. Saint Justin Martyr, in the second century, speaking of the power ofJesus Christ over the demons, in his Apology, addressed to the EmperorsMarcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, and to the Roman Senate, says: "Youhave proofs of what passes before your eyes, and in your city, and inall the rest of the world; for you know that many of those possessed, not having been able to be delivered by your exorcists, enchanters, and magicians, have been so by the Christians who have exorcised themin the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate. "Saint Ireneus assures us that in the same century some true disciplesof Jesus Christ had received supernatural gifts, which they made useof advantageously for other men: "Some, " says he, "drive away devils;and this is certain, that often those who have been delivered embracethe faith, and join the Church. To others it is given to know thefuture, and to have prophetic visions. Others cure the sick by theimposition of hands, and restore them to perfect health. Very often, even in every place, and for some requisite cause, the brethren solicit, by fasting and fervent prayers, the resurrection of a dead person, andobtain it; these dead, thus revived, have lived with us for severalyears afterwards. What shall I say further? It is not possible toenumerate the extraordinary gifts which the Church receives from God, and what she operates in every part of the world, in favor of thenations, in the name of Jesus Christ crucified. ""We can, " says Origen, writing against Celsus, "show an immensemultitude of Greeks and barbarians who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ;there are some who prove their faith by the power of working miracles. They cure the sick by invoking their God, the Creator and the SovereignLord of all things; and the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, of whoseGospel they recite a part. We ourselves have seen several sick personsdelivered from the most formidable maladies, and the cured are toonumerous to be counted. "Tertullian, in his Apology, and in another work, records plainly themiraculous fall of rain which was obtained from heaven by the prayersof the Christian soldiers, which saved the army of the Emperor MarcusAurelius, which was reduced to the last extremity. He proves the truthof this fact by the very letter of the emperor. We have also authenticproofs of this event in the authors and records of paganism itself. Tertullian, likewise, tells us that the pagans received extraordinarygraces by means of the Christians, some of which he quotes, and headds: "How many persons of distinction, without mentioning other people, have been thus delivered from the devil, and cured of their evils!"St. Cyprian upbraided an idolater in the following terms, while refutinghim: "The gods whom you adore we exorcise in the name of the true God, and they are compelled to leave the bodies which they possessed. Oh, if you chose to see and hear them, when suffering under the power ofour words, as if they were spiritual scourges, and feeling the secretoperation of the Divine Mastery! They howl terrifically, entreat ofus to spare them, declare, in presence of their adorers, whence theycame, and confess a future judgment. Come and be convinced of the truthof what we say; to be at least moved. Those whom you adore, fear us;those to whom you pray, entreat of us to spare them; those whom yourevere as sovereigns, are as prisoners in our hands, and tremble asso many slaves. We interrogate them, and in your presence they declarewhat they are; they cannot dissemble the impostures which they makeuse of to deceive you. "Such are the miracles which many of God's servants operated in thesecond and third centuries, and which cannot be called in question. How many different kinds are recorded in subsequent times by St. Basil, and by St. Gregory of Nyssa, in the life of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus;by St. Athanasius in the life of St. Anthony; by Sulpicius Severus, in the life of St. Martin; by St. Chrysostom, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Paulinus, in many parts of their works; by Theodoret, in his religious history; by Pope St. Gregory, in his dialogues; bySt. Hilary of Arles, St. Ouen, and very many others worthy of credit!These saintly and learned Bishops, Avitus, Metropolitan of Vienne, Stephen of Lyons, Eon of Arles, conferring with the Arians, in presenceof Gondebauld, King of the Burgundians, after having proved theconsubstantiality of the Word, by the testimony of the Scripture, andby powerful arguments, offered to give additional proof thereof bymiracles, if the heretics would promise to acquiesce in consequence;and quoted the example of St. Remigius, Apostle of the French, who wasthen living, and setting up the faith on the ruins of idolatry by amultitude of prodigies. The miracles operated by means of relics are neither less wellauthenticated, nor less celebrated; they were known to the whole world. St. Augustine was an eyewitness of them; being at Milan when St. Ambrosediscovered, by means of a revelation, the spot where the bodies of SS. Gervasius and Protasius reposed. He saw a great many miracles performedin Africa by the relics of St. Stephen, of which he makes mention inhis book of the City of God, written for the confutation of the mostlearned of the pagans, wherein he says that, to quote only thoseoperated in the Dioceses of Calame and Hippo, several books would notsuffice. Nicetius, Bishop of Treves, writing to Clodosvinda, orGlotinda, Queen of the Lombards, to exhort her to solicit the conversionof King Alboin, her husband, advised her to make use of the visiblemiracles which were operated at the tomb of St Martin, and by theinvocation of St. Germanus, St. Hilary, St. Lupus, St. Remigius, andSt. Medardus. They were so evident, that the heretics dared not callthem in question, and could not deprive them of their splendor. Godmade use of these for the conversion of kings, and of the entirenations. In all ages after the six first centuries, the prodigies of the Livesof the Saints are noticed by numerous authors of all countries, whosetalents, learning, probity, holiness, and dignity, render themrespectable to the most searching critics. They are supported byincontrovertible evidence, by juridical depositions, by authentic acts, and by splendid monuments which have been erected to their memory bybishops, princes, magistrates, cities and kingdoms to perpetuate therecollections of these splendid achievements. We find that the saintshave made numerous predictions, which have been justified by the event;and that, either moved by the Spirit of God, or compelled by obedience, they have admitted the supernatural operations which they felt in theirsouls. Finally, the prodigies which are found in the Lives of theSaints have always been considered as indubitable facts amongst thefaithful; the Church recognizes them, and they form one of the objectsof their piety and devotion; no one is placed in the catalogue ofsaints whose sanctity has not been attested from heaven, by means ofmiracles; and she takes such rigorous precautions, and carries theirstrictness so far, that, according to all human prudence, it isimpossible she should be deceived. We now ask whether it can be permitted to think and to say that suchfacts are absolutely false, and should only be looked upon as fablesunworthy of credence? In such case it would be necessary to abrogatethe rule judiciously and universally received in the world, that factswhich have nothing incredible in themselves are not to be controvertedwhen duly proved; it would be also necessary to refuse credence to allthat is related in sacred and profane history; to lay down as a maximto believe nothing but what we see, and to refuse to receive thetestimony of the honorable people with whom we live. Now, this is whatis requisite to prove and convince every man of good sense that theprejudice against the miracles of the Lives of the Saints is quiteunreasonable; but this does not point out its quality sufficiently;it is senseless and ridiculous, it is rash, and, what is more, it isdangerous. Whoever denies what the Fathers of the Church attest as having seen, or having been authentically informed of, must conclude that they wereeither very credulous, or deceived the people. To refuse to believethe marvels which have reached us by an uniform and universal tradition, is to call in question all tradition; to render all its channelssuspicious, and to cause it to be looked upon as a questionableproposition. What can be thought of the saints, if the miraculousgraces, which they certify that they have received from God, are tobe treated as chimeras; if the accomplishment of what they haveforetold, is to be attributed to chance? What even can be thought oftheir most heroic victims? What opinion will be formed of their acts?Will they be deemed more trustworthy in other matters? When it isasserted that there have been no miracles since the days of theapostles, it must be said, by a necessary consequence, that the Church, which grounds canonization on miracles, makes use of falsehood in thatmost solemn and religious act, and that the public worship which theChurch directs is uncertain. Now this very much resembles heresy; forthe great principles of religion teach us that on these occasions theChurch receives peculiar enlightenment from the Holy Ghost, by whichshe can neither be deceived herself, nor can she deceive others. These miracles, it is said, are not articles of faith, and the Churchdoes not oblige us to believe them. As if nothing was believed in theworld but such things as are of faith; as if it was not dangerousobstinately to reject those things which are sanctioned by the authorityof the Holy Fathers, by reason and by piety, by tradition and by theChurch, and which cannot be rejected without fatal consequences!This incredulity attacks, moreover, one of the proofs of the divinityof Jesus Christ, which the fathers adduced against the pagans. St. Chrysostom having asserted, on the subject of the miracles of themartyr, St. Babylas, that our Saviour, on the night of His Passion, had promised to those who should believe in Him, the power of workingthese miracles, adds: "It had been antecedently seen that many hadtaken upon themselves the character of masters, who had disciples, andwho boast of performing wonders; nevertheless, we do not hear of anywho had ventured to promise their disciples the same power. Theinsolence of their impostures did not go so far, because they knewthat no one would believe them; all the world being convinced that itis only given to God to make a similar promise, and to fulfil it. " Onthis principle the holy doctor proves that Jesus Christ is God, sinceHe has given to those who believe in Him the power of working miracles, which His disciples actually did, and which His servants now do. St. Augustine makes use of the same proofs, in his book of the City ofGod. Thus the miracles of the saints have in all ages been adduced asproofs of the Divinity of our Saviour; and this is what those endeavorto do away with, who, without reflection, consider them as fables. Another danger is, that they speak of these marvels according to theirown prejudices. They openly say that they do not believe them, andthat persons ought not to have the weakness to believe them; they speakcontemptuously of the books in which they are recorded; they cannotendure that they should form part of panegyrics of the saints. Theymake use of impious derisions, and turn into ridicule the faithful whocredit them, and they censure the conduct of the Church whichconsecrates them. Such discourse sanctions heresy and licentiousness;worldlings and the indevout applaud it, the tepid seem to consent toit, and the falsely devout approve it; it is a scandal to the weak, and a dishonor to religion. It is also to be feared that prejudices against what is wonderful inthe Lives of the Saints may spread to other subjects, if we only judgefrom the principles which are the cause of them. For, in what do theseprinciples consist? They are not grounded on reason or religion; theymust, therefore, have a basis of incredulity for everything which theydo not understand: the foolish vanity of being thought singular;ignorance, which boldly repudiates what it knows nothing of; keepingcompany with libertines; a conformity of feeling with heretics, andthe spirit of the world, which is the enemy of all piety. Suchcalamitous causes give room to fear the most fatal effects. In general, the liberty only to believe those things which we choose, on points in which religion is concerned, is very dangerous; it oftenmakes a destructive progress, for its first attempts embolden it. Persons are easily persuaded that all miraculous narratives are false, though the Church guarantees the truth of many; and when this sameChurch pronounces on dogmatical facts, declaring: such and suchpropositions to be heretical which are in such and such a book, andexacts an interior submission of heart and mind, do these doubtersshow more docility? Do they not cloak their disobedience by a respectfulsilence, always ill kept and finally broken through by open rebellion?Do we not see persons in the world speaking irreverently of relics, purgatory, indulgences, and even of the holy mysteries, after havingtreated contemptuously the marvels of the Lives of the Saints?Certain critics admit these marvels, but have imbibed the idea thatfalsehood is so mixed up with the truth, that they cannot be separatedbut by using certain rules, which they take upon themselves to laydown. This prejudice is not less dangerous, nor less unreasonable thanthe other. Because some inconsiderate writers, who cannot be too severely censured, have given scope to their imagination in certain legends, and haveemployed fiction for the embellishment of their narratives, the doubterspretend that the whole history of the saints is full of impostures;nevertheless, pure sources have been the basis of their authentic acts, in the works of the Fathers, and in an infinity of authors well worthyof credit, and in the Bulls of Canonization. An Asiatic priest, asrelated by St. Jerome, who quotes Tertullian, composed false acts ofSt. Thecla through an ill-understood sentiment of devotion:--does itfollow from that that the truth of many other acts which were thereread, and which we still possess, is to be set aside? Moreover, theChurch has remedied the evil; she has rejected the false prodigies;she has expunged from the legends the indiscreet additions; a newedition has been long since placed in the hands of the faithful, whichonly contains the well-authenticated and certain miracles. A learned man has demonstrated that the rules of these critics for theelucidation of these miracles are not judicious; that they areextravagant, and that it would be risking too much to follow them;that they are contradictory, and not in unison with each other; thatit often happens that they reject or admit miracles against their ownprinciples. If they find splendid ones, and many of them in the samelegend, they hold them to be suppositions or altered, although, theoldest and most authentic documents contain similar ones; they rejectthem as false, without assigning any reason in proof of their havingbeen falsified; they pretend that the authors who have recorded themwere too credulous, though they received other articles on the testimonyof these same authors. In order to believe them, they require perfectcertainty, although they give credit to many circumstances inecclesiastical and profane history on mere probabilities. One of themprofesses not to omit a single miracle which is vouched for by goodauthority, nevertheless, he suppresses many of the most considerable;and many of those which he feels compelled to bring forward, he doesso in terms which mark doubtfulness, to say nothing more. Thus, the ultra-critics while admitting the wonders of the Lives ofthe Saints, reduce them to nothing by rules, which they invent forseparating truth from falsehood, as those who profess to believe aninfallible authority in the Church make that infallibility to dependon so many conditions, that they may always maintain that the Church, dispersed or assembled, has never come to any decision in oppositionto their errors. It is, they say, the love of truth which induces them to examine mostscrupulously the miracles of the saints; nothing should be believed, or be proposed to belief, but what is true. But Bossuet said of badcritics: "They are content, provided they can pass for more subtleobservers than others, and they find themselves sharper, in not givingcredit to so many wonders. " The love of truth does not consist indenying its existence, where so many persons of first-rate genius havefound it; it does not depend on rendering obscure the light it sheds, nor in giving to the public Lives of Saints accompanied by a dry, bitter, and licentious criticism, calculated to throw doubt on allthat is extraordinary in them, and thereby to give scandal. The learnedJesuits, the continuators of Bollandus, show, by the precision of theirresearches, that they are sincere lovers of truth, but we do not seethat they endeavor to diminish the number of miracles: "They have noidea of taking them for fictions; nothing astonishes them in the livesof the friends of God, provided it be well attested. " Father Thomassen, of the Oratory, in his treatise on the Celebration of Festivals, speaksof a miraculous event which occurred in the sixth century, and whichis reported by Bollandus, and he adds: "These sorts of miracles areby no means articles of faith, but nevertheless, they are not to berejected by sage and considerate persons. Upon reading the works ofSt. Cyprian, St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, and St. Jerome, and those ofSt. Gregory of Nyssa, of St. Basil, and St. Athanasius, we can haveno doubt that these fathers had no difficulty in believing similaroccurrences, similarly attested. St. Augustine, indeed, has relatedseveral much more incredible; and it is greatly to be feared that toset one's self above the Augustines, the Jeromes, the Gregories, andthe most learned Fathers of the Church, must be the effect of a mostdangerous pride. "It is objected that the multitude is credulous; that it likes themarvellous, and should not be exposed to believe untruths. But credulityis far less dangerous than incredulity; the one admits of cure mucheasier than the other; the former, in proper limits, may be very useful, the latter engenders nothing but evil. Some one has said, that thelove of the marvellous is the ancient malady of mankind; it would, perhaps, be more accurate to say, that it is a remainder of theiroriginal greatness; and that, being created to witness the marvels ofthe Divinity, they are impelled, by an interior impulse, to believewhatsoever seems to them to approach to them, until such, time as theirvisions shall be fully gratified. This impulse only becomes a maladywhen it receives wonderful things which are absurd, or without anyfoundation. Aversion from the marvellous, which has its origin in theweakness of a mind oppressed by sin, is a much greater malady, and mayhave most dangerous consequences, in a wholly marvellous religion whichwe must love. These marvels are displeasing in pious narratives, wherethey are fully proved, and they are sought for in theatricalcompositions, where they are mere fictions: the distinction isdishonorable to Christians. Finally, as to the falsehood: What riskdoes the pious multitude run, in believing the miracles of the Livesof the Saints? They find nothing in them which is not proved, or worthyof belief; nothing but what may very prudently be believed; nothingbut what is edifying; and this, according to St. Augustine, is asufficient guarantee from falling into any dangerous credulity. We should be very dangerously credulous, if we put our faith in falseand deceitful miracles, which only tend to seduce the mind, and corruptour belief. We are warned in the Gospel, that "there shall arise falsechrists and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if it be possible) even the elect;" and St. Paul teaches us that Antichrist, "that man of perdition, will comeaccording to the working of Satan in all power, and signs, and lyingwonders. " The father of lies has often inspired the heretics to producemiracles, which they have asserted to have been performed by personsof their party, living or dead, from whence they inferred that Godauthorized the doctrines they taught. Ecclesiastical history furnishesmany examples of this, and there are some very recent ones. But Jesus Christ has furnished us with a sure and infallible rule toavoid the contagion: it is to hear the Church; it is to consider thoseonly as true miracles of which she approves, and of which she sanctionsthe publication; it is to believe firmly that no one who is in revoltagainst the Church will ever perform a miracle favorable to his sect, whatever appearance of austerity, piety, charity, or sanctity, he mayput on; which St. Thomas bases mainly on this principle: that it isimpossible that God, who alone can give the power of working a truemiracle, shall ever communicate that power to confirm a false doctrine;from whence it follows, that all the miracles produced by sectarians, notwithstanding all their evidence, and all their pretendedattestations, must neither be examined nor listened to, and must onlybe looked upon as purely natural effects, or as impostures, or asdelusions and diabolical operations. This is the way in which St. Augustine expresses himself on the subject of the miracles which theDonatists claimed to have performed, and claimed as evidence in favorof their schism. Let Catholics, therefore, reject with horror the falseprodigies of sectarians, but let them piously give credit to themiracles of the saints, without paying attention to the ultra-criticismwhich strives to throw doubts upon them; and let them be intimatelypersuaded that the Church, which approves of them, has founded thatapproval on evidence irreproachable. The marvels which are found in the Life of St. Francis are perfectlywell attested. That Life was first written by Thomas de Celano, oneof his companions, who was directed by Pope Gregory IX. To compile it, and who afterwards added a second part on additional memoirs. John orThomas de Ceperano, Apostolic Notary, who was a staunch friend of theSaint, published at the same time what he knew of his actions. Crescentius de Jesi, General of the Order of the Friars Minors, gavedirections, by circular letters, to collect and transmit to him whateverhad been seen or learnt, relative to the sanctity and miracles of theblessed Father. He addressed himself particularly to three of histwelve first companions: Leo, his secretary and his confessor; Angelusand Rufinus: all three joined in compiling what is called "The Legendof the Three Companions. " The others noted separately what they hadthemselves seen, and the things which they had learnt from others. Saint Bonaventure, being at the head of the Order, was urgentlyentreated, by the general chapter, to write the life of their holyPatriarch. With the intention of learning, with certainty, the truthof the facts, he went expressly to Assisi, "There, " he says, in thepreface to his work, "I had frequent and serious conferences with thosewho had been in the confidence of the great man, and who were stillliving; and principally with those who were most intimately consociatedwith him, and who have become the most faithful imitators of his holylife, to whose testimony we must undoubtedly give credit, because theiracknowledged sanctity assures us that they have spoken truth. " Now, what can the most exact and severe criticism wish more, in order togive warranty to the marvels in the Life of St. Francis, thancontemporaries, ocular witnesses, holy persons, his own companions, who lived with him and enjoyed his confidence?The legend of Saint Bonaventure was spread everywhere, as soon as itappeared, and was everywhere highly approved: there are many manuscriptsof it. Lipoman, Bishop of Verona, caused it to be printed in 1556. Noone ever attempted to call its accuracy in question. Octavian quotedit, in his petition to Pope Sixtus IV. For the canonization of theholy doctor, in 1482. The first legends have been preserved in manuscript; the celebratedannalist of the Order of Friars Minors, Luke Wading, saw them and madeuse of them. He was one of the most learned men of his time, and allother learned men have been loud in his praise, not only on accountof his profound erudition, but because he was so ardent a lover oftruth, which he sought for with great care, and having developed it, nothing could hinder him from publishing it and committing it towriting. The uprightness of his heart was conspicuous on a certain occasion, which is too honorable to him for us to pass it over in silence. Hehad been one of the examiners nominated by Pope Innocent X. To inquireinto the writings of Jansenius, Bishop of Ypres, and he had convincedhimself that the five propositions which appeared to be censurable inthose writings might be tolerably explained in a certain theologicalsense. Those who are themselves upright are not easily brought to thinkill of others, particularly in difficult affairs, and they sometimesendeavor to justify them, through charitable feelings, which arepraiseworthy in principle, but which may have evil consequences, whena doctrine is in question which has been widely spread, and which issupported by a cabal. Wading, seeing that the five propositions werecensured by various constitutions of the Pope, made a report on thewhole affair, with the following beautiful declaration, worthy of atruly Catholic Doctor: "If, before this decision, any one shall havebeen of a different opinion (as to the five propositions) on whateverreasonings, or whatsoever authority of doctrine, he is now obliged tobend his mind to the yoke of faith, according to the advice of theapostle. I declare it to be what I do with all my heart, condemningand anathematizing all the aforesaid propositions, in all and everysense in which His Holiness has proposed to condemn them, although, before this decision, I thought they might have been maintained in acertain sense, in the manner I have explained in the suffrage whichhas been just seen. "We may feel assured that a man of this upright character, such a loverof truth, and, moreover, one of such eminent talents, would not havemade use of the two Legends of Thomas de Celano and that of the ThreeCompanions, without having ascertained their correctness. Moreover, the critics of his time, who were particular, and in great numbers, had it in their power to examine them as those of our times have, also, since they are still extant in the convent of St. Isidore at Rome. The first, which was composed under the Pontificate of Gregory IX. , was quoted by Luke, Bishop of Tuy, when he wrote against the Albigenses, in 1231. It is to be found in the Abbey of Longpont, of the Order ofCiteaux, in the diocese of Soissons, and in the Abbey of Jouy, of thesame order, in the Diocese of Sens. The Legend of the Three Companionsis in the king's library, at the Recollets of Louvain, and in theirconvent at Malines. These are the principal sources which were consulted by Wading forwriting the Life of St. Francis, which forms part of the first tomeof his Annals. He also consulted the acts and public monuments, theconstant tradition, and some manuscripts of the thirteenth century, which contain other testimonials from the companions of St. Francis, and were published by contemporaries who lived with them, who collectedtheir very words, and who are worthy of credence. But the mostmarvellous thing which he relates, relative to the actions of theSaint, he has taken from the legends, as well as a great number of thesplendid miracles which were operated by his intercession after hisdeath, and of which Pope Gregory IX. Was fully informed, as he declaresin the Bull of Canonization. All modern authors who have given the Life of St. Francis in variouslanguages, have adhered mostly to Wading; in this work, also, we havemade a point of following him; and the learned, who have so much esteemfor that great man, will agree that we could not have taken a betterguide. Baillet admits that, among the writers of the Life of St. Francis, Luke Wading is one of the most careful and most accurate; andyet he taxes him with not having written methodically, when he adds:"After all the labors of so many persons, who have been zealous forhis glory, we are still compelled to wish for a methodical history ofhis life. " Whoever may read the Annals of Wading, and his notes on theworks of St. Francis, will find in them as much method as research andaccuracy; but according to some ultra-critics, it is not consideredwriting methodically, when marvels which they dislike are permittedto find their way into history. Baillet might have said that it has been long a subject of complaintthat we have not in our language a complete and methodical Life of St. Francis. This complaint is the more just, as the saint had a particularliking for France; he had learned the language with so much facility, and spoke it so readily, that they gave him the name of Francis, although he was baptized John. Paris was one of the first objects ofhis zeal; he would even have gone thither, if a cardinal had notdetained him in Italy for reasons which related to his Order. Nothaving it in his power to undertake this mission, which he had muchat heart, he destined for it some of his principal followers. There are some who affect to think that, in the Lives of the Saints, their example should alone be proposed to the public, imagining thatthe miracles they have performed can nowise contribute to theedification of souls; and two authors of this century have venturedto suppress all miracles in the Lives of Saints which they havepublished. The Church, nevertheless, causes them to be recited in theDivine Office, and they are carefully related by the holy fathers;neither does any author of repute, of the centuries preceding, failto bring them forward. In fact, no one can deny that they add greatresplendency to the merits of the saints, and, consequently, give greatweight to the example they afford us. They uphold and increase theidea we have of the power of God, of His providence, His justice, Hisbounty, and His mercy, by which they excite us to glorify, love, andserve Him; and, in showing His special good-will to His servants, theyinduce us to invoke their mediation with confidence. Moreover, miraclesstrengthen the faithful in their faith, because, being performed inthe bosom of the Catholic Church, they confirm the truth she teaches. Now, it is not of less consequence to strengthen faith, than to proposethat which tends to the correction of morals, particularly whenincredulity makes as much progress as licentiousness. Moreover, themiraculous actions of the saints frequently contain most salutaryinstructions, and are always accompanied by virtues which may beimitated, which will be very apparent in the Life of St. Francis. Some may, perhaps, think that his virtues are too transcendent forimitation, and content themselves with admiring them, without gatheringany fruit from them. A celebrated heresiarch admired them in thismanner, in the last century. Bossuet remarks, in his excellent "Historyof the Variations, " that "Luther reckoned among the saints not onlySt. Bernard, but also St. Francis, St. Bonaventure, and others of thethirteenth century; and that St. Francis, amongst all the rest, appearedto him to be an admirable character, animated with wonderful fervorof mind. " But the faithful in admiring his virtues, must not thinkthem not to be imitated, for they consisted in following the Gospel;and they are all obliged to live according to the precepts of theGospel. REV. CANDIDE CHALIPPE, O. F. M. CONTENTSBOOK IHis birth--Prediction of his future greatness--His studies--He applieshimself to commerce--His purity, and affection for the poor--He istaken prisoner--He falls sick--His charity increases towards thepoor--He has a mysterious dream--He wishes to go to the war--JesusChrist dissuades him--He is rapt in spirit--His conversion--He kissesa leper--Jesus Christ crucified appears to him--Salutary effects ofthis apparition--He goes to Rome--Mingles with the poor--Is temptedby the devil--A voice from heaven commands him to restore the Churchof S. Peter Damian--His devotion to the passion of Jesus Christ--Hetakes some pieces of cloth from his father's house, and sells them, to restore the Church of S. Damian--He escapes from the anger of hisfather, and retires to a cave--He appears in Assisi, where he isill-treated--His father confines him--His mother delivers him, and hereturns to S. Damian--He manifests his intention to his father, whoappeals to justice, and cites him before the Bishop of Assisi--Herenounces his inheritance, and gives back his clothes to his father--Thepoverty of his clothing--He is beaten by robbers--Retires to amonastery--They give him a hermit's habit--He devotes himself to theleprous--Receives the gift of healing, and returns to Assisi, wherehe searches for stone to restore the Church of Assisi--He toils atbuilding as a laborer--He lives on alms--His father and brother exercisehis patience--The victories he gains over himself--People begin toesteem and honor him--He predicts something which is fulfilled--Herestores the Church of S. Peter and that of S. Mary of the Angels, orthe Portiuncula--Dwells at S. Mary of the Angels, and is favored therewith heavenly apparitions--He is called to the apostolicallife--Renounces money and goes discalced--His poor and humble habit--Godinspires him to preach--He weeps bitterly over the sufferings of JesusChrist--Receives three disciples, and retires with them to a desertedcottage--He goes on a mission, and his disciples accompany him--theway they are treated--He receives three other disciples--He makes thembeg for alms--What he said to the Bishop of Assisi, on renouncing allhis possessions--He predicts to the Emperor Otho the short durationof his glory--It is revealed to him that his sins are remitted--He israpt in ecstasy, and predicts the extension of his Order--He makesseveral other predictions, and receives a seventh disciple--He proposesa new mission to them--The address he makes them on their preparationfor, and conduct during, the mission--He returns near to Assisi, wherehe receives four more disciples--He assembles all hisdisciples--Composes a Rule, and goes to obtain the Pope's approval--Hemakes a marvellous conversion--He knows miraculously what will happento him at Rome--He is at first repulsed by Pope Innocent III. , but isafterwards received favorably--Difficulties on the approbation of hisRule--He overcomes them by an address he makes the Pope--The Popeapproves his Rule, and accumulates favors on it--He leaves Rome withhis friars for the valley of Spoleto--God provides for hisnecessities--He stops at a deserted church--Consults God on his mission, and returns to the cottage of Rivo-torto--His sufferings there--Theinstructions he gives--God shows him to his brethren under a mostmarvellous aspect--The church of S. Mary of the Angels is given tohim--He establishes himself there with his FriarsBOOK IIHe receives many novices--Instructs and models them--Sends them todifferent provinces of Italy--What he says on this occasion--He departsfor Tuscany, and passes by Perugia, where he makes a prediction whichis accomplished--Many young men enter his Order--They build a housefor him near Cortona--His miraculous fast during Lent--He commands thedevils, and they obey him--He cures many miraculously--He preaches atFlorence--Makes a prediction--Preaches in various places inTuscany--What his friars are doing in other places--He preaches theLent at Assisi, with great fruit--He consecrates, to Jesus Christ, Clare, and, Agnes, her sister--Establishes Clare and Agnes in theChurch of S. Damian--He erects a monastery there, the first one of hissecond Order, which he then instituted--He is troubled by a seriousdoubt, on which he consults his brethren--His doubt is cleared up byan oracle from heaven--He goes out to preach--Restores a blind girlto sight, and converts many worldly people--He sighs for martyrdom--Askspermission of the Pope to preach to the infidels--Makes conversionsat Rome, and establishes his Order there--Returns to Assisi and leavesfor the Levant--Embarks, but is obliged to put into a harbor inSclavonia--Goes by sea to Ancona--A miracle which God performs in hisfavor--He converts a celebrated poet--Returns to Tuscany, and to S. Mary of the Angels--He falls sick--Wonderfully humbles himself--Triesa vocation--Falls sick again and writes to all Christians--Departs forSpain and Africa, in search of martyrdom--His miracles and otherparticulars of his journey--His profound humility--He raises thedead--Count Orlando gives him Mount Alverna--God miraculously protectshim--He preaches in Piedmont and passes into Spain--Works a miraculouscure there--The king, Alphonso IX, permits him to establish his Orderthere--He receives houses there--A violent sickness prevents him goingto Morocco--His actions whilst he is delayed in Spain--He returns toItaly--His route thither--He arrives at S. Mary of the Angels, anddisapproves a building there--He goes to Mount Alverna--Is beaten bydevils--Mortifies his sense, and taste--Makes water spring from arock--Visits the mountain--Converts there a celebrated brigand--Leavesfor Rome--Discovers some relics by revelation--Makes predictions, andperforms miracles and conversions--Arrives at Rome whilst the Councilof Lateran is sitting--The Pope declares to the Council that he hasapproved the Rule--He appoints a general chapter at S. Mary of theAngels, whither he returns--He holds the chapter and sends his friarsto various countries--He thinks of going to Paris--Reunites anillustrious family that had been divided--Rejoices in his poverty andasks of God a greater love of holy poverty--SS. Peter and Paul appearto him at Rome--His alliance with S. Dominic--He goes to Florence, where Cardinal Hugolin dissuades him from going to Paris--He returnsto the Valley of Spoleto, and sends three of his disciples to France--Acelestial vision induces him to ask of the Pope a cardinal protectorfor his Order--What he says on this subject--He preaches before thePope--What happened to him in the pulpit--The Pope gives him CardinalHugolin, as protector of the Order--He preaches in the Valley ofRieti--Delivers the country from two plagues, and makes some conversionsthere--The houses he builds there--He appoints a general chapter atS. Mary of the Angels, for the year 1219--What he did during the year1218--Efficacy of his prayers--He wishes to pull down a new house whichhe found at S. Mary of the AngelsBOOK IIIHe goes to Perugia, to consult the cardinal protector--His opinion onthe promotion of his friars to ecclesiastical dignities--He returnsto S. Mary of the Angels--His thoughts on these dignities--More thanfive thousand Friars Minors are present at the chapter he hadappointed--He addresses the assembly, and forbids them troublingthemselves about their food--Assistance comes to him from all sides--Hereceives more than five hundred novices during this chapter--He forbidsindiscreet mortifications--The devils are incensed against him and hisOrder--He cautions his friars, and upon that gives them someinstruction--He humbles them to preserve them from vainglory--Heconfounds those who wish the Rule mitigated--He wishes not forprivileges which can engender disputes--He gives his friars instructionsabout their conduct to ecclesiastics--He obtains from the Pope lettersapostolical confirming the approval of the Order--What he decrees inthe chapter--He sends his friars through the whole world--The travelsof his Friars in various parts of the world--In Greece--In Africa--InSpain and Portugal--In France--In the Low Countries--He himself preparesto go to the Levant--On the government of the monastery of S. Damian, and other houses of the same order--He sends six of his friars toMorocco--What he says to them--He starts on his voyage to Syria, withtwelve companions--He rejects a postulant too much attached to hisparents--A house at Ancona is given to him--He appoints, by means ofa child inspired by God, those who are to accompany him to Syria--Heembarks at Ancona and anchors at the isle of Cyprus--Arrives atAcre--Distributes his companions in different parts of Syria, and comesto the army before Damietta--He arrives at the camp before Damietta, and predicts the ill-success of the battle the Crusaders are about togive--His prediction is accomplished--He finds out the sultan ofEgypt--Announces to him the truths of the faith, and offers to throwhimself into the fire to prove them--He refuses the sultan'spresents--Is esteemed and respected--The good dispositions with whichhe inspires the sultan--He obtains permission to preach in hisStates--He receives some disciples from the army of theCrusaders--Visits the holy places--Some whole monasteries of religiousembrace his Institute--He returns to Italy--Establishes his Order invarious places--Preaches at Bologna with great success--What he saysand does on seeing a house of his Order too much ornamented--He makesa retreat at Camaldoli--Returns to S. Mary of the Angels--Reads thethoughts of his companion--Confounds the vanity of BrotherElias--Abolishes the novelties introduced into the Order by BrotherElias--In a vision the fortunes of his Order are made known to him--Heholds the chapter in which he deposes Brother Elias, and in his placesubstitutes Peter of Catania--He renounces the generalship--Will notreceive anything from novices entering his Order--He learns the newsof the martyrdom of the friars he had sent to Morocco--What he sayson the subject of their martyrdom--The martyrdom of these friars isthe cause of the vocation of S. Antony of Padua--His friars pass intoEngland--He visits some convents--Receives the Vicar General'sresignation, and re-appoints, by the command of God, Brother Elias tohis place--He holds a chapter, and sends missionaries to GermanyBOOK IVS. Francis begins his Third Order of Penance--Draws up the rule forit--What his idea was in founding this Order--He returns to S. Maryof the Angels--Sends Agnes, the sister of Clare, to Florence, to beAbbess there--He obtains from Jesus Christ the Indulgence of S. Maryof the Angels or of the Portiuncula--Pope Honorius III. Grants him thesame indulgence--Clare and others, hearing him talk of God, are ravishedin ecstasy--He cannot bear the distinction of persons which BrotherElias made--Makes a terrible prediction--He gives his blessings toseven of his brethren, to go and preach the faith to the Moors, andthey are martyred--He makes a journey, which is attended withremarkable circumstances--Cures a cripple--Mixes with the poor, andeats with them--Foretells of an infant, that he would one day bePope--He changes the bed of thorns into which S. Benedict had thrownhimself, into a rose-bush, and performs other great miracles--Goes tohonor the relics of S. Andrew, and those of S. Nicholas--Discovers atrick of the devil--He visits Mount Garganus--His presence silencesa demoniac--He learns at S. Mary of the Angels the success of theGerman mission--Bids Antony preach--Gives Antony permission to teachtheology to the brethren--Alexander Hales enters the Order--JesusChrist appoints the day for the Indulgence of the Portiuncula--Heobtains from the Pope a confirmation of the same day--Promulgates it, with seven bishops--He has a revelation about his Rule--God makesknown to him that he must abridge it--The Holy Spirit dictates it tohim--Some entreat him to moderate it--Jesus Christ tells him it mustbe kept to the very letter--His brethren receive it--He declares itcomes from Jesus Christ, and speaks in praise of it--He obtains a bullfrom the Pope, in confirmation of the Rule--Is attacked by devils--Celebrates the feast of Christmas with much fervor--Our Lord appearsto him as an infant--His sentiments on the celebration offeasts--Discovers a stratagem of the devil--He commands one of hisdead brethren to cease working miracles--Draws up a rule for Clare andher daughters--Appears with his arms stretched out in the form of across while S. Antony was preaching--Foretells a conversion whichimmediately came about--He goes into retreat on Mount Alvernus--Hiscontemplation and raptures--Jesus Christ promises him special favors--Hefasts rigorously--A piece of his writing delivers his companion froma temptation--What he had to suffer from the devil--He prepares formartyrdom--He receives extraordinary favors in prayer--His perfectconformity to the will of God--Jesus Christ crucified appears to himunder the figure of a Seraphim--Receives the impression of the woundsof Jesus Christ--He composes canticles full of the love of God--Tellshis brethren of the Stigmata--They are seen and touched--He leavesMount Alvernus, to return to S. Mary of the Angels--Cures a child ofdropsy--Other miracles which he performed on the way--He strengthenshimself with new fervor in the service of God--His patience in greatsufferings--His desires for the salvation of souls--His prayer insuffering--God assures him of his salvation--He thanks Him in acanticle--He learns the time of his death, and rejoices at it--He hasvarious illnesses, and suffers extreme pain--He multiplies the grapesin a vineyard--God gives him sensible consolation--A heated iron isapplied to the temple, and he feels no pain from it--He weepsincessantly, and says he does so to expiate for his sins--He prefersthe danger of losing his sight to restraining his tears--His gratitudetowards his physician--A miracle is worked by some of his hair, infavor of this physician--He miraculously heals a canon--His sufferingsdiminish--Goes to preach--Drives away a devil--Foretells a suddendeath, and it comes about--Cures St. Bonaventura in his infancy--Allhis sufferings increase--Causes to be found for the love of God whatcould not be found for money--They take him back to Assisi--They takehim to Sienna--He answers difficult questions, and foretells severalthings--He causes the blessing which he gave to his brethren to bewritten--They take him to Celles, and thence to Assisi--The bishop hashim taken to his palace--The state of his Order at the time of hislast illnessBOOK VThe violence of his illness does not prevent him from exhorting hisbrethren--He is touched at the fatigue which his illness caused them--Thanks God for the pains he suffered--Dictates a letter to Clare andher daughters--Rejoices and thanks God for his approachingdeath--Blesses his children--Has himself carried to S. Mary of theAngels--Blesses the town of Assisi--Informs a pious widow of hisapproaching death--Blesses his brethren a second time, and makes themeat a bit of bread, blessed by his hand--Gives a special blessing toBernard, the eldest of his children--What we may presume were hisdispositions in receiving the last sacraments--He stretches himselfnaked on the bare ground--Desires to be buried in the place ofexecution--Exhorts his brethren--He has the praises of God sung whenat the point of death--He speaks to his children, and blesses them forthe last time--Has the passion of Jesus Christ read to him--He recitesthe 141st psalm, and dies after the last verse--Miraculous proofs ofhis beatitude--State of his body after death--The Stigmata are seenand touched publicly--His obsequies--Clare and her daughters see andkiss the Stigmata--He is buried at Assisi, in the church of S. George--The circular written after his death--His canonization--TheChurch of S. Francis at Assisi--He is buried there--Researches aremade to find the sacred body--The mission of St. Francis--The fruitsof his labor. Devotion of S. Francis towards Jesus Christ crucified--To what a degreehe loved poverty--How great was the austerity of his life--Hishumility--His obedience--His gift of prayer and contemplation--Hislove of God--His sentiments of filial love on the mystery of theIncarnation--On the fast of Jesus Christ in the desert--On the mysteryof the Eucharist--S. Francis, in his humility, would not be madepriest--His devotion towards the Mother of God--Towards the angels andsaints--His charity towards his neighbor--His zeal for the salvationof souls--His affection for the poor--The affection of his heart forall creatures--The pains he took to lead his brethren to perfection--Histender charity towards his brethren--His discretion and wisdom in thegovernment of the Order--His supernatural and acquired knowledge--Theefficacy of his words--His supernatural and miraculous gifts--He drivesaway devils--Brings the dead to life--Heals the sick--Has the gift ofprophecy and discernment of spirits--He commands animals, and isobeyed--He performs many other miraculous actions--The great honorswhich were paid to him--His character and appearance--In what sensehe was simpleTHE LIFE AND LEGENDS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISIBOOK IWe here offer, to the pious reflections of the faithful, the life ofa man who proposed to himself to practise literally the precepts ofthe Gospel, to conform himself entirely to Jesus Christ crucified, andto inspire the whole world with God's love. Such a purpose must seem great to all those who can appreciate truegrandeur by the light of religion. In its contempt of the goods of theworld, it manifests an elevation of mind far above the ostentation ofthe ancient philosophers; in its deep humiliations, an heroical courage;in its extreme simplicity, the most exalted sentiments; in its weakness, and in the apparent foolishness of the cross, the strength and wisdomof God. The infidels themselves admired all this, and it will be notless meet to revive the fervor of Christians, and to increase theveneration they have always entertained for St. Francis. He was born at Assisi, a town of Umbria, in Italy, in the year 1182, under the Pontificate of Lucius III. Peter Bernardo, his father, wasa rich merchant, whose principal commercial transactions were withFrance. His mother, whose name was Pica, had only two sons, Francisand Angelo. The latter married at Assisi, and some of his descendantswere still at Assisi in 1534. God, who has often condescended to usher in His saints by portents, was pleased, at the birth of Francis, to give signs of what he wouldbe during his life. For some days Pica had suffered great pains, withoutbeing able to give birth to her child, when a man, dressed as a pilgrim, came to tell her that she would only be delivered of her infant in astable; he would be born on straw. Although this communication appearedmost strange, relatives, nevertheless, acted upon it. The patient wasremoved to the nearest stable, where she was successfully delivered;an event which may well be looked upon, as in the intention ofProvidence, thereby to mark the conformity of the holy man to JesusChrist, poor and humble; as much, at least, as the creature can be inconformity with the Creator, and the servant with the Master of theuniverse. This stable has been turned into a chapel, called in Italian, "_SanFrancesco il piccolo_"--"St. Francis the Little. " Over the door thefollowing words, in very old writing, are inscribed: "This chapel was the stable of the Ox and the Ass, Where Francis was born, the mirror of the world. "His mother had the name of John given to him at his baptism, his fatherbeing then absent in France. A stranger presented himself as hisgodfather, and he was accepted as such; whether it was that somethingextraordinary was perceived in this person, or that they had beenstruck with astonishment at the first event. The uniform tradition atAssisi is, that this stranger disappeared after the ceremony, and thathe left the impression of his knees on a marble step of the altar, which is shown in the cathedral church, with the baptismal font, onwhich these words in Italian are engraved:--"This is the fountain inwhich the Seraphic Father, St. Francis, was baptized. "At the return from the baptismal ceremony, a man, who seemed to havebeen sent by God, as well as the other two, or rather an angel in humanform, came to beg that he might be allowed to see the child and holdit. He took it in his arms, caressed it a good deal, and impressedupon its right shoulder a well-formed cross, as a mark of hisconsecration, recommending the nurse to take particular care of thechild, not to expose him to the snares of the devils, who had aforesight that he would one day wage a severe war against them. Oneof these evil spirits was obliged to confess by the mouth of onepossessed, whom they were exorcising, that the princes of darkness, alarmed at the birth of Francis, had tried various ways to take awayhis life; and it was the Saint himself who expelled this devilafterwards. These portents, marvellous as they are, are less surprising, when we consider the singular and marked favors which heaven destinedfor him. His parents brought him up with great care, and he was put to studywith the clergy of the Parish of St. George. After he had acquiredsome knowledge of letters, he was initiated in commercial affairs, thecorrespondence of which necessitated his learning the French language;he acquired it with so much ease, that his father gave him the nameof Francis, a name which he bore ever after. Bernardo and Francis pursued their avocation in a very different manner. The first, with no other object than his worldly interest, thought ofnothing but his profits, and had no other care than that ofaccumulating. Francis, who had not a particle of avarice, and had lessthought of his profit than of dealing with honor, traded with noblerand more elevated feelings. But he loved the world, he frequentedsociety, and spent a good deal in dress, festivities, and parties ofpleasure. His father frequently reprimanded him on the subject of hisexpenses, but his remonstrances had little effect, because he had noconsideration of the value of money, and he wished to be distinguishedamongst his young companions, who always considered him as their leader. His mother, who was tender and generous, had more patience with him;and she said to those who spoke to her of his profusion, that fromwhat she remarked in his conversation, in his actions, and even in hisamusements, she had reasons to hope something great when he shouldcome to maturer years. Indeed, in all his demeanor, excellent prognostics for the future wereobservable: his temper was exquisite, mild, and condescending, hismanners were agreeable and very polite; he was lively, and had greatgood sense: he was brave, and had a strong inclination to be generous, even to give beyond his means. Although he plunged into the vainamusements of the world, there was nothing blamable in his moralconduct. By the special protection of heaven, he avoided the rocks onwhich youth is too often wrecked; he preserved the inestimable treasureof purity; it was also remarked that he was distressed at any licentiousexpressions, and never made any reply to them. God had imprinted in his heart great feelings of compassion for thepoor, which increased from his infancy, and which induced him to affordthem liberal aid, so that, following the Gospel precept, "Give to everyone that asketh thee, " he made a resolution to give to all who shouldask alms of him, and principally if they should solicit it for thelove of God. This feeling for the love of God had its effect upon him, even then, notwithstanding his dissipation; he could seldom hear theexpression made use of, as he has since admitted, without being sensiblyaffected. It having once happened to him, in the hurry of business, to turn away a poor person who had asked a charity for the love ofGod, his conscience smote him immediately, and he ran after the poorman, relieved him amply, and made a promise to God that he would neverrefuse a single individual as long as it was in his power, when analms should be asked for His love, --a promise which he faithfully keptto his death, and which, as St. Bonaventure remarks, was of essentialservice in increasing the grace and love of God in his heart. What isthere more likely to bring down the grace of conversion andsanctification, and increase the love of God, than the practice ofworks of mercy?The amiable qualities of Francis rendered him a favorite throughoutthe town, where he was looked up to as the flower of the youth, andgreat hopes were entertained for the future in his regard. A man ofsimple manners, but enlightened from above, caused a still greateresteem to be entertained for him. When he met him in the streets, hespread his cloak on the ground before him, and as a reason for showinghim so unusual a mark of respect, exclaimed:--"This young man willsoon do great things: he will deserve all sorts of honors, and willbe revered by the faithful. " Francis, who was unconscious of the designsof God, did not understand the meaning of this prediction. He knew notthat these honors were to be rendered him only after severehumiliations, according to the words of the Gospel. Engrossed by theaffairs of the world, and attached to its vanities, he thought littleof this Divine truth, and he had less taste for it; nevertheless hehoped that he should some day receive the honors which others foretold, and which God permitted him likewise to predict of himself in anaffliction which came upon him. The towns of Assisi and Perugia were at war with each other; he wastaken prisoner with some of his fellow-citizens: whether it was thathe had taken up arms in the service of his country, or that he wasbeyond the limits of the town of his commercial affairs. His captivity, however, did not affect his spirits, he preserved his cheerfulness andgood humor. His companions, who were dejected and cast down, wereoffended at this, and upbraided him with it, saying that he might, atleast out of feeling for them, disguise them, disguise his satisfaction. "I am very sorry for you" he replied, "but as to myself, my mind isat ease and I am thankful that it is so. You see me now a prisoner, but at a future period, you will see me honored by the whole world. "There was one among the prisoners whose quarrelsome temper and extremeill humor caused him to be shunned by the others. Francis entreatedthem to draw a distinction between his person and his defects, and tobear with him: not being able to induce them to do so, he had thecharity to keep him company himself, and by his good advice, he renderedhim more gentle. All were so delighted with his goodness of heart, that they sought his friendship. Liberated from captivity, he returned to Assisi, where God visited himwith a long and severe illness, which reduced him to a state of greatweakness. This was to prepare his soul for the influence of grace. Assoon as he could walk, he wished to enjoy the beauty and air of thecountry; but he failed to be pleased therewith, and was even disgustedwith what he had previously liked the most; he felt contempt for whathe had before esteemed, and his own conduct appeared to him to besenseless. This change surprised him much, but it did not as yet makeany alteration in his heart. The return of health renewed his attachmentto the world, his ambition and vanity revived; he entertained freshhopes of greatness, and paid once more great attention to his dress. Thus it frequently happens that when God sends illness to worldlypersons with a view to their conversion, these have no other effectthan momentary reflections and promises, which are soon forgotten onthe return of strength. However, Francis became more and more charitable, and gave to all thepoor either money or his clothes. Having met a poor and ill-clad officerwho was of a noble family, he saw in him the poverty of Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and being moved to pity, he gave him the new suitof clothes he had on. The following night God showed him in his sleep a great and magnificentpalace, full of warlike arms, all marked with the sign of the cross, to give him an idea of the reward his charity was to receive. He askedwhom all that belonged to; and he was answered, that the arms were forhis soldiers. Not as yet understanding the meaning of mysterious dreams, he tookthis as a token of the success he was to have in warlike achievements, without suspecting that the crosses he had seen had a totally differentsignification. At that time Walter, Count of Brienne, in Champagne, was waging active war against the emperor, in the kingdom of Naples, on the subject of the claims of his wife Alberia, the eldest daughterof Tancred, King of Cicily, who had been some years dead. Francisresolved to offer him his services, in the hope of gaining militaryhonors. He attached himself to an officer of distinction, who belongedto the count's army, and he set out with a good retinue, after havingassured his friends that he was sure of acquiring great renown. He first went to Spoleto, and there Jesus Christ addressed thesebenevolent words to him during the night: "Francis, which of the two, think you, can be of the greatest service to you: the master or theservant, the rich or the poor?" "It is the master and the rich, " heanswered without any hesitation. "Why then, " continued our Lord, "doyou leave God who is the master and rich, to seek man, who is theservant and poor?" "O Lord!" exclaimed Francis, "what is it yourpleasure I should do?" Jesus Christ then said to him: "Return to yourtown; what you have seen signifies nothing but what is spiritual. Itis from God, and not from man, that you will receive theiraccomplishment. " The very next morning he retraced his steps towardsAssisi, to await the orders of the Lord, without troubling himself asto what the world should say as to this precipitate return. His friends came as usual to propose a party of pleasure. He receivedthem, as was his custom, with great politeness, and feasted themmagnificently to bid them, thus honorably, an eternal adieu. On partingfrom them, he found himself suddenly struck with the vanity of allterrestrial things, and with the grandeur of all that is heavenly, bya communication from the Spirit of God, full of mildness, but sointernal, and so forcible, that his senses were brought into a stateof inaction, and he himself remained motionless. He afterwards toldhis confessor, that, if he had been torn to pieces in this state ofrapture, he would not have felt it; that, in that moment, he couldonly feel at the bottom of his soul. The company, quite alarmed, drewnear him; and when he had recovered his usual serenity, they enquiredof him, laughing, what had occasioned his extraordinary reserve; if, perhaps, he was not thinking of taking a wife? "It is so, " he replied:"I shall take one, but one so noble and so beautiful, that such anotherwill not be found in the whole world. " Evangelical poverty, which heafterwards embraced, was the spouse to which the Holy Ghost inspiredhim to allude. After this divine favor he disembarrassed himself as much as possibleof his commercial affairs, to beg of God to know what He would havehim do; and he usually went to pray in a grotto with a confidentialfriend, who left him there in entire liberty. The frequent recourseto prayer excited in his heart so ardent a desire for the celestialcountry, that he already looked upon everything that was earthly asnothing. He felt that this happy disposition contained a treasure, buthe did not as yet know how to possess himself of the hidden prize. TheSpirit of God merely insinuated to him that the spiritual life, underthe idea of traffic, must begin by a contempt of the world, --and underthe idea of warfare, by a victory over self. --All spirituality notbased upon these two Divine lessons, will never have anything solidin it. Francis had soon occasion to put these lessons in practice. As he wasriding across the plains of Assisi, he perceived a leper coming straightto him. At first he felt horror-stricken, but calling to mind that hehad formed a resolution to labor to attain perfection, and that, inorder to be a soldier of Jesus Christ, it was necessary to begin byobtaining a victory over self, he dismounted, kissed the leper, andgave him an alms. When he again mounted his horse, he no longer sawany one, though he looked all round the plain. Filled with astonishment, and transported with joy, he fell on his knees to thank God, and formeda firm resolution to aim at still greater perfection. This is theeffect of generous and courageous efforts, they draw down fresh graces, and reanimate our courage. He acquired also more inclination forretirement, he had no longer any liking but for solitude, for thoseplaces which were adapted to the holy sorrow of penance, where heunceasingly addressed himself to God in fervent prayer, accompaniedby lamentations, which cannot be described: God at length favorablyheard him. His fervor daily increasing, insomuch that he was wholly absorbed inGod, Jesus Christ appeared to him as if attached to the cross. Hissoul, at this stupendous scene, was wholly penetrated, and, as it were, dissolved, and the image of his crucified Saviour became from thattime so strongly and intimately imprinted on his heart, that everytime it recurred to his mind, he had a difficulty in restraining hissobs and tears. In this marvellous apparition he was made aware that these words ofthe Gospel were personally addressed to him: "If any man will comeafter Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. "He received from them that foretaste of poverty and humility whichbecame his characteristics, and so ardent a charity inflamed his heart, that he had the courage to devote himself to the service of the lepers. Before this day they were so much his horror, that, far from allowingthem to be in his presence, as soon as he saw them, at whateverdistance, he turned away from them, and if they were near he passedon quickly, holding his nose. But for the love of Jesus crucified, whowas pleased to represent Himself to the Prophet Isaias under thedespised figure of a leper, he lowered himself to attending upon themin their hospitals, where, having abundantly supplied them with alms, he made their beds, dressed their sores, and performed for them themost abject services; he often even kissed their hands and their faceswith great feelings of commiseration. The words which our Saviour oneday addressed to him while at prayer, stimulated him to continue thischaritable exercise, notwithstanding his natural repugnance: "Francis, if thou desirest to know My will, thou must despise and hate all thatthou hast loved and wished for till now. Let not this new path alarmthee, for, if the things which now please thee must become bitter anddistasteful, those which now displease thee, will become sweet andagreeable. " Shortly before his death he declared that what had seemedto him most bitter in serving the lepers, had been changed into whatwas pleasing both for soul and body; and all those who strive toovercome themselves for the love of God feel, as he did, that theseverest practices are soon softened down by the unction of grace. The sight of Jesus Christ fastened to the cross made him feel themisery of the poor so intensely, that he would have wished to employall he had, and his own person, in their relief. Sometimes he did striphimself to clothe them; and when he had not enough to satisfy themall, he unsewed or tore his clothes to divide among them. In the absenceof his father he caused much more bread to be brought to table at theirmeals than was necessary; and when his mother asked the reason, hesaid, "that it was in order to give more quickly to those who came toask for food. " This pious mother saw with pleasure the charity of herson; and far from endeavoring to check it, she was not displeased athis leaving her alone at table, while he took to the neighboring sickthe viands of which he stinted himself. An equally lively and respectfulzeal induced him to come to the aid of such priests as were in want;he took particular care to provide for the decoration of the altars, in order the better to assist at the divine service. He bought thefinest linen, and distributed it to the poor country churches to beemployed at the sacrifice of the mass; and when this august sacrificewas about to be celebrated, if anything was wanting, or if the altarwas not properly found in everything requisite, he would offer himselfto the officers of the church, in order to supply what was requiredeither from his purse or by his personal assistance. But all these good works did not come up to what he had figured tohimself as requisite for perfection. He could have wished to withdrawinto some distant country, there to practise voluntary poverty, whichhad already inflamed his heart. At first he resolved to go to Rome, to visit the tomb of St. Peter, moved by that grand devotion which Godhas often inspired in His saints, and which has been so frequent sincethe fourth century. He also proposed to himself to solicit from theAlmighty, by the intercession of the Prince of the Apostles, the graceto carry out the resolution he had come to of leading an Apostoliclife. After having recited his prayer in this holy place, he noticedthat in the crowd of people some made but a slender offering, whileothers made no donation whatever. "What then, " said he, "is devotiongrown so cold? How is it that men do not offer all they have, and donot even offer themselves on a spot where the ashes of the Prince ofthe Apostles repose? How does it happen that they do not decorate withall possible magnificence this Peter, on whom Jesus Christ has foundedHis Church?" He contributed to the best of his power, leaving aconsiderable sum for that purpose; and what he had wished wassubsequently executed. The Sovereign Pontiffs, and in particular SixtusV, who was a religious of his Order, have rendered the Basilica of St. Peter so sumptuous and magnificent, that it is now the admiration ofthe universe. On going out of the church, he saw a multitude of poor, whom heimmediately joined, as much for the affection he had for them, as forthe love of poverty. He gave his clothes to him who appeared to be themost necessitous. The following day, having dressed himself withpropriety, he set out on his return to Assisi, praying God to guidehim in the ways of holy poverty. The devil, who was sensible that the young man would become confirmedin his intention if he persevered in prayer, appeared to him under amost terrific form, and threatened him, if he persisted, to render hima dreadful deformity like unto an old woman of the town, who was sohideous that he could not even look at her. But the newly-enlistedsoldier of Jesus Christ, who began to be inured to warfare, laughedat the threats of the tempter, and was more urgent in his prayers, forwhich purpose he chose underground places, where he could better defendhimself against the snares of his enemy. The fruit of these holyexercises was a lively sorrow for the use he had made of the firstyears of his youth, and a great perseverance in the mortification ofhis senses, in order to bear the cross of Jesus Christ in his body, as he bore it in his heart. It was thus that Francis acted before having changed his habit, orquitted the world. St. Bonaventure says that he had then no othermaster from whom he received instructions than Jesus Christ;nevertheless, an author quoted by Wading, assures us that he sometimesconsulted the Bishop of Assisi. We may here say, in order that theremay be no seeming contradiction between the two, that he receivedinstructions from Jesus Christ only because he was inspired by Him, but that he communicated with the bishop on the points on which he hadbeen inspired; and we may be the more assured of this, as we shall seehereafter that this prelate had his confidence, and that there isreason to think that he was his spiritual Father. The servant of God, walking and meditating one day out of Assisi, nearthe church of St. Damian, which was very old and falling into ruin, was moved by the Holy Spirit to enter it to pray. There, prostratedbefore the crucifix, he repeated three times the following beautifulwords, which gave him great interior consolation, and which hesubsequently made frequent use of: "Great God, full of glory, and Thou, my Lord Jesus Christ! I entreat you to enlighten me and to dispel thedarkness of my mind, to give me a pure faith, a firm hope, and anardent charity. Let me have a perfect knowledge of Thee, O God! sothat I may in all things by guided by Thy light, and act in conformityto Thy will. " He cast his eyes, filled with tears, upon the crucifix, when a voice came forth from it, and he heard distinctly these wordsrepeated three times, not interiorly, but loudly pronounced: "Francis, go and repair my house, which thou seest is falling into ruin. " Sowonderful a voice, in a place where he was alone, alarmed him greatly, but he felt immediately the salutary effects of it, and he wastransported with joy. The sense of these words chiefly related to the state of the Churchwhich Jesus Christ had purchased at the price of His blood, which theholy man was to repair in all its defects by his ministry and thelabors of his disciples, according to the explanation which the HolySpirit gave to him of them subsequently, which he communicated to hisbrethren, as St. Bonaventure tells us. Nevertheless, the powerful protection which he received from heavenfor the repair of the church of St. Damian, was an indication that thesame words were to be understood to relate to that building also: asthe sacred oracles had a twofold literal sense in the mouths of theProphets, one of which related to events which were at hand, and theother to a distant time, and to mysteries wholly spiritual. Francis came to himself; he left the church fully resolved to undertakeits repair, and left money in the hands of a priest named Peter, whodid the parochial duties of it, to keep a lamp burning before thecrucifix, promising to give more, and to employ all he had for the useof this holy place. The voice which had issued from the crucifix renewed in his mind andheart the impression of the mystery of the Passion. He felt himselfinteriorly wounded through the wounds of Jesus Christ, and he shedsuch burning tears, that his eyes were quite inflamed, and, as it were, full of blood, when he returned from prayer. To make his bodyparticipate in the sufferings which penetrated his very soul, and topunish himself for the levities of his youth, he imposed on himselfa very rigorous abstinence, with various other kinds of mortification. The eagerness he felt to commence the repair of St. Damian's church, suggested to him means by which the work might be begun. After havingfortified himself by the sign of the cross, he took from his father'sstores several pieces of cloth, which he sold at Foligno, togetherwith his horse. He came back on foot, and offered the money respectfullyto the priest of St. Damian for the repair of the church, and in aidof the poor; humbly entreating him to allow him to remain some timewith him. The priest consented to receive Francis, but refused themoney, fearing the displeasure of his father; and Francis, who hadutter contempt for money, not valuing it more than so much dust, whenit was of no use for good works, threw it upon one of the windows ofthe church. The heretics of the last century, who calumniated the Saint for manythings, have deemed it criminal in him to have taken these pieces ofcloth from his father's stores. St. Bonaventure is of a different wayof thinking; he has not thought that this action required justification;on the contrary, he calls the sale of the cloth and of the horse afortunate bargain. And, indeed, without going into the right which theson may have had in the commercial affairs of his father, in consequenceof their partnership, and of his age of twenty-five, had he not reasonto think that, having received orders from heaven to repair a church, God, who is the Master and Dispenser of all goods, permitted him toemploy a portion of the goods which were under his paternal roof, sincehe had no other means of obeying the injunction? But it is anextraordinary case, which must not be drawn into precedent. The generalrule of Christian morality is, that children may not dispose of anythingwithout the permission of their parents even under the pretext ofpiety. Bernardo on his return from a journey, having heard what his son haddone, came in great wrath to St. Damian's with several members of hisfamily; and Francis, who had not yet sufficient strength of mind toencounter the storm, and wished to avoid the first ebullition, wentand hid himself in the priest's room. Three contemporary authors assureus that, having placed himself behind the door, and pressing himselfagainst the wall, when the door was opened he was miraculously letinto the wall, so that he was not seen by those who were looking forhim. When his father was gone, he retired secretly into a cavern, which wasknown only to one servant, from whom he received what was necessaryfor his immediate sustenance, and where he occupied himself in continualprayer, shedding abundance of tears, in order that he might be deliveredfrom those who pursued him, and be able to accomplish the work whichGod had inspired him to undertake. After having passed a month in this place, he considered that it wasin God alone that he ought to hope, without putting any confidence inhis own exertions, and this thought filled him with interior joy, andraised his depressed spirits. Reproaching himself, therefore, with hispusillanimity, he left his cavern and went straight to the town, asa soldier, who, feeling ashamed of having fled, returns intrepidly tothe charge. Of what is not he capable, who is fully persuaded that hecan do nothing of himself towards his salvation, but that he can doall through God who imparts strength to him? On these two principlesthe saints have undertaken, and carried into execution, the greatestthings. The inhabitants of Assisi, who saw his face all pale and wan, and whoremarked how changed were his conversation and opinions, thought thathis mind was disturbed. He was called a madman, they threw mud andstones at him, and followed him, hooting and calling after him. But, without paying attention to these insults, and being on the contrarywell pleased to bear these marks of the holy folly of the cross, theservant of God continued his way as if he had been deaf and insensible. Bernardo being told that his son had returned, and was made the objectof public derision, went immediately in pursuit of him, reproached himbitterly with his conduct, seized him and dragged him to his house, where he beat him severely, and confined him in a hole under thestaircase. This severity had no effect in shaking the resolution ofthe holy prisoner; he even acquired more firmness, and encouragedhimself to suffer by the words of the Gospel: "Blessed are they thatsuffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom ofheaven. "A short time after, when his father was on a journey, his mother, whodid not approve of the severity with which he was treated, and whomoreover had no hope of overcoming his constancy, set him at liberty. He gave thanks to God for it, and made use of it, to return to thechurch of St. Damian. Bernardo, not finding him in his confinement athis return, was not content with upbraiding his wife in the severestterms, but went off to St. Damian's to drive him out of the countryif he should not succeed in bringing him back. Francis, to whom Godhad given strength, presented himself boldly to his father, and toldhim decidedly that he cared not for his blows, nor for hisshackles--that he was prepared willingly to suffer all sorts of evilsfor the name of Jesus Christ. His father, seeing that there was nothingmore to hope in his case, thought of nothing further than to get backthe money for the cloth and the horse. He found it in the window whereFrancis had thrown it, when the priest refused its acceptance, andthen his wrath was somewhat appeased. Avarice, which is never satisfied, induced Bernardo to believe thathis son had other money, and he had him summoned before the citymagistrates, to account for it. Francis appeared before their tribunaland told them that he had changed his state of life, that God haddelivered him from the slavery of the world, and that he had nothingmore to do with its affairs. The magistrates, who knew his conversionand his perseverance, saw something grand in his demeanor, and toldhis father, who urged them to put interrogatories to his son, thatthis affair ought to be carried into the bishop's court. Bernardaddressed himself to that authority, not only to compel his son togive up what money he had, but to force him to renounce his claims toany paternal inheritance. Francis, who was a sincere lover of poverty, cheerfully consented to all that was required of him, and said thathe would willingly appear before the bishop, who was the pastor andfather of his soul. As soon as he was there, without waiting for hisfather to make his demand, and without saying anything himself, hegave up what money he still had, and then stripped off his clothes, even to his shirt, under which it was seen that he wore a hair-shirt, and gave them up to his father, addressing him in the followingbeautiful words: "Until this time I have called thee father on earth;but from henceforward I may boldly say, Our Father who art in Heaven, in whom I have placed all my treasure, and all my confidence. "The prelate, who was a man of great worth, admiring this excess offervor, and moved even to tears, rose up, and embracing the servantof God, covered him with his cloak, and ordered his servants to bringsuch clothing as was necessary for him. It was no doubt by adispensation of Divine Providence that a bishop pressed to his bosomhim who was to combat so strenuously for the service of the Church. They brought an old cloak belonging to a laborer, who was in the employof the bishop, which Francis received with great satisfaction, andwith which he clothed himself, making on it a cross with some mortarwhich he met with accidentally; thus manifesting what he wished to he, a half-naked poor one, and a crucified man. This occurred in the year1206, when he was in his twenty-fifth year. St. Bonaventure, who givesthe name of spiritual intoxication to the admirable fervor with whichhe stripped himself in order to be able to follow Jesus Christ nailedon the cross, says that, moreover, in order to avoid the shipwrecksof the world, he fortified himself with the representation of the woodwhich was the instrument of our salvation. Emancipated from the ties of worldly desires, as he had wished to be, he now sought for some sequestered spot, where alone and in silencehe might listen to the voice of God. In a wood, through which he waspassing, singing the praises of God in the French language, some thievessurrounded him and asked him who he was. "I am the herald of the greatKing, " he replied, in a prophetical sense, with perfect confidence inGod. On receiving this answer, they beat him cruelly, threw him intoa hole that was full of snow, and ridiculed the title he gave himself. When they had left him, he again began to sing the praises of God ina louder voice than before, delighted to have had an opportunity ofsuffering. At a neighboring monastery, where he implored alms, whichhe received as a contemptible beggar, they employed him for some daysin the vilest affairs of the scullery. But seeing that this interferedtoo much with his spiritual exercises, he came to Gubbio, where oneof his friends, having recognized him, gave him, in order that he mightbe more decently clad, a hermit's dress, a short tunic, a leatherngirdle, shoes, and a staff. In this penitential habit, he subjected his body to additionalausterities; and in order to fulfil all the functions of humility, towhich he was much attached, he devoted himself to the service of thelepers. He was constantly seen in their hospitals, moving about in alldirections to aid them, preventing all their wants, showing the greatestcompassion for them, washing their feet, cleansing their sores, removingthe matter, and, by a wonderful effort of charity, kissing theirdisgusting ulcers. He received from God in reward the gift of healing;and this was a figure of the Evangelical cures, which he was soon toapply to the diseases of the soul. Among many proofs which St. Bonaventure adduces of his having the giftof healing miraculously, he mentions that of a man of the Duchy ofSpoleto, whose mouth and cheeks were eaten away by a dreadful cancer, and for whom all sorts of remedies had been fruitlessly employed. Thisman met Francis returning from Rome (whither he had been to implorethe assistance of the blessed Apostles), who, out of great respect, wished to kiss his feet; this the humble Francis prevented, but kissedthe cancerous face, which was instantaneously cured. The same saintremarks: "I know not which is most to be admired, such a kiss, or sucha cure!"The servant of God, who now acknowledged no other country than heaven, and who was fearful of being the cause of some of his father'sviolences, proposed to himself to take up his abode in Gubbio anddevote himself to the exercises of charity, without returning to Assisi;but calling to mind the order which had been given him by the voicewhich came from the crucifix, to repair the Church of St. Damian, hethought himself bound to obey it, at least by "questing" for what wasrequisite for working at it. The profound humility which he had acquiredby the degradations he had subjected himself to, gave him the couragehe required for begging in his native town, where he had been knownto have possessed everything in plenty. Having cast aside allbashfulness for the love of Jesus Christ poor and crucified, he wentthrough the centre of Assisi as one inspired, publishing the gloriesof God, and soliciting stones for the repair of the church; addressinghis fellow-citizens with simplicity, thus: "Whosoever will give me astone, shall have a reward; whoever will give two shall have a doublereward; and he who gives three shall be rewarded threefold. "Many treated him with contempt, and turned him into ridicule. Otherscould not understand how a young man of a good and opulent family, with excellent prospects, hitherto considered as the model of the youngmen of the place, could demean himself to such a degree as to beg inhis native town. Some thought that such a change could only come fromGod, and were greatly moved by it. But the new-made pauper, having norespect for the opinions of men, and receiving cheerfully the insultsput upon him, after the example of Jesus Christ, thought of nothingbut the church of St. Damian, for which he quested so successfully, that many persons, moved by his exhortations, furnished sufficient forits repair. He himself worked at it daily, and carried the materialson his shoulders as a common laborer, without any regard for his body, which was emaciated by the rigors of penance and fasting. The priest of St. Damian took compassion on the pious workman, andtook care to provide him with a substantial meal when he came in fromwork. Francis having received this charitable succor for some daysrunning, reflected on his situation, and said to himself as heafterwards told his disciples: "Will you find everywhere a priest whohas so much consideration for you? This is not the sort of life youhave chosen: go, then, henceforward from door to door, as a poor man, and solicit food for the love of God, with an empty plate, on whichyou will put whatever may be given you. For it is thus you must livefor the love of Him who was born poor, who lived poorly, whom theyaffixed naked to the cross, and who was put after His death into anotherman's tomb. " One must be very dead to self, have great contempt of theworld, and a sincere love of God, to entertain such feelings and carrythem out. The following day he took a plate, and went begging from door to door, and sat down in the street to eat. At the first mouthful he took ofthis disgusting mess, he felt a nausea in his stomach, which made himrecoil. Animated at the same instant by the love of poverty, he becameashamed of his weakness, and reproached himself for the feeling; afterwhich, he ate the remainder without reluctance, and with so much relish, that he thought he had never eaten a better meal. He also felt aninterior joy and strength in his body, which enabled him to bear withpleasure, for God's sake, whatever might be most severe or bitter. After having returned fervent thanks to the Father of the poor, whohad given him so wonderful a taste, he went to the priest and entreatedhim to take no further trouble with respect to his nourishment, "because, " he said, "I have found an excellent purveyor, and a veryable cook, who can season his dishes in a superior way. " He often usedsuch jocose expressions, which were as much the effect of the spiritualjoy he felt, as of his natural lively and joyous turn of mind. Bernardo, vexed in the greatest degree at seeing his son begging andexposed to the jeers of the public, was inflamed with anger, and eitherturned from him when he met him, or cursed him. Francis admitted thatthese curses affected him more than any other suffering he endured, and he hit upon a method of protecting himself. It was to take anotherpoor and miserable man with him, who should be as a father to him. Hewas engaged to bless Francis, making the sign of the cross on himwhenever his father cursed him. Francis then said to Bernardo: "Believeme, my father, that God can give me, and indeed has given me, anotherfather, from whom I receive blessings for your curses. "His brother Angelo, a young man full of the love of the world, alsomocked him, and turned him into ridicule. Seeing him one day in churchshivering with cold in his poor hermit's dress, and praying devoutly, he said to one of his friends: "Go and ask him to sell you a littleof his sweat!" Francis replied, "I do not choose to sell my sweat tomen; I can sell it at a better price to God. " If all Christians thoughtthus, they would not suffer much pain for the world, which pays soill, and they would do much for God, who rewards so magnificently. The pauper of Jesus Christ gained many other victories over himselfin the quest he had taken upon himself for the building of St. Damian. He suffered with admirable patience the persecution of some worldlypersons, who treated him as a fool, and insulted him in a thousandways. Every time that it happened to him to blush when he met any ofhis acquaintances or friends, he reprimanded himself as if he hadcommitted some great fault; he humbled himself the more, and beggedfor alms more submissively, to take down all influence of pride. Oneday when he was begging for oil for two lamps which he wished to keepconstantly burning before the crucifix, from which the miraculous voicehad been heard, he went into a house where some persons of hisacquaintance were collected together for gaming. Their sight struckhim, and gave him a feeling of shame which induced him to retire. Hehad scarcely left the door, when, thinking on what he had done, heconsidered himself guilty of a great want of firmness, and heimmediately returned to the place where they were at play, heacknowledged his fault before all present, and begged boldly for thelamps of the church in the French language, which set the company intoan immoderate fit of laughter. Such efforts show the truth of theremark of St. Ambrose: that the saints were no less liable thanourselves to fall into faults; but that they had greater care topractise virtue, and to correct the faults into which they fell. Pious and well-thinking persons remarked that the conduct of Franciswas maintained with an equality of fervor, and they found a high degreeof wisdom in what appeared to the generality of the world to belittleness of mind and folly. These opinions gradually spread andbrought over many to esteem and venerate him; even those who haddespised and insulted him, came forward to solicit his forgiveness. The prior of the monastery where he had served in the kitchen, who wasthen at Assisi, and who there became acquainted with his rare virtues, showed him great respect, begged him to pardon the treatment he hadreceived, and excused himself, by saying, that he could not then beknown under the miserable disguise under which he had hid himself. Theman who had foretold that he would do great things, added to thisprediction, while applauding himself: "You know what I before said toyou of this young man; you only see the beginning of his holiness, butyou will see the continuation: Jesus Christ will do wonders throughhim, which all the world will admire. "The dispositions which were now entertained in his regard, procuredfor him the means of completing the repairs of St. Damian towards theclose of the year 1206. In the course of this work, it was remarkedthat he said to those who passed by, "Assist me in finishing thisbuilding; there will be a monastery here some day of poor females ofholy life, whose reputation will tend to glorify our Heavenly Fatherthroughout His Holy Church. " This was a real prophecy, theaccomplishment of which was witnessed five years afterwards, when heplaced there the holy virgin Clare and her companions, whom he hadconsecrated to Jesus Christ. This prophecy was so well known, thatSaint Clare inserted its very words in the will she made in the year1253. At the beginning of the year 1207, Francis, not to remain idle, undertook a new work. He proposed to restore the church of St. Peter, which was at a little distance from the town, in consequence of thedevotion with which the purity of his faith inspired him towards thePrince of the Apostles; and this intention was soon put in force, because, it having been seen how carefully he had made use of thedonations he had received for his first work, he was now furnishedwith what he required, more readily and more abundantly. He now wasdesirous of effecting some essential repairs to a third church orchapel, about a mile from Assisi, which was very ancient, but sodeserted and in such a state of ruin, that it only served as a refugefor herdsmen in bad weather: its name was St. Mary of the Angels, andOttavio, Bishop of Assisi, thus describes its foundation:"In the year of 352, a year after the appearance in the heavens of aluminous cross on the 7th of May, in broad daylight, over the City ofJerusalem, which extended from Mount Calvary to the Mountain of Olives, a cross which was more brilliant than the sun, as St. Cyril, thenbishop of that city, and one of the eye-witnesses of the phenomenon, relates in his letter to the Emperor Constantius, --four holy hermitscame from Palestine into Italy, and obtained from Pope Liberius leaveto remain in the Valley of Spoleto, and settled themselves in thevicinity of Assisi, with the permission of the authorities of the town. There they built a chapel which was called St. Mary of Josaphat, becausethey placed in it a relic of the sepulchre of the Blessed Virgin, andbecause the altar was consecrated by the title of her gloriousAssumption. In the sixth century it was given to the Religious of theOrder of St. Benedict, who enlarged and strengthened it; and it wasafterwards called St. Mary of the Angels. " We shall soon explain thereason of this. It was also called Portiuncula, because of some portionsof ground which the Benedictines of Mount Saubazo possessed in thevicinity. We can easily understand that a man without any property, who was poorand a beggar, could not have accomplished these works without assistancefrom above; but St. Bonaventure finds in it a still further mystery. He says that Divine Providence, who guided Francis in all his actions, preordained things in such manner, that he repaired three churchesprevious to instituting there his orders, in order that the materialtemples should be the types of the three spiritual edifices which hewas to raise up; and that passing from what is perceptible to thesenses, to what is only apparent to the mind, and rising gradually towhat is still more elevated, he was enabled to give to the Church ofJesus Christ three descriptions of soldiery able to combat for thereformation of morals, and worthy to triumph gloriously in heaven. Wemay add, that the austerities, labors, and humiliations of the servantof God had been for the two previous years as so many strokes of thehammer, which rendered him a chosen and living foundation-stone onwhich these sacred edifices might be based. Such is the method whichis adopted by our Lord. He prepares all things, and brings themsuccessively to perfection; instead of which, men are always hurried, and often endeavor in the way to perfection to advance faster than thegrace which directs them. Of the three churches which Francis had repaired, he chose that of St. Mary of the Angels for his residence, in order to honor the Mother ofGod and the Celestial Intelligences. St. Bonaventure says that he wasoften favored by visits from Angels, on account of the frequentapparitions of these blessed spirits there. The man of God passed daysand nights there in fervent prayer, when he entreated the BlessedVirgin, that as she had conceived and brought forth the Word of theFather, full of grace and truth, she would have the goodness to obtainfor him a participation therein; it was there also, that, by the meritsof this powerful advocate, he had the happiness to conceive and bringforth, if it may be so expressed, his evangelical life; the preciousfruit of grace and truth, which the Son of God had come to bring uponearth. One day when he was assisting in this church at a mass of the Apostles, which he had requested the priest of St. Damian to say, he listenedattentively to the Gospel where this form of life is prescribed by ourSaviour for the mission of His Apostles: "Do not possess gold, norsilver, nor money in your purses; nor scrip for your journey, nor twocoats, nor shoes, nor a staff. " After mass, he asked the priest toexplain these words to him; he understood the sense of them well, andimpressed them well on his heart, finding in them the image of thatpoverty which he loved: "This is what I seek for, " he exclaimed, quiteoverjoyed, "this is what I desire with my whole heart. " At the sameinstant he threw away his purse with a feeling of horror for money, he took off his shoes, he replaced his leather girdle by a cord, anddevoted his thoughts to putting in practice what he had just heard, and to conforming himself in all things to the Evangelical rule. Itis a vocation similar to that of St. Anthony, of whom St. Athanasiusrelates, that having heard in the church these words of Jesus Christ, "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give it to thepoor, " he went immediately to put this counsel in practice, in orderto attain perfection. The hermit's tunic, which Francis still retained, appeared to him toodelicate; he therefore got one coarse and rough, of an ash gray, whichcame down to the feet, and the sleeves of which reached to the fingers;to this he added a hood, which covered sufficiently the head and face. This description of dress he continued to wear during the remainderof his life, except that the tunic and hood had sometimes more or lesslength or breadth, as is seen in his habits which are preserved withgreat veneration at Assisi, at Mount Alvernia, and at Florence. Seekingnothing but poverty and humility, he chose the dress that was theplainest, the most despicable, and the most likely to make himselfdespised by the world, whose vanities he held in utter contempt; itwas also the dress most like to that of the shepherds, and other countrypeasants, who chose it to protect them from the weather; or rather heimitated the prophets, who only covered themselves with a sack, towhich he afterwards added a short cloak. All the events just narrated happened in the year 1208, which isreckoned the first year of the Order of St. Francis, because it is theone in which he took the habit, which he gave in the following yearto such as chose to imitate him, and in which the first stone was laidwhich served as a foundation for this spiritual edifice. Then God inspired him to preach, to exhort sinners to repentance, andto cause evangelical perfection to be loved in the world. Although heexpressed himself in a very plain manner, his discourses had nothingin them that was low; they were solid and animated with the Spirit ofGod, and so effectually penetrated the hearts of his hearers, thatevery one was surprised at it. He always began them by the followingsalutation, which he afterwards declared had been revealed to him byGod; "May the Lord grant you His peace. " It was noticed that a verypious man, who was in the habit of addressing the two following wordsto all whom he met, "Peace and weal, --Peace and weal!" was not seenin Assisi after Francis began to preach; as if he wished it to beunderstood that his mission had ended by the presence of him whoseprecursor he was. In fact, this new preacher was in truth an angel ofpeace sent from heaven to reconcile a great number of sinners withJesus Christ, and to draw down on them all sorts of benefits. He joined to the ministry of the word the exercise of every sort ofvirtue, and applied himself particularly to prayer, where the sufferingsof our Blessed Saviour made such impression on his soul that he groanedand sobbed aloud, when he found himself at liberty. One of his friends, passing by the church of St. Mary of the Angels, having heard him, went in, and seeing him bathed in tears, reproached him with it as ofa weakness unbecoming in a man. "I weep for the Passion of my LordJesus Christ, " answered Francis, "and I ought not to be ashamed ofweeping openly before the whole world. " This enviable emotion was inthe heart of St. Augustin, when he said to his people: "The Passionof Jesus Christ, which the Church puts every year before us, moves andaffects us as if we saw Him personally stretched on the cross; thereare none but the impious who can be insensible to it. --As for me, Iwish to lament with you in considering this affecting spectacle. Thisis the time in which to weep, to acknowledge ourselves criminals, andto pray for mercy. Which of us would have it in his power to shed asufficiency of tears to equal the merit of so great and so worthy asubject of grief?" Every Christian ought to blush, if he is wantingin these sentiments of gratitude and love. The words and actions of Francis soon became noised abroad. Some becameconverted, and embraced the penitential course he preached. Othersformed the resolution of leaving all and joining him. The first wasBernard de Quintavalle, a rich and discreet man, of one of the bestfamilies of Assisi, who had great influence in the town, and guidedit by his advice. This respectable man, as St. Bonaventure called him, considering the contempt with which Francis viewed all the things ofthis world, was desirous of ascertaining whether it was in truth aneffect of sanctity, or of littleness of mind. He invited him, therefore, to supper and to sleep at his house, and had a bed prepared for himin his room. While he feigned to sleep soundly, he saw by the lightof a lamp Francis get up, fall on his knees, melt into tears, his eyesraised to heaven, his arms crossed, pronounce slowly these words:_"Deus meus et omnia, "_--"My God, and my all, " which he repeatedduring the whole night. So ardent and so tender an expression is quiteconvincing that he was then in an exalted state of contemplation, whereinterior communications made him sensible that the Lord was especiallyhis God, and filled the whole soul. Happy he who can with truth say, _Deus meus et omnia_. For this it is requisite that he should belongwholly to God, and that the world should be nothing to him. Bernard did not interrupt Francis in his holy exercise, but, filledwith devotional feelings, he said to himself, "Truly this is a man ofGod. " After having put him to other proofs, he resolved to give allhis goods to the poor and follow him, and he put this question to him:"If a man had received from his master a certain portion for severalyears, and then wished no longer to make use of it, what do you thinkit would be best for him to do?" Francis said in answer, that he oughtto return it to the master from whom he had received it. "It is I, "replied Bernard, "who have received a great deal from God, and muchmore than I have deserved; I return it willingly into His hands, andplace it at your disposal; for I mean to attach myself to you. " Atthese words, Francis, delighted to find that God began theaccomplishment of his works by so worthy a personage: "Your intention, "he said, "is one of great importance; you must consult God upon it, to learn from Him how you are to put it in execution. Early to-morrowmorning we will ask the Curate of St. Nicholas, who is known to be amost worthy man, to say a mass for us, and after having heard it, wewill continue in prayer till the hour of Tierce. " We see in this themode of acting of one who has the spirit of God; he hurries nothing, he has recourse to prayer, and he makes use of the ordinary practicesof the Church. The following day they did what they had proposed; after which, Francis, who had great devotion to the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity, opened three times in their honor the book of the Gospels, entreatingthe Almighty to confirm, by the testimony of their texts, Bernard'sholy resolution. At the first opening they found the following: "Ifthou wilt be perfect, go sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor. "At the second: "Take nothing for the journey. " At the third: "If anyman will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up the cross, and follow Me. " Then Francis, addressing himself to Bernard, said:"There is the life we must lead, the rule we must follow, you and I, and all those who shall desire to join us. Go thou and put in executionwhat thou hast just heard. "The new disciple, intimately convinced that his design came from God, sold, as fast as he could, all his effects, from which he got aconsiderable sum, which he had carried to the Square of St. George, and distributed it entirely among the poor whom he could collect. Francis then gave him a habit similar to his own; he called him hiseldest son, and was always tenderly attached to him: he was indeed amost holy man. Peter of Catania, Canon of the Church of St. Ruffinus, the Cathedralof Assisi, edified by the self-denial and charity of Bernard, wasdisposed to become a disciple of the same master, and received thepenitential habit on the same day, which was the 16th of April. Allthree retired to a hut which had been deserted, near to a rivuletcalled _Rivo Torto_, on account of its winding so very much. Seven days after that, a very pious man called Giles, who was greatlylooked up to in Assisi, on his return from the country learnt what histwo fellow-citizens had done, which had excited the admiration of thewhole town, and felt an ardent wish to imitate them, and thus carryout an intention he had entertained of devoting himself to the serviceof God. He passed the following night in prayer, when he was inspiredto offer himself to Francis, for whom he had already great esteem, onaccount of the extreme contempt of the world and of himself, which wasremarked in the whole of his conduct. In the morning he went to theChurch of St. George, whose festival it was, there to implore thesaint's intercession, that he might find him whom he was seeking, ofwhose abode he was ignorant. Seeing out of the town three roads, withoutknowing which to take, he addressed the following prayer to God: "OLord, most holy Father, I entreat Thee by Thy mercy, if I am topersevere in this holy vocation, so to guide my steps that I may arriveat the place where Thy servant lives whom I am seeking. " He took oneof the three roads as God inspired him; and as he walked full of hisholy project, Francis, who was at prayer in a neighboring wood, cameout to meet him. As soon as Giles saw him, he went to him, and threw himself at hisfeet, and begged the favor of being received into his society. Theholy man, who was at once satisfied of the faith and piety of thepostulant, replied: "My brother, your request is that God would receiveyou as His servant and soldier. This is no small favor. It is as ifthe emperor were to come to Assisi, and wish to make choice of afavorite; each one would say, 'I wish to God it may be myself. ' It isthus God has made choice of you. " He assured him that his vocationcame from heaven and exhorted him to persevere. Then presenting himto Bertrand and Peter, he said: "Here is a good brother, whom God hassent us. " And when he was alone with them, he told them that Gileswould one day excel in sublime virtue. After a slender meal, and a spiritual conference, Francis set out withhis new postulant for Assisi, to procure what was requisite forclothing. On the way, a woman having asked charity of them, the Saintturned to Giles, and with an angelic countenance, said: "My dearbrother, let us give this poor woman the cloak you have on for thelove of God. " Giles gave it immediately, and it seemed to him thatthis alms ascended to heaven, which filled him with great joy. Theybegged at Assisi for some very coarse cloth, with which Francis clothedhis third disciple, in the small hut where he instructed him in thereligious exercises of a religious life. Francis did not permit his disciples long to enjoy the sweetness ofa life of retirement. Having informed them that they were bound to goforth to instruct their neighbors by unstudied words and an edifyinglife, he sent Bernard and Peter into Emilia, and set out himself withGiles for the March of Ancona. These apostolic men preached everywhere the grandeur and goodness ofGod, the obligation of each one to love Him, to obey His love, and todo penance. When they wanted the necessaries of life, they rejoiced, as if it were a treasure that they had purchased at the price of allthey had possessed. Some persons received them obligingly, and didthem good offices; but the singularity of their dress, and the rigorof their mode of life, shocked most of those who saw them. They wereeven frequently insulted, covered with mud, dragged by their hood, andseverely beaten: this they joyfully bore, judging from the interiorprofit which they derived from it, that it was greatly to theiradvantage. Their virtue, nevertheless, caused them to be treated at times withrespect, and honors were even rendered to them. This mortified them, Giles in particular, who only gloried in the mortifications which hesuffered for Jesus Christ's sake, and could not bear to be so honored. He said to his father: "When men honor us, we lose our glory. " He alsoexpressed to him his dissatisfaction that the mode of greeting whichhe had taught them, "May the Lord grant you His peace, " was ill receivedby the men of the world. "Pardon them, " replied Francis, "for theyknow not what they do. I verily assure you that hereafter there willbe many nobles and princes who will respect you and your brethren, when you shall address those words to them. " He foretold to him likewisethat his Institute would spread, and that it might aptly be comparedto a net which a fisherman casts into the river, with which he catchesa multitude of fish. The pious missionaries having gone through several towns, and givengreat satisfaction, returned to the hut at Rivo Torto, when a fourthdisciple offered himself: his name was Sabbatin. Morique, a religious of the Order of Crosiers, or cross-bearers, wasthe fifth. Being sick, and in extremity, given over and abandoned bythe medical men of the hospital of St. Saviour of Assisi, where allstrangers were received, he got himself recommended to the prayers ofFrancis, who willingly prayed for him, and mixed a little crumb ofbread with the oil of the lamp which burnt before the altar of St. Mary of the Angels. This he sent him by two of his brethren, sayingto them: "Take this to our dear Brother Morique. The power of JesusChrist will not only restore him to perfect health, but will cause himto become a generous soldier, who will enter into our militia, andwill persevere in it. " The sick man had hardly swallowed the remedywhen he was quite cured, and he soon after entered the Institute ofhis charitable physician, in which he lived in prodigious austerityduring a long life, and enjoyed perfect health. A sixth disciple, called John, and surnamed De Capella, began well, but finished ill. He was employed to distribute to his brethren whatwas given to them in alms, and he took willingly the trouble ofprocuring for them what was wanted. But by little and little he gotattached to temporal things, went too much abroad, and was very muchrelaxed from the regular discipline. The holy founder having frequentlyreprimanded him severely, and without effect, he threatened him forhis contumacy with a severe illness and a miserable death. In fact, this unworthy religious was stricken with a horrible leprosy, whichhe had not patience to endure. He forsook the poor of Jesus Christ, his companions, and, letting himself fall into despair, he hangedhimself, as Judas had done. St. Antonius remarks that the life of St. Francis was in conformitywith that of Jesus Christ, even in the circumstance of having had anunworthy disciple. He only became such by his depraved will; but Godin His wisdom made him serve as an example to show that we may be losteven in the most holy states of life if we cease to labor with fearand trembling for our salvation. Peter Rodulphus, Bishop of Sinigaglia, in the Duchy of Urbino, adds, that the loss of one of the first childrenof St. Francis, and still more that of Judas in the Apostolic College, should induce those who are inclined to think ill and contemptibly ofa whole order, on account of the ill-behavior of some individual, toreform their method of forming their opinions. Among the instructions which Francis gave to his disciples, he laidgreat stress on poverty, the practice of which might appear to themto be very severe. In order to render them wise herein by experience, and to make them feel that their subsistence depended on the charityof the faithful, he took them all into Assisi, and made them beg fromdoor to door. This voluntary mendicity, which seemed new, and whichhad hardly been seen till then, drew down upon them derision, contempt, rebuffs, and angry words. In one place they were treated as sluggardsand idlers, and turned away with curses; in another they were toldthey were fools to have given up their own property to go begging fromother people. The parents and relatives of those who were thus begging, asserted that their families were dishonored by these practices, andmade loud complaints. There were, however, some who respected theirpoverty, and aided them with good will. Such was the feeling of thepublic of those times in regard to evangelical poverty, which differsbut little from what it is in our own days. After this quest, Francis went to report to the Bishop of Assisi theproceedings of his new soldiers. This worthy prelate, who greatlyvalued him, and gave him his support on all occasions, could not helptelling him then, that he thought the sort of life he had chosen, inwhich they gave up all possessions whatsoever, hard and grievous. "Asto me, " replied the holy man, "I find it still harder and more grievousto possess anything; for one cannot take care of what one possesseswithout much solicitude and embarrassment. It gives rise to lawsuits, which must be undertaken; sometimes people are obliged to take up armsto protect it; and all this extinguishes the love of God and of ourneighbor. " The bishop approved of his remarks, and once more promisedhim his protection. It is true that the state of voluntary poverty inwhich a person possesses nothing whatever, has its inconveniences; andwhere does human corruption fail to find such? But it cannot be deniedthat the state in question is very favorable to salvation, since itis based upon the counsel of Jesus Christ; and that, on the contrary, the possession of property is dangerous for salvation, since He Himselfhas said emphatically: "How hardly shall they that have riches enterinto the kingdom of God. "While the Evangelical poor continued at Rivo Torto, the Emperor OthoIV, who was on his way to Rome with a great train, in order to beconsecrated and crowned by Innocent III, passed by their hut. Theywere too mortified to pay any attention to the pomp of his retinue;but Francis ordered one of them to go to the emperor and tell him thatall the glory which surrounded him would be but of short duration. Thereligious obeyed, and boldly told the emperor what had been commanded. The prediction displeased the prince, who, nevertheless, admitted fromthe event that it was well founded. For, having violated his coronationoath, and committed various injustices towards the Church, he wasexcommunicated the following year by the same Pope; and afterwardsdeprived of his empire, and abandoned by the whole world. It is thusthat the greatness of the world, so fickle in itself, and always putan end to by death, falls sometimes even before that, by misconduct, and by the just judgments of God. Zeal for the salvation of souls induced Francis to move his small troopinto the Valley of Rieti. He halted at an abandoned hermitage on alarge rock, which he thought to be a convenient place for enteringinto conversation with God. Being at prayer one day on this rock, and ruminating in the bitternessof his soul on his past years, he was assured, by a fresh inspirationof the Holy Ghost, that his sins were forgiven him, which filled himwith joy. We cannot doubt but that his sins had been remitted him atthe period of his conversion, by sincere contrition and the sacramentof penance. But in this happy moment he received the assurance thereofby revelation, and he learnt at the same time that the remission wasentire, that is to say, that all the temporal punishment due to hissins had been remitted. St. Bridget, whose revelations are sanctioned and respected by theChurch, relates that she learnt from our Saviour that, when Francisretired from the world to enter on the way of perfection, he obtainedfrom God a lively sorrow for his sins, which enabled him to say: "Thereis nothing on earth which I am not heartily willing to give up; nothingso laborious and so toilsome that I would not joyfully endure, nothingthat I would not undertake, according to the strength of my body andsoul, for the glory of my Lord Jesus Christ; and I will, as far as ispossible, excite and induce all others to love God with their wholehearts, and above all other things. " Such beautiful sentiments, welllived up to and exemplified by actions and conduct, would give us, notan entire assurance as to the remission of our sins, but a firm andwell-founded confidence thereof. The holy penitent received with this plenary indulgence the grace ofan ecstasy, wherein, by a bright illumination from on high, Godcommunicated to him what was to occur to his order. When he returnedto join his disciples he said:--"Take courage, my dear children, rejoicein the Lord. Be not cast down at the smallness of your numbers. Letnot my simplicity nor yours alarm you, for God has shown me clearlythat, by His blessing, He will spread this family of which He is theFather, into all parts of the world. I should wish to be silent on allthat I have seen, but charity compels me to communicate it to you. Isaw a great multitude coming to us to take a similar habit, and tolead the same life. I saw all the roads filled with men who walkedhither, and hastened themselves very much. They came in great numbers, French, Spaniards, Germans, English, and from almost all nations. Thenoise of such as come and go, to execute the orders of holy obedience, still sounds in my ears. "So magnificent a prediction reminds us of the prophet Isaias on theestablishment of the Church: "Jerusalem, thou who sayest, I am barren!lift up thine eyes and look all around thee. All this vast multitudesurrenders itself up to thee. I see them coming from afar--some fromthe North, others from the West, others from the land of the South;a thousand will come forth from the smallest among them, and from thevery least a great people. "The event has verified, in the eyes of the universe, the prophecy ofthe holy Patriarch. There was in a very short time a great number ofreligious; his order extended itself to all parts with astonishingrapidity, and it has multiplied itself so wonderfully for sevencenturies, that it may be looked upon as a representation of the birthand progress of the Church. The disciples, greatly comforted by what they had just heard andpersuaded that their master had the spirit of prophecy, entreated himto inform them what would in future be the situation of his Order. Heexplained to them in parables the good which would be effected by it, and at the same time the relaxations which would be introduced intoits discipline, in order that the graces of God, which were to bebestowed on it, might excite their utmost gratitude, and that the fearof their weakness and want of fervor might render them vigilant andhumble. The odor of sanctity which issued through the environs of the hermitage, and the holiness of their lives, brought many persons to them forinstruction, and to profit from the edification they would receive. A very worthy person, whose name was Philip the Long, was desirous ofentering the state of Evangelical poverty. Francis made him his seventhdisciple, and he brought them all back to the hut at Rivo Torto. Inthis holy retreat he spoke to them frequently of the Kingdom of God, of the contempt of the world, of renouncing of their own will, of themortification of the senses, and other maxims of a spiritual life. Heopened to them also his intention of sending them into the four partsof the world; for, with the seven children which evangelical povertyand simplicity had given him, it was his wish to bring all the faithfulto penance, and to generate them in some measure anew by the word oftruth, to give them, or rather to restore them, to Jesus Christ. Infine, he told all his disciples openly, but with great humility, thatthe Divine Majesty had, in His wisdom, decided to employ them, and thecompanions they should aggregate to their community, to renew the faceof the earth, by their preaching and their example, in order that thelosses the Church had sustained by the corruption of morals, might bemade good; and that it was for this purpose that grace had put it intheir power so promptly to exercise the holy ministry. In order toprepare them for this mission, he made them the following discourse, which is worthy of being recorded at full length, in the words in whichit has been preserved by his companions, to whom it was addressed:--"Let us consider, my dear brethren, what our vocation is. It is notonly for our own salvation that God has called us by His mercy, butit is for the salvation of many others. It is in order that we shouldexhort all the world, more by example than by words, to do penance andto keep the Divine precepts. We are looked upon as senseless andcontemptible, but let not this depress you; take courage, and beconfident that our Lord, who conquered the world, will speakefficaciously through you. Let us be cautious, after having given upall, not to lose the kingdom of heaven for a trifling gain. If we findmoney anywhere, let us consider it as valueless as the dust which wetread under our feet. Let us not judge and despise the rich who livein luxury and wear the ornaments of vanity. God is their Lord, as Heis ours; He may call them and justify them; we must honor them as ourbrethren, and as our masters. They are our brethren, because we haveall the same Maker; and they are our masters, because they befriendthe good by the assistance they afford them. Go then, and exhort mento do penance for the remission of their sins, and for peace. You willfind some among the faithful mild and good, who will receive you withpleasure and willingly listen to you. Others, on the contrary, peoplewithout religion, proud and violent, will censure you, and be veryhostile to you. But make up your minds to bear all this with humblepatience, and let nothing alarm you. In a very short time many learnedand noble persons will join themselves to you, to preach to kings, toprinces, and to nations. Be therefore patient in tribulations, ferventin prayer, and fearless in labor. Be unassuming in speech, be gravein your manner, and grateful for the favors and benefits you mayreceive. The kingdom of God, which is eternal, will be your reward. I entreat the one and only God, who lives and reigns in three Persons, to grant it to us, as He doubtless will grant it to us, if we arefaithful to fulfil all that we have voluntarily promised. "This discourse filled them with fresh ardor. They threw themselves atthe feet of the holy man, and joyfully received the orders he gavethem, in addressing to each one of them these words of the psalmist, which he was accustomed to repeat when he gave those instructions whichrequired obedience: "Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He shall sustainthee. " Having divided the routes they were to take, by forming a crosswhich pointed to the four quarters of the globe, and knowing that hewas to be the model for his brethren, he took one side for himselfwith a companion, and sent the other six, two and two, to the othersides. Wherever they found a church, they prostrated and made use ofthis formula, which they had learnt from their Father: "We adore Thee, O most holy Lord Jesus Christ! here and in all Thy churches which arein the whole world, and we bless Thee for having redeemed the worldby Thy holy cross. " They had a great veneration for all chapels, forall crosses, and for all that had any relation to the worship of God. As soon as any one addressed them, they wished him peace, and instructedhim in the way to gain it. If any one appeared to them to have strayedfrom the way of salvation, they endeavored to bring him back in a mildand humble manner. In their sermons they spoke ingenuously whateverwas inspired them by the Holy Ghost, pointed out the true way to heaven, showed what were the duties of charity, and endeavored to bring allto love and fear the Creator and keep His holy commandments. When they were asked from what country they came, and to what professionthey belonged, they replied: "We are penitents come from Assisi;" forthey would not as yet give the name of religion to their society. Therewere worthy people who received them with pleasure; but there weremany others who disapproved of their habit, their institute, theirdiscourses, imagining also that it was dangerous to give themhouse-room, and that alms ought not even to be given to them; so thatthese poor of Jesus Christ, cast off on all sides, had often to passthe nights under porticos. Bernard and Giles went as far as Florence. A pious individual namedGuy offered them some money, which they refused, and when it was wishedto know from them, why, being so poor, they would not take it, theymade this answer: "We have left all that we possessed, according tothe Evangelical counsel. We have voluntarily embraced poverty, and wehave renounced the use of money. " So perfect a detachment, joined toan ardent zeal for the salvation of souls, and to sublime virtues, andparticularly a patience full of meekness and charity in the midst ofinsults and injurious treatment, caused them to be looked upon in thetown as holy personages; they were consulted in cases of conscience, and dwellings were offered them. While these Apostolic men continued their mission, Francis, guided bythe Spirit of God, returned to the hut at Rivo Torto, where he receivedfour additional disciples: Constantius, or John of St. Constantius;Barbarus; Bernard of Viridant, or Vigilantius; and Sylvester, who wasa priest He was the first in the order, and his vocation was marvellous, of which the following are the circumstances. He had sold some stones to St. Francis for the Church of St. Damian, and had received the payment of their value. When he saw him presideover the distribution of the property of Bernard de Quintavalle, hecomplained of having been injured in the sale of the stones, anddemanded a compensation. The servant of God, who did not choose tohave any dispute with him on the subject, taking a bag full of money, gave him handfuls, saying: "Take this for the payment you demand fromme, but which I do not owe you. " He offered him some a second time, but Sylvester would not take it, but left him well satisfied with whathe had got. At night the injustice of what he had done occurred tohim; he conceived a sincere sorrow for it, asked pardon of God, andpromised to restore what he had extorted to the prejudice of the poor. Nevertheless, he formed his opinion of Francis according to the ideasof the world, and he looked with disgust on his mode of life. God waspleased to will that he should be cured of this prejudice, which wasdangerous for his salvation, and that he should surrender himself tothe saint as one of his disciples, which was effected by means of amysterious dream. During the night he saw a horrible dragon, whichsurrounded the town of Assisi, as if about to destroy it, togetherwith the entire country. Francis immediately came forth, and from hismouth there came forth a golden cross, which reached up to heaven, andthe arms of it extended to the extremities of the earth, and itssplendor put the dragon to flight. Having had this dream threesuccessive nights, he perceived in it something divine, and he wentand related it to Francis, with the minutest exactness. This humbleservant of Jesus Christ, far from having the least complacency at it, only made use of it to admire the goodness of God who grants suchfavors, and to animate himself to combat the infernal dragon withrenovated energy, and publish the glory of the cross of our Saviour. But Sylvester, profiting by the grace attached to the vision, was notsatisfied with restoring what he had unjustly extorted; he resolved, moreover, to leave all that he possessed, to embrace poverty under theguidance of Francis, which his affairs did not permit him to carryinto execution till the end of the year 1209. St. Bonaventure says, that on authentic proof of the truth of the vision was the holinessof the life he led when in the order. In fact, he undertook so sincerelyto walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, and made such vast progressin prayer, that, according to the account of this blessed Father, heconversed with God in a manner nearly similar to what is written ofMoses: "That the Lord spoke to him as a man is accustomed to speak tohis friend. "Francis, full of the tenderest feelings for his children, was desirousof having them all assembled together. He entreated the Lord, who hadin former times congregated the people of Israel dispersed among thenations, to do him a similar favor in regard to his small family, andhis prayer was heard. The six who were out on missions returned toAssisi from various places, as if they had acted in concert, withouthaving any notice given them. The pleasure which their return gave himwas greatly increased by the sincere and modest recital which theymade him of all that had passed in their travels for the glory of Godand the benefit of their neighbor. They gave an account, with evidentjoy, of the outrages and blows they had endured and suffered, pleasedto have been found worthy to undergo those trials in the service ofJesus Christ. The last comers envied them, and were only consoled bythe thought and hope that a time would come when they would be employedin this holy warfare, and, should an opportunity be given them, ofdisplaying equal courage; the seniors embraced the latter, andcongratulated them on having chosen this holy estate of life: they allexhorted each other to perseverance. Their common Father brought them up in the practice of the most rigorouspenances, but with the utmost mildness and kindness. He did not imposeupon them any considerable number of prayers because he was not desirousof compelling devotion, and rather wished that these exercises of pietyshould be spontaneous. He only then prescribed to them to say daily, for each part of the Divine Office, the Lord's Prayer three times, andto hear Mass, at which he desired they should employ themselves inmeditating on the mystery. It is, in fact, the very best way ofassisting at the Holy Sacrifice, and the faithful should be advisedto practise it. But those are not to be censured who make use of vocalprayer during Mass, provided they do so with attention and piety inthe very spirit of the mystery;--since there is nothing in prayer butwhat is good, and because, moreover, every one has not the talent ofmeditation. The servant of God, considering that the number of his brethrenincreased, thought seriously of forming a Rule for them, and havingassembled the eleven, the number they then were, he said to them: "Isee, my dear brethren, that God, in His infinite goodness, proposesto extend our society; it is therefore necessary that we shouldprescribe for ourselves a rule of life, and go and give an accountthereof to the most holy Roman Pontiff; for I am persuaded that inmatters of faith, and in such as concern religious orders, nothing canbe done which is pure and stable without his consent and approbation. Let us then go and find our Mother, the Holy Roman Church. Let us makeknown to our Holy Father the Pope, what God has deigned to begin throughour ministry, in order that we may pursue our course according to hiswill, and under his orders. "A celebrated Bishop of France said, in an assembly of his clergy:"Paul, having returned from the third heaven, came to see Peter, inorder to give a form to all future ages, and that it be establishedforever, that, however learned or holy we may be, were any of us anotherSt. Paul, we must see Peter. " These sentiments are in entire accordancewith those of St. Francis, and contain an important principle, fromwhich it is easy to deduce the consequence. All the disciples applauded the proposal of their master, declaringthat they were ready to receive the rule that he would give them, andto go to Rome to solicit its confirmation. Francis betook himself toprayer, and composed, in a plain, unadorned style, in twenty-threechapters, a rule of life, the immovable basis of which was theobservance of the Gospel; to which he added some exercises, which heconsidered necessary for the sake of uniformity. Besides the threevows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, they renounced all possessionswhatsoever, and they bound themselves to live on charity without everreceiving money. Clerics and laymen were alike admitted to embracethis Institute, under the name of Friars Minor. There were also someregulations relative to the Divine Office, prayer, the practice ofvirtue, fasts, the bareness of the feet, preaching, and the missions, which will be noticed when we come to speak of the second rule whichthe Patriarch gave in the year 1223, which they keep in his Order, andwhich is nothing more than an abridgment of the first. This firsthaving been read and accepted, Francis with his brethren set out forRome, to which, through humility, he chose that Bernard de Quintavalleshould lead them. They pursued their journey with great simplicity, only speaking of Godand of things calculated for edification; they often retired to someby-place for the purpose of praying, without troubling themselveswhere they should pass the night; and God raised up persons who receivedthem hospitably. By an effect of His Providence, they went out of theirway to go to Rieti, where they remained two days. Francis met in oneof the streets an officer of the army, whose name was Angelo Tancred. He was quite unknown to him, but, nevertheless, he accosted him by hisname, and said: "Angelo, you have worn long enough your spurs, yoursword, and your belt; it is time that you should have a thick cordinstead of a belt; the Cross of Jesus Christ instead of a sword; andmud and dust instead of spurs. Follow me, therefore, and I will makeyou a soldier of Jesus Christ. " At the very moment the officer quittedall things, followed Francis, took his poor habit, and became histwelfth disciple, who now by their number resembled the twelve Apostles, whose lives they revered. This wonderful conversion shows that Godsometimes moves sinners by his active and powerful grace; as when Hesaid to Matthew, "Follow me, " and Matthew followed Him. But it mustalso make us reflect that, in the ordinary course of things, He invitesto repentance by graces, the impressions of which upon the mind arenot so active. The holy Patriarch continued his route, placing his entire confidencein God; but the others became alarmed at their own simplicity, theywere fearful that it would impede their design; but God removed theirfears by a vision which their holy Father had. It seemed to him thathe was walking along a way where there was a very high tree. Comingnear it, he went under it to admire it, when all on a sudden he felthimself raised up in the air by divine power, so that he had reachedthe top of the tree, and that from thence he easily made the tallestbranches bend quite to the ground. The Holy Spirit pointed out to himthat this was a presage of the favorable issue of his application tothe Apostolic throne. This filled him with joy, and his recital of itto his brethren renovated their courage. The Bishop of Assisi, whom they found at Rome, received them with greatkindness. The sight of them at first gave him some uneasiness, beingapprehensive that it was their intention to leave his diocese, andthat his people would be deprived of the examples of these holy men. But having learnt from them the motive of their journey, he promisedthem to use his influence in their favor, and gave them hopes ofsucceeding through the intervention of Cardinal John of St. Paul, Bishop of Sabina, who was his intimate friend. This prelate was of the Colonna family; he was the friend of the poor, and of all worthy persons; he was respected for his many eminentqualities, and had great authority at the Roman court. What the Bishopof Assisi had already told him of Francis and his companions, of theirholy life, and of the singularity of their Institute, had excited inhim a great wish to see them. As soon as he had heard of their arrival, he had them brought to his palace, received them with great honor, andwas so pleased with their conversation, that, after having assuredthem of his favor, he begged them to consider him from thenceforwardas one of themselves. He also declared himself their protector, andby his interference he soon procured for them the friendship of theprincipal persons in the Sacred College, particularly that of CardinalUgolini, nephew to the Pope, and subsequently Pope by the name ofGregory IX. Francis, who was anxious to get his affairs expeditiously brought toa termination, got himself introduced to the Pope by an officer of hisacquaintance. The Pope, who was walking at that moment in a placecalled the Mirror, and being deeply engaged respecting some difficultaffairs of the Church, would not so much as listen to him, but repulsedhim rudely as a stranger of no very respectable appearance. The servantof God humbly withdrew; and it is recorded that he then restored tosight a blind man who had had his eyes torn out. The Holy Father sawin his sleep a palm-tree grow slowly at his feet and become a finelarge tree. Pleased with what he saw, but not understanding its meaning, he learnt by a Divine inspiration that the palm-tree represented thepoor man whom he had ungraciously repulsed the day before. As soon asit was day, he gave directions that the poor man should be sought for. He was found in the hospital of St. Anthony, and came to the feet ofthe Pope, and laid before him the rule of life he followed, withenergetic though humble solicitations for His Holiness's approvalthereof. Innocent III, a Pontiff of great wisdom, acknowledged the candor andthe admirable courage and zeal of the servant of God. He received himinto his favor as one truly poor in Jesus Christ, and he was inclinedto comply with his request; however, he postponed doing so, becausehis mode of life appeared novel to some of the cardinals, and so much, beyond what human strength could endure; the evil times, and thecoldness of charity, making them think it very difficult and almostimpossible for an order to subsist without possessing any effectswhatever. Cardinal John of St. Paul was indignant at these obstacles, and heexpressed himself with great warmth to the other cardinals in presenceof the Pope. "If you reject the prayers of this poor man, on thepretence that his rule is novel, and too austere, let us take carethat we do not reject the Gospel itself; since the rule of which hesolicits the approval, is in conformity with what the Gospel teaches;for, to say that Evangelical perfection, or the vow to practise it, contains anything unreasonable and impossible, is to blaspheme againstJesus Christ, the author of the Gospel. " The Pope, struck with thisreasoning, said to Francis: "My son, pray to Jesus Christ that He maymake known His will to us, that so we may favor your wishes. " Theservant of God retired to pray, and soon after returned and set forththis parable. "Most Holy Father, there was a beautiful young girl, who was very poor, and who lived in a wilderness. The king of the country, who saw her, was so charmed with her beauty that he took her for his wife. He livedsome years with her, and had children, who all resembled their father, and had, nevertheless, the beauty of their mother; he then came backto his court. The mother brought up her children with great care, andafter some time said to them: 'My children, you are born of a greatking, go and find him, tell him who you are, and he will give you allthat is befitting your birth. As to myself, I will not leave thisdesert, and I even cannot. ' The children went to the king's court, who, seeing their resemblance to himself, and that they had the beautyof their mother, received them with pleasure, and said to them: 'Yes, you are my true children, and I will support you as the children ofa king; for, if I have strangers in my pay, if I maintain my officerswith what is served at my table, how much more care should I not havefor my own children, the offspring of so beautiful a mother! As I lovethe mother extremely, I will keep the children she has had by me atmy court, and I will feed them at my table. '"This king, most Holy Father, " continued Francis, "is our Lord JesusChrist. This beautiful girl is poverty, which, being everywhere despisedand cast off, was found in this world as in a desert. The King of kingscoming down from Heaven, and coming upon earth, was so enamored ofher, that He married her in the manger. He has had several childrenby her in the desert of this world, Apostles, Anchorites, Cenobites, and many others, who have voluntarily embraced poverty. This goodmother sent them to their Father with the marks of royal poverty, aswell as of her humility and obedience. This great King received themkindly, promising to maintain them, and said to them: 'I who cause mysun to shine on the just and on sinners, who give my table and mytreasures to pagans and to heretics, food, clothing, and many otherthings, how much more willingly shall I give to you what is necessaryfor you, --for you and all those who are born in the poverty of mymuch-cherished Spouse. '""It is to this celestial King, most Holy Father, that this Lady, Hisspouse, sends her children whom you see here, who are not of a lowercondition than those who came long before them. They do not degenerate;they have the comeliness both of their Father and their mother, sincethey make profession of the most perfect poverty. There is, therefore, no fear of their dying of poverty, being the children and heirs of theImmortal King, born of a poor mother, of the image of Jesus Christ, by the virtue of the Holy Ghost; and being to be brought up in thespirit of poverty in a very poor order. If the King of heaven promisesthat such as imitate Him shall reign with Him eternally, with how muchmore confidence ought we believe that He will give them what He usuallygives, with so much liberality, to the good and to the bad. "The Pope listened very attentively to the parable and to itsapplication. He was greatly pleased with it, and had no doubt but thatJesus Christ spoke by the mouth of Francis. He was also convinced byan interior light of the Holy Spirit, that in him a celestial visionwhich he had but some days before would be accomplished, and which, as St. Bonaventure informs us, he himself related. While he slept, hesaw that the Lateran Church was on the point of falling, when a poorand miserable man supported it on his shoulders. On which he exclaimed:"Yes truly, it is that man who will support the Church of Jesus Christby his works and by his doctrine. " He thus foretold the great serviceFrancis and his children would render to the universal Church, whichindeed they have rendered, and, for the last six centuries, have notceased to render: this was what was prefigured by the vision; althoughit has been remarked as something very singular, that the LateranChurch has been repaired, improved and ornamented by three Popes, thechildren of the blessed Patriarch, to wit, Nicholas IV, Sixtus IV, andSixtus V. Innocent III, moved and greatly affected by these celestial portents, conceived for Francis a most tender friendship, which he preservedever after. He approved his rule verbally, granted him several otherfavors, and promised many more. After having received in his own handsthe profession of the founder, and of those who accompanied him, hedirected him to preach penance in all parts, and to labor for theextension of the Catholic faith. In order to enable them to employthemselves more freely in preaching, and to assist the priest withgreater dignity in the performance of the holy mysteries, he directedthat the lay brethren who were then with them, should receive theTonsure, and wear small crowns; he even conferred minor orders on them, and deacon's orders on Francis, whom he constituted Superior Generalof all the Religious of the Order of Friars Minor, present and to come. Those who were present promised obedience to Francis, and Francispromised to obey the Pope. The pious Pontiff gave this new Patriarch, with paternal kindness, instructions in various matters which relatedto the well-being and strengthening of the Institution, and he assuredhim of his peculiar favor; and finally, having embraced each one ofthem, he gave them his blessing, and dismissed them filled with joyand consolation. We have witnessed these favors renewed in 1723 by Innocent XIII, ofhappy memory, the fifth Pope of the ancient and illustrious house ofthe Counts of Segni, to which Innocent III belonged. The Holy Father, assisted by four cardinals, had the goodness to preside at the generalchapter of the Order of St. Francis, held at Rome in the convent ofAra Coeli, making known to all Christendom on that splendid occasion, that he looked upon the Friars Minor as his children, as much fromfamily affection, as from his dignity of Supreme Pontiff. The illustrious author of the "Variations, " who quotes the Abbot ofUrsperg, says that it was to give the Church true poor, more denudedand more humble than the false poor of Lyons, that Pope Innocent IIIapproved the institution of the Friars Minor assembled under Francis, who was a model of humility, and the wonder of the age. The false poor, who are also known by the name of Vaudois, and are placed in the numberof heretics by Pope Lucius III, assumed the exterior of poverty andhumility, although they had none of the spirit of poverty and humility. They were filled with hatred of the Church and its ministers, whomthey reviled in their secret assemblies. In 1212 they feignedsubmission, and had the daring to go to Rome, to solicit the approbationof the Holy See for their sect, but they were rejected by the Pope, and from that time were obstinate and incorrigible heretics. Conrad, Abbot of Ursperg, who was at Rome when they came there in 1212with Bernard their master, remarks that the Friars Minor were verydifferent from the false poor, practised poverty with sincerity, andwere free from all errors; that they went barefooted in winter, aswell as in summer; that they received no money, and lived wholly onalms, and were in everything obedient to the Holy Apostolic See; anobedience which will ever be a mark by which true virtue may bedistinguished from false. Francis, finding himself protected by the Almighty, and authorized bythe Pope, acquired great confidence. He placed his most apostolicalOrder under the immediate protection of the holy Apostle, whose tombhe visited. He took leave of the Cardinals, John of St. Paul, andUgolini, whom he made acquainted with his intentions, and to whom heexpressed his great gratitude; then he took his departure from Romewith his twelve companions, and bent his steps to the Valley of Spoleto, there to practise and preach the Gospel. On the way he conversed with them on the means of adhering faithfullyto the rule, and relative to the manner in which they should striveto attain perfection, so that they might be examples to others. Oneday the conference lasted so long, that the hour for their meal passedby without their having stopped; finding himself tired, they went alittle out of the way to rest. They were very hungry, but they had nomeans of satisfying their craving. There then came to them a man whobrought them a loaf, and immediately disappeared, without their havinghad it in their power to notice from what side he had come, or whichway he had gone from them. Then, says St. Bonaventure, Divine Providencecame to the aid of the poor of Jesus Christ, when all human assistancefailed them. They were well aware that the company of their holy founderprocured them this favor from Heaven; and the miraculous nourishmentthey had just received, which renovated the strength of their mindsas well as that of their bodies, by the interior consolation theyreceived from it, inspired them with a firm resolution never to swervefrom the poverty to which they had devoted themselves. Pursuing their route towards Orta, they came in the plain near thattown to a church which had been deserted, and where, having offeredup their prayers, they agreed to stop, until such time as they shouldlearn where it was God's intention they should settle themselves. Fromthence they went, daily, to the town to preach penance in the publicplaces; and it was with much fruit for the salvation of souls. Thepeople began to feel attached to them; and as they saw that on theirquest they refused everything but what was strictly necessary, theytook very many things to the church in which they had retired, andthose considered themselves fortunate who could make themselves usefulto them. They even came in crowds to see them, and to listen to thediscourses of these new men, whose actions and whose speech made themappear as persons descended from heaven. But Francis, who found that this concourse of people interrupted anddisturbed their spiritual exercises, determined to leave this place. The very beauty of it decided him to do so. It was a most agreeablespot; on one side there were meadows covered with beautiful flowers;on the other, a thick wood, where birds carolled the livelong day;near the church there was a fine spring, and a rivulet, whose watersmurmured pleasantly around them; the view of the whole plain, withthat of the town beyond it on the heights, was all that could be wished. The holy man was fearful lest so delicious an abode should enervatethe minds of his disciples, that the vigor of their intellect, sorequisite for penitential reflections, should become relaxed whensurrounded by objects so pleasant to the senses; and lest that whichinspired gladsomeness should make them lose the seriousness necessaryin prayer, and deprive them of the spiritual delight which is felttherein. Thus, as a skilful general who was the leader of the soldiersof Jesus Christ, and only followed His intentions, he made his littleband raise their camp at the end of a fortnight, and resume their marchtowards the Valley of Spoleto. In the way they counselled together whether they should communicatewith the world, or whether they should retire into some solitaryretreat. Francis, not choosing to trust either to his own lights orto those of his companions, had recourse with them to prayer, toascertain what the will of God was on this head; and he learnt by arevelation, St. Bonaventure says, that God had sent him expressly togain souls which the devil was endeavoring to draw away from JesusChrist. He therefore resolved to dedicate himself to this holyemployment, and to live a life which should be useful to his neighborrather than to himself; being likewise animated thereto by the exampleof Him of whom St. Paul said: "One died for all. " With this view hecontinued his route to the Valley of Spoleto, and brought his brethrento the hut at Rivo Torto, near Assisi, where he had been before. One must feel surprised that St. Francis, with all the assurances hehad of his vocation, could have doubted for a single instant that hehad been sent by God for the spiritual service of his neighbors. Buthis doubts only had their rise in the powerful attractions he had forcontemplation, which the tenderness of his conscience made him fearfulof resisting, by employing himself in the exercises of an active life;and it was this that lessened his inclination for the functions ofApostolicity; for, according to the doctrine of the Fathers, and ofSaint Bernard in particular, there are no more worthy ministers of theGospel than such as devote themselves to conversation with God inretreat, and who leave that retreat to preach the doctrines of salvationonly when they have reason to think that God calls upon them to do so. Our Lord, who thus in his wisdom permitted that His servant shouldlabor under this uncertainty, revealed to him already that he wasdestined to labor for the salvation of souls, and we shall see, furtheron, that He assured him again by other revelations. The hut in which these men devoted to evangelical poverty had retired, was so small and so confined, that, far from being able to lie at fulllength in it, there was barely room for them to sit, insomuch thattheir Father was obliged to assign to each his place by writing hisname on the joists, in order that they might pray and take their restwithout being incommoded. They remained some time in this miserablehabitation, which might be looked upon more as a tomb for the living, or rather for such as were dead to the world; and they bore it for thelove of God, with more fraternal charity and gaiety than can bedescribed. The life they led there was so laborious, and so poor, thatfrequently, not having a morsel of bread, necessity compelled them tosearch the country for herbs and roots, which they ate withsatisfaction; preferring to be nourished with tears rather than withany other food. Their most frequent exercise was prayer, and that more mental thanvocal, because they had not as yet books for saying the Divine Office. A wooden cross, of moderate size, which Francis had fixed in the middleof the hut, round which they prayed, served them instead of a book. They meditated on it unceasingly, and read in it with the eyes offaith, instructed by the example of their saintly chief, who oftendiscoursed to them on the Passion and Cross of Jesus Christ. However, they wished to learn from him what vocal prayers they oughtto recite; and he told them, as our blessed Saviour had told theApostles: This is the prayer that you will say: "Our Father, who arein heaven, hallowed be Thy name, " etc. To which he added the Act ofAdoration which he had before taught them: "Lord Jesus Christ, we adoreThee in all the churches in the whole world, and we bless Thee forhaving redeemed the world by Thy holy Cross. " He likewise taught themto praise God in all things, to make use of all creatures, to raiseup their minds to Him, to have great respect for priests, to beinviolably attached to the true faith, which is believed and taughtby the Holy Roman Church, and to confess it plainly. His faithfuldisciples put in practice all that he taught them, and conformed toall his maxims, which they did in still greater perfection after themarvel which we are about to relate. Francis being one Saturday in Assisi, in order to preach on the Sundaymorning in the cathedral, as it was his custom to do, retired to asmall shed in a garden belonging to the canons of the church, to passthe night in contemplation, which he usually did. About midnight, afiery car of great brilliancy, on which there was a globe as brightas the sun, and which gave a light equal to that of noon, entered intothe hut in which the brethren were collected, and moved round it threetimes. Some of them were watching and praying; the others, who weretaking a little rest, awoke. It is not to be said how great theirastonishment was when they found themselves enlightened, as wellinteriorly as exteriorly, by this penetrating light, which manifestedto them the state of their consciences. St. Bonaventure remarks on the subject of this marvellous light, onthe testimony of those who had been witnesses of it, that theyunderstood well, by this luminous and burning figure, God representedto them the lively and holy flames which illuminated their Father, who, though absent in the body, was present with them in spirit, inorder that, as true Israelites, like unto Eliseus, they might look upto and imitate this new Elias, whom He had appointed the light andguide for spiritual men. Doubtless, he continues, the Lord, who openedthe eyes of the servant of Eliseus, that he might see around thatProphet, that "the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, "would also, at the prayer of Francis, open those of his disciples toshew them the marvel which was operating in their favor. At his return from Assisi, the Father conversed with his children onthe prodigy which they had witnessed, and took occasion from it toconfirm them in their vocation. He entered in detail as to the secretdispositions of their consciences; he foretold them many circumstancesrelative to the increase of his Order; he made known to them, in fine, so many sublime things beyond human ken, that they became perfectlyaware that the Spirit of God rested fully on him, and that theirgreatest security would be in a conformity of themselves to his lifeand doctrine. People were so greatly moved and affected by his virtues and hisdiscourses, that many presented themselves to join his Order, but hedeclined as yet to receive them, because the hut was too small for thetwelve he had; but he availed himself of the opportunity to say tothese: "My dear brethren, God, in His goodness, has made known to methat He proposes to increase our poor family. I cannot receive thosewho wish to join us, until I have a place large enough to admit all. We require a larger habitation, as well as a church, where we may hearmass, say the Divine Office, and deposit in peace those of our societywho may die. Let us therefore go to our lord Bishop and the canons. Let us earnestly entreat of them, for the love of God, to cede to ussome church near the town, and to put our rising Order under cover insome part of their domain. If they cannot assist us, we will go andask the same favor of the Religious of Mount Soubazo. "The Bishop of Assisi and the Canons had it not in their power to promotesuch views, having no church at their disposal; but the Abbot of MountSoubazo, with the consent of the community, granted him for himselfand his brethren the chapel of St. Mary of the Angels, or ofPortiuncula, which he had put into repair, but he added this condition, that, if the Institution became more extended, this church should bealways considered the place of its origin, and the chief monastery. Francis received the present, and accepted the condition with greatthankfulness. He came and told his brethren of it, expressing thepleasure he felt, in having, for the first church of his Order, achurch of the Blessed Virgin, very small and very poor, obtained bybegging, and in which he had first taken upon himself the Apostoliclife. On the same day he went to St. Mary of the Angels, where a piousecclesiastic of Assisi was living, whose name was Peter Mazancoli, towhom the care of that church had been intrusted after it had beenrepaired. He communicated to him the cession which the Religious ofMount Soubazo had made to his Order, and begged him to come and livewith his brethren. As true piety, which is charity itself, is never jealous, and isdelighted in what is of advantage to its neighbors, the ecclesiasticembraced Francis, and assured him how desirous he was to see the BlessedVirgin honored and praised in this place, which she loved, whereconcerts by the angelic host were constantly heard. As a proof of this, he called a laborer of the vicinity, who certified to have severaltimes heard in the night melodious canticles, and to have seen a greatlight come forth from the windows. The experience of Francis himself was an additional proof. For, beingin prayer during the following night in order to recommend his familyto the protection of the Blessed Virgin, he saw on the altar, by meansof a splendid light, our Saviour Jesus Christ, His holy Mother, anda multitude of angels, who cast upon him looks of great benignity. Headored, and recited these words: "O most holy Lord, King of Heaven, Redeemer of the world, sweet Love! and thou, O Queen of Angels! bywhat excess of goodness do you come down from heaven into this smalland poor chapel?" He immediately heard this reply: "I am come with myMother to settle you and yours in this place, which is very dear tous. " All then disappeared, and Francis exclaimed: "Truly this placeis holy, which ought to be inhabited by angels, rather than by men. As long as I possibly can, I will not leave it; it shall be, for meand mine, an eternal monument of the goodness of God!" It became, infact, a great object of devotion and veneration for himself and hisbrethren, particularly after it had been revealed to him that, amongall the temples consecrated under the name of the Blessed Virgin, thiswas the one for which she had the greatest attachment. At break of day he sent for the other religious by his companions, with directions to bring with them the few pieces of furniture whichthey had in the hut at Rivo Torto, in order to place them in the houseadjoining the church of St. Mary of the Angels, which the piousecclesiastic willingly gave up to them. He communicated to the new guests the sanctity of the place they wereabout to inhabit, and recommended them to live therein holily, neverceasing to praise the Lord. Then he said to them: "You must be verygrateful to the Benedictine Fathers for the benefit they have conferredupon us. They have consecrated all the habitations we shall hereafterhave, by this house of God, which is the model of the poverty whichmust be observed in all the houses of our Order, and the precious germof the holiness which we must seek for in it. "But, in order to show that he did not live there as on a propertywholly his, as well as for a mark of his gratitude to his benefactors, he took care to have taken yearly to the Abbey of Mount Soubazo, asa ground-rent, a basket of fish, a species of mullet, which is takenin quantities in the River Asi, or Chiascio, near the Church of St. Mary of the Angels. The Friars Minor have always cherished the feelingsof the blessed Patriarch for the Order of St. Benedict. They will evermanifest, with sincerest gratitude, that it is to this great order, so ancient and so celebrated in the Church, that they are indebted fortheir first establishment, and for many other benefits. BOOK IIA. D. 1210It was therefore in the small Church of St. Mary of the Angels, or ofPortiuncula, that Francis laid the foundations of the Order of FriarsMinor, which spread over the whole earth with wonderful rapidity. Thisholy place was, as it were, the cradle of the Institute, and the nurseryof the houses of the religious; the source which supplied a greatriver, which was divided into various channels; the citadel from whencenumerous brave warriors went forth to encounter the enemies of theChurch; the school which has produced a very great number of saints, and a multitude of learned men, whose doctrine and piety have beenequally celebrated. The new habitation, less confined than the hut of Rivo Torto, enabledthe Patriarch to receive the postulants who had before presentedthemselves; among whom may be noticed, Leo, Rufino, Masseo of Marigan, and Juniper:--Leo, whom Francis chose for his confessor and secretary, and whom he generally called Pecorella Di Dio (the sheep of God), onaccount of his admirable candor. Rufino, of whom he said: "I learnt, by a revelation, that he is one of the most faithful and of the mostpure souls that there is in this world, and I should have no fear ofgiving him, though in a mortal body, the title of Saint, since he isalready canonized in heaven. " Masseo, whom he often sent, instead ofgoing himself, to converse with persons of piety, in order not to beinterrupted in his own meditations, because this religious added greatmildness and suavity of manner to a rare talent of speaking aboutheavenly things. Juniper, whom he found so valuable for his evangelicalsimplicity, for his contempt of himself, and for his great desire toattract upon himself the contempt of the world, that, alluding to hisname, he used to say good-humoredly: "I wish to God we had a wood fullof such Junipers. "The charitable father had all his children in his heart, and he broughtthem up with a tenderness truly maternal. He was the first to go fromdoor to door, to ask charity to provide for their wants; sometimes heeven went alone, to spare them the mortification of begging, under theimpression that they might still retain the prejudices of the worldon this head. But the weakness of his frame not admitting of hisproviding for all, and his religious being bound to subsist on charityalone, he resolved to teach them to solicit it for the love of God, and he made them the following exhortation, which they have recorded:--"My very dear brethren and well-beloved children, be not ashamed ofsoliciting alms, since our Lord became poor in this world for the loveof us, and that, following His example, we have chosen this state ofthe most perfect poverty. For, if we have made this choice for thelove of Jesus Christ, we must not blush at begging in our quality ofpoor. Heirs of the kingdom of God should not blush at what is a pledgeof their heirship. Yes, we are heirs of heaven; this is a benefit whichour Lord has obtained for us, to which He has given us a right, as Hehas to all those who choose to live in a state of holy poverty. I makeknown to you as a truth, that a great number of the most noble of theage will become members of the Order, who will consider it an honorto solicit alms, and who will look upon it as a favor to be permittedto do so. You, therefore, who are the very first of the Order, do thischeerfully; do not refuse to practise what you will have to teach thesesaintly personages. Go, then, and with the blessing of God solicitalms, full of confidence and joy, more than would be felt by him whoshould offer a hundred for one. For it is the love of God you offerin asking, when you say, 'For the love of God, bestow your charity onme;' and in comparison with this divine love, heaven and earth are asnothing. "To mitigate the reluctance still felt by some of them, he broughtforward the two following motives: "The bread which holy poverty causesto be collected from door to door, is the bread of angels, because itis the good angels who inspire the faithful to bestow it for the loveof God. It is thus that the words of the prophet, 'Man ate the breadof angels, ' are fulfilled in these holy poor ones. God has given theFriars Minor to the world in these latter times, that the elect mayhave it in their power to practise what will cause them to be glorifiedby the Supreme Judge, when He will address them in these mellifluouswords: 'What you did to one of these, the least of My brethren, youdid it to Me. ' It is pleasing to solicit charity in the capacity ofa Friar Minor, whom our Master seemed to designate expressly by theappellation, 'the least of My brethren. '"The disciples, persuaded and moved by this appeal, went of their ownaccord to quest in the neighboring places, to get the better of thenatural repugnance they felt to it. At their return they presentedthemselves to their Father with satisfied countenances, which delightedhim, and by a holy emulation they were proud of the things they hadcollected for the love of God. One of them returning one day with muchcheerfulness, singing loudly the praises of the great Benefactor ofmen, Francis took from him the weighty wallet, which was full of bitsof bread, placed it on his own shoulders, kissed the shoulders of himwho had carried it, and came and said publicly: "So it is that I wishmy brethren to go always on the quest, and return from it: ever gay, and glorifying God for all the good which He does in our favor. "The blessed founder employed himself day and night unceasingly ininspiring them with the love and practice of the most sublime virtues;he warned and exhorted each one of them in particular, and he madediscourses to them when collected, on the most essential heads; andthis again he enforced by his own good example; knowing that they werecalled by God to train up those who would embrace his rule in thedifferent parts of the earth, and that on the instruction of the onedepended that of the others. Under such a master, with the powerful assistance which they receivedfrom Heaven, they made in a short time such considerable progress, that the latest comers were not less competent for the exercise of theEvangelical ministry than the first. Altogether animated with the samespirit, watching, fasting, praying, penetrated with the fear of God, full of holy desires, they resembled in a great degree the primitiveChurch confined in the supper-room. Francis, who was perfectlyacquainted with their most inward feelings, and with the intentionsof Divine Providence, thought that he ought not to delay sending themforth on missions according to the idea of St. Chrysostom, who saysthat the Apostles, who were commissioned to labor in the conversionof the world, were necessarily separated, and that it would have beenvery prejudicial to the interests of the universe had they kept togetherlonger. But, as he had not yet heard them preach, he desired prudently to judgeby his own experience of their respective talents. Having assembledthem together, he desired Bernard de Quintavalle to speak on themysteries of religion. He immediately obeyed, and spoke beautifullyon the several points. Peter of Catania was directed to set forth thegreatness of God, which he did with as much facility and learning asif he had been long perfect in the art of preaching. A third was calledupon to give an exhortation on avoiding sin, and practising virtue, which he complied with in powerful language. In short, they all handledthe subjects which were allotted to them, so as plainly to show thatwisdom was given to them from on high. After they had made this essay in preaching, or rather this masterpieceof eloquence, Jesus Christ, who had inspired their thoughts and words, appeared in the midst of them in the form of a very beautiful youngman, and gave His blessing to each of them successively, with wonderfulbenignity. This astonishing vision threw them into a rapturoustransport; after which, Francis addressed them as follows:"My brethren, and dear children, give abundant thanks to God mostpowerful, and to His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for having deignedto have communicated celestial treasures through the speeches of themost simple of men; for it is God who causes infants to speak, whoopens the mouths of little children, and makes the tongues of the mostignorant eloquent: His goodness renders Him compassionate to the world, which is loaded with crime. He has resolved to warn men of the woesinto which they are plunging themselves; and in order to root out fromamongst them the works of the devil, which are sins, He has chosenvile and despicable preachers, so that no one shall have reason toglorify himself before Him, and that every one shall acknowledge thatall the good which is done comes from Him. Although there are few amongyou of whom it can be said that they have worldly wisdom, or arepowerful or noble, yet it is you whom the Lord hath chosen for thisimportant work. It is His will that you should go into all parts tohonor Him by your actions and by your words, bringing to His fear andto His love such as have strayed into evil ways. ""Prepare yourselves therefore to set forth; gird your loins accordingto the commands of Jesus Christ; be courageous; put on the armor offaith; be devoted to the service of the Gospel; always prepared to letyourselves be carried away as clouds, whithersoever the Spirit of Godmay direct you, by the guidance of obedience, to shed the dew of thedivine word on the dry and arid soil of hardened hearts. For our Lordhas not called you into this Institute to think of nothing but savingyour own souls quietly, without any fatigue, in the hearts of yourcountry, and in the bosom of your families; His intention is, that youcarry His name and His faith into the nations, and before the kingsof the earth. Now, lest we should appear to be slow in carrying Hiswill into execution, we will divide Italy amongst us; and soon after, we will make other missions into more distant countries. "To this discourse the disciples replied, that they were prepared foreverything; that, having renounced their own will, they only waitedthe order to commence the journey; and that the distrust they had ofthemselves in consequence of their simplicity, was counterbalanced bythe confidence they had in the assistance of the Almighty, whichanimated them. The next morning Francis divided Italy among them, taking Tuscany forhimself with Sylvester, who was the first priest in his Order, so thathe might, by this arrangement, be at the shortest distance from St. Mary of the Angels, where he left some of the brethren to guide thenovices whom he should send there. Two reasons induced him to make his beginning in Italy. The first was, that it appeared to him to be just that the Divine Word should be firstspread in that country, of which the preachers were natives, as theApostles had done in regard to the Jews. The second was, that he mightjudge from what they should effect among the Italians, what they werecapable of effecting elsewhere: in which his judgment is to be admired. He could not doubt but that the vocation of his children came fromGod; nevertheless, he used all the precautions which prudence dictated, because he knew that the Lord, who acts according to His good pleasureby secret and supernatural means, chooses that men on their part shouldpursue the ordinary course in all that depends on them. This is a sureground-work, which is not only a rule in all that relates to salvation, but also is applicable to the affairs of this life. The man of God, having commenced his route towards Tuscany, passedthrough Perugia, where he preached in the great square, as is customaryin Italy. Some young gentlemen, of the first families of the place, came also there for the exercises of the tournament, and made so muchnoise that the preacher could be no longer heard. As they continuedtheir lance exercises, notwithstanding the remonstrance of the people, the Saint, turning to the side in which they were, addressed them inthe following words with great animation:--"Pay attention, and learn what the Lord declares to you through me, who am His servant, and do not imagine to satisfy yourselves by saying, This is only a man from Assisi who speaks to you. " (A precaution hetook because Perugia and Assisi, neighboring towns, were always opposedto each other. ) "What I tell you, I do not tell you as man. God hasraised you above all the adjacent countries; in gratitude for whichyou should humble yourselves, not merely in His eyes, but before allthe world. But, on the contrary, your strength and your glory have soinflamed your pride, that you have pillaged and laid waste all thatsurrounds you, and you have killed no inconsiderable number. For whichreason I declare to you that, unless you be speedily converted, andrepair the damage you have done, the Lord, who suffers no evil to becommitted with impunity, will take revenge on your sins. In order tocreate in you the greater dismay, He will suffer you to rise up oneagainst the other, to excite a popular commotion, and to do yourselvesmuch greater injury than any of your neighbors could do to you. "He remained some time at Perugia, where they soon saw the effect ofhis threats. The nobles were irritated against the plebeians, theclergy joined the party of the nobles, and they came to blows; thepeople, who were the strongest, drove the others out of the town. Thediscomfited party, in order to be revenged, laid waste everything inthe country which belonged to the people; who, by way of reprisals, pillaged the houses of the nobles, and massacred their servants andeven their children. Indeed the disaster was so great, that, accordingto the prediction, armed neighbors could not have caused any greater. The Perugians having thus, at their cost, discovered the holiness ofthe preacher, wished to retain him in their city, and entreated himto choose what place he pleased for his abode. Many young persons ofpure morals joined his Order; one among others, whose vocation wasvery singular. As he was walking one day out of the town, his mindintent upon his wish to consecrate himself to God, Jesus Christ appearedto him, and said: "Man of desires, if you hope to be in the enjoymentof what you wish for, and to effect your salvation, take a religioushabit and follow Me. " He immediately asked into what order he shouldenter. Our Lord answered him: "Join the new Order of Francis of Assisi. "He then made this further inquiry: "Lord, when I shall have joinedthat Order, what mode of life shall I follow, to be more agreeable toThee?" and this is the answer he received: "Lead the usual life; enterinto no particular intimacies with your brethren; take no notice ofthe defects of others, and form no opinion to their disadvantage. "These are admirable means for living holily and peaceably in acommunity. The young man came and offered himself to Francis, who knewthat Jesus Christ had sent him, and he admitted him immediately, givinghim the name of Brother Humble, on account of the humility he foundin his heart. At Crotona, to which place he next took the word of God, there wasanother young man named Guy, who, moved by his preaching, had invitedhim to dinner: "This young man, " said Francis, "will enter our militiato-day, and will sanctify himself in this town. " He was the oldestof his family, brought up in study and in virtue, and the excellenceof his conduct exceeded even that of his education. He frequented thechurches and the sacraments, he gave great alms, and visited the sickto assist them; he wore a hair-shirt, and chastised his body severely, to enable him to preserve his virginal purity. He had made a vow todo this. After the dinner, he knelt down and petitioned for the habitof a Friar Minor, which he received in the principal church of thetown, in the presence of a numerous concourse of people, after havingfirst fulfilled two conditions which the father had prescribed forhim: The first was, to give to the poor all that he had inherited byhis right of primogeniture; the second was, to renounce all the restof his fortune. It was in the same town that he lived a most holy life, as had been foretold, honored by many miracles; now by permission ofthe Holy See, he is publicly invoked. The love of prayer and retirement made Francis wish to find in theneighborhood of Crotona a fit place for building a house suitable forthe education of his novices. Guy pointed one out to him in the valley, near a place called Celles. This location greatly pleased him, becauseit was solitary; and by the aid of some pious persons, he built a verypoor dwelling, which he soon filled with novices, and where he receivedthe celebrated Brother Elias, of whom we shall have much to sayhereafter. Having spent nearly two months in preaching at Crotona, and in forminghis novices at the Convent of Celles, he was inspired to pass over toa desert island in the middle of the Lake of Perugia. Lent was drawingnear. He recommended the care of the house to Sylvester, without lettinghim know what his own intention was; and on Ash-Wednesday he causedhimself to be taken to the island by a boatman, having with him onlytwo loaves of bread. The boatman was a worthy man and his friend. Hebegged him not to tell any one where he was, and only to come to himon the Wednesday of Holy-Week, to take him back to the shore. Having made himself there a sort of hut in one of the thickets, topreserve himself from the cold, he had his intercourse with God aloneduring two and forty days; and his fast was so rigorous, that of thetwo loaves he brought with him he only ate half a one. --Inecclesiastical history we meet with examples of these miraculous fasts, of which the Holy Fathers have had an assured knowledge, and which theweakness of human nature was enabled to sustain by virtue of the Spiritof God, which supported them. The fruit which they were to derive fromit, was to animate the faithful to keep, with as much exactness as wasin their power, the fasts prescribed by the Church, and particularlythe fast of Lent, which many principal motives of religion render sovenerable. On Wednesday in Holy-Week, the boatman went to fetch Francis and bringhim back to Crotona. On the passage the Saint stilled a storm, bymaking the sign of the cross on the waves; and as soon as he had landedhe went to the Convent at Celles, where he passed the remainder of theHoly-Week with his brethren. His confidant did not think it necessaryto keep the secret of the marvellous fast. The rumor spread, and manypersons went to the island to see and venerate the hut in which he hadlived. The miracles which were wrought there by the merits of theSaint, induced some persons to build there; and gradually a small townarose, where later a church was built, with a convent of his Order, near a spring at which he had drunk; sick were afterwards cured there. After the Easter solemnities, he placed a superior in the convent;then having tenderly embraced the religious, he made the sign of thecross on them, and separated himself from them to go to Arezzo. This town was at that time greatly agitated by internal dissensions, which were likely to bring on its entire ruin. Francis being lodgedin the suburbs, where he had been hospitably received, saw over thetown, with the penetrating sight which the Almighty had given him, devils who excited the citizens to massacre each other, and who appearedto be transported with joy. To put these evil spirits to flight, hesent Sylvester, as his herald, and gave him this command: "Go to thegate of the town, and standing before it, order the devils, in thename of the Almighty God, and in virtue of obedience, instantly toretire. " Sylvester, who was a man of extraordinary simplicity, praisingGod beforehand for what was about to happen, went as fast as possible, and cried out with all his might: "All you devils who are here, begone, go far from hence. It is in the name of God and of His servant, Francis, that I call upon you to go. " At this very moment the citizens, whowere on the point of flying to arms, came to an understanding on thepoints which were in dispute, and peace was restored to the town. Onwhich St. Bonaventure remarks, that the obedience and humility ofFrancis had obtained for him that absolute power over the proud spiritswho fear and fly from the sublime virtue of the humble. It became known in Arezzo who the author was of so sudden areconciliation, because the words which had been spoken by Sylvesterhad been heard. Francis was sought for and brought into the town ina sort of triumph, notwithstanding the efforts he made to escape fromthis honor. He preached in the great square on the love of peace, andon the means of preserving it; pointing out to them that dissensionsand quarrels came from, and are promoted by, the evil spirit. Themagistrates entertained him at the town-house, and had a convent builtfor his Order according to his wishes, that is to say, according toholy poverty; in which he placed some worthy subjects who had presentedthemselves to him. A child was brought to him who was quite distorted;he took it into his arms, and it forthwith became straight. Thismiracle, and several others which he performed during his stay, provedthat God had given him as much power over bodily complaints as overthe evil spirits. From Arrezo he bent his steps to Florence, preaching with great successthroughout the route. The lords of Ganghereto received him with greatrespect, and were so pleased with the holiness of his life, that theybegged his acceptance of a field and a small wood for the service ofhis religious. He set up a hut there, where his infirmities compelledhim to remain some time. After preaching and prayer, to which he dailygave some time, one after the other, he employed himself in buildinga small wall round a spring of water which he got miraculously, andwhich still flows, the water of which God was pleased to rendersalutary. As soon as his health was in some degree restored, he continued hisway towards Florence, where he went to lodge in the hospital. Thefollowing day he preached in the town, and was listened to as a saint. They gave him a small dwelling near the church of St. Gall, about fivehundred paces from the city, in which he received several novices, whorendered themselves illustrious by their exalted virtues; among whomJohn Parent is particularly noticed, who was a native of Carmignano, near Pistoria. His conversion was attributable to a very peculiar circumstance. Ashe was walking one evening in the environs of the town, he saw aswineherd who was endeavoring to drive his pigs into a stable, andwho, being in a great passion because, instead of going in, theydispersed themselves in all directions, called out to them in hisanger: "Swine, get into this stable as judges get into hell. " He hadscarcely said the words, when these animals went quietly in. That whichmight have appeared to this magistrate nothing but an impertinence, struck him, and made so strong an impression upon him, that, havingseriously reflected on the dangers incurred by a judge (which areindeed very great) as to salvation, he threw up his magistracy, andretired to Florence. There he saw Francis, examined his conduct, admiredhis virtues, and felt himself called by God to imitate him. An onlyson of his had a similar vocation. The father and the son divided theirall among the poor, and became disciples of the Saint, whose prophecybegan thus to be fulfilled: that the wise and learned of the worldwould enter into his Order. Such a conversion sets before us this important truth: that the Spiritbreatheth where He will; that the Lord gives His grace sometimes towhat is most common, most simple, and even most base, according to thenotions of the world; that it is necessary to be attentive, that wemay not receive the grace of God in vain; and that, little as it mayseem at first, by being carefully attended to, it may have the mostbeneficial results. Not to be thankful for it, to neglect it, to resistit, is a heavy loss. While Francis was at St. Gall, he foretold a thing which the eventjustified a few years afterwards. Three men at Florence brought eacha child to receive his blessing. As soon as he was apprised of it, hewent into the garden and gathered five figs, then he came in, and gaveone to the first of the children, one to the second, and three to thethird, to whom he addressed the following words: "You will be my dearchild. " That one, when he had attained the proper age, took the habitof the Friars Minor, and was called Brother Angel, which he deservedby his angelic life, which was the fruit of his great devotion to theBlessed Virgin, from whom he received very marked favors. From the month of October, 1211, to the beginning of 1212, the man ofGod visited the Towns of Pescia, Pisa, San Miniato, Sarthiano, Cetona, and other places in Tuscany, where he made many wonderful conversions, and left some of his brethren to continue the work of God. We shallrelate, at the end of his life, the great honors which were publiclyshown him, --honors which he received with the greatest humility, andyet with the most generous sentiments. The brethren whom he had dispersed in the other provinces of Italy, and who partook of his apostolic spirit, labored on their part withgreat zeal and success. They founded many establishments, and formedmany disciples, whom they sent to the holy Founder in order to receivethe habit of the Order from him. They mention particularly what happened at Bologna to Bernard deQuintavalle. As soon as he made his appearance, his extraordinary andvery poor habit made him looked upon as a person not worthy of notice. He went to the great square in order to preach the truth of salvation, and he went there several times without having collected an audience. Children and idle people surrounded him; some pulled him by the hood, others threw mud and stones at him; and he was daily assailed withfresh outrages, which he bore with exemplary patience. A lawyer, having noticed this, made his reflections on it, and itoccurred to him that his conduct might be attributed to virtue ratherthan insensibility. One day, then, he came up to Bernard and asked himwho he was, and what he had come to do at Bologna. "You will know whoI am, " replied Bernard, "if you will take the trouble to read what Inow offer you. " It was the Rule of Francis, of which he had a copy, and which he placed in his hand. The lawyer having read it withastonishment, said to those who accompanied him: "I own I have neverseen anything so perfect or so heroic as this mode of life. Those whoill-use this man are very criminal; he ought, on the contrary, to beloaded with honors, as a special friend of God. " Then, addressinghimself to Bernard, he said: "If you will follow me, I will give youa place in which you may serve the Lord. " Bernard, having accepted theoffer, was taken to the house of his benefactor, who received him withaffection, and gave him a house, which he furnished with everythingnecessary, and promised to protect him and his companions. After this, Bernard was so highly respected in Bologna, that people consideredthemselves fortunate if they could get near him, touch him, or evensee him. This truly humble man, mortified at the honor which was shownhim, went to Francis, and said, "My Father, all is in good order atBologna. But send any other religious thither rather than me, for Ihave no longer any hopes of being useful there: it is even to be fearedthat I may lose many graces on account of the great honors I receive. "This prudent mistrust of himself was as pleasing to the holy Fatheras the affection of the Bolognese, to which he responded by sendingthem several of his disciples, who subsequently spread the Orderthroughout all Romagna. The holy Patriarch returned some time before Lent to St. Mary of theAngels, where his first care was to examine rigidly whether in hisEvangelical progress some worldly dust might not have adhered to himin consequence of his communications with seculars; and in thoseinstances in which the extreme delicacy of his conscience gave himroom for self-reproach, he purified himself by very severe penitentialobservances. He then applied himself carefully to the formation of thenovices, whom he had collected from various places, and he preachedduring the Lent at Assisi. His discourses, backed by his example, and his prayers and exhortations, animated by an ardent zeal, were so efficacious, that in the town andcounty of Assisi a very great number of persons was converted, and thefire of divine love was kindled in every heart. "Then, " says St. Bonaventure, using the words of the Holy Scriptures, "the vine of theLord spread its branches and bore flowers of a most agreeable odor, and produced fruits of glory in abundance. " There were many young girlswho made vows of perpetual virginity; amongst whom, says the same holydoctor, the Blessed Clare appeared as the most beautiful plant in thegarden of the Celestial Spouse, and as a star more brilliant than allthe others. This illustrious maiden was the daughter of a rich and noble familyof Assisi. The Cavaliere Favorine, or Favarone, her father, wasdescended from the ancient and powerful houses of Scifi and Fiumi. Hermother, of equal high birth and exalted piety, was called Hortulana. She had the talent of joining the care of her household to the practiceof good works, and to regulate her time so well, that she found enoughin which to visit, with the consent of her husband, many holy places:she even made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. If this practice is nolonger usual in these days, particularly as regards distant countries, it arises from the circumstances of the times being very different, and from there having been a great change in manners. But Christianpiety does not permit us altogether to condemn (independently of abuses)voyages or journeys of devotion, since they are sanctioned by theexamples of the saints, have been approved by the Fathers of the Church, and since at one time they were directed as sacramental penances forcertain sinners. Hortulana had three daughters, Clare, Agnes, Beatrix. Being about tobe confined of the first, and praying to God before a crucifix in achurch for a safe delivery, she heard a voice, which said to her:"Woman, fear not, thou wilt bring forth, without danger, a light whichwill illuminate a vast space. " This was the reason she gave the nameof Clare to the daughter to whom she gave birth, in the hopes of seeingthe accomplishment of what it might signify. Indeed, from her earliest years, her virtue shone as an aurora, theprognostication of a fine day. She received with docility theinstructions of her mother, and her whole conduct was the fruit thereof;the exercise of prayer became familiar to her; she every day recitedthe Lord's Prayer a number of times, which she marked with small stones, in order to be exact in the daily number she had assigned for herself. In that she resembled the solitary of the Desert of Seethe, who keptan account of the number of his prayers, offering them to God threehundred times each day. Naturally tender and compassionate to the poor, she aided them voluntarily, and the opulence of her family enabled herto assist them abundantly. But, in order to render her charities moreagreeable to God, she sent to the poor, by confidential persons, thenicest eatables which were served to herself. The love of God, withwhich these holy practices inflamed her heart, inspired her with ahatred of her own body, and showed her the vanity of all the thingsof this world. Under her own costly dresses, which her situation insociety obliged her to wear, she constantly had a hair-shirt; and shecleverly refused a proposal of marriage which her parents wished herto accept, recommending to God her virginity, which she intended topreserve in entire purity. Although she was at that time confined inthe bosom of her family, and solely intent on sanctifying herself insecret before the eyes of God, her virtue became the subject ofadmiration, without her being conscious of it, and drew down upon herthe esteem and praise of the whole town. The great celebrity which the sanctity of Francis gained in the world, could not be unknown to young Clare. --Aware that this wonderful manrenewed a perfection on the earth which was almost forgotten, shewished much to see him and to have conversations with him. Francisalso, having heard the reputation of Clare's virtues, had an equaldesire to communicate with her, that he might tear her from the worldand present her to Jesus Christ. They saw and visited each other severaltimes. Clare went to St. Mary of the Angels with a virtuous lady, arelation of hers, whose name was Bona Guelfucci; Francis also came tosee her, but always taking the necessary precautions to have the pioussecret kept. She placed herself entirely under his guidance, and hesoon persuaded her to consecrate herself to God. An interior view ofeternal happiness inspired her with such contempt for the vanities ofthe world, and filled her heart with such divine love, that she hada complete loathing for finery, which it was not as yet permitted herto throw aside; and from that time she entered into engagements tolive in a state of perpetual virginity. The holy director did not choose that so pure a soul should continuelonger exposed to the contagion of the world. She had herself come tohim some days before Palm-Sunday to hasten the execution of herintention; he told her to assist at the ceremony of the delivery ofpalms dressed in her usual ornaments, to leave Assisi the followingnight, as our Blessed Saviour had left Jerusalem to suffer on MountCalvary, and to come to the church of St. Mary of the Angels, whereshe would exchange her worldly ornaments for a penitential habit, andthe vain joys of the world for holy lamentations over the Passion ofJesus Christ. On the 18th of March, being Palm-Sunday, Clare, magnificently dressed, went with other ladies to the Cathedral Church, and as she remainedin her place out of bashfulness while the others crowded forward toreceive the palms, the bishop came down from the altar, and carrieda palm branch to her, as a symbol of the victory she was about to gainover the world. The following night, accompanied as propriety required, she arrangedher flight as her spiritual Father had directed, and according to theearnest wish of her soul. Not being able to get out by the front door, of which she had not the key, she had the courage and strength to breakopen a small door which had been blocked up with stones and wood, andshe repaired to the church, where Francis and his brethren, who weresaying their matins, received her with great solemnity, bearing lightedtapers in their hands. They cut off her hair before the altar, andafter she had taken off her ornaments with the help of the females whoaccompanied her, she received the penitential habit, consecrating hervirginity to Jesus Christ, under the protection of the Queen of Virgins, while the religious chanted hymns and canticles. It was a touching scene to see a young noble lady, only eighteen yearsof age, in solitude, in the middle of the night, renounce all theadvantages and allurements of the world, put on sackcloth and a cord, and devote herself to a rigorous system of penitential exercises, solely for the love of God. Similar sacrifices can only be made by asupernatural virtue; they prove that the religion which inspires themis divine; and justly does St. Ambrose consider them to be far abovethe most heroical pagan virtues. It must be remarked, moreover, that the Church of St. Mary of theAngels, which was the cradle of the Order of the Poor EvangelicalBrethren which Francis had just established, was also the place whereClare made profession of the same poverty, that she subsequentlyprescribed to the Order of Women, which she instituted together withthe holy Patriarch. This gives to the two orders the pleasingconsolation of knowing that they belong to the Mother of God from theirorigin, and that she is specially their mother. As soon as the ceremony was over, Francis, who was always guided bythe spirit of wisdom, took the new bride of Jesus Christ, followed byher companions, to the monastery of Benedictines of St. Paul, thereto remain until Divine Providence should provide a dwelling for her. When morning dawned, and her parents learnt what had occurred duringthe night, they were overwhelmed with grief. They equally disapprovedof what Clare had done, and of the manner in which she had carried herintention into execution; and they went in great numbers to themonastery of St. Paul, to compel her to leave it. At first they spoketo her in mild and friendly terms; they represented to her that shewas choosing a vile and contemptible state of life, which wasdisgraceful to her family, and that there was no precedent in the wholecountry of such an occurrence. After which they attempted by violenceto force her from the monastery; which they might easily have done, because in those times the religious females did not keep strictenclosure, beside which her relations were all military men, accustomedto acts of violence. Clare uncovered her head to show them that she was shorn; and sheprotested, clinging to the altar, that nothing in the world shouldtear her from Jesus Christ. Either because they had too much respectfor religion to venture to violate so holy an asylum, or that Godrestrained them by His power, they molested her no farther. She hadonly to resist the fresh efforts they made to induce her to return toher father. But the love of God gave her courage to resist with suchdetermined firmness, that, giving up all hopes of conquering her, theyleft her in peace. A short time after, Francis removed her from the Monastery of St. Paulto that of St. Angelo de Panso, of the same Order of St. Benedict, near Assisi, to which she drew her sister Agnes. The conformity oftheir inclinations and manners, which rendered them tenderly united, had made them sensibly feel their separation. Clare was greatly grievedthat Agnes, at so tender an age, should be exposed to the dangers ofthe world. She prayed fervently to the Almighty to cause her sisterto feel the sweets of His grace, so that she might grow disgusted withthe world, and become her companion in the service of Jesus Christ. Her prayer was soon favorably heard, for, a fortnight after herconsecration, Agnes came to her, and declared that she was decided togive herself wholly to God. "I return Him thanks, " replied Clare, "forthat He has thus relieved me from the uneasiness I was in on youraccount. "The indignation of the family was extreme, when it became known thatone sister had followed the other. On the morrow, twelve of itsprincipal members hastened to the Monastery of St. Angelo. At firstthey feigned to have come in a peaceful mood; but, having been admitted, they turned to Agnes, for they had no longer any hopes of Clare, andsaid: "What business have you here? Come immediately home with us. "She replied that she did not choose to leave her sister, when one ofthe knights, forgetting himself altogether, attacked her furiously, struck her with his fist, kicked her, pulled her down by the hair, andthe others carried her off in their arms. All that this innocent lambcould do, thus torn by the wolves, was to cry out: "My dear sister, come to my aid; do not let them separate me from Jesus Christ. " Clarecould give her no assistance, but by praying to God to render hersteadfast, and to check the violence of her ravishers. This prayer wasfollowed by a miraculous effect, similar to what the Church recordsin the life of the illustrious virgin and martyr, St. Lucia. As the relations of Agnes dragged her down the mountain, tearing herclothes, and scattering her hair along the road, because she continuedviolently to resist, she became suddenly so heavy, that they wereunable to raise her from the ground, even with the help of persons whoflocked from the fields and the vineyards. They were blind to thefinger of God in so extraordinary an event, and they even made a jestof it; for ill-disposed persons, like the Pharisees of the Gospel, do not submit to the evidence of miracles, but carry their impiety tothe length of turning all miracles into ridicule. The one which Godwas pleased to perform in the person of Agnes, threw her uncle, whosename was Monaldi, into such a rage, that he raised his arm to strikeher in such a manner as would have killed her, if the Divine power hadnot arrested the blow by bringing such an excessive pain into the limbas to disable it; this pain lasted a considerable time. This is a grandlesson for those parents who prevent their children from consecratingthemselves to God in a religious state. If they do not experience inthis world the effects of His anger, they ought to fear the consequencesof the anathema in the next with which the Council of Trent menaces, not only them, but those also who compel their children to embrace areligious state. Clare came to the field of battle, where she found her sister halfdead. She entreated the relations to retire and to leave her in hercare, which they regrettingly did. Agnes then rose with great ease, glad to have had a share in the cross of Jesus Christ. She returnedto the monastery with her sister, to consecrate herself to God underthe direction of Francis, who cut off her hair with his own hands, andinstructed her in the duties of the state she was about to enter. Clare, not having her mind quite at ease in the Monastery of St. Angelo, removed to the house which adjoined the Church of St. Damian, the firstof the three which he had repaired, and where he had foretold thatthere would be one day a monastery of poor females, who should leada sanctified life, and whose reputation would cause our Heavenly Fatherto be glorified. Clare had scarcely fixed herself there, when the fame of her sanctityspread all around, and produced wonderful effects. The influence ofgrace was so great, that there were many persons of all sexes and allages, of all states of life, nobles and rich, who took to a religiouslife. They mutually incited each other in families, as St. Jerome tellsus that it occurred in all Africa, when the illustrious virgin, Demetrias, moved by the exhortation of St. Augustine, took the holyveil. It was even seen that married persons separated by mutual consent, and entered separate convents: and those who could not do this, stroveto sanctify themselves in the world. The virtues of the holy spouseof Jesus Christ, as a precious perfume, attracted pure and innocentsouls, who made the house of St. Damian a numerous community, and thecradle of the Order of the Poor Clares, or Poor Ladies, the second ofthe three orders which were established by St. Francis. He appointedClare Abbess of St. Damian, although her humility made her wish to bethe servant of the others, and he only overcame her repugnance byenforcing that obedience which she had promised him. It was there that this holy abbess was enclosed during a period offorty-two years in the practice of the most eminent perfection, andwhich we shall have an opportunity of referring to, when we come tospeak of her rule. After Francis had regulated the spiritual exercises of these nuns, provided for the enclosure, and placed the house in good order, heturned in his mind things personal to himself, as to what should behis future way of life. In order to come to a decision, he consultedthose of his brethren with whom he was in the habit of having familiarintercourse, and proposed to them his difficulties as follows:"My brethren, what do you advise me? Which of the two do you thinkbest: that I shall give myself to prayer, or that I shall go forth topreach? To me it seems that prayer is what is most advantageous to me, for I am a simple person, who am not a good speaker, and I have receivedthe gift of prayer, rather than that of speech: moreover, we gain muchby prayer; it is the source of graces; but, in preaching, we onlydistribute to others what God has communicated. Prayer purifies theheart and the affections; it unites us to the sole true and sovereigngood, and strengthens us in virtue. Preaching renders the feet of thespiritual man dusty; it is an employment which dissipates and distracts, and which causes regular discipline to be relaxed. In fine, in prayerwe speak to God, and we listen to Him; we converse with the angels, as if we lived an Evangelic life. In preaching we must have muchcondescension towards men, and, living with them, we must hear andsee, speak and think, in some measure as they do, in a human way. Butthere is one thing which seems to prevail over all this before God, which is, that the Only Son, who is in the bosom of His Father, andis the Sovereign Wisdom, came down from heaven to save souls, toinstruct mankind by His example and by His word, to redeem them by Hisblood, and to make of this precious blood a bath and a celestialbeverage: all that He had He gave up liberally and without reserve forour salvation. Now, having bound ourselves to do all things accordingto the model given us in His person, it seems more in conformity tothe will of God, that I should give up my own repose in order to laborfor the benefit of others. "After all these reflections, he continued in an anxious state ofuncertainty as to the course he ought to take; and this man, who hadwonderful knowledge through the spirit of prophecy, had no light thrownon his doubts by prayer: God permitting at that time that he shouldnot be sensible to the evident proofs he had, that he was called tothe apostolic life. We have already seen that powerful attractions to a contemplative lifehad given rise to similar difficulties arising in his mind. As hewished in all things to act faithfully and perfectly, his principalcare was to apply himself to the virtues which he knew, by theinspiration of the Holy Spirit, to be most agreeable to God. St. Bonaventure says that this was the ground of his doubt, and hegives two reasons why God permitted that the Saint should not havebeen able to solve the difficulty, the solution of which appeared soeasy. The first is, in order that the heavenly oracles which hadannounced that Francis was destined to preach the Gospel, should givea more exalted idea of the merits of that ministry; to this may beadded, that it was of consequence that it should be known with certaintythat the holy Founder and his disciples were destined by Heaven tolabor for the salvation of souls, since in after times it has beenfound that some of their adversaries have contested it. Secondly, thedoubt of the servant of God was useful in preserving his humility andrendering it still greater. In the capacity of a Friar Minor, he wasnot ashamed of seeking the advice of the least of his brethren, he whohad been taught such elevated things from the Sovereign Master. It waslikewise one of his maxims throughout his whole life, and of theprinciples of the sacred philosophy, of which he made profession, toaddress himself to the simple as well as to the learned, to theimperfect as well as to the perfect, to the young as to the old, withthe ardent desire to find from intercourse with them in what way andby what means he could best serve God according to His good pleasure, and raise himself to the greatest perfection. Finally, we must not be surprised that he entreated God to grant himadditional proofs of his vocation, after having received such convincingones by revelations, by miracles, and from the mouth of the Vicar ofJesus Christ; when we see in the Sacred Scriptures, that Gideon, havingbeen chosen by God to fight the enemies of His people, and this choicehaving been manifested by the apparition of an angel, by a miracle andby a revelation, he nevertheless begged the Lord to give othermiraculous signs, in order to be still further assured of it, and hisprayer was granted. Would to God, that, without asking for miraclesand without expecting them, all vocations, particularly those for theholy ministries, and other affairs of conscience, were examined onsuch sound principles, and weighed by means as likely to deserve thelight of Heaven. In order to know how finally to decide, Francis sent two of hisreligious, Philip and Masse, to Brother Sylvester the priest, who wasthen on the mountain near Assisi, continually intent on prayer, begginghim to consult the Lord on the subject of his doubt, and to let himknow the result. He made a similar application to Clare, recommendingher to put the same question to her sisters, and particularly to theone who should appear to her to be the most pure and most single-minded. The venerable priest and the consecrated virgin gave similar answers, and pronounced that it was the will of God that Francis should go forthto preach. When the two religious returned, Francis received them with greatrespect and affection; he washed their feet, embraced them, and gavethem their meal. He then took them into the wood, where he kneltbareheaded and inclined, with his hands crossed upon his breast, andsaid to them: "Now tell me what my Lord Jesus Christ commands me todo?" "My very dear brother, and my Father, " replied Masse, "Sylvesterand Clare received precisely the same answer from our Lord Jesus Christ, which is, that you set out to preach; because it is not for yoursalvation alone that He called you, but for the salvation of othersalso; and for them He will put His words into your mouth. "Then Francis, moved by the Spirit of God, as the prophets had been, and inflamed by the fire of charity, rose up, saying: "Let us then goin the name of the Lord;" and he set out with two of his companions, Masse of Marignan, and Angelo of Rieti. He walked so fast to obey thewords of Heaven, that it was easy to see that the Lord acted upon him, and that he had received fresh strength from above for the ministryof preaching. His companions were the more convinced of this by thevery extraordinary wonders which were worked by him on the route. The apostolical preacher went first to Bevagna, where he pronouncedan excellent discourse on the love of God; after which, in presenceof the whole audience, he restored the sight of a blind girl by puttingspittle three times on her eyes in the name of the Blessed Trinity. This miracle had a salutary effect on a number of sinners, who wereconverted; and many of them joined him who was the instrument of theDivine Power. So many souls gained to Jesus Christ in one place, stimulated him tocarry the faith into the Levant. The triumph of martyrs, whose charitycould not be extinguished by the violence of persecutions, excited inhim a holy jealousy. Burning with similar fire, he wished to offerhimself, as they had done, a sacrifice, in order to mark his gratitudein some measure, by the effusion of his blood, for the goodness ofJesus Christ, who vouchsafed to die for our salvation, thus the betterto excite others to love Him. But he desired to have the sanction ofthe Sovereign Pontiff for this undertaking, and therefore bent hissteps to Rome, preaching as he went the truths of salvation, which Godconfirmed by miracles. Arrived at Rome, he sought an audience with the Pope. Innocent IIIstill filled the Papal throne; he first communicated to him thewonderful extension of his Order, the holy lives of his brethren, andthe design which God had to bring about a reformation of morals in theworld, which was growing old, and was visibly in a state of decay. Then he disclosed the project he had of transporting himself to thelands of the Mahometans and Tartars, to endeavor to give them someknowledge of the Gospel. It must be remarked, that the Saint attributedto the world that decay which is the effect of old age, but he did notextend this to the Church, because he well knew that, although old, she was not infirm. St. Augustine says, that her old age is alwaysyoung, fresh, vigorous, and that she bears fruit in abundance. ThePope, who was very religious, was highly gratified at the fortunatesuccess which he now learnt had attended the Saint's labors; hewillingly granted the servant of God leave to preach to the infidels, and he affectionately gave him his blessing. Two sermons which Francis preached at Rome procured him two disciples, Zachary and William; the one was a Roman, the other was an Englishman. John de Capella, of whom we have before spoken, having left the Orderabout this time, and having had a similar end to that of Judas, Williamwas substituted for him, as St. Mathias had filled the place of thetraitor in the Apostolate, and William was afterwards always consideredas the twelfth of the first companions of the Patriarch. A Roman widow, very noble and very rich, called Jacqueline de Settesoli, having heard the Saint preach, was very anxious to have an interviewwith him. He agreed to it, although reluctantly, and he gave her suchsalutary instructions, that she committed the care of all her affairsto her two sons, who were afterwards senators, in order that she mightapply herself to the sanctification of her soul, employing the giftof tears which God had given her, to weep incessantly the neglects ofher past life. This lady and St. Clare were the only two persons ofthe female sex with whom the servant of Jesus Christ had any intimaterelations on the subject of their salvation; which ought to serve asa caution for this sort of direction lest it be too greatlymultiplied, --and be unholy. As there is no affection more solid or more effective than that whichis grounded on charity, the pious widow rendered to Francis and hisbrethren all the good offices in her power. When they came to Rome sheprovided them with lodgings, she fed them, clothed them, and assistedthem in their sicknesses with the tenderness of a mother. It was shewho procured for them from the Benedictines of the Abbey of St. Cosmasbeyond the Tiber, a refuge in the Hospital of St. Blaise; and thishospital with its church was entirely ceded to them by the samereligious order in the year 1229, at the request of Pope Gregory IX;it is to this day the Convent of St. Francis of Ripa. Thus the FriarsMinor are indebted to the children of St. Benedict for the firstestablishment they had in Rome, as well as for that of St. Mary of theAngels, or Portiuncula, the first of the whole Order. Francis, having terminated his business at Rome, returned to St. Maryof the Angels, where he communicated to his brethren his intention ofproceeding to the Levant. He exhorted them in the strongest terms toperfect themselves in the exercises of a religious life; he left themPeter of Catania as superior during his absence, and set out with onecompanion for Ascoli. At that place they were extremely anxious to seeand hear this admirable man, who was everywhere looked upon as a saint:he had scarcely arrived in the town when all flocked to him; whicheverway he went, a crowd followed him; every one was anxious to get nearhim, and they pressed upon each other in order only to be able to touchhis miserable habit. His presence and preaching in this town procuredhim thirty disciples, some priests, and some laymen, whom he placedin different houses of the Order. The desire of martyrdom which he aspired to from the infidels, did notadmit of a longer stay at Ascoli; he therefore made for the sea-side, and embarked on board a vessel which was bound for Syria. But on thepassage the winds became adverse, and they were obliged to come toanchor off Sclavonia, where he remained some days in hopes of findingsome other vessel bound to the Levant. Not finding any, and perceivingthat his intention had been foiled, he applied to some seamen who wereabout to sail to Ancona, to take him on board their vessel for thelove of God. They refused obstinately to do so, because he had no moneywherewith to pay his passage; notwithstanding this, the holy mancontrived to slip secretly on board with his companion. An unknown person came on board the vessel and brought provisions withhim, saying to one of the passengers: "Worthy man, I confide theseprovisions to you, for the use of two poor religious who are secretedin the vessel; take care of them, and give food to them when required. "Who could this charitable purveyor be? There is reason to think, withSt. Bonaventure, that he was sent by God to the assistance of thesetwo poor religious, who were only poor for love of Him. Stormy weatherrendered the passage disastrous; they could neither carry sail, norreturn to land. All the sailors' provisions were expended: there wasnothing left but the provisions put on board for the two religious. Divine Providence was pleased to multiply these, inasmuch that theysufficed for all who were in the vessel for several days, during whichthey were still at sea, before they reached Ancona. The sailors, astonished at this miracle, were convinced that the poor man whom theyhad refused to receive on board, had, by his merits, saved their lives, and they returned thanks to God for His mercy. After having landed, Francis went to several places, spreading theword of God as a precious seed, which produced an ample harvest. Manycame to see him from afar, so greatly had his reputation beendisseminated. A celebrated poet came amongst others, having heard hisentire contempt for the things of this world spoken of. He was of theclass of persons who were called in Provence _Troubadours_, whoinvented fables, and composed different pieces of poetry, which weresung in the houses of the nobles. The art of versifying in the vulgartongue was uncommon in those times, and was only practised by thenobility. The Italians imitated the people of Provence, and translatedinto their language the best compositions of the _Troubadours_. The poet of whom we are speaking excelled in this art, and the EmperorFrederic II had crowned him as the Prince of Poets, which caused himto be usually called "The King of Verse. "Coming then to see Francis, he passed through the Borough Town of SanSeverino, and entered the church of a monastery, where the Servant ofGod was preaching on the mystery of the Cross. He listened to him atfirst without knowing him; but God disclosed Francis to him in thecourse of the sermon, by two shining swords pierced through the Saintcross-wise, one from the head to the feet, and the other from one handto the other through the breast; from this he became aware that thepreacher was the holy man of whom so much was spoken. The firstimpression which the vision made upon him was, that he ought to leada better life; but the words of the preacher filled him with suchcompunction, that he felt as if he had been pierced by the sword ofthe spirit which came out of his mouth. He went after the sermon torenounce in Francis' hands all the vanities of the world, and to embracehis Institute. Francis, seeing him pass so perfectly from the agitationsof the world to the peace of Jesus Christ, gave him the name of BrotherPacificus. St. Bonaventure adds, that he was a man of so much holiness that hereceived the additional favor from God of seeing on the forehead ofhis Blessed Father a great T, painted in a variety of colors, whichthrew a remarkable softness on his countenance. This letter, whichrepresents the cross, showed the interior comeliness which the loveof the cross gave to his soul. Watchfulness and affection inspired the Father with the wish to returnto Tuscany, to visit the establishments he had founded there thepreceding year, and to learn from his own inspection how they progressedin the ways of God. The family of the Ubaldini, which is among themost illustrious of Florence, gave him a convent which had been builtand founded by their ancestors for the religious of the Order of St. Basil, in the sixth or seventh century, some leagues from the city, in the middle of a wood, and which had been since occupied by hermits. He put some of his companions into it, and returned towards the endof October to St. Mary of the Angels, preaching, as was his custom, in all the places he passed through. The repose he allowed himselfafter so much fatigue, was that of applying himself to the instructionof his disciples, and addressing discourses to them full of wisdom. At the end of this year he had an attack of ague, which became quartan, and reduced him to a great state of languor. The bishop of Assisi, whowas a most charitable prelate, and his particular friend, having heardof his illness, came to see him, and, notwithstanding his resistance, had him removed to his palace, where he attended to his recovery withthe charity of a pastor and the affection of a parent. His religiouscame to him there to seek the light they required. They also broughtto him such postulants as presented themselves, and those who wererecommended to him (at times there were thirty or forty) by themissionaries he had in various parts of Italy; for none were thenreceived who had not been examined by the founder himself. A younggentleman from Lucca came with tears in his eyes, to entreat him togive him the habit. "Unfortunate young man, " said the Saint, "why doyou attempt to show by your eyes what is not in your heart? You have, without due consideration, formed a plan which you will soon as lightlygive up. " In fact, a few days after he went home with two of hisrelations who had come in search of him, and he thought no more ofbecoming a religious. The servant of God, having regained some portion of strength duringhis residence with the bishop, by relaxing in the severity of hisabstinences, which were extreme, became irritated with his own body, and was inflamed with the desire of humbling himself: "It is not right, "he said, "that people should think me austere, while I am pampered insecret. " Upon which the spirit of humility suggested to him an act, which St. Bonaventure records, not as an example, but as a prodigy, to be compared only with those extraordinary things which God commandedthe Prophets to perform. He rose, and accompanied by a great numberof his brethren, he went to the great Square of Assisi, assembled thepeople, and led them to the cathedral. Then he caused himself to bedragged by the vicar of his convent from the church to the place ofexecution, stripped, and with a cord round his neck, as the ProphetIsaias. There, weak as he still was, and shivering with cold, headdressed the assembly with surprising energy, and said in a loudvoice: "I assure that I ought not to receive honor as if I were aspiritual man. I am a carnal, sensual, and greedy man, whom you oughtthoroughly to despise. " The hearers, who knew the austerity of hislife, struck with such a scene, admitted that this extraordinaryhumility was more to be admired than imitated. Nevertheless, the holy doctor, whom we have just named, finds in thissome wholesome instruction. It teaches us, he says, that, in thepractice of virtue, we must avoid with great care everything havingany tendency to hypocrisy, repress the slightest approaches of vanity, and have a sovereign contempt for praise. The humble Francis, whostrenuously labored for his interior sanctification, did many thingswith a view of rendering himself contemptible, endeavoring, above all, to prevent men from being deceived in the idea they might have formedof his sanctity. This is the characteristic of true devotion; it hasno borrowed exterior; it is, or it endeavors to be, all that it seems. The religious whom Francis had sent into Lombardy, fulfilled the missionin an admirable manner. They acquired so much esteem at Milan by theirpreaching and by their good example, that the archbishop of that city, Henry Satalas, gave them an establishment there, which becameconsiderable later, by the liberality of the Milanese. One of the fruits of their apostolic labors was the vocation of a youngman of rank, who was rich and talented, and who solicited the habitof the Order. Upon their acquainting him that, to become a Friar Minor, it was requisite to renounce all temporal goods, he immediately disposedof all of which he was then master, and distributed the greater partto the poor, reserving the remainder to pay the expenses of his journeyto Assisi, where he was told that it was necessary to present himselfto the founder, who alone had the power of receiving novices. He induced some of his relations and friends to accompany him, andtook with him a considerable number of servants; one of the religiouswas also requested to go with them, in order to introduce the postulant, and favor his reception. When they arrived at St. Mary of the Angels, Francis, seeing such a number of persons, and such an appearance ofvanity, asked the religious who was with them, who these lords were, and what they wanted? He answered: "My Father, this is a young man, learned and rich, of one of the first families of Milan, who wishesto become your disciple. " Francis replied, before them all, smiling:"This young man does not seem to me to be fit for our Order, for, whenpeople come with so much pomp, which is the mark of a proud spirit, to embrace a state of poverty, we are led to believe that they havenot yet sufficient contempt and aversion for the world, and that theyare not prepared wholly to relinquish it. But I will consult ourbrethren on the subject. "He assembled them all, and asked their opinion, which was not to receivehim, because he had still a fund of pride, and because the love forthe splendor of the world was not yet eradicated from his heart. The young man who was present burst into tears; and Francis, who wasmoved with compassion, said: "My brethren, will you receive him if heconsents to serve in the kitchen? it will be the means of inducing himto renounce the vanities of the world. " They assented on this condition, which the postulant willingly agreed to, protesting that he was preparedto do anything that was required of him. The Father embraced him, afterhaving returned to those who accompanied him his money and his equipage. He sent him to the hospital of St. Blasius of Rome, there to act ascook; and the young novice attained to such perfection in that humbleemployment, that Francis judged him worthy to be placed over others, and made him superior of the same place. The line adopted in respect to this young man shows evidently, thatfor the religious profession neither birth, nor riches, nor talents, are to be heeded, but that the essential qualifications principallyto be considered for this holy state, are, to be sincerely preparedto die to the world and to self. At the beginning of the year 1213, the fever of which Francis had beencured at the bishop's palace of Assisi recurred; sometimes it wastertian, sometimes quartan, but always with great severity. He borethe suffering with great equanimity, because of the hatred he felt forhis body, and from the patience taught by Jesus Christ. The violenceof the fever which burned his body, was, in his opinion, a lesser evilthan the fire of temptations which inflame the soul; his sufferingsappeared to him a gain. All the saints have had a like way of thinking, and the principles of Christianity admit of no other. The onlyuneasiness the sickness gave to the holy man, was its having preventedhim putting in force the intentions he had in view for the salvationof souls. But charity, which is ever active, suggested to him to exhortthe faithful in writing, as he could not do so in person; he thereforeaddressed them a short letter, couched in the following terms:--"O how happy are all those who love God, and who worthily practise allthat Jesus Christ has taught in His holy gospel. Thou shalt love theLord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and thyneighbor as thyself. Let us love and adore God with great purity ofmind and heart; for that is what He seeks for above all things. He hassaid that the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and intruth, and that they who adore Him, must adore Him in spirit and truth. I salute you in our Lord. "This short letter was still fresh from his hand, when an infinity ofcopies were made of it, so anxious were all people to see anythingthat came from the hand of so holy a person. In this simple and briefexhortation they admired the candor of his soul and the extent of hischarity, and, in reading it, they were moved by a power which penetratedthe soul; for the words of the saints have a secret unction which isnot found elsewhere. These spiritual services, and others which Francis rendered to hisneighbor, with the continual instruction he gave to his brethren, werehis occupations during his sickness, and until such time as returninghealth permitted him to do more. He was somewhat better in the spring, as is usually the case with those who have the quartan ague; but hisextraordinary austerities had so weakened his constitution, that henever wholly recovered his health, and the remainder of his life waslittle else than a state of languor. As soon as he could commence travelling, he committed the care of hisOrder to Peter of Cantania, and set out with Bernard of Quintavalleand some others, in order to go to Morocco, through Spain, to preachthe Gospel to the Miramolin and to his subjects, in the hopes ofattaining by this means the crown of martyrdom, which was the greatobject of his wishes. The servant of God did not reach Spain till near the end of the year, because he had stopped in various places to preach, to visit the housesof his Order, and to receive accounts of others. His whole route wasa succession of miracles, and other remarkable things, which containadmirable instructions. At Foligno, the sign of the cross which he made on the house of hishost, protected it from various accidents, and particularly from fire, which did no damage to that dwelling, although the adjoining houseswere three or four times on fire: the flames were even seen to takea contrary direction. At Spoleto, knowing that a rich man thought illof his Institute, and refused his brethren alms, he asked him only togive him a loaf; and, having received it, he divided it among hisreligious, and directed them to say the Lord's Prayer and theEvangelical Salutation three times, for the person who had given it. Their scanty meal was scarcely finished, when this man came to askforgiveness for the harshness he had shown them, and he was, afterthat, the best friend of their convent, so good an idea of theirInstitution had the saint impressed upon him. At Terni, the bishop who had listened to one of Francis' sermons, ascended the pulpit when he had done, and said to the people:--"Mybrethren, the Lord, who has often enlightened His Church by menillustrious for their science, has now sent you this Francis whom youhave just heard, a poor illiterate man, and contemptible in appearance, in order that he may edify you by his word and his example. The lesslearned he is, the more does the power of God shine in his person, whochooses those who are foolish according to the views of the world, toconfound all worldly wisdom. The care which God takes of our salvationobliges us to honor and glorify Him; for He has not done the like toother nations. "Francis followed the prelate, fell on his knees, kissed his hand, andsaid:--"My lord, in very truth, no one has ever done me so much honoras I have this day received from you. Some attribute to me a sort ofsanctity, which noway belongs to me, and which ought to be referredto God alone, the author of every perfect gift. But you, my lord, havewisely separated what is valuable from what is vile, the worthy fromthe unworthy, the saint from the sinner; giving the glory to God, andnot to me, who am but a miserable mortal. It is, indeed, only to God, the King of Ages, immortal and invisible, that men should give honorand glory for ever and ever. " The bishop, even more pleased with thisspecimen of his humility than with his preaching, embraced himaffectionately. In the same city, by the sign of the cross he rendered some sour wineperfectly good, and that before persons who had tasted it in its acidstate. But he performed a much greater miracle, which was universallyadmired, on a young lad who had been just crushed by the fall of awall; having had him brought to him, he applied himself to prayer, and, extending himself on the corpse, as the Prophet Eliseus had doneon the child of the Sunamite, he restored him to life. In the County of Narni, he was lodged in the house of a worthy man whowas in great affliction for the death of his brother, who had beendrowned, and whose body could not be found, so that it might be buried. After having privately prayed for some time, he showed a spot in theriver where he said that the body certainly was at the bottom; it hadbeen stopped there by the entanglement of the clothes. They dived atthat place and found the body, which he restored to life in the presenceof the whole family. The fever, and a severe stomach complaint, caused him to faint in ahermitage which had been given him near the Borough of St. Urban, andhe asked for some wine to recover from the weakness which had ensued. As there was none to be had there, he had some water brought to him, which he blessed, by making the sign of the cross over it, and it wasinstantly changed thereby into excellent wine. The little that he tookof it renovated him so promptly, that it was a double miracle. Uponwhich St. Bonaventure remarks, that this wonderful change is a typeof the change he had effected in his heart, in casting off the old manto put on the new. In the City of Narni, he cured a man who had lost the use of his limbsfor five months from palsy, employing no other remedy than a sign ofthe cross, which he made over his whole body; this he did at the requestof the bishop of the place, and by virtue of the same sign he restoredthe sight of a blind girl. Being at Orti, he straightened a child, whowas so deformed that its head touched its feet. At San Gemini, heprayed, with three of his companions, for the wife of his host, whomthe devil had possessed for a long while, and the evil spirit lefther. Such evident miracles, publicly performed, and in great numbers, gave a wonderful splendor to his sanctity. In the archives of the Townof Poggibonsi, in Tuscany, the act of donation of a house given to himis preserved, which commences thus:--"We cede to a man named Francis, whom all the world considers as a saint, " etc. The discourses of so holy a man, of one so gifted with the power ofmiracles, had the greatest effect upon the hearts of his hearers, andmade the people very anxious to have houses of his Order establishedamong them. He settled some of his religious at Foligno, at Trevi, atSan Gemini, at Sienna, and in several other places. Fresh disciples joined him from all quarters, but he did not receiveany until he had strictly examined their vocation. A young gentleman, having heard him preach at Monte Casale, a town in the Appennines, came to acquaint him with the design he had long formed of enteringhis Order. "You must think seriously of it, " replied Francis; "for thekind of life we lead must appear very hard to those who have beentenderly brought up. " The young man answered courageously: "My Father, are not you and yours of the same nature as I am, and formed of thesame earth? I hope, with God's help, to bear without much inconveniencewhat my fellow-men can bear so willingly. " These ideas were verypleasing to the Patriarch, and the postulant was received. It must beadmitted that man has resources of strength which he might make useof to imitate the saints in many things, if he were not wanting inexertion and confidence in God. From Monte Casale Francis passed over the Appennines, and went throughthe Valley of Marecchia to reach Monte Feltro, or St. Leo. He learnton the road that the lord of that town was about to be knighted at hiscastle, where he was giving a grand feast, accompanied by games andtheatricals, to a numerous assembly of the nobility, among whom wasCount Orlando Catanio, lord of Chiusi Nuovo, and of all the Casentino. Being near the castle, and hearing the sound of the trumpets, whichdenoted that the revelry was about to begin, he said to hiscompanions:--"Let us go hither also, and let us combat the devil withall our might, who never fails in these rejoicings to lay his snaresinto which many fall; for it is our duty to labor everywhere and inall places for the salvation of souls. " He went up to the castle, andheard the solemn mass with all those who accompanied the new knight. As soon as it was over, he took a position on a height near the church, in order to preach from thence, and the crowd gathered round him tolisten. He took the following Italian words for his text:--"Tanto e il ben cheaspetto, che d'ogni pena mi diletto:" which means--"the good which Ihope for is so great, that to obtain it all suffering is pleasurable. "He proved his text by this passage from St. Paul:--"The sufferings ofthis life are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come;" bythe example of the apostles, who were filled with joy for having beenfound worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus; by the example of themartyrs, who willingly exposed themselves to torments and death, thatthey might obtain heaven; and, finally by such cogent reasons, sopathetically set forth, that all the auditors admired the doctrine, and felt what he wished to inspire them with. They found in the preachersomething divine, which commanded respect, and they fixed their looksupon his countenance as if it had been that of an angel. Count Orlando, more impressed with what he had heard than the rest, went after the sermon to embrace the preacher, and he entreated himparticularly to instruct him in the affairs of his salvation. Francis, who, in addition to his ardent zeal, had much discretion and suavityof manner, said:--"Count, go now and do honor to your friends whom youhave invited, and we will talk of this affair at a more convenienttime. " The count, complying with this advice, joined the nobility whowaited for him, and did not forget to take care of the servants ofGod. The feast having ended, he returned to the prudent director, withwhom he had a lengthened conversation, with which he was so much struck, that in order to have the comfort of seeing familiarly the religiousof the Institute, he offered Francis the Mountain of Alvernia, witha promise, if he agreed to it, of building there a convent. As this was a lonely place, very fit for contemplation, Francis gladlyaccepted the offer, and promised to send two of his brethren to Chiusi, before he should leave Italy. He did in fact send them, and the counthaving received them as angels sent from heaven, he took them to MountAlvernia, where they fixed upon a spot which appeared to them an aptlocation for a church. Fifty soldiers who had been brought thitherbegan immediately to fell timber, and a place was cleared, where huttingwas set up to lodge the religious, in which they dwelt until the churchand convent were built. These are the circumstances under which theFriars Minor were settled on this mountain, which subsequently becameso celebrated in the Christian world by the stigmata of St. Francis. The place was ceded to them by an authentic document which the countgave them, and which is preserved in the original in the archives ofthe convent. We shall speak further of this holy place when we cometo relate the first visit the Saint paid it on his return from Spain. He continued his journey through Bologna, from whence, after havingvisited his brethren, he came to Imola. He first went to offer hisrespects to the bishop, and asked permission to preach to his people. "I preach, " replied the bishop coldly, "and that is quite enough. "Francis bowed humbly, and retired; but an hour afterwards he returned, and the bishop, surprised and angered at seeing him again, asked himwhat he could possibly want? to which he replied, in a tone of sincerehumility: "My lord, if a father drives his son out of the house by onedoor, it is right that the son should return through another. " Thebishop mollified by this mild address, embraced him with affection, and said: "From henceforth you and your brethren may preach in mydiocese. I give you a general leave, it is what your humility hasmerited. " Is there anything which can soften minds and obtain favorssooner than this virtue?The humility of Francis was accompanied with great courage, whichrendered him firm and confident in the most imminent dangers, this wasowing to the great confidence he had in God. Night overtook him oncewhen he was in company with Leo, between Lombardy and the TrevisanMarshes, on a road having on one side the Po, one of the mostconsiderable rivers in Italy, and on the other a deep morass. Leo, much alarmed, exclaimed: "Father, pray to God to deliver us from thedanger we are in. " Francis, full of faith, replied: "God can, if itis His good pleasure, give us light to dissipate the darkness of thenight. " These words were hardly spoken, when they found themselvessurrounded by a brilliant light, which not only made the way clear tothem, but enabled them to see many things on either side of the way, although the darkness was very dense everywhere else. They pursuedtheir route, singing the glories of God; the celestial torch servedthem as a guide till they reached the place where they were to belodged, which was then very far off. This miraculous light was anotification to the Saint that it was God's pleasure that he shouldhave a dwelling in the place to which His goodness had led him, andhe told this to his companion. The inhabitants made no difficulty inassigning him one, after having heard him preach, and he gave theconvent the name of The Holy Fire, as it is still called. In Piedmont, where he was well received, his preaching, with thereputation of his sanctity, confirmed by many miracles, converted aconsiderable number of persons, and procured him several houses. Fromthence he went into Spain, but the writers of his life have not recordedby what route. Now, it is scarcely to be doubted that he went by land, and through France; ancient documents show that he entered Spain throughNavarre, and that he arrived in the year 1213 at Logrono, a Town ofOld Castile, which had formerly belonged to Biscay. On the road he came up with a poor and abandoned invalid, for whom hefelt so much pity that he directed Bernard de Quintavalle, one of hiscompanions, to stay with him and take care of him, which Bernardwillingly undertook to do. At Logrono he miraculously cured a younggentleman who was on the point of death; then he went on to Burgos, where Alphonso IX. , (or VIII. , according to some, ) father of BlancheQueen of France and mother of St. Louis, then was. Francis presentedhimself before the king, he showed him the rules of his Institute, andentreated him to receive the Friars Minor into his states. This monarch, who, in addition to his political and military talents, had a greatfund of goodness and piety, received the holy man very favorably; hecondescended to read the rules, and after having conversed with himfor some time, gave him leave to build houses in Spain. Francis now fixed his thoughts only on advancing towards the sea-sidein order to embark for Morocco, there to suffer martyrdom, for thiswas the great object of his wishes. If we only formed our opinion ofthings by the ordinary rules of prudence, we should be surprised, thata man, visibly sent by God for the institution of a new order ofreligious, should leave it so short a time after its birth, to seekfor death among the infidels. But the saints only thought of followingthe impulses which the Spirit of God suggested to them, with referenceto the works which they had commenced by God's order. St. Anthony, father of a great number of Cenobites, left his monastery, and followedat Alexandria certain confessors of the faith; he attended upon themin prison, and exhorted them under torment to procure for himself thepalm of martyrdom. St. Dominic, animated by a similar spirit, hadformed the intention of going among the Saracens, only two years afterthe institution of his order. Francis, thus inspired from above, desiredto meet death for Jesus Christ, and left to God the care of his risingfamily. This disposition, which was the fruit of ardent charity, was verypleasing to God; it entered into the economy of His providence for thesalvation of souls and for the aggrandizement of the new Order, forthe Saint did not cease his labors when he took the route which wasto lead to martyrdom. Nevertheless, God did not choose that his designshould be carried into execution; and His will was made known to HisServant by a violent illness, which put it out of his power to embarkfor Morocco. Francis gave up his wishes, obeying what was thus signifiedto him. And came to the resolution to return to Italy for the guidanceof his flock, however, he did not set out till the close of the year. The authors of the Order are agreed in saying that he went to visitthe tomb of the Apostle St. James, at Compostella, the capital ofGalicia, to which place devotion has attracted, for many centuriespast, crowds of pilgrims, and that an angel appeared to him there, andassured him that it was God's will that he should return to Italy, after having founded some establishments in Spain. They also say thathe went into Portugal, where he raised to life the daughter of hishost at Guimaraens, a town of the diocese of Braganza, which causedhim to be spoken of as a saint throughout the whole country; and thathe went through nearly the whole of the Kingdom of Arragon and theadjacent provinces; and, finally, they relate the following mostextraordinary circumstance:Francis being one evening on the banks of the River Orbego, with hiscompanions, where there was no food, a young man of the Town of Noviaovertook them, and carried them over on some horses he had with him, and received them hospitably. The gratitude the Saint had was shownby saying: "May the Lord reward you for the kindness you have shownus, when He rewards the just. " Some short time after this, the youngman, having gone to Rome out of devotion, and having endeavored to puthis conscience in a good state, prayed fervently to God, to take himout of this world before he should commit a mortal sin. His prayer washeard; he died. His father desired to have a funeral service said forhim, and thirty Friars Minor attended to it without having been asked;none knew from whence they came, nor whither they afterwards went, which made it thought that the assistance was miraculous; and as itwas known what the holy man Francis had said to the deceased, it wasunderstood that he had, by this means, procured the reward of the justfor him whose hospitality he had received. Gonzagues, Bishop of Mantua, who had been General of the Order of St. Francis, says, that it is held as certain that St. Francis commencedthe establishments of Gasta, Arevalo, Avila, Madrid, Tudela, and causedseveral other convents to be built. It is easily understood that inthe eight or nine months in which he remained in Spain after hisillness, he arranged much by himself and by his companions; the oldinscriptions which are still seen on the tombs of many Minors are anadditional proof. Moreover, it is certain that his holy life and hispreaching were of the greatest benefit to souls, and that his Orderwas received in Spain with an affection which has passed from age toage, from fathers to sons; so that Spain is one of the countries ofthe world in which we find the greatest veneration for St. Francis, and the greatest consideration for the Order of Friars Minor. The same bishop tells us, on the testimony of universal and unvariedtradition, of many miracles performed by the Almighty, through theministry of the holy man. We shall satisfy ourselves by relating oneof them, which is warranted by manuscripts and documents. Francis was lodged at Compostella, at the house of a poor dealer incharcoal, whose name was Cotolai, and he often went to pass the nightin contemplation on a neighboring mountain. God made known to him, that it was His will that he should build a convent between two valleys, the one of which was commonly called the Valley of God, and the otherthe Valley of Hell. He knew that this ground belonged to theBenedictines of Compostella, of the Abbey of St. Pay, or Pelagius, since transferred to that of St. Martin; and, bearing in mind thefavors which the religious of this holy order had done him in the giftsof St. Mary of the Angels, and at Rome, he called upon the Abbot andasked unhesitatingly for permission to build a convent between the twovalleys. "What will you give me in payment?" said the abbot. Francisreplied: "As I am very poor, I have neither money, nor anything elseto give you, if you grant me what I ask. Yet what will be most preciousto me, I will give you in quit rent yearly--a small basket of fish ifthey can be caught in the river. " The abbot who was a very pious man, admiring his simplicity and his confidence, granted him his requeston the condition proposed, and an act to that effect was prepared andsigned by both. The holy man came to Cotolai and told him what had passed between theAbbot of St. Pay and himself, and added: "My dear host, it is God'swill that you should build this convent; therefore prepare yourselffor the work. " "Oh, how shall I be able to do that, " answered Cotolai, "I who am so poor, and who live by my daily labor?" "Take courage, "said Francis, "take a pickaxe, and go to the spring which is close by;make a hole a little in front of it, and you will find a treasure whichwill enable you to execute the order of Heaven. " Cotolai, relying onthe Saint's word, searched as he was bidden, found the treasure, andbuilt the convent, which is known by the name of St. Francis to thisday. This fact is narrated in an authentic manuscript in the archivesof the Abbey of St. Martin, from whence this is copied; and in twovery old inscriptions, one of which is on the tomb of Cotolai and hiswife, whose name was Mary de Bicos, and the other over the gate of thechurch of the convent in which their tomb is. The deed which wasexecuted by Francis and the Abbot of St. Pay, is preserved in theoriginal in the archives of the Abbey of St. Martin of Compostella. The Prince of Spain, Philip the Second, saw it in the year 1554, whenhe was about to embark at Corunna, to espouse the Queen of England. However, the marvel has nothing in it which should be the cause ofmuch surprise: our Saviour, who made St. Peter find in the mouth ofa fish wherewithal to pay the tribute for his Master and himself, couldeasily cause a treasure of money to be found sufficient to build ahouse for his faithful Servant Francis. When the Apostolical man had terminated his mission in Spain, he wentto rejoin Bernard de Quintavalle, whom he had left on entering it, incharge of the poor sick man, who was perfectly cured. Francis camethrough Aragon into Catalonia. The magistrates of Barcelona, where hestopped for a short time, were so pleased with his poverty, hishumility, and his other virtues, that, for the sake of having somereligious of his Order, they converted the hospital where he was lodgedinto a convent, the church and cloister of which are still extant, andare venerable from the remembrance of the Saint. At San Saloni, a small town between Barcelona and Gerona, an adventureoccurred to him which seemed purely accidental, but which God turnedto good. As he walked by the side of a vineyard, his companion gathereda bunch or two of grapes to refresh himself. He who had charge of thevineyard, perceiving it, came violently upon the religious, beat himand abused him in no measured terms, and took from him his poor cloak. Francis asked to have the cloak back, alleging mildly, that what hadbeen taken had done no injury to the vineyard; and that good feelingrequired that this assistance should be given to a passer-by who neededit. But, not having succeeded in procuring its restoration, he wentto the proprietor of the vineyard, from whom he had no difficulty ingetting it back, after having told him what had happened. He thenconversed with him on heavenly things with such effect, that the man, devoting himself from that moment to his service, promised to receivehospitably all the Friars Minor who should pass through San Saloni, and furnish them with whatsoever they might require, as far as hismeans would allow; which he never failed to do as long as he lived. Francis, in return, granted him participation in all the spiritualmerits of his Order, and gave him the name of Father of the FriarsMinor. It is from this precedent that the superiors of the Order give lettersof filiation, as they are called, in virtue of which the holdersparticipate in the merits of all the practices of the community. Thisis grounded on the communion of saints, one of the articles of theapostolic symbol by which each member of the faithful who is notexcommunicated, and principally if he be in a state of grace, participates in the good works of others. Besides this generalcommunication, the faithful may assist each other by their prayers, and their own merits, as is done in confraternities and all piousassociations. This is the way in which the Order of St. Francis, andall other religious orders, manifest their gratitude to theirbenefactors; in this they do that which St. Augustine says of theministers of Jesus Christ in regard to the faithful who support them;"They give spiritual things, and only receive temporal ones; they givegold, and only receive brass. " Those who know what the communion ofsaints is, and who neglect nothing which can contribute to theirsalvation, have great esteem (as, indeed, they ought) for letters offiliation, and strive to live in a Christian-like manner in order toprofit by them. From Catalonia, Francis continued his route through Roussillon, andit is believed that he placed some of his religious at Perpignan, thecapital. He then entered Languedoc, which the errors and arms of theAlbigenses had alike tended to desolate. The Catholics at that timeenjoyed some calm by the valor of the illustrious Simon, Count ofMontfort, who had just overthrown the heretics, principally by thecelebrated victory obtained, at Muret, over Peter, King of Aragon, whom ill-understood interests had made protector of the Albigenses, to the detriment of religion, and who was killed in that battle. Thesaintly traveller did not make any stay in Languedoc; perhaps becauseit was the field destined by Providence to be cultivated by St. Dominic, whose preaching and miracles had made an infinity of conversions, andwho was then at Carcassonne, where he gave the nuptial benediction tothe marriage of Amaury de Montfort, the son of Simon, with the PrincessBeatrice, the daughter of the Dauphin, Count of Viennois. Francisarrived at Montpellier at the time when they were about to open thecouncil, at which Simon of Montfort was loaded with praises, and chosento be possessor of the City of Toulouse, and the other conquests ofthe Crusaders; he preached there, and foretold that a convent wouldbe built soon for his brethren at the hospital where he lodged; aprophecy which was fulfilled in the year 1220. His bad health, the fatigues of his journey, and the rigor of theseason, had brought him into a state of great languor, and compelledhim to stop one day. His malady gave him a disgust for all sorts offood, and he thought that he could only relish some wild fowl. As hewas speaking of it to his companion Bernard, a well-appointed cavalierbrought him one ready dressed, saying, "Servant of God, take what theLord sends thee, " after which he disappeared. Francis, admiring thegoodness of God, who fulfils the desires of those who fear Him, atewillingly of this celestial food, and was so strengthened by it, thathe rose up immediately and continued his journey through Dauphiny andPiedmont; from whence he went to St. Mary of the Angels, continuingto perform the functions of an Apostle and Patriarch of the Order onhis way, but not without having to endure the honors which his miraclesand the reputation of his sanctity procured him from all parts. His return was the subject of great rejoicing to his children, to Clarein particular, and to a number of young men, among whom were manynobles and many learned persons who were waiting to be received intothe Order. He was surprised to find a building which Peter of Catania, his ownvicar had constructed during his absence; he inquired the reason ofit, and Peter having replied, "that it was for the accommodation oftheir guests, where they might say the divine office more commodiously, "He said:--"Brother Peter, this place is the rule and the model of theOrder; I choose that those who come to it shall suffer theinconveniences of poverty as well as those who live in it, in orderthat they may tell others how poorly we live at St. Mary's of thePortiuncula; for if the guests see that they are provided witheverything they can wish for, they will expect the same thing in theirprovinces, and will say, that they only do as they do at Portiuncula, which is the original place of the Institution. " He was desirous thatthe building should be pulled down, and he even directed it to be done;but, upon the representations of the need they had of it, he consentedto let it stand. They could not do without room to lodge the numberof people who were drawn thither by the rumor of his great virtues, and the multitudes of his religious who came from various parts toconsult him. Those whom he had destined for Mount Alvernia, having come with severalothers to congratulate him on his return, informed him that CountOrlando had loaded them with favors; that they were settled on themountain, and that it was the place, of all others, proper forcontemplation. This gave him a wish to go thither, and he set out withthree companions, Leo, Masse, and Angelo of Rieti. It was his customin travelling to name one of those who accompanied him as guardian andleader, and he obeyed him humbly in all things. On this occasion, hegave this commission to Masse, desiring him not to disquiet himselfabout their food, and giving no other instructions, except that thedivine office should be punctually and piously recited, that silenceshould be rigidly observed, and that their deportment should bereserved. He preached, as usual, wherever he went, and performed manymiracles. One night he went into a church which was deserted, in order to passthe night in prayer, knowing from experience that the Spirit of Godwas communicated more freely to the soul in quiet solitary places. Atthe beginning of the night, the devils used every sort of artifice tointerrupt his prayers and to disturb him. Then they attacked him inperson, as St. Athanasius relates that they did St. Anthony, so thatthey seemed to come to blows with him. The more they annoyed him, themore fervently he prayed, and the more strenuously he invoked JesusChrist with confidence, in the words of the prophet:--"Protect me underthe shadow of thy wings from these wicked ones who pursue me;" and hesaid to the devils:--"Spiteful and deceitful spirits, do all you canagainst me, for you can do nothing but what God permits, and here Iam, ready to suffer with pleasure all the afflictions it is His pleasureto send me. " Then the devils cast themselves upon him with still greaterviolence; they pushed him about on all sides, they dragged him alongthe ground and beat him severely. In the midst of his sufferings, heexclaimed:--"My Lord Jesus Christ, I give Thee thanks for all Thybenefits; this is not one of the least; it is an assured mark of thegoodness Thou hast for me. Thou punishest my sins in this world tospare me in the next. My heart is ready, O my God, my heart is readyto suffer still more if such be Thy holy will. " St. Bonaventure says, that he was often tormented in this manner by demons; but that theseproud spirits, not being able either to overcome him, or to bear hisconstancy, retired in confusion. Such a resistance would repress allthe efforts of the tempter when he attacks us invisibly. In the morning, he could not disguise from his companions what hadhappened to him, and the extreme weakness which it had brought onobliged him to desire his companions to go to the neighboring village, to procure for him, in God's name, some means of riding on with them. The farmer to whom they applied, having learnt that it was for Francisof Assisi, of whom he had heard so much good spoken, went to fetch hisown ass to carry him on, during the journey. On the way, Francis bethought himself of stopping for a short time atthis farmer's to recruit his strength by some poultry and otherdelicacies of the country; but, wishing to punish himself for havingmerely listened to such a suggestion, he took up a half-rotten fowlfrom a dunghill, and smelt at it, saying to himself:--"Here, glutton!here is the flesh of the poultry that you so anxiously wished for;satisfy your longing, and eat as much as you like. " To support himself, he ate nothing but bread, on which he sprinkled ashes, and he dranknothing but water. He blessed the house of his host, and promised himvery long lineage, who should be neither poor nor very rich. Theremembrance of this prediction has been carefully preserved in thisplace, and the house still exists, bearing the name of St. Francis, where the religious of his Order are always charitably received. Thislesson is taught by the apostle:--"That God, by His blessing, givesto charitable persons the means of continuing and multiplying theirgood works. "The invalid was replaced on the ass, and they took the road to Chiusiwhich they reached by noon. Count Orlando was greatly pleased to seethem, and would have been but too glad to detain them, if only forthat day; but Francis would go as soon as dinner was done to MountAlvernia, whither the count accompanied him. "The Mountain Alvernia is on the confines of Tuscany, not far fromCamaldoli and Val Ombrosa; it is part of the Apennines, and it riseshigher than the adjacent mountains from which it is separated: tworivers flow at its foot, the Tiber and the Arno. On their sides it hasrocks so perpendicular and so smooth that they might be mistaken forwalls; and on the side on which the top may be reached, no one woulddare to attempt the ascent but for the number of beech trees andunderwood which hide the precipices. These trees, which are very lofty, hide some extensive and beautiful pasturages. There also an abundanceof plants is found called carline or Caroline which is a cure for theplague. "The farmer, who was their guide, made bold to address Francis thus:"Brother, I hear much good spoken of you, and I understand that Godhas shown you great favors, for which you are greatly indebted to Him;strive, then, to be what it is said you are, and never to change inorder that those who have confidence in you may not be deceived; thisis a piece of advice I give you. " Francis, delighted at what he hadheard, dismounted, kissed the man's feet, thanked him, acknowledgingthe great mercy of God, who had been pleased to cast His eyes on thelowliness of His servant. Although this advice came from a poorcountryman, it was nevertheless the very best that could be given toa saint. So true it is that no one should be despised, and that themost simple-minded persons often say more sensible and more spiritualthings than men of the greatest genius. The same man being very thirsty at the steepest part of the mountain, exclaimed loudly: "I shall die, if I cannot get something to drink. "Francis immediately alighted, threw himself on his knees, raised hishands to heaven, and prayed until he knew that he had been heard. Then, pointing out a large stone to the man, he said, "Go there quickly, andyou will find some living water: it is Jesus Christ who, out of Hisgreat mercy, makes it spring from this rock that you may drink. " Theman ran directly, found water, and drank as much as he required. No spring had ever been known to be in that place, and no water wasever found there afterwards. Wonderful goodness of the Almighty, exclaims St. Bonaventure, who thus with so much benevolence grants theprayers of His servants. The birds seeing St. Francis and his companionsapproaching came in great numbers to welcome him to their home. At length they reached the top of Mount Alvernia, where the religiousresided. The father was well pleased with their dwelling, becauseeverything was on a small scale and poor. Count Orlando returned in the evening and came back next day, bringingsomething for their dinner. After they had finished their meal, hegave orders for the construction of a small chapel under a very tallbeech tree, and a cell, which Francis had asked him for, and, callingthe others aside, he said: "Since your founder has given his consentto the donation I made you two years ago of this mountain, you mayconsider it as yours, and hence both myself and mine will be alwaysdevoted to your service whenever you shall need it. You will not beable to please me more than by addressing yourselves to me, lookingupon me as your servant; and even, if you will do me that favor, considering me as one of your brethren. " After the departure of thecount, the holy Patriarch made them the following discourse, relativeto the count's kindness, which they took care to commit to writing:"My dear children, it is God who thus turns the hearts of the faithfultowards His little and useless servants, in which He does us a verygreat favor. On what we have hitherto received let us place our hopesfor what is to come; if that seems but little, the Lord, who isinfinitely liberal, will add to it by His goodness still greaterbenefits, provided we are faithful to Him. Let us, then, leave to Himthe care of all that relates to you, and He Himself will feed you, asHe fed Elias, Paul, and Anthony in the desert. The birds of the airneither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Fathernourishes them; how much more will He do this for His servants? If Hetries you, it will be only for a time, for it is written, that He willnot suffer the just to waver forever; the eyes of the Lord are on themthat fear Him, and on them that hope in His mercy to deliver theirsouls from death and feed them in famine. Trust not to the princes ofthe earth, nor to the charitable offers made you by our benefactor, Count Orlando, for cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and makethflesh his arm. This lord has acted nobly by us, and according to hispiety; let us do on our parts what depends on us, and fail not therein;that is to say, let us not have recourse to his generosity, as to atreasure of which we are the masters, and in that regard let us havethe greatest reserve that we may not in any respect trench upon holypoverty. Be sure, my dear children, that our best resource for providingfor our wants, is to have none to provide for. If we are trulyevangelical poor, the world will have compassion upon us, and willgenerously give us all that is necessary for our subsistence; but ifwe swerve from holy poverty, the world will shun us; the illicit meanswhich we might take for avoiding indigence, would only make us feelit the more. " Is not such a discourse sufficient to show us, that St. Francis had great talents and judgment, joined to great knowledge ofthe practice of virtue?Count Orlando had a church built on Mount Alvernia, according to theplan which the Saint had given him, which, it was confidently said, had been given to Francis by the Blessed Virgin, who appearedaccompanied by St. John the Baptist, and St. John the Evangelist. While they were at work at this building and at the cells for thebrethren, Francis explored the mountain on all its sides, to discoverthe sites best adapted for contemplation. He found one, where therewere some large openings in the rock, great masses overhanging them, deep caverns, and frightful pits; and what seemed to him to be mostcurious, there was a rock so split that the interior formed a roomwith a smooth flooring, and a sort of ceiling which had a small openingwhich admitted the light. He was anxious to know whether this was thenatural formation of the rock, or whether it was not the effect of anearthquake; and, after having recited the seven penitential psalms, he begged God to grant him information on this head. An angel acquaintedhim, in an apparition, that this had happened at the death of JesusChrist, when the earth shook and the rocks were rent asunder. Thiscircumstance gave Mount Alvernia additional value in the eyes of theservant of Jesus Christ crucified. He never afterwards saw theseopenings without thinking of the sufferings his Divine Master enduredon the cross, and without wishing that his feelings of compassion mightbreak his heart. In the opinion of the holy Fathers, the rocks whichwere rent when Jesus Christ expired were reproaches to the Jews forthe hardness of their hearts, and this reproach falls equally onChristians who are insensible to His sufferings. We can have no difficulty in thinking, with Cardinal Baronius, thatthe rocks on Mount Alvernia were split at the death of our Saviour, since the earthquake was universal, according to the opinions ofEusebius, St. Jerome, and many others, and even according to thetestimony of pagan authors. It is also very credible that the Son of God has manifested to Hisspecial servants, some of the effects of this motion of the earth, inorder to impress more vividly on their minds the remembrance of HisPassion; and may we not think that the Lord, who is the beholder ofall ages, as the wise man says, and who had selected Mount Alverniaas the place in which He would do His Servant Francis the favor ofimprinting the stigmata on him, as we shall see further on, was pleasedto give this mountain some resemblance to that of Calvary, where St. Cyril of Jerusalem assures us, that in his time the rents caused bythe earthquake were seen?Among the masses of rock on Mount Alvernia, there is one much moreelevated and much larger than the rest, and which is separated fromthem by precipices, to which there is no access but by throwing abridge across. There, as in an insulated citadel, a celebrated brigandhad his stronghold, who was called the Wolf, on account of the plunderand murders he committed in the surrounding country, either by himself, or by the gang of which he was the chief. He often, also, by means ofa flying bridge, confined travellers in this place, whom he hadsurprised on the high-roads, and whom he detained till their ransomwas paid. The establishment of Francis and his brethren displeased himgreatly: people of that sort do not like having neighbors. He gavethem several times notice to begone, and he threatened them shouldthey not obey. Their great poverty gave them nothing to fear fromthieves, but there was just cause for apprehending that the murderermight massacre them all. Divine Providence, however, saved them by achange which might well be called the work of the Most High. The villaincame one day determined upon expelling them, and used the most atrociouslanguage to them. Francis received him with so much mildness, listenedto him with so much patience, and induced him by degrees to hear reason, so that his anger entirely fell, and he not only consented to theirremaining, but he begged that they would admit him into their poordwelling. He witnessed during several days their angelic mode of life, and he became so changed, that he determined upon adopting a similarplan. The Saint perceiving that from a ravenous wolf he was become agentle lamb, gave him the habit of the Order, and the name of BrotherAgnello, under which he expiated his crimes by religious penance, ofwhich he rigidly fulfilled all the duties. This fact was of suchnotoriety, that the rock to which he used to retire has always beencalled since, and is still known, by the name of Brother Wolf's prison. All things being put in order at Mount Alvernia, he left it to go toRome. He passed through Monte Casale, Fabriano, Osimo, Ancona, Macerata, Ascoli, Camerino, and many other places, preaching in all the truthsof salvation, gaining disciples, founding houses for his Order, prophesying and working miracles; we shall only put on record here themost remarkable, and those that are most edifying. God favored him, as He had done St. Ambrose, with power of discoveringrelics which were hidden. He knew by revelation that there were somein a certain church in which he had prayed, and some business callinghim away from thence, he communicated the circumstance to his brethren, desiring them to take them from thence and place them in a more suitablesituation; but they either through forgetfulness or neglect did notdo so. One day as they were preparing the altar for Mass, they foundunder the altar-cloth some beautiful bones, from which a sweet perfumedsmell issued, and they immediately recollected that these were therelics of which their Father had spoken. At his return he inquiredwhether they had been disinterred, and the religious, having told himexactly what had occurred, he said: "Blessed be the Lord, my God, who, of His goodness, has done what you ought to have done out of obedience;"but he imposed a penance upon them in expiation of their fault. At theMonastery of Monte Maggiore, a joy and interior consolation which hefelt on entering the church, made him sensible that the high altarcontained something which had been used by the Blessed Virgin. He spokeof it to the religious, who searched closely, and found that it wastrue. In ecclesiastical history we find that God had often caused therelics of His saints to be discovered, in order to do them honor, andthe Holy Fathers have taught the faithful to venerate them and topreserve them with great care. While he was preaching at Fabriano in the middle of the market-place, some workmen who were employed at a palace made so much noise, thatit prevented his being heard. Having entreated them to be quiet fora short time, to which they paid no attention, he said that the workof those who were building the house would be of no use, because theLord did not build it, but that it would soon fall; however, thatneither man nor beast would be injured by it; and this happened buta few days after it had been finished, as he had foretold. He assuredthe people at the same town, that at a place called the Poor Valley, his brethren, who were poor, would some day have a habitation. And, in fact, in the year 1292, the town of Fabriano placed Friars Minorthere. Among the most considerable establishments which he placed on hisroute, was that of St. Mary of the Stony Valley, so called from itsbeing situated in a very rocky valley, between two mountains, fourmiles distant from Fabriano. It was a church dedicated to the BlessedVirgin, with a monastery, which the Religious of St. Benedict hadabandoned in order to take refuge in the town, on account of the wars, and it is one of the most beautiful solitudes of all Italy. Devotionto the Mother of God, and the love of retreat, had induced Francis toask for this place; and it was given him by those who were itsproprietors. The first time he went there, he lost his way, with hiscompanion, and asked a ploughman to take him to the valley. "What, "says the man, "shall I leave my plough and lose my time, to serve you?"However, he took him to the place, mollified by Francis' mildness, andby his promising him that he should be no loser by so doing: onreturning, after receiving the Father's blessing, he found his fieldquite ploughed. Some workmen who were employed repairing a house which had been givenhim, at a place called Trabe Bonata, being very tired, asked him togive them some wine. He sent two of his brethren to procure some ina neighboring village, from some charitable benefactor; but the workmenbeing very urgent, out of compassion for them he went to a spring, made the sign of the cross over it, and in an instant, instead ofwater, wine issued from it, which flowed for a whole hour. Those whodrank of it published in all places the miraculous effect of the Saint'scharity. In a parish called La Citta, he was very well received by the curate, whose name was Raniero, with whom he became very intimate, so that hewas in the habit of visiting him, and going to confession to him. Oneday after confession he gave him, in a very humble manner, notice, that he, the curate, would become one of his brethren, because theyhad become too closely united to live different kinds of lives: "But, "he said, "this will not happen till after my death. " The event verifiedthe prediction: as soon as the curate learnt that his friend Francisshone by an infinity of miracles, and was just canonized, he enteredthe Order of Friars Minor, and adhered to the rules with greatregularity. The holy man coming to Osimo, was greeted, notwithstanding his greathumility, and brought into the town, with great honors. The next dayhe preached on the vanity of the world, in so persuasive a strain, that all his hearers, penetrated with compunction, turned their thoughtsseriously to their reformation, and thirty young men entered hisInstitute. On the same journey, he and his companions lodged at the house of agentleman, the greatness of whose soul equalled the antiquity of hisnobility, and whose politeness was joined to piety. The welcome hereceived there was followed by this open-hearted proffer: "Man of God, "he said, "I place my person at your disposal, and all that I possess, all is yours, do as you please with it; if you want clothing, or acloak, or books, or whatever it may be, take it, and I will pay forit. Be assured that I am wholly at your service. God has given mewealth; I have wherewithal to assist the poor, and it is but just thatI do not fail in so doing. "Francis merely at the time contented himself with making those gratefulacknowledgments which so handsome and obliging an offer required; butwhen he left him, he could not refrain from admiring the generosityof this gentleman, and he said to his companion: "Indeed, brother, hewould be an excellent subject for our Order; he is humbly thankful forwhat he has received from God; he loves his neighbor very sincerely;he gives willingly to the poor; and he exercises hospitality from hisheart; he is extremely affable and polite; and politeness is sisterto charity; it puts down contention and promotes concord; he isnaturally benevolent; and this feeling is highly pleasing to our Fatherwho is in Heaven, who causes the sun to rise on the good and on thewicked. So many excellent qualities which I see in this young man, make me wish to have him to be one of us, and I should admit him withpleasure. We must pay him another visit, and exhort him to devotehimself to the service of God; perhaps the Holy Ghost may incline himto do so; meanwhile let us implore the Lord to grant our wish, if Hejudges it right. " In fact, they did pray for this purpose. Some days afterwards they returned to this person's house, who had thecuriosity to watch what Francis did in the night; he saw him in prayer, and in an ecstasy raised from the ground, and surrounded by a splendidlight, and he felt interiorly a certain celestial fire, which inspiredhim with an ardent desire to imitate his mode of life. In the morning, he communicated his feelings to the Saint, who was already made awareof them by revelation, and who thanked the Giver of all good gifts forthem. The postulant gave all he had to the poor, took the habit of aFriar Minor, and lived holily; preserving always the same affable andpolite manners, with which he received the guests of the convents inwhich he resided. This endeared him still more to the Patriarch, whowas very zealous in the exercise of hospitality. The duties ofhospitality, lauded by the pagans, taught by the Gospel, enforced bythe Apostles, and all the Holy Fathers, are exercised in the Order ofSt. Francis with so much the more care as, being totally dependent oncharity, they consider themselves bound to give all in the same manner, and they apply to themselves these words of the Son of God to theApostles, on the gift of miracles: "Freely you have received, freelygive. " This is what draws down the blessing of God, and which makesso many houses subsist, without any revenue, by the charity of thefaithful. The holy Patriarch of the Friars Minor arrived at Rome when everythingwas preparing for the opening of the Twelfth Ecumenical Council, the4th of Lateran, one of the most numerous ever held in the Church. Innocent III had convoked it for the extinction of heresies, for thereformation of morals, for regulating the discipline of the Church, and for the recovery of the Holy Land by the union of the Christianprinces. Francis came to Rome to induce the Sovereign Pontiff to give a publicapproval to the Rule of his Order, which was of the highest importancein order that the prelates might have it in their power to distinguishthe poor of Jesus Christ, true children of the Church, from certainsectaries of those times who affected, as has been already said, tobear the marks of Apostolic poverty. What the Servant of God required was put in force; the Pope declaredbefore all the Fathers of the Council, that he approved the Order andthe Rule of St. Francis, although he had hitherto issued no bull. Thisis a fact which is related by the companions of the Saint who wrotehis life, and by two authors of the Order of St. Dominic, Jordan ofSaxony, a disciple of that blessed Patriarch, and St. Antoninus. Moreover, in order to avoid too great a variety of religious orders, the council prohibited the formation of any new ones, and directedthat the existing ones should be considered sufficient. Yet it is clearthat the Pope could not, in this instance, avoid making known theapprobation he had given to an Order so new and peculiar as was thatof the Friars Minor, which in the last five years, had spread overItaly, and was established in Rome. The holy friendship which was subsequently formed between St. Dominicand St. Francis, renders it proper that we should here record that St. Dominic came also to this Lateran Council, together with Fulke, Bishopof Toulouse, in order to propose to the pope an intention he had ofinstituting an order of preachers, and that the Pope had seen in adream St. Dominic supporting the Lateran Church, which was falling, in the same way as he had seen Francis supporting it five years before. He praised his undertaking, but told him, according to the decree ofthe council, to return with his brethren, and prepare a rule for theguidance of the order, and then come back to have the order confirmed, which the holy patriarch complied with. The Council of Lateran having terminated its labors, Francis left Romeat the beginning of December to return to St. Mary of the Angels. When he had reached his convent, Clare, who, being very humble, hadaccepted only through obedience the quality of Abbess of St. Damian, wished to lay it down into his hands, to which he would by no meansassent, because he knew that by the disposition of Divine Providence, she was to form the disciples who were to establish his Order in variousplaces, from whence it was to spread throughout the Church. Clare had admitted many virgins during the three years she had presidedover St. Damian, among whom were some of her own relatives. Beatrice, the youngest of her sisters, came a short time afterwards; andHortolona, her mother, as soon as she became a widow, decided uponconsecrating herself to God, with her three daughters, in the samemonastery, where miracles testified to the holiness of her life. Finally, the virtues of Clare were so resplendent, and the miracleswhich it pleased the Almighty to work by her means, threw so muchsplendor around her, that, according to the remark of Pope AlexanderIV, in the bull of her canonization, the truth of the prediction whichwas made to her mother, was clearly seen:--"That she would give to theworld a light which would even enlighten the world. " The sequel of thelife of the Father will afford further opportunity for speaking of thedaughter. The Benedictines of Mount Soubazo, in this year, gave the holy Patriarcha convent on this very mountain, two miles from Assisi. It has beencalled the prison of St. Francis, because he often shut himself upthere in contemplation after his Apostolical labors. His oratory isstill there, also: his cell, the stone and the wood which served himfor bed and pillow, and a copious spring which, by his intercession, he obtained from God. From the beginning of the following year, 1216, to the 30th of May, the Festival of Whitsuntide, the day on which the general chapter washeld, which was the first of the Order, he had as much leisure as hecould desire for conversing with God, for giving instruction to hisbrethren at St. Mary of the Angels, and to the Town of Assisi and itsenvirons. In the assembly, provincial ministers were appointed, towhom power was given for admitting postulants into the Order; whichthe Founder had previously reserved to himself. One whose name doesnot appear, was sent into Apulia, and John de Strachia was sent intoLombardy; Benedict of Arezzo, into the Marches of Ancona; Daniel theTuscan, into Calabria; Augustin of Assisi, into the Terra di Lavoro;Elias of Cortona, into Tuscany. Evangelical laborers were chosen fordifferent nations. Bernard de Quintavalle, for Spain; John Bonella, a Florentine, with thirty companions, for Provence; John de Penna, andsixty of his brethren, for Upper and Lower Germany; Francis took forhis share Paris and what is properly called France and the LowCountries. The Apostolic laborers being all assembled at the feet of their Father, to receive his orders, he addressed them with paternal tenderness, inthe following discourse:--"In the name of the Lord, go forth modestly, two and two, observingstrict silence from the morning till after the hour of Tierce, prayingto God from your hearts. Let no idle or useless words be heard amongyou; although you are travelling, your deportment should be as humbleand as decorous as if you were in a hermitage, or in your cells. Forwherever we are, and, whithersoever we may be going, we have alwaysour vocation with us; our brother, the body, is our cell, and the soulis the hermit, who dwells in it to think of God and to pray to Him. If a religious soul does not dwell quietly in the cell of the body, the external cells will be of little use to him. Behave, then, in suchmanner in the world, that whosoever may see or hear you, may be movedto devotion, and praise our Heavenly Father to whom alone all glorybelongs. Proclaim peace to all men, but have it in your hearts, aswell as in your mouths. Give to no one cause for anger, nor for scandal;on the contrary, by your own mildness, induce every one to feelbenignly, and draw them to union and to concord. We are called to healthe wounded, console the afflicted, and to bring back those who err;many may seem to you to be members of the devil, who will one day bedisciples of Jesus Christ. " What Francis said of the inutility ofexterior cells, where the soul is not at ease in the cell of the body, is in conformity to these words of St. Bernard:--"You may be alonewhen you are in the midst of the world, as it may so happen that youmay be in the midst of the world when you are alone. "The children of the holy Patriarch received his blessing; and havingrecommended themselves to the prayers of their companions, they setout for those places to which obedience sent them. The success of theseveral labors will be adverted to further on. The missionaries forProvence remained some days after the breaking up of the chapter, toreceive further instructions relative to their mission. The day oftheir departure, there were only three loaves of bread in the convent, two of which had been sent there by Clare; these were found sufficientfor more than thirty who were present, and there was a great deal tospare, a circumstance which was considered to be a good omen. Francis, having animated all the others by his zeal, prepared himselffor setting out for Paris. Besides the natural affection he had forFrance, of which he liked the language, as it was familiar to him, hechose this city preferably to many others, because he knew that theirdevotion was great towards the blessed sacrament, and this was a greatattraction for his piety. May the Parisians ever entertain and transmit to their posterity thisfervent devotion of their ancestors, which Pope Urban IV. , who was anative of France, stirred up in the hearts of the faithful forty-sixyears afterwards, by the institution of the Feast of the Most HolySacrament, which is celebrated throughout the Church, with so muchsolemnity. The bull which he issued on this occasion, enters into thestrongest and most moving arguments calculated to inspire veneration, love, and the zeal which the precious memorial of the goodness of theSon of God calls for, and to invite to a frequent and worthyparticipation in the divine mystery, which the Council of Trent hassince expressed its anxiety to see reestablished. Before his departure, Francis undertook to reconcile the members ofthe illustrious family of the Baselennesi, a long time disunited byunhappy family dissensions, and he succeeded to the satisfaction ofall parties. Out of gratitude they had built for him, on one of theirestates on a spot near the Tiber, surrounded with very beautiful trees, a convent called St. Angel of Pantanellis. He chose to go once more to Rome to recommend to the holy Apostles hisjourney to France. On the road, having seated himself close to a springto take his meal, he put some pieces of bread, which had been givento him on his quest, and which were very hard and mouldy, on a stonenear him; he expressed much satisfaction, and he pressed his companionMasse to give thanks to God for so great a treasure; and he repeatedseveral times the same thing, elevating his voice more and more. "Butof what treasure are you talking" said Masse, "at a time when we arein want of many things?" "The great treasure is, " replied Francis, "that, being in want of so much, God has had the goodness to furnishus by His providence with that bread and this spring, and to find usthis stone to serve as a table. "He went shortly after into a church, where he prayed to God to givehim and his children the love of holy poverty; and his prayer was sofervent that fire seemed to issue from his countenance. Full of thiscelestial ardor, he went towards Masse with open arms, calling him byname with a loud voice; Masse, in great astonishment, going to throwhimself into the arms of his Father, was raised into the air severalcubits high, and felt such sweetness in his soul, that he frequentlyafterwards declared that he had never experienced anything like it. After this ecstasy, Francis spoke to him on the subject of poverty inan admirable strain. When at Rome, in a chapel of the Church of St. Peter, while he waspraying with tears that the holy Apostles would give him instructionson the subject of holy poverty and of an Apostolic life, they appearedto him surrounded by lights, and, after tenderly embracing him, said:"Brother Francis, our Lord Jesus Christ has sent us to tell you thatHe has favorably heard your prayers and tears on the subject of holypoverty, which He Himself had followed, as well as His Blessed Mother, and we, who are His Apostles, after his example. This treasure isgranted to you for yourself and for your children; those who shallcarefully adhere to it, will have the kingdom of heaven for theirreward. " The Servant of God, filled with consolation, went to hiscompanion Masse, to whom he communicated what had passed, and theywent together to give thanks at the place which is called the Confessionof St. Peter, which is his tomb. While Francis was at Rome, Pope Innocent III died at Perugia. He wasof the illustrious house of the Counts of Segni, which has given fivepopes to the Church, the last of whom was Innocent XIII, of blessedmemory. It was at the University of Paris that his merit was firstnoticed; he shone there above the many who were its honor and itsornament. It was his rare and transcendent qualities which induced thecardinals unanimously to elect him to the pontificate; and thesequalities shone with additional splendor when his humility urged hisresistance to the election, from which he prayed with unaffected tearsto be released. His government and the works he has left to posterity, show, that he had great genius, great science, prudence, and probity, with solid piety, and ardent zeal. "He was, " says a French contemporarywriter "a man of great courage and great wisdom, who had no equal inhis day, and who did marvellous things. " He was indeed one of the mosteminent men who have filled the chair of St. Peter. The affection hebore to Francis, and the favors he conferred on his Order, havecompelled us to do this justice here to his memory. On the 18th of July, they elected for his successor Cardinal Savelli, who took the name of Honorius III. He was a learned and worthy man. He generally followed the designs of his predecessor, and had a similaraffection for the religious orders, of which he gave substantial proofsin the favors he bestowed on that of St. Francis. Some months after his election, he gave his approval of the Order ofSt. Dominic. This holy patriarch having returned to his companions tofix upon a rule, as had been recommended to him by Pope Innocent atthe Lateran Council, and having adopted the rule of St. Augustine, towhich he had added some more austere regulations, came back to Rometo procure the approval of the Holy See. While he solicited it fromHonorius, who had arrived from Perugia, he made acquaintance andcontracted an intimacy with Francis, in consequence of a miraculousvision which he had in the Church of St. Peter, where he prayedunceasingly with great fervor for the success of his enterprise. He saw the Son of God seated on the right hand of His Father, who roseup greatly irritated against sinners, holding three darts in His hand, for the extirpation of the proud, the avaricious, and the voluptuous. His holy Mother threw herself at His feet, and prayed for mercy, sayingthat she had persons who would remedy the evil; and she at the sametime introduced to Him Dominic and Francis, as being proper personsfor reforming the world, and reestablishing piety; this pacified JesusChrist. Dominic, who had never seen Francis, met him next day, recognized him, ran to him and embraced him, saying: "You are my companion; we willwork in concert with each other; let us be strictly united, and no onewill be able to master us. " Francis himself communicated this favorof Heaven to the children of Dominic: and St. Vincent Ferrer, and someother authors quoted by Wading, say that Francis had received a similarfavor from Heaven. The event proved the truth of the Vision. Dominicalone, without any human aid, having nothing to command success butpoverty, humility, and prayer, obtained the approbation of his order, which was an affair of great difficulty, particularly at thecommencement of a Pontificate, when the Pope is occupied by mostimportant affairs. We may here notice the groundwork of the ardent zeal of the FriarsPreachers and the Friars Minor for the glory of the Mother of God. Persuaded that their orders were established under her protection, andthat she is especially the mother of their holy patriarchs, they striveby every means in their power to restore the devout veneration due toher. It is the common interest of all the faithful who see that sheis, according to the expression of the Holy Fathers, their advocateand their mediatrix; that she prays and solicits for them; that sheinterposes between them and the wrath of her Son, and appeases Him:this affords great room for confidence in her, and should induce themto invoke her for their conversion and sanctification. Dominic and Francis, confident of the protection of the Blessed Virgin, entered into a strict friendship and resolved to spare no pains intheir exertions for the glory of God, and concerted together as to thebest means for attaining their object. Upon which an author quoted byWading, makes a most appropriate reflection: "It was, " he says, "something admirable to see two men, who were poor, badly clad, withoutpower or interest despicable in the eyes of the world, divide betweenthem the world itself, and undertake to conquer it. Who would not haveturned their plans into ridicule hearing them seriously consult togetheron such an undertaking, since they seemed to have so little means ofcarrying them into execution? Nevertheless, they succeeded; becauseGod selected by their means to confound what is strong. " They resembledSt. Peter and St. Paul, proposing to themselves, in the same City ofRome, to convert the universe by the preaching of the Gospel; thisshows that God made use of means for reanimating the faith, similarto those which He had employed to establish it. It is reported, that while Dominic and Francis were still at Rome, Angelus, of the Order of the Carmelites, who was afterwards martyredin Sicily, was also there; that, preaching in the Church of St. JohnLateran, where the two others were among the hearers, he foretold thatthey would become two great pillars of the Church; that when the sermonwas finished, they foretold to one another what would happen to eachof them, and even that Francis would receive the stigmata; then thethree together cured a man afflicted with leprosy, and passed a dayand a night together in prayer and conversing on holy subjects. Francis left Rome at the end of the year, intending to continue hisjourney into France. He passed through Sienna and by Mount Alverniaand arrived at Florence in the month of January, 1217, to pay hisdutiful respects to Cardinal Ugolino, who was Papal Legate there. Thiscardinal, who had declared himself his protector and his friend, whenhe went to request the approbation of his rule from Pope Innocent III. , in 1210, received him with great kindness, detained him some days, inquired into the affairs of his Order, and said to him on the subjectof his journey: "Francis, your Order is still in its infancy. You knowthe opposition it met with in Rome, and you have still there somesecret enemies; if there is not some one there to watch over yourinterests, it will be an easy matter to cause all you have obtainedto be revoked. Your presence will go a great way in upholding yourwork, and those who are attached to you will have a greater stimulusfor giving you their support. As to myself, I am from this momentwholly yours. "The holy man, after having thanked the cardinal, replied: "I have sentmany of my brethren into far distant countries. If I remain quietlyin our convent, without taking any share in their labors, it will bea great shame for me; and these poor religious, who are sufferinghunger and thirst, will have great reason to murmur and complain; butinstead of that, if they find that I work as much as they do, theywill bear their fatigues more willingly, and I shall more easilypersuade them to undertake similar missions. "The cardinal, feeling for the sufferings of these missionaries, said:"But why, brother, have you the harshness to expose your disciples tosuch arduous journeying and to so much suffering?" "My Lord, " repliedFrancis, who was urged by a prophetic spirit, "you think that God hassanctioned the Institute for this country only; but I tell you thatHe has formed it for the good of the universe, and for the salvationof all men, without excluding the infidels: for religious of this Orderwill go into their territories; and provided they live in conformityto the Gospel, God will provide amply for all their wants, even amongthe enemies of His name. "These words made a great impression on the cardinal, who was a veryholy man, and increased his affection for Francis, whom he againexhorted in stronger language than before, to remain in Italy toconsolidate an Institute which was to have such beneficial results. The Saint having yielded to the reasoning of the cardinal, entreatedhim to be the protector of the Friars Minor, according to his promise, and to be so good as to be present at the next general chapter; afterwhich he took the road to the Valley of Spoleto. There he learnt that some of his brethren had been seriously ill-treatedby several prelates, and that at the court of Rome there were personswho spoke against his Order. This news confirmed him in the resolutionhe had taken to remain in Italy; and he named three of his disciplesfor the French mission, to wit: Pacificus of the Marches of Ancona, the celebrated poet, whose conversion we have related; Angelus, andAlbert, both of Pisa. He likewise intended to request the Pope to nominate a cardinal of theHoly Roman Church, to protect his Order against all who should attackit. Three of his companions, the writers of his life, say, that he wasinduced to this by a celestial vision in his sleep. He saw a henendeavoring to gather all her chickens under her wings, to protectthem from a hawk; she could not cover them all, and many were aboutto become its prey; but another large bird appeared, spread its wingsover them, and preserved them from the danger. On awaking, Francisprayed our Lord to explain to him the meaning of this, and he learntthat the hen represented himself, and the chickens were his disciples, that the bird with the large wings represented the cardinal, whom theywere to solicit for their protector. He told all this to his brethren, and addressed them as follows:--"The Roman Church is the mother of all the churches, and the sovereignof all religious orders. It is to her that I shall address myself torecommend to her my brethren, in order that her authority may silencethose who are hostile to them, and that she may procure for the childrenof God full and perfect liberty to advance quietly in the way of eternalsalvation; for when they shall be under her protection, there will beno more enemies to oppose them, nor disturb them; there will not beseen among them any son of Belial to ravage with impunity the vineyardof the Lord. The holy Church will be zealous for the glory of ourpoverty; she will not suffer that the humility which is so honorableto her, shall be obscured by the clouds of pride. It is she who willrender indissoluble among us, the bonds of charity and peace, rigorouslypunishing the authors of dissensions. Under her eyes, the holyevangelical observance will ever flourish in its pristine purity; shewill never permit these holy practices to flag even momentarily, thosepractices which shed around them a vivifying light. May the children, then, of that holy Church be very grateful for the great favors whichthey receive from their mother; let them kiss her feet with profoundveneration, and remain forever inviolably attached to her. "The first words of this discourse show that St. Francis was perfectlycognizant of the prerogatives of the Church of Rome, and of the extentof the authority of the Holy See. It was not in vain that he soughther protection, since his Order was established, extended, supported, and sometimes even renovated under this powerful authority; and theattachment to the Holy See, which he so strongly recommended to hisbrethren, has been so visibly manifested during five centuries, thatit has procured for them the esteem and love of all Catholics, as wellas the hatred of the heretics, so that they have the honor of havingsome share in the eulogiums which St. Jerome passed on St. Augustine:"The Catholics esteem and respect you, and, what enhances your glory, all the heretics detest you. They hold me in equal hatred; and if theydurst not put both the one and the other of us to death, they have atleast the wish to do so. " This wish of the heretics has not been withouteffect as regards the children of St. Francis, for of a thousand martyrswhich they reckon in his Order, a very great number of them were putto death with greater cruelty in this and latter times by the sectariansthan by idolatrous tyrants. Heresy will be ever so, the daughter ofa parent, who, according to the words of Jesus Christ, was a murdererfrom the beginning. The holy Patriarch went then to Rome, where he found Cardinal Ugolino, who was returned from Tuscany, to whom he communicated the intentionhe had of soliciting the pope for a protector. The cardinal at thesame time expressed his wish to hear him preach before the pope andthe sacred college. Francis excused himself from this as much as hecould, assigning for reasons, his ignorance, his simplicity, and hisuncultivated mind, which unfitted him for speaking in the most augustassembly in the world. But he was obliged to yield to the pressinginstances of the cardinal, who entreated him as a friend to comply, and even ordered him to prepare himself for the task, recommending himto compose carefully a sermon wherein there should be as much eruditionand reasoning as such an audience required. Up to that time, the Servant of God had never prepared himself forpreaching; he only spoke from the pulpit what the Holy Ghost inspired. Nevertheless, he, in this instance, obeyed the cardinal; he prepareda sermon as carefully as he could, and learned it by heart. When hecame into the presence of the Pope, he forgot every part of thediscourse, and could not utter a syllable of it. But after havinghumbly explained the circumstance, and implored the aid of the HolyGhost, words flowed copiously from his mouth, and he spoke with somuch eloquence and animation, that the Pope and cardinal were deeplyaffected. Having been admitted to an audience of the Pope in presence of CardinalUgolino, he said: "Most Holy Father, I am not in fear of becomingimportunate for the interests of your lowly servants, the Friars Minor, while you are occupied with so many important affairs which regard thewhole Church. I entreat you to give us this cardinal, to whom we mayhave recourse in our wants, always under your sanction, since it isfrom you, the Head of the mystical Body, that all power emanates. " ThePope granted his request with alacrity, and recommended the cardinalto take great care of the Order. From that time, the Orders of FriarsMinor have always had a cardinal protector, whose powers are extendedas the Pope shall see fit; the terms of the Rule, which oblige theOrder by obedience to apply for one, show, that it was the intentionof Francis, that his powers should be most ample. Cardinal Ugolino was one of the most accomplished men of the City ofRome; his person well made, his countenance mild and majestic, hisgenius quick, with great memory and eloquence, possessing in perfectionall human sciences, civil and canon-law, and particularly the HolyScriptures; he was very expert in all public business; a lover ofvirtue and order, and of a pure and exemplary life. His first care in undertaking the office of protector, which he didwillingly, was, to defend the Friars against all those who attackedthem, to conciliate the prelates in their favor and to spread theminto all parts for the salvation of souls; his great authority silencedtheir enemies. As often as his affairs admitted of it, he assisted attheir general chapters; then he officiated pontifically. Francis actedas his deacon, and preached. He conformed to the rule of the Instituteas much as was in his power, and was, when with them, as one ofthemselves, and even endeavored to appear as the lowest among them. A contemporary author, who was an ocular witness, expresses himselfthus: "O how often has he been seen humbly to divest himself of themarks of his high dignity; put on the poor habit, and, with bare feet, join the religious in the regular exercises, in order to imitate theirevangelical life!" A lively and enlightened faith, a solid and ferventpiety, and a superior mind, convinced him that since the time of theabasement of the Son of God, humiliation is honorable, and adds to thesplendor of the highest dignities; a truth which is not understood bypersons of little faith, by the proud, the indevout, and those oflittle mind. This great cardinal respected Francis as much as he loved him; lookingupon him as a man sent down from heaven. His presence was a source ofpleasure to him, and he often admitted, as the above-quoted authorstates, that from the time he had made acquaintance with this holyman, as soon as he saw him and heard him speak, all that caused in himuneasiness of mind, or grief at heart was dispelled; his countenancebecame serene, and his soul was filled with fervor. Francis, on his side, had great veneration for the cardinal. He insistedon his brethren considering him as the Pastor of the Flock, and, withan attachment as tender as that of an infant for its mother's breast, he gave him in all things marks of the profoundest deference. One day, hearing that he was about to receive a visit from him he ran away andhid himself in the thickest part of the wood. The cardinal had himsought for, and went himself in search for him. Having found him heasked Francis as his friend to tell why he avoided him. "My Lord andmy Father, " answered the humble Francis, "as soon as I knew that yourGrandeur intended to honor me with your presence, me who am the poorestand the most despicable of men, I was covered with confusion, and Iblushed at the thought of my baseness, finding myself wholly unworthyto receive so distinguished an honor, for I truly revere you as myLord and my Father. " These feelings were partly owing to a vision hehad, which revealed to him that this cardinal would be Pope; he foretoldit to him, --this is recorded by St. Bonaventure; and in the privateletters which he wrote to him, he put on the heading: To my ReverendFather and Lord Ugolino, who is one day to be the Bishop of the wholeworld, and the Father of all nations. The respectful gratitude of the Friars Minor required that we shouldinsert all these anecdotes in memory of Cardinal Ugolino, who honoredthe holy Patriarch of his Order, as well as that of St. Clare, withhis affection, his protection, and his liberality, and who surpassedall his former favors ten years afterwards, when he was Pope under thename of Gregory IX. When Francis had obtained from the Pope so powerful a protector, andhad put his various affairs in order, he set out on his return to St. Mary of the Angels, but he spent the remainder of the year in theValley of Rieti, where he performed many wonderful things, of whichone of his companions has given a very ample account. At Grecio, or Grecchia, a very dissolute town in which he firstpreached, no one frequented the Sacraments; no one listened to theWord of God, and marriages within the prohibited degrees were ofordinary occurrence. --By word and example he urged them to repentanceand made such an impression that they entreated him to make somebrothers stay among them. He willingly agreed to do so, in the hopeof their conversion, which took place in a short time; meanwhile heretired to a mountain, from whence he came to Grecio and other placesto preach. On returning one day from Cotanello, a neighboring town, and not beingable to find the way to the mountain, he asked a farmer to be hisguide. This man excusing himself, saying that there were wolves inthat direction that committed great havoc, Francis promised him, andpledged himself as his surety, that he should not be attacked by anywolf either in going or coming back; he found that the Saint wascorrect, for, in returning, two wolves which were in the way, playedwith him as dogs do, and followed him to his house without doing himany harm. The farmer reported this over all his neighborhood, and saidthat, assuredly, the man to whom he had served as guide, must be agreat favorite with God, who gave him such absolute command over thewolves. Upon this they assembled in great numbers, and came to the Manof God, entreating him to deliver them from their calamities. "Two sorts of calamities bore hard upon them, " says St. Bonaventure, "wolves and hail. " The wolves were so ravenous in the environs ofGrecio, that they devoured both cattle and men; and the hail fell everyyear in such quantity and of such large size, that their crops of cornwere destroyed, and their vineyards sorely damaged. Francis preachedon this subject, and pointed out to them that scourges of this naturewere the punishment of sin; and he ended by saying: "For the honor andfor the glory of God, I pledge my word to you, that if you choose togive credit to what I say, and have pity on your own souls, by makinga good confession, and showing worthy fruits of repentance, God willlook upon you with a favorable eye; will deliver you from yourcalamities, and render your country abundant in all sorts of goodthings. But I also declare to you that if you are ungrateful for thesebenefits, if, like the dog, you return to the vomit, God will be stillmore irritated against you, and you will feel the effects thereoftwofold by the fresh afflictions He will then send. " They believed thepreacher, and did penance; from that moment the scourges ceased; nothingmore was heard of wolves, and there was no more hail; and, what seemedmost remarkable, continues St. Bonaventure, was, that when it hailedin the vicinity, the cloud, on nearing their lands, either stopped orwent off in another direction. This lasted as long as those peopleremained faithful to God. Four authors, in different centuries, who have written the history ofthe Valley of Rieti, assure us, that when dissoluteness recommencedin that country, the wolves returned and made great havoc. Wading, whowrote in Italy in the 17th century, says, that the inhabitants of thevalley admitted this to be the case. It is certain by the testimonyof the Holy Scriptures, that the sins of the people call down notunfrequently the scourges of the wrath of God, which may be avertedby repentance, or be rendered useful to salvation. But how manyafflicted sinners are there, of whom it may be said with the prophet:"O Lord, Thou hast struck them, and they have not grieved; Thou hastbruised them, and they have refused to receive correction; they havemade their faces harder than the rock, and they have refused to return. "A knight, whose name was John Velita, who was converted by the preachingof Francis, became his intimate friend, and used often to go to seehim and consult him in his hut, which was made of the branches of twolarge hornbeams intertwined. As he was an elderly man, and verycorpulent, whom the steepness of the road greatly fatigued, he beggedFrancis to come nearer to the town: this would be agreeable to all, and he offered to build him a convent on any spot he should select. The Servant of God assented to the proposal, and, smiling, promisedthe knight not to settle farther from the town than the distance towhich a child could throw a lighted brand. Upon this they went togetherdown the mountain, and when they reached the gates of Grecio, theknight sent the first child he met to fetch a lighted brand, and desiredhim to throw it as far as he could, not thinking he could throw itvery far. But the child, with a strength surpassing that of men, threwthe brand to a distance of more than a mile, and it fell on a hillbelonging to the knight, and set fire to the wood which covered it, and lit at length on a very stony spot. This prodigy made it clearthat God desired that a convent should be built there, and it was cutout of the rock. The oratory, the dormitory, and the refectory, whichare still extant, on the ground floor, are only thirty feet long bysix broad; precious remains, which show us the love of poverty whichplanned them. The Saint founded three other establishments in the Valley of Rieti, at St. Mary of the Woods, at Monte Raniero, or Monte Columba, and atPui Buscone. These four houses, which are situated on eminences on thefour sides of the valley, formed together a cross. In each of them, as in the Town of Rieti, and all around the lake which surrounds it, traces are shown of several miracles which were performed by the manof God. He returned to St. Mary of the Angels in the Month of January, 1218, and he determined upon convoking a general chapter, which he proclaimedby circular letters, to be held on Whitsuntide of the year 1219, inorder that he might be made acquainted with the state of the missionsintrusted to his disciples, and that he might send missionaries intoparts where there had hitherto been none. While he was thus occupied by his important projects for the salvationof souls, God, in order to prevent any emotions of pride stealing intohis heart, and to maintain in him a profound humility, was pleased topermit that he should be attacked by a violent temptation; it was anextraordinary depression of spirits, which lasted several days. Hemade every effort to surmount it by his prayers and his tears; and oneday when he was praying with more than ordinary fervor, a celestialvoice said to him: "Francis, if thou hadst the faith of a grain ofmustard-seed, and thou wert to say to this mountain, go thither fromhence, it would go. " Not understanding the meaning of these words, heasked "what is the mountain"; and he was answered: "The mountain isthe temptation. " He immediately replied, weeping and humbling himself:"Lord, Thy will be done. " And from that moment the temptation ceased, and his mind became perfectly at ease. The year 1218 was divided between the stay he made at St. Mary of theAngels, for the instruction of his brethren, and some excursions hemade to Mount Alvernia and to some other places, where new dwellingswere made over to him. His route was always marked by the fruits ofhis preaching, and by the splendor of his miracles. Passing by Montaigu, above the Valley of Caprese, before a Church of St. Paul, which wasbeing repaired, and seeing that two of the masons could not succeedin lifting a stone, which was to be placed as a jamb for the door, hiscompassion and zeal induced him to lift it and place it as required, which he did alone, and with a strength which was not that of a mortal. The Abbot of the Monastery of St. Justin, in the Diocese of Perugia, met him, and alighted from his horse to compliment him, and to speakto him on some matters of conscience. After a conversation repletewith unction, the abbot, recommended himself humbly to his prayers. Francis replied: "I will pray with all my heart;" and they parted. Ata little distance from thence, the Saint said to his companion: "Waita little, brother, I will here perform my promise. " He knelt to pray;and while he was so doing, the abbot, who was riding on, felt his mindinflamed with a suavity of devotion, such as he had never beforeexperienced. He stopped, and the vivid impressions with which Godfavored him, threw him into an ecstasy. But when he came to himselfagain, he became aware that it was entirely owing to the prayers ofFrancis. On his return from his last journey in 1218, which was much longerthan any of the others had been, Francis found that another building, large and commodious, had been erected in his absence, close to thePortiuncula convent. Displeased at seeing this infringement of therules of holy poverty, he took some of his brethren with him, and wenton the roof, to begin to break it down, which he certainly would havecarried through, had not some of the people from Assisi, who werethere, informed him that the building belonged to the town; that ithad been built by them for the foreign religious, who daily arrivedthere, it being dishonorable to the town to see them compelled, inconsequence of the want of room in the convent, to sleep outside, andeven in the fields; that the town had destined this building for theiraccommodation, and that they would be received there in its name. Onhearing this he came down, and said:--"If that, then, is your house, I leave it, and shall not meddle with it; we shall have nothing to dowith it, neither myself nor my brethren; take care of it yourselves. "It was decided in consequence by a deliberation of the municipality, that the magistrates should provide for the repairs. BOOK IIIThe time of the general chapter drew near, of that chapter which becameso celebrated by the number of religious which attended it, and bymany other marvellous circumstances. Before its assembling, the holyPatriarch proposed to go to Perugia, to confer with the cardinalprotector, who was living there, on the affairs of the Order. Wadingstates, on good authority, that St. Dominic was there at the same time, and that they had several deliberations together with the cardinal, who had a like esteem for both. One day when they were in serious conversation on the affairs of theChurch, the cardinal asked them whether they should consider itadvisable for some of their members to be raised to ecclesiasticaldignities; "for, " said he, "I am persuaded that they would have noless zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, than thosebishops of the early ages of the Church, who, although in great poverty, animated by ardent charity, fed their flocks with salutary instructionsand the example of a good life. "After a contest of humility between the two patriarchs, as to whoshould speak first, Dominic, urged by Francis to take the lead, saidto him:--"You excel me in humility, and I will excel you in obedience. "He then gave the cardinal this answer:--"My lord, my brethren may wellconsider themselves as holding a very elevated rank. What is theremore honorable than teaching others from the Evangelical pulpit? Whatshould well-thinking minds desire more than to be employed in defenceof the faith, and to combat the enemies of the Church? For this reasonI strenuously desire that my brethren may remain as they are, and Iwill keep them so as long as I can. " Francis made the followingreply:--"My lord, my brethren have received the appellation of Minors, in order that they might never have the presumption to become great. If it be your intention that they shall bear fruit in the Church, leavethem in their vocation, and never permit them to be raised toprelatures. "The cardinal was greatly edified by their answers, and highly commendedthe humility of their opinions, but he did not therefore change hisviews. He thought, on the contrary, that such ministers would be mostuseful in the Church, considering the corruption of the times. The Church has since followed the opinion of this eminent dignitary, having made many bishops and cardinals from the two orders, and severalhave been even elevated to the sovereign pontificate. But the Friars Preachers and the Friars Minor, who have preserved thespirit of their vocation, have never had any other feelings than thoseof their holy patriarchs on the subject of ecclesiastical dignities. They have refused them as long as they could, and those who haveaccepted them, have been compelled to do so by superior authority, which they could not be dispensed from obeying. Brother Leo, the companion and confessor of St. Francis, who was atPerugia, and who assisted at all the conferences, says, that they spokemuch on the propagation of the faith and the salvation of souls; that, having made reciprocal inquiries into the peculiarities of theirrespective orders, Dominic proposed to Francis to unite them, and makebut one order, in order that the difference of the Institute shouldnot divide those whom the intimate friendship of their fathers hadclosely united. To this proposition Francis replied:--"My dear brother, it has been God's will that our orders should be different, the onemore austere than the other, in order to their being by this varietybetter adapted to human infirmity, and to give an opportunity to suchas could not bear a life of very great austerity to embrace one whichwas somewhat milder. " Leo adds, that they took steps for maintainingpermanent agreement between the two orders; and, after having mutuallypraised their congregations, they recommended to their companions whowere present, reciprocal respect and friendship for each other; thatDominic requested Francis to give him his girdle, which was a cordwith large knots; and, having obtained it after many entreaties, hewore it during the remainder of his life under his habit, as a bondand perpetual symbol of the charity which so intimately united them. Francis having discussed with the cardinal protector all the affairsof his Order, left Perugia to return to St. Mary of the Angels. As hediscoursed on the road with his companion Leo, on the virtue of humilityand entire abnegation of self, he said in a moment of fervor:"My dear brother, I do not believe myself to be a Friar Minor, and, in truth, I am not one, unless I can bear humbly and with entiretranquillity of mind, all that could happen to me under circumstanceswhich I can figure to myself. I suppose, then, that my brethren cameto seek me, with great respect and confidence, to assist at the generalchapter which is about to be holden, and solicit me to preach at it. If, after having exhorted them in such terms as God shall have inspiredme, they were to rise up against me, and manifest openly that theyhold me in aversion, saying:--'We will no longer have you to governus; we are ashamed of having such a man as you at our head, who hasneither learning nor eloquence, who is simple and ignorant, with verylittle prudence and experience; therefore, in future, do not have thearrogance to call yourself our superior. ' If they were to put otheraffronts upon me, and to drive me ignominiously from the assembly, Ishould not consider myself to be a true religious, unless I were toreceive all this as patiently and with equal serenity of countenanceas I should receive those who would load me with praise and honor. "To this he added: "Assuredly, places of honor are very dangerous tosalvation, not only from the vainglory which is to be feared, butlikewise from the government, which is very difficult; whereas, inopprobrium, there is nothing but merit to be acquired. If I am removedfrom the headship, I shall be exempt from being accountable to God fora great number of souls. Prelature is a station of danger, and praisebrings one to the very edge of the precipice. In an humble, lowlystation, there is much to be gained. Why, then, do we look to andprefer what is dangerous to what has so much more spiritual advantage, since it is for this that time is given to us?" These are sentimentswhich should be well considered by persons in every station of life, whether they aspire to honors, or fear the losing of them. The profoundhumility of St. Francis does not admit of a doubt of his having gonethrough the trial which he here supposes; and even in putting it thushypothetically, he strengthened in his mind the virtue requisite forsupporting it in reality. These sorts of suppositions, which might bestumbling-blocks to the weak, are very useful to those who aspire toperfect humility. The Friars Minor assembled for the general chapter of their Order atthe Convent of St. Mary of the Angels, or Portiuncula, near Assisi, at the Feast of Pentecost, and their number exceeded five thousand. This circumstance is truly amazing, particularly when it is recollectedthat some remained in their respective convents; that the Order hadonly existed ten years since its institution; and that the novices hadalways been admitted by the Founder himself, except since the chapterof the year 1216, when he had given the provincial ministers power toreceive them. It is nevertheless certain, that more than five thousandFriars Minor assisted at this celebrated chapter: the fact is attestedby four of St. Francis' companions, who were present at it; by St. Bonaventure, who lived with them and by many others. What can be said on this subject, except that it pleased God to recallin some measure, by the rapid establishment of this Order, the wonderfulspread of the Gospel by the preaching of the Apostles? St. Augustinesays that the Apostles were as dark clouds from whence lightning andthunder emanated; that, by their poverty and their simplicity, theyshone in the eyes of the universe; that, by the powerful virtue andsplendor of their admirable actions, they overthrew everything whichwas opposed to the empire of Jesus Christ, and, in a short time, christianized the world. May we not also say, that Francis and hiscompanions, men poor and simple, were a representation of the Apostles;that Jesus Christ rendered them powerful and eminent in words andworks, to bring back sinners to His empire, and that by them, in aninconceivably short period of time, an immense number of Apostolic menwas collected and formed who embraced the same Institute, in order toexercise the same ministry? What assists us in comprehending that inten years it had been possible to build a sufficient number of houses, to contain so many thousand men is, that they were poor and withoutany income. The religious of this chapter were lodged in huts made of matting, erected all round the Portiuncula convent, from which this chapter hasbeen called the Chapter of Mats. They were there separated from theworld, but perfectly united among themselves, all lovers of watchingand fasting after the example of their Father; zealous in prayer andin the recital of Psalms, in spiritual reading, and in readiness toexecute all works of mercy, and having no other hope than that of thehappiness of a future life. Cardinal Ugolino, as Protector of the Order, came to preside over thechapter, and all the religious went in procession before him. He openedthe assembly on Whitsunday the 26th of May: he officiated pontifically, and preached; and he deemed it his right to inspect the ranks of thisholy army of the Lord, in which he found everything in good order. These soldiers of Jesus Christ were not seen wandering about; but allwere collected in groups, a hundred in one spot, sixty in another, more or less, and conversing on holy subjects, on their own salvation, or on that of their neighbours, and on the means of reforming themorals of a corrupt world. The cardinal, delighted with so interestingand unusual a scene, said to those who followed him, as Jacob had whenhe met the angels on his way: "Truly, this is the Camp of God. " Wemight also apply to it what Balaam could not prevent himself fromsaying, when he saw the Israelites encamped: "How beautiful are thytabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel!"Francis, as a general in his camp, went through all the tents; heencouraged his troops to fight valiantly the battles of the Lord, assuring them of receiving assistance from on high, animating some, and fulfilling in every place the duties of a vigilant chief. He assembled all his brethren, and addressed them in an excellentdiscourse, of which the following embraces the subject: "We havepromised great things; and we have been promised greater. Let us keepthe first, and let us sigh after the others: Pleasure is of shortduration; the penalty is eternal. Sufferings are light; glory isinfinite. Many are called; but few are chosen. Each one will receiveaccording to his deserts. "On this beautiful text he exhorted them, in the most forcible andmoving terms, to the practice of virtue and to the duties of a religiouslife; urging them, above all things, to implicit obedience to our HolyMother the Church, to a contempt of the world, to purity of mind andbody, to a love of holy poverty and humility, to charity, to concordand mildness, to continued watchfulness, and to an ardent zeal for thesalvation of souls. He recommended to them to pray for all the faithful, and particularly for the exaltation of the Holy Roman Church, and forthe benefactors of the Order. After which he positively forbade themto have any anxiety whatever for anything concerning the body, and hequoted to them these words of the psalmist: "Cast thy care upon theLord and He shall sustain thee. " He had conformed strictly to the rulehe laid down, for he had made no provision for the chapter. St. Dominic, who, out of friendship for St. Francis, had come with sixof his companions to this assembly and who heard this discourse, wasfearful lest what he said and did was perhaps an exaggeration, andthat it might seem to be tempting the Lord, if some steps were nottaken for procuring food for so great a multitude. But he was of avery different way of thinking shortly after when he saw arrive fromAssisi, Perugia, Spello, Foligno, Spoleto, and many more distant towns, ecclesiastics, laics, nobles, burgesses, and persons of every stateof life who brought with them not only what was necessary for thesubsistence of such vast numbers, but pressed forward to serve thereligious themselves with an emulation of humility and charity. So marked an interposition of Providence in behalf of these Evangelicalpoor struck the Patriarch of the Friars Preachers with astonishment;and it is believed that it suggested to him the intention which hecarried into execution the year after, when he assembled the firstgeneral chapter of his order at Bologna, in which it was resolved thatthe Friars Preachers should adopt the system of entire poverty, andconsider it as the fundamental rule of their order, renouncing foreverall property in land, or revenue arising therefrom, even what they hadat Toulouse, which the Pope had confirmed to them by his first bull. In dying, he recommended to them this Evangelical poverty as thefoundation of their institute; and lest this foundation should beundermined by the prudence of the flesh, he forbade in the strongestterms, on pain of the curse of the Almighty, and of his also, theintroduction into the order of any temporal possessions. May Evangelical poverty that made so strong an impression on the mindof St. Dominic teach the faithful never to be mistrustful of the careof Divine Providence!However, we are not to look for, or expect miraculous assistance; thisis not in the ordinary course of God's dispensations; but after doingall that depends on ourselves, provided there be no irregularity onour part, and that our desires are within the bounds of moderation, without any impatience as to the event, we may assure ourselves that, according to the words of the wise man: "No one hath hoped in the Lordand hath been confounded. "Several prelates, and other persons of quality, who had been invitedby Cardinal Ugolino to the Chapter, as to a grand and admirable sight, had the curiosity to examine everything minutely. They saw the religiousin their miserable huts, coarsely dressed, taking but a very smallportion of nourishment, sleeping on mats spread on the earth with alog of wood for a pillow. They noticed at the same time that they werequite calm, that joy and concord were universal amongst them, and thatthey were entirely submissive to their saintly founder. Admiring allthese things, they said to each other: "This shows that the way toheaven is narrow, and that it is very difficult for the rich to enterinto the Kingdom of God. We flatter ourselves that we shall eke outour salvation in the enjoyment of all the comforts of life, having ourease in all things, while these people, to save their souls, deprivethemselves of everything, mortify their bodies, and are notwithstandingnot without great apprehension. We should like to die as they will, but we do not choose to live as they live. " Similar reflectionsconverted a great number of persons, and more than five hundred tookthe habit of the Friars Minor during the chapter. The holy Patriarch found that many of his religious submitted themselvesto extraordinary mortifications, which either shortened their days orrendered them useless to the Order by the illnesses which were theconsequence. He therefor publicly forbade them, by the virtue of holyobedience, to make use of such means, and ordered all who had coatsof mail, iron girdles, or other instruments of mortification, to leavethem off and deliver them up to him. This was done, and some mostextraordinary modes of inflicting self-punishment were discovered. Thenumber of coats of mail and iron girdles which were delivered up weremore than five hundred; they were put into a heap, and the Patriarchthought proper to show them to the cardinal and his company, for theiredification. They were astonished on witnessing so great a love ofsuch penitential austerities, in men of such pure and holy lives. Intheir presence he again forbade his dear brethren indiscreetmortifications, which are injurious to the body; representing to themthat they either hasten death, or throw the body into such a state oflanguor and weakness, as makes it unfit for spiritual exercises, oran impediment to the practice of good works. Oh, fortunate and happytimes, when it was necessary to check such failings!God made known to Francis, in a revelation he had during the sittingof the chapter, that the Prince of Darkness, alarmed at the fervor ofthe new Order, had collected thousands of demons, to concert togetheron the means of bringing it to ruin; and that one of them, more astutethan the rest, had put forth an opinion which it had been decidedshould be acted upon. It was, not to attack the Friars Minor openly, but to have recourse to artifice; to induce them to receive into theirsociety nobles, learned men, and youths. Nobles, in order by theirmeans to introduce effeminacy in which they had been brought up; learnedmen, who, proud of their learning, should have a contempt for humility;and youths, who, being weak and delicate, would greatly relax in theregular discipline. Religion teaches us that there are demons, and that they are subordinateone to the other; that God, when it pleases Him, permits them to temptmankind, and even torment them corporally; and St. Paul speaks of "thePrince of the powers of this air. " We know what Satan did to holy Job;and what our Lord said to St. Peter: "Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat;" and what He stated elsewhere: "Whenan unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he taketh with him seven spiritsmore wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. " Thus weneed have no difficulty in believing that the prince of darkness hadcollected such a number of demons against St. Francis and his Institute. St. Gregory says, that they attack with greater violence those in whomthey find a greater disposition to holiness, and that the principaldemons are employed in the attacks on the bravest soldiers of JesusChrist. What must be the wrath of these malignant spirits against theapostolical men, whose lives are wholly employed in effecting thesalvation of souls!Francis had already been made aware by the words of a young female whowas possessed, as St. Bonaventure relates, that the devils, irritatedby the injury he did them, had assembled against him, and then hemerely said, as Paul did: "I am the stronger. " But he was alarmed whenhe learnt from God Himself the increase of their rage. He retired fortwo days to an oratory to pray for grace to be able to escape fromtheir snares, and that he might be protected by good angels. His prayergave him fresh courage; he returned to the chapter, and addressed hisbrethren with energy on the watchfulness with which it was incumbenton them to work out their salvation, without placing too much relianceon the holiness of their state of life, from which they must beapprehensive lest they should fall off by the machinations of theirenemy. "You know, " he said, "the examples we have; Satan fell fromHeaven, and drew with him a number of the angels; he caused Adam andEve to be driven from Paradise; he prayed to be allowed to sift theApostles as wheat is sifted; and he did so with such effect, that oneof them betrayed his Master, another denied Him, and all fled when Hewas captured. "The Saint then explained to them what God had made known to him of thedesigns of the devil; and in order that the enemy's malignity mightfall on himself, he warned them to pay more attention in the receptionof advices to the sentiments of the mind than to the advantages ofbirth; to be very careful that the learned whom they should admit, should be devoid of pride, and were fit to edify others by theirhumility, and to be careful that such as joined them in the flower ofyouth, should be informed of all that they would have to practice infuture. For the holy man did not think it requisite, in consequence of Satan'smalice, to prohibit noblemen from joining his Order, since their examplehas great influence, and the elevated sentiments which are found inthat class, render them more fit to do great things for the serviceof God. He did not wish to drive away the learned, since learning isnecessary for the exercise of the functions of religion, and sincethose men who join the knowledge of sound doctrine to an Evangelicallife, are most instructive teachers in the Church, for the dissipationof error and the establishment of virtue. He also desired that theyshould receive such young men as should present themselves in thetenderest age, "because it is good for man to bear the yoke from hisyouth:" to leave the world, before having any knowledge of it, exceptthrough the lights of the Church, and to offer themselves as purevictims, rather than to bring to Him the remains of a heart stainedby the passions; and, moreover, our Saviour said to His disciples, whoturned away the children who came to Him: "Suffer them, and forbidthem not to come to me. " We know that there are in the world censoriouspeople who condemn the custom of permitting young persons to enterinto a religious state; it would be easy to show, if it were not forfear of rendering this work too voluminous, that their arguments arebased on a superficial foundation, and are contrary to the maxims ofChristianity; we therefore content ourselves with saying that at theCouncil of Trent, which was guided by the Spirit of truth in itsdiscipline, as well as in its dogmas and morality, permission was givento persons of either sex, to make profession as a religious at thefull age of sixteen; that rule is authorized by the ordinances of allChristian princes, and it therefore seems very extraordinary that anyindividuals should be rash enough to oppose their private opinions toso respectable an authority. Francis, who was desirous of encouraging the fervor of his disciples, apprised them of what they had to fear, and anticipated the smallestinclinations to pride in them, by salutary humiliations. The cardinalprotector having one day preached before all the religious of thechapter, and having concluded his sermon by bestowing on themconsiderable praise, the holy Patriarch asked his permission to addressthe audience. He foretold to them, and represented in lively colors, all that was to happen to the Order; the temptations to which theywere to be exposed; the tribulations they were to suffer; the changesthat would be brought in, and their decline. He reproached them withtheir laxity, and with their want of fervor in cooperating with thepeculiar graces they had received from God; he spoke so energetically, that, in censuring their foolish obsequiousness, if such a fault theyhad, he covered them with confusion. The cardinal was somewhatmortified, and said:--"Pray, why, brother, did you gainsay me, settingthe imperfections of your brethren in opposition to the praises I hadgiven them?" "My lord and my father, " answered Francis, "I did so, inorder to preserve the substance of your praise. I was apprehensivethat such praise being given by a person of your exalted rank, mightinspire vanity into the minds of those in whom humility has not as yetthrown out deep roots. " This affords great matter for reflection forthose virtuous persons who voluntarily receive praise, at least whenit is artfully administered; and for indiscreet flatterers, who exposevirtue to a dangerous trial. What occurred on the following day, showed that the holy man hadreceived from God the perfect means of appreciating men's minds. BrotherElias, who was the provincial for Tuscany; Brother John of Strachia, who was provincial for Bologna, and several others came to the cardinalprotector and entreated him to tell Francis, as from himself, that heought to listen to the advice of his brethren, among whom there weremany learned men, fully capable of governing; particularly as he himselfwas a simple and unread man, whose ill health did not permit him tobring their affairs into good order. They added, that respect oughtto be paid to the ancient rules of St. Basil, of St. Augustine, andof St. Benedict, and that Minors should not differ so widely by a newrule and excessive severity, as if they wished to be better than theirfathers. The cardinal took his time, and then proposed all these things toFrancis, as maxims which he deemed good for the government of theOrder. The Saint being immediately made aware by the Spirit of God, that these things were suggested by others, rose up from the place inwhich he had been seated with the cardinal, took him respectfully bythe hand, and led him to the brethren who were assembled in chapter, and said:"My brethren, my brethren, God has called me by the way of simplicityand humility, in order that I might follow the folly of the cross: itis for His glory and my confusion, and for the security of yourconsciences I am about to tell you what He said to me:--'Francis, ' Hesaid, 'I desire that you may be in the world a new little idiot, whoshall preach by thy actions and by thy discourses the folly of thecross. Do thou and thine follow me only, and not any other manner oflife. ' Speak not to me therefore of any other rule, he added, for Ishall not follow, nor prescribe any other than that which God has inHis mercy given me; those who swerve from it, I fear, will feel theDivine vengeance, and will be covered with confusion, when at lengththey shall be obliged once more to enter into this path, which God hasshown me. "Then addressing himself to the cardinal, he said:--"My lord, thesewise people, whom your lordship praises so much, would wish by theirworldly prudence to deceive both God and you; but they deceivethemselves, endeavoring to destroy what God has ordained for theirsalvation, through me, his unworthy servant. I attribute nothing tomyself of what I do, or of what I say; I rely not on my own lights inthe government of the Order; I arrange everything by long prayers withour Divine Father, who governs it sovereignly, and who has made Hiswill known to us by so many manifest signs, in order to bring toperfection the work He has commenced by so miserable a man as I am, for the salvation of souls, and the edification of our holy mother theChurch. Those who prefer the wisdom of the world to the will of theLord, expose themselves manifestly to be lost. " Having spoken thus, Francis retired. The cardinal, who admired the energy of his words, and the light whichdisclosed to him at once the most secret thoughts, said to the superiorswho were abashed:--"My dear brethren, you have seen how the Holy Ghosthas himself spoken by the mouth of this apostolical man; his wordscame forth as a two-edged sword, which has penetrated to the bottomof the heart. Take care that you do not grieve the Spirit of God; benot ungrateful for the favors He has done you. He is truly in thispoor man, and manifests to you, through him, the marvels of His power;in listening to him, it is Jesus Christ that you hear; in despisinghim, it is Jesus Christ whom you despise. Humble yourselves, therefore, and obey him, if it is your desire to please God, and not lose thefruit of your vocation; for I know by experience, that everything whicheither the devils or men are about to attempt against his Order, isrevealed to him. Whatsoever may be said to him with good or badintention, it is difficult to find him off his guard; neither my advice, nor that of any other person, will turn him from his purpose. " Theprovincials who had given rise to this scene were moved, and submittedthemselves to the will of the Patriarch. Among the religious who had congregated at the chapter, there weremany who came to seek a remedy for the ill-treatment they had receivedin many places out of Italy, which had its rise in two causes; thefirst was, that they had no authenticated letters to show that theirInstitute had been approved by the Church; the second was, that thepastors would not allow them to preach. They begged therefore that thePope might be solicited to give them written testimonials to certifythat they had his approbation of their Institution; and, moreover, that they should obtain from the Holy Father a privilege, in virtueof which they might preach wherever they thought proper, even withoutleave from the bishops. The holy founder could not hear this second article without indignation. "What my brethren" said he, "are you still devoid of understanding;and do you not know the will of God? It is His pleasure that we shouldgain the good will of our superiors by our respect for them, and byhumility; and then by word and good example, those who are under them. When the bishops see that you live holily, and that you do not encroachon their authority, they themselves will apply to you to work for thesalvation of the souls which are committed to their care; theythemselves will collect their flocks to listen to you, and to imitateyou. Let it be our sole privilege to have no privilege calculated toswell our pride; to give ourselves a confidence which shall be to theprejudice of others, and be the cause of contentions. Let us ask nothingof the Holy See but what is calculated to aid us in serving God, inextending the faith, and in gaining souls under the good pleasure ofthe prelates, without causing any disturbance among the people. "Some represented that they had found many of the heads of the parochialclergy so harsh, that they had been unable to mollify them, either byentreaties, or by labor, by submissiveness or good example, so as toobtain leave to preach to their parishioners, or to receive from themany corporal assistance; to this Francis replied:"My brethren, we are sent to the aid of priests, to make good that inwhich they may be deficient. Each one will receive his reward, notaccording to the degree of his authority, but in proportion to hislabors. Know, then, that what is most agreeable to God is, to work forthe salvation of souls, and that we shall best succeed in this byliving in concord with the priests than by living separately from them;if they throw obstacles in the way, God, to whom all vengeance belongs, will give them in His good time what is their due. Be thereforesubmissive to ecclesiastical superiors, in order to avert, as much asmay be in your power, any jealousies. If you are children of peace, you will soon ingratiate yourselves with the clergy and the people, and this will be more acceptable to God than if you gained over thepeople, and thereby gave scandal to the clergy. Hide the faults of thepriests, make good what they are deficient in, and be only inconsequence the more humble. "The Religious of St. Francis must not be surprised if they, even inthese days, meet with opposition in the exercise of their holyministries. It is an occurrence which the similarity of men may at alltimes bring about; and which St. Paul experienced more than any otherin the course of his ministry. But let them be careful to put inpractice the advice of their Father, in order that they may be ableto say in truth with the apostle:--"We have injured no man" And, finally, the advice which he gave them must induce us to notice hismoderation and his discretion, in an age when the Church had reasonto renew the laments of one of the Prophets against the pastors ofIsrael. He judged it proper, by the advice of the cardinal protector, to procureApostolic letters to make known the approbation his Institute hadreceived; and he obtained them from the Pope, who was then at Viterbo. These were the first which were given to the Order of Friars Minor:their contents are as follows:Honorius, Bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Deacons, Archdeacons, and other SuperiorEcclesiastics--"As our dear son, brother Francis and his companions, have renouncedthe vanities of the world, and embraced a state of life which the RomanChurch has justly approved; and, following the example of the Apostles, are about to go into different parts to announce the word of God; webeg and exhort you in our Lord, and we command you by these Apostolicalletters, to receive as Catholic and faithful, the brothers of thisOrder, the bearers of these letters who may apply to you, to befavorable to them, and to treat them with kindness, for the honor ofGod, and out of consideration for us. Given this 3d of the Ides ofJune, the third year of our pontificate. "Many cardinals and other illustrious persons added their letters ofrecommendation to those of the Pope, particularly Cardinal Ugolino, the protector of the Order, who testified by a document addressed toall prelates, which certified the intimate knowledge he had of thevirtues of the Founder and of his religious, and the great fruit thatwas to be expected from them for the propagation of the faith, and thebenefit of the whole Church. They made a great number of authenticatedcopies of these letters, to give them to those friars whom Francis hadresolved to send in all directions, even into the most distant lands. Three things were decreed at this general chapter. The first was, thaton every Saturday a solemn mass should be celebrated in honor of theimmaculate Blessed Virgin Mary. This glorious title of Immaculate, which the general councils of the seventh and eighth centuries, andthe ancient fathers of the Church, have given to Mary, has been usedby the Council of Trent, which has declared in its decree on the subjectof original sin, "that it is not its intention to include therein theblessed and immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God. " The use which theFriars Minor made of it in 1219, shows clearly that they adopted, asdid their sainted Patriarch, the common opinion of the Greek Church, which was already spread in various parts of the Latin Church, in honorof the Conception of the Blessed Virgin, because they thought it whollypure and exempt from the stain of original sin. Their successors havealways, with admirable zeal, maintained this opinion, which God in sofar blessed, that they have now the advantage and consolation of seeingthe institution of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the wholeChurch, and of knowing that what was at one time only a pious opinionis now a dogma. It is proper to notice here, that at the head of the Friars Minor, whosupported the proposition of the Immaculate Conception, was thecelebrated John Duns Scotus, so respected in the Church for hispenetrating genius, for the solidity of his doctrine, and for hissingular piety. He silenced his opponents, and his success was somanifested that all considered him to have had the special aid of theBlessed Virgin, and his reasonings were so convincing that theUniversity of Paris admitted them, and declared in favor of the doctrineof the Immaculate Conception, which it has maintained ever since. Inthe fifteenth century, the faculty of Theology passed a solemn decreeon this point, in which it declared that in consonance with the opinionsof its predecessors, and in order to oppose the enemies of the BlessedVirgin, it bound itself by oath to maintain the proposition that theMother of God was preserved from original sin, framing a law, not toreceive any doctor who should not take this oath; which practice wascontinued till the dogma was declared in 1854, when it was no longernecessary. This is the pious triumph of all the Sons of St. Francis who, ingratitude for so singular a privilege, honor the Blessed Virgin as thePatroness and Protectress of their Order, under the title of herImmaculate Conception, and by celebrating the festival thereof withevery possible solemnity. The second statute directed, that express mention should be made ofthe names of St. Peter and St. Paul, in the prayer, "Protege nos Domine, etc. , " and in another which begins with these words--"Exaudi nos Deus, "etc. , in memory of what had been revealed to St. Francis, that theseapostles interceded powerfully with God for his Institute. This ispractised by the whole Church since Innocent IV revised and reformedthe Roman Breviary, through Aymon, an Englishman, who was the fifthgeneral of the Order of Friars Minor. In the third statute it was said that poverty should be apparent ineverything, in the convents which they should build; that the churchesshould be small and low, and that the walls of the rest of the buildingsshould be of wood or mud. Some difficulties were started to this; manyrepresented that in their provinces wood was dearer than stone, andthat walls of masonry, if they were not too high, would better denotepoverty, because they would be solid and not compel frequent repair. The holy Founder would not argue this matter with them; for it isremarked that not to give rise to any dispute, and not to give scandalto the weak, he often condescended to the opinions of others in similarmatters. Nevertheless he recommended to them all, not to receive eitherchurches or houses which were not in conformity to holy poverty whichwas their rule. It was not possible always to follow out his intentions. The prelatesand princes who were greatly attached to his Order had beautifulconvents built, which his religious could not avoid receiving; and St. Bonaventure even says that a numerous community which has differentexercises to perform, requires large houses, although care should betaken that holy poverty should be apparent throughout, and thatsuperfluity should not preponderate over what is reasonably necessary. The chapter being ended, Francis, following the example of the Apostles, divided the world among his brethren, in order to bring it all insubjection to the Empire of Jesus Christ. The first mission to Germany had not been successful. Those who hadbeen sent thither by the preceding chapter, not knowing the language, and answering badly the questions put to them, were suspected fromtheir poor and unusual habit to belong to those heretics who wereprosecuted in Italy, in consequence of which they were cruellyill-treated and driven away. The recital which they gave on theirreturn made Germany so unpopular among the brethren that they saidthat none ought to go there but such as aspired to martyrdom, and thatmany prayed to Heaven to be preserved from the ferocity of the Germans. Francis did not think proper to send any more there till such time ashe should have received some novices from thence who might go therewith others; but he sent some into Hungary. As soon as the several missions had been fixed upon, the missionariesprepared to set out. Before we give an account of St. Francis' voyageto the Levant, we think it desirable to give an abridgment of what hischildren did in various parts of the world, because the principal gloryis due to him, and these proceedings naturally belong to the historyof his life. Benedict of Arezzo embarked with his companions for Greece, where theirpreaching, backed by the holiness of their lives, and confirmed bymiracles, produced abundance of fruit for the salvation of souls, andprocured so many houses for the Order that in a very short time it wasformed into an entire province, and was called Romania. Giles and Electe, who anxiously aspired to martyrdom, and who wereonly lay-brothers, had appeared to St. Francis to be more fit to besent to the Saracens than even those of the clergy, and they hastenedto go into Africa with several others. What chiefly animated the zealof brother Giles, as the author of his life remarks, was his havingheard that the Saracens treated with great cruelty those Christianswho spoke ill of the law of Mahomet. When he reached Tunis with a partyof missionaries, he generously preached the faith in public, and thiscontinued for some time. A person who was looked up to among theSaracens for his great wisdom, having come forth from his retreat, told the people that they ought to put to the sword all those infidelswho spoke against the law of their prophet. Giles and his companionswere delighted at the prospect of an early martyrdom; but the Christianswith whom they had their domicile, fearing lest they might be includedin the massacre, took away these preachers and compelled them to goon board a vessel in the harbor, and did not permit them again to land. As they did not cease addressing the Mahometans who crowded to thesea-shore, with a view to induce them to embrace the faith of JesusChrist, --their desire to sacrifice their lives for His glory being soardent, --the Christian residents hastened to have them removed toEurope. Thus seeing that even their fellow-believers were opposed totheir views, they returned to Italy. Electe was more fortunate; during some years he performed the functionsof an apostle in another town in Africa, where he received the crownof martyrdom. A body of Saracens rushed upon him while he was preaching, upon which he fell on his knees, grasped the Rule with both hands, asked pardon for his faults from God and from his companions, and thenpresented his neck to the infidels who took away his life. This didnot happen till after the death of St. Francis. He had entered theOrder when very young, and had lived in it with great austerity, alwayswearing a coat of mail on his bare body, so that he prepared himselffor the martyrdom of blood by the martyrdom of penance, as wasrecommended to the Christians in time of persecution. Those who went into Spain with John Parent proceeded with so much speedthat ten of them arrived at Saragossa by the Feast of the Assumption;a very short time after their departure, Bernard de Quintavalle, whowas sent into this kingdom after the chapter of 1216 had establishedtwo convents, the one at Toledo, the other at Carrion de los Condes, a town in the Kingdom of Leon. Some of his companions had been admittedat Lerida, and at Balaguer, in Catalonia, under very extraordinarycircumstances, which are omitted not to be too prolix. Zachary andGautier, who had been sent into Portugal, had had much to suffer inthe beginning; but Queen Urraqua, the wife of Alphonso II, who thenreigned, was a most pious princess. She, having caused their Instituteto be examined by very learned men, and having had full assurance ofthe holiness of their lives, now obtained leave from the king for theirbeing received into his states, and permission for their buildingconvents. A house was given them, with a chapel attached to it, of St. Anthony, near Coimbra, where the court then was, and subsequently oneon a larger scale at Lisbon. Princess Sancia, the daughter of SanchoI, and sister of Alphonso II, highly praised by historians for herpiety and chastity, protected Zachary, and gave him a third house, called of St. Catharine, at some distance from the Town of Alenquer, which was her own; but in consequence of the distance and theinsalubrity of the air, she some years after converted her own palaceinto a convent, which she gave to the Friars Minor. Gautier, one ofBernard's companions, who had made many great conversions by his virtuesand his miracles, near Guimaraens, had built a convent not very farfrom that town. While at the convent of St. Catharine, a very queer thing occurred, which we have not thought right to omit here on account of theinstruction it contains. One of the ladies, in waiting on the princesswhose name was Maria Garcia, often came to have some pious conversationwith one of the holy religious, who was very averse to receiving her, because he feared the company of females. One day when he was at prayer, she came to the church, and expressed a wish to see him, but he refusedto go to her. The historian says that in order to obtain what shewished for, she did what women generally do under such circumstances, she became more importunate, and cried bitterly, and protested thatit would give her great pain if she might not speak to the holy man. He therefore came, to get rid of her importunities; but he broughtsome straw in one hand, and some fire in the other; he set the strawon fire in her presence, and then said to her: "Although, madam, allyour conversations are pious, I refuse to hold them with you in private, because what you see has happened to the straw, is what religiouspersons have to fear may occur to them if they have private and familiarintercourse with women; and at least they lose the fruits of theirholy communications with God in prayer. " The lady blushed, retired, and troubled him no more. St. Jerome, who so strongly recommended toecclesiastics and religious to avoid conversations with the female sexwould certainly have approved of this action. John Parent arrived at Saragossa in the month of August, 1219, withnine of his brethren who were followed by many others soon after; headdressed himself to the Bishop and to the magistrates who assembledto hear him. He explained to them who Francis of Assisi was, hisvocation, his mission, his mode of life, his Institute, the approbationgiven to his Rule by Pope Innocent III and Honorius III, and thetestimonials given to him by several cardinals. He remarked to themthat the new Order had been exceedingly multiplied in a very few years, and that they had seen more than five thousand religious at the generalchapter which had been lately assembled in the neighborhood of Assisi, which was considered to be miraculous; that their Father had sent agreat number of his children into all parts of the world to combatvice and encourage virtue, which circumstance should be considered asa bountiful effect of Divine Providence towards His Church, in suchcalamitous times. He concluded by saying: "If our Institute is agreeableto you, we earnestly entreat you to give us some small place in whichwe may recite the Divine Office, and fulfil the other ministries whichour Founder has recommended to us. Have no anxiety as to oursubsistence, for we solicit no part of your goods; we content ourselveswith very little; we are poorly clad; work and questing furnish uswith all that we require. "All the assembly admired the spirit of humility which prevailed throughthis discourse, and the reading of the Papal Bull, with the testimonialsof the cardinals, were proofs that nothing had been set forth but whatwas true. They conceived such a liking to the Order, that they tookimmediate measures for giving to John Parent and his companions adwelling of which they took possession on the 28th of August. The Order of St. Francis, as well as that of St. Dominic, began fromthat time to spread through all Spain. On all sides preachers of thetwo orders were found, and new convents were erected, as Luke, Bishopof Tuy, a contemporary author, mentions in his chronicle when he speaksof the marvels of the reign of St. Ferdinand, King of Castile and Leon. It would clearly appear that both the one and the other were in theCity of Leon about that time, since the same author, in his excellentwork against the Albigenses, says that they exerted themselves withgreat zeal and energy against the heretics, who, to seduce the faithful, published pretended miracles which they asserted to have been performedby the bones of one Arnold a man of their sect who had been dead sixteenyears, and they also accused the good religious who exposed theirimpostures of heresy. Such is the mode adopted by certain sectarians;they endeavored to establish their false doctrine by fictitiousmiracles; while they insolently refused credence to those which theCatholic Church admitted as certain; and all have sufficient audacityto treat as heretics the orthodox who prove them to be hereticsthemselves. The mission to France was equally successful with that of Spain. Pacifico and his companions who began it in 1216, were exposed tohunger, cold, and all other kinds of inconveniences, which men areexposed to suffer when out of their own country, unknown, and destituteof everything, and moreover living an unusual and extraordinary sortof life. They went to that office of the night which is called matinsin those churches in which it is said at midnight, as is still thecustom at Notre Dame, in Paris. If there was no service in the placeswhere they were, they then prayed by themselves at that hour, and theypassed the whole night at the foot of the altar; after which, if noone offered them a meal, they went questing from door to door. Theremainder of the day was spent in the hospitals, making the beds ofthe lepers and other sick, dressing their wounds, and rendering themsuch other services of humility and charity as they had learned fromthe example and instruction of their Father Francis. So saintly a lifeattracted the attention of all, gained their esteem, caused many toembrace the Institution, and procured for them many establishments, notably the one at Paris. Angelo of Pisa, one of the missioners sent by St. Francis, was thefirst warden of the Parisian convent. This convent soon became acollege, where young men, from all parts of the world came to study, and, subsequently, to take out degrees in the university. Several greatmen have, in the last five hundred years, rendered this collegeillustrious. Pacifico, whom St. Francis had appointed provincial of the Frenchmissions, sent some of the religious into different parts of thekingdom, where they were well received. He went with some companionsinto Hainault, and other provinces of the Low Countries, where, by theliberality and under the protection of the Countess of Flanders, Joannaof Constantinople, he caused many houses to be built. Thomas de Chantpre, a Canon Regular of St. Austin, and subsequentlya religious of the Order of St. Dominic, states, as an eye-witness, a very marvellous thing which deserves to be recorded in the life ofSt. Francis, since it occurred during his lifetime, relative to hisOrder. At Thorouth, a town in Flanders, a child of five years of age, whose name was Achaz, of a good family, having seen, in 1219, the habitof the Friars Minor, begged his parents to give him a similar one. Hisentreaties and tears induced them to gratify him. He was thereforehabited as a Friar Minor, with a coarse cord and bare feet, not choosingto have any money, not even to touch it, and he practised as much aswas in his power the exercises of the religious. Among his companionshe was seen to act as preacher, cautioning them against evil, excitingthem to virtue by the fear of the pains of Hell, and by the hopes ofthe glories of Heaven; teaching them to say the Lord's Prayer, and theAngelic Salutation, and to honor God by genuflections. He reprovedsuch as did anything wrong in his presence, even his own father, ifhe heard him swear, or saw him in a state of inebriety. "My Father, "he would say, with tears in his eyes, "does not our cure tell us thatthose who do such things will not possess the Kingdom of God?" Beingone day at church with his mother, who was dressed in a handsome gownof a flame color, he pointed out to her a crucifix, as a censure onher vanity, and warned her to be careful that the color she wore didnot cause her to fall into the flames of Hell, which warning had sogreat an effect that his mother never after wore anything but theplainest dress. Such a precocious mind, with so much matured wisdomand piety, was universally admired, and every one took pleasure inseeing and listening to this amiable child. God took him from this world before he had attained his seventh year. In his last illness, he confessed, and solicited most earnestly to beallowed to receive the Body of Christ. The cure not venturing to complywith his request, on account of his tended age, although his reasonwas so mature and his holiness so manifest, he raised his hands toHeaven, and said, in tender accents:--"My Lord Jesus Christ, Thouknowest that all that I wish for in this world is to receive Thee. Ibegged for Thee, and have done what I could; I hope with entireconfidence that Thou will not deprive me of the happiness of possessingThee. " He then consoled and exhorted his parents and others whosurrounded him, after which he gave up his pure soul to God, praisingHim, and ejaculating prayers to Him. The ocular witness adds two circumstances which are very remarkable;the first is, that the religious habit which this holy child woredisappeared, and could never afterwards be found. The second, that theFriars Minor who, as well as himself, went to pray at his grave, couldnot go through the _De profundis_ which they had commenced, notwithstanding all the efforts that they made to do so; by which theyunderstood, that so pure a soul stood in no need of prayer; and, nodoubt, they only endeavored to offer up some under the impression thata mind so early in other respects matured, might have been capable ofcontracting some stain. Francis, having despatched his disciples to the several missionsallotted to them, as has been said, prepared to go himself to theLevant, with a zeal equal to that with which he had inspired hisbrethren, when Cardinal Ugolino, the protector of the Order, enteredinto discussion with him on the subject of the government of theestablishment of St. Damian's, in which Clare presided, and of theother monasteries of females which had been commenced on that model. Cardinal Ugolino, by the advice and authority of the Pope leaving toFrancis the guidance of the Monastery of St. Damian of Assisi, tookupon himself the direction of all the others who had adopted that rule, and nominated as visitor-general under his orders, a prudent religiousof the order of Citeaux, called Ambrose. He gave them the rule of St. Benedict, with constitutions which Wading gives at length. We do nottranscribe them here, because, in the year 1224, St. Francis gave themanother rule, which will be spoken of later, and which is the only onewhich ought to be called the rule of St. Clare or of the Second Order. The holy Patriarch being now about to set out in order to preach theGospel to the Mahometans of the Levant, resolved to send to those whowere in the west, some of his brethren. He chose six for Morocco:Vidal, a very prudent and pious religious, whom he nominated superior;Berard de Carbio, from the vicinity of Narni, who was well versed inthe Arabian language; Peter, of St. Geminien, and Otho, who were inpriests' orders; and Ajut, and Accurse, who were lay-brethren. --Havingsent for them he spoke as follows:--"My dear children, it is God who has commanded me to send you amongstthe Saracens, to make known His faith, and refute the law of Mahomet. I shall go in a different direction to work for the conversion of thesame infidels, and thus I shall send preachers over the whole earth. Prepare yourselves, therefore, to fulfil the will of the Lord. Torender yourselves worthy of it, take great care to preserve peace andconcord among yourselves, as the ever-subsisting ties of charity. Avoidenvy which was the first cause of the loss of mankind. Be patient intribulations, and humble in success; which is the means of coming offvictorious in all encounters. Imitate our Lord Jesus Christ in hispoverty, chastity, and obedience; He was born poor, He lived poor, andit was in the bosom of poverty that He died. To manifest how highlyHe loved chastity, He chose to be born of a virgin, He took virginsfor His first soldiers, He kept, and counselled virginity, and He diedin presence of two virgins. As to obedience, He never ceased frompractising it from His birth to His death on the cross. Place yourhopes in the Lord, He will guide and assist you. Take our rule withyou, and a breviary, in order that you may be punctual in saying theDivine Office, and be always submissive to Brother Vidal, your superior. My children, although I am greatly pleased to see the good-will withwhich you embrace this undertaking, yet our separation is painful tomy heart from the sincere affection I bear you; but the commands ofour Lord are to be preferred to my own feelings; I entreat you to havethe Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ always present to your mind; itwill strengthen you and powerfully animate you to suffer for His glory. "These apostolic men, encouraged by this address of their Father, repliedthat they were ready to go into any country and expose themselves tothe severest labors for the interests of the faith; that he need nothold out an example for them, by going himself among the infidels, asif his word was not sufficient; that they did not think his orders toostrict, and that they expected assistance from above for carrying theminto execution; but that they required his prayers and blessing inorder to gather some fruit in unknown lands, among barbarous people, enemies of the Christian name. "He, " rejoined the Saint, with greatanimation, "who sends you, it is He who will take care of you; you areunder His protection, under the protection of God; you belong no moreto me from this moment; I tear you from my bosom to send you as Hislaborers. " They threw themselves on their knees, kissed his hands andprayed for his last blessing which he gave them weeping, in thefollowing terms:--"May the blessing of God the Father be upon you, asit descended on the apostles; may it strengthen you, guide you, andconsole you in your sufferings. Fear not; the Lord is with you, as aninvincible warrior; go, in the name of God who sends you. "We shall speak of their voyage when we come to relate the martyrdomthey suffered in Morocco, on the 16th of January, 1220. At length, Francis, anxious for the crown of martyrdom in which he hadbeen twice disappointed, confided the government of his Order duringhis absence to Brother Elias, the Provincial of Tuscany, and set outon his voyage to Syria with twelve companions, the principal of whomwere Peter of Catania, Barbaro Sabbatino, Leonard of Assisi, andIlluminus of Rieti. In the Marches of Ancona through which they passed, in order to embarkat the last-named place, a young man came to solicit to be receivedinto the society of Friars Minor, and the Saint said to him: "If youhave the intention of joining the Poor of Jesus Christ, go and bestowupon the poor all that thou hast. " The postulant went away and gaveall he had to his parents whom he loved very much, without giving anyto the poor. He then returned and said how he had disposed of hisproperty. Francis censured his conduct in the strongest terms, considering him as a man who would be totally useless, and nowise fitfor evangelical perfection. "Tender brother, " he said to him (for sohe called all those whom he considered of no real value), "Tenderbrother, go thy ways, you have neither left your country nor yourkindred; you have given what you had to your parents, and disappointedthe poor; you do not deserve to be received into the company of thosewho make profession of holy poverty. You commenced by the flesh, whichis an unstable foundation for a spiritual edifice. " This carnal andanimal man returned to his parents, resumed his property, and ratherthan give it to the poor, he gave up the good purpose he hadentertained. The love of his relations did as much disservice to this young man asthe love of riches did to him whom our Saviour desired to sell all hehad and give unto the poor. Perhaps also he had an intention of findinga resource in what he gave to his relations, which is contrary to theentire renouncing of everything which Jesus Christ requires. For whichreason, when St. Bonaventure relates this circumstance, he says, thatSt. Francis only admitted those into his Order who gave up all theyhad, and did not in any manner keep anything back. The man of God received many novices on his way. Many of his brethrenin the vicinity accompanied him as far as Ancona, to witness hisdeparture, as sorrowful, as had been the faithful of Miletus andEphesus, who accompanied St. Paul embarking for Jerusalem, althoughhe had not told them, as the Apostle did, that they would see him nomore. The arrival of this holy band was so agreeable to the magistratesat Ancona, that they immediately allotted a spot for the erection ofa convent, and had it commenced at their own expense. It was so largethat when Francis returned from Palestine he caused it to be reducedout of love for holy poverty, and then he gave the model of a churchwhich is still extant. The captain of a vessel who was about to take succor to the Christianforces before Damietta, was so good as to receive him, one of twelve, on board his ship. All the religious who were there were desirous ofgoing to sea with him, and each one vied for the preference, not onlythat they might accompany the Patriarch, but that they might obtainthe crown of martyrdom, which they ardently wished for; but not tomortify any of them, and to show no preferences, he prudently and withthe mildness of a common father, addressed them as follows:--"My very dear children, there is not one of you, from whom I shouldwish to be separated; I wish you would all accompany me on the voyageI am about to make; but it would have been unreasonable of me to askthe captain of the vessel to take you all. On which account, and thatnone should have reason to complain, nor to be jealous of the others, I will not make the selection; it must be Made by God. " And thereuponcalling a child who happened to be on board, he said: "The Lord hasoften made His will known by the mouth of children, and I have no doubtHe will do the same now; let us ask this child, and let us credit whathe shall say; God will speak through him. " Then asking the child, whether it was God's will that all the religious who were with himshould put to sea and make the voyage with him? the child replied witha firm voice: "No, it is not God's will. " He then again asked whichof them among those who were there present he should take? The child, inspired by the Almighty, selected eleven, pointing them out with hisfinger, and going up to them as he named them. The religious, full of astonishment, were all satisfied: those whowere destined to remain behind as well as those who were selected toaccompany him. They fell on their knees, received the blessing of theircommon Father, and separated after having given to each other the kissof peace. Francis embarked with his eleven companions; they weighed anchor, andshortly after they reached the Island of Cyprus, where they remaineda couple of days. In this interval, one of the religious committed afault which was soon atoned for. In a gust of passion he made use ofsome harsh expression to one of his brethren before the others, andbefore another person who might have been scandalized at the event. Reflecting on what he had done, and being immediately sorry for it, he took up some dung, and, returning to the spot, he put it into hismouth, and began chewing it, saying: "It is but just that he who hasoffended his brother by his speech, should have his mouth filled withfilth. " This act of penance was fully satisfactory to him who had beenoffended, and made such impression on a gentleman who had witnessedthe scene, that he offered himself and all he possessed to the serviceof the Order. From Cyprus, Francis proceeded to Acre, from whence he sent hiscompanions, two and two, into such parts of Syria in which missionarieswere most wanted. He himself preached for some days in the vicinityof the town, where he did some good, and then embarked again withIlluminatus to join the army of the Crusaders who were besiegingDamietta. We shall now speak of the Crusade, and of this siege. At the council of Lateran, which was held in 1215, Pope Innocent IIIrepresented so energetically the miserable state to which the Christiansin the Holy Land were reduced under the domination of the Saracens, that in order to deliver them from so cruel a slavery, the councilordered the assembly of a similar crusade to that which had been orderedtwo centuries before, for the same object. The bishops proclaimed iteverywhere with great ardor, and the Pope, to give it greater weight, went himself into Tuscany to preach it after having published it atRome. This great Pope, dying on the 16th of July, 1216, Honorius III, who succeeded him, imitated his zeal, and wrote to the princes andprelates of all Europe, and sent legates everywhere, to urge theexecution of what had been decreed in the Council of Lateran. Thesuccess was as prompt as it was fortunate, so that at the time fixed, that is, on the 1st of June, 1217, an infinity of crusaders, principallyfrom the North of Europe, were in readiness to set out for Palestine, by land and by sea. After some expeditions, the crusaders thought that, instead ofoperations in Palestine, to which they had hitherto confined themselves, it would be advisable to carry the war into Egypt, because it wasthence that the sultans sent large armies into the Holy Land againstthe Christians; and this had been the opinion of Pope Innocent at theLateran Council. It was therefore decided to lay siege to Damietta, the strongest town in Egypt, and from its situation the key of thatkingdom. The first of those who sailed arrived before the place on the30th of May; they disembarked, and intrenched themselves without meetingwith any resistance, and when the remainder of the army arrived, theattack commenced. The siege lasted nearly eighteen months, with enormous losses, yetsome astonishing acts of bravery were witnessed. Coradin, (or Moaddam)the Sultan of Damascus, came with an army much more numerous than thatof the Crusaders, and besieged them in their intrenchments; and Meledin, (or Melic Camel) his brother, Sultan of Egypt or of Babylon, havingbrought an equally numerous army, they drew up their troops in orderof battle, on the last day of July, 1219, in the early morning, andappeared before the Crusaders' lines, which they attacked on severalpoints. The battle was obstinately contested; it lasted till night, and the Saracens seemed to have the victory, but it was torn from them, chiefly by the indomitable bravery of the French, supported by theGrand Master of the Temple, and the Teutonic knights, who drove theinfidels far from their lines with great slaughter. Dissensions thenarose between the cavalry and infantry of the Crusaders. They accusedeach other of cowardice, a reproach very grating to military men; theconsequence was, that a turbulent rivalry ensued, in order to provewhich had the greatest courage, and they compelled John de Brienne, King of Jerusalem, who commanded the army, to lead them to the enemyand offer him battle. It was at this moment that Francis arrived at the camp, having no otherarms than those of faith. He said to his companion, with deep sighs:--"The Lord has revealed to me, that if they come to blows, the Christianswill be worsted. If I tell them this, I shall be considered an idiot;--and if I do not tell it, my conscience will reproach me; what do youthink of it?" His companion, whose name was Illuminatus, and who indeedwas filled with light, replied:--"My brother, do not let the opinionsof men guide you; it is not the first time that you have been lookedupon as one bereaved of sense. Clear your conscience, and fear Godmore than the world. " Francis immediately went and warned the Christiansnot to fight, and foretold them that if they did, they would be beaten. Minds were, however, too much excited to listen to sound reason; thewords of the Saint were taken for ravings. On the 29th of August, whenthe heat was overpowering, the whole of the Christian army left theirlines and offered battle. The enemy at first retired, in order to drawthe Crusaders to an extensive plain, where there was no water, andwhen he saw that thirst and fatigue had caused their ranks to be broken, he turned suddenly and fell upon the cavalry of the right wing whichhe took by surprise; it was broken and dispersed; its rout caused theinfantry which was supported by it, to flee, and the whole army wouldhave been cut to pieces had not the king, followed by the knights ofthe three orders of French, Flemish and English, and other troops, placed themselves in front and stopped the Saracens who were pursuingthe fugitives and effecting an awful retreat. The Christians lost onthis occasion near six thousand men, besides prisoners, among whomwere many of considerable note. This loss was the accomplishment ofwhat Francis had foretold; and it showed, adds St. Bonaventure, "thathis valuable advice ought not to have been disregarded, since, accordingto the words of the Holy Scriptures, 'the soul of a holy man discoverethsometimes true things, more than seven watchmen that sit on a highplace to watch. '"The faults of the Crusaders, and the ill-successes which often attendedtheir measures, have given room to minds disposed to censure, to condemnall wars undertaken against infidels, or heretics. Nevertheless, theCrusades, during two centuries, were suggested by the SovereignPontiffs, and by the councils of the Church, proclaimed by most holypersonages, and authorized by their miracles; led by Christian princesof all Europe, by many of our kings, by a Saint Louis, by men full ofreligious zeal, such as Godfrey of Bouillon, and Simon, Count ofMontfort. Is there not the greatest rashness in including such men asthese in one sweeping condemnation? If all the Crusaders had not equallypure intentions; if debauchery insinuated itself into their armies, if prudence did not always regulate their proceedings; if sometimeseven success did not crown their best-concerted measures, are thesesufficient grounds for blaming the enterprise, or, are we only to judgeof measures by the event?Saint Bernard preached the crusade which was decided on in the year1144, of which Louis VII, King of France, had first formed the plan, and of which Pope Eugenius III, and the bishops of France approved. The preaching of the holy abbot was publicly supported by a prodigiousnumber of miracles, which even his humility could not dissemble. Twopowerful armies, the one commanded by the Emperor Conrad III, the otherby the King of France, with the princes and nobility of the states, were calculated to inspire the infidels with terror. Nevertheless, from various causes, nothing could have been more unfortunate than theissue of this war; and, as the loss of these two armies was felt throughthe whole of France and through the whole of Germany, where St. Bernardhad preached, and promised glorious success, public indignation fellupon him, and he was treated as a false prophet. What he wrote to PopeEugenius in his justification, must be considered as an answer to allthose who, even in these days, condemn the Crusades, the result ofwhich was disastrous. He says, that Moses, in God's name, had solemnlypromised the people of Israel to lead them into a very fertile land, and that God had even confirmed that promise by splendid miracles;that, nevertheless, all those who went out of Egypt perished in thedesert without entering into the land of promise, in punishment of thesins of the people during the journey; that it cannot be said thatthis punishment was a contradiction of the promise, because the promiseswhich God, in His goodness, makes to man, never prejudice the rightsof His justice; and this reasoning the Saint applies to the crimescommitted in the armies of the Crusades. This digression may, perhaps, appear long, but we could not dispensewith it for the honor of the religious and of the preceding ages; and, besides, it is connected with the life of St. Francis, who certainlyapproved of the Crusades, although, by a supernatural inspiration, heblamed a particular enterprise of the Crusaders which had theunfortunate issue which he had foretold. The ardor of his charity which urged him to labor for the conversionof the Saracens, and to expose himself to martyrdom, induced him totake the resolution to present himself to the Sultan of Egypt. "Wesaw, " says James de Vitry, "Brother Francis, the founder of the Orderof the Friars Minor, a simple and unlearned man, though very amiableand beloved by God and man, who was respected universally. He came tothe Christian army, which was lying before Damietta, and an excess offervor had such an effect upon him, that, protected solely by theshield of faith, he had the daring to go to the sultan's camp to preachto him and to his subjects the faith of Jesus Christ. "The two armies were in sight of each other, and there was great dangerin going from one to the other, particularly as the sultan had promiseda handsome reward in gold to any one who should bring him a Christian'shead. But this would not deter such a soldier of Jesus Christ as wasFrancis, who, far from fearing death, eagerly sought it. He betookhimself to prayer, from which he arose full of strength and confidence, saying with the prophet: "Since Thou art with me, O Lord, I will fearno evil, though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death;"and he set out for the infidel camp. Two sheep which he met on setting out, gave him much joy. He said tohis companion: "My brother, have confidence in the Lord, the word ofthe Gospel is being fulfilled in us, which says: 'Behold I send youforth as sheep in the midst of wolves. '" In fact, only a very littlefarther on, some Saracens rushed upon them, as wolves upon sheep, insulted and beat them, and bound them. Francis said: "I am a Christian, lead me to your master;" and God permitted that he should be so ledto comply with the desire of His servant. The Sultan Meledin asked himwho sent them, and for what purpose they came? Francis answered withcourageous firmness: "We are not sent by men, but it is the Most Highwho sends us, in order that I may teach you and your people the wayof salvation, by pointing out to you the truths of the Gospel. " Heimmediately preached to him, with great fervor, the dogma of one Godin three Persons, and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind. Then was seen verified what our Saviour said to His apostles. "For Iwill give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall notbe able to resist or gainsay. " Meledin became so mild and tractable, that, admiring the courage of Francis, he listened quietly to him forsome days, and invited him to stay with him. The man of God said: "Ifyou and your people will be converted, I will remain for the love ofJesus Christ. And if you hesitate between His law and that of Mahomet, let a great fire be lit up, and I will go into it with your priests, in order that you may see thereby which is the faith to follow. " "Ido not believe, " replied the sultan, "that any of our priests wouldgo into the fire, or suffer any torments for his religion. " He answeredthus because he perceived that as soon as the fire was proposed, oneof the eldest of the priests, one who was of the most considerable ofthem, got quickly away. "If you will promise me, " added Francis, "thatyourself and your people will embrace the Christian faith, in case Icome forth from the fire safe and sound, I will enter it alone; if Iam burnt let it be imputed to my sins; but if God preserve me, youwill then acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the true God and Saviourof mankind. "Meledin acknowledged that he dared not accept this challenge, lest itshould be the cause of a sedition; but he offered him rich presentswhich the servant of God despised from his heart as so much dirt. Suchentire disengagement from the good things of this world inspired theprince with such veneration and confidence that he entreated the Saintto receive his presents, and to distribute them among the poorChristians or to the churches for the salvation of his soul. Franciswho had a loathing of money, and who did not find in the sultan anygroundwork of religion, persisted in his refusal of these offers. He, moreover, thought it was time to leave the infidels when he saw noprospect of effecting any good, and where he had no further chance ofgaining the crown of martyrdom; and he learnt by a revelation thatwhat he intended was conformable to the will of God. The sultan, onhis part, fearing that some of his people might be moved by thediscourse of Francis, and, being converted, might join the Christianarmy, caused him to be escorted with marks of consideration to theChristian camp before Damietta, after having said to him in private:"Pray for me, that God may make known what religion is most agreeableto Him, in order that I may embrace it. "Was it not a sight worthy of God, worthy of angels, and of men, to seeon one side Francis, clothed in sackcloth, pale, emaciated, disfiguredby his penitential austerities, pass through an army of infidels, andpresent himself boldly before their sovereign, speak to him againstthe law of their prophet, and exhort him to acknowledge the divinityof Jesus Christ? and, on the other side, the Sultan of Egypt, themortal enemy of the Christians, elated by the victory he had justgained over them, and anxious to shed more of their blood, suddenlylose all his ferocity, become mild and tractable, listen attentivelyto the poor one of Jesus Christ, endeavor to retain him, offer himlarge presents, admire his poverty, his disinterestedness, his courage, ask the aid of his prayers, that he might know and embrace the truereligion, and send him back to the Christian camp with honor? Howcertain it is that the religion of Jesus Christ will never be mademore respectable and amiable to the infidels than by the practice ofthe exalted virtues which it teaches, and by which it became establishedin the world. Another scene which is not less striking in the eyes of piety, is theheart of Francis, burning with anxiety to shed his blood for the gloryof his Master, and not being able to satisfy that ardor. Already, inthe hope of attaining it, he had embarked for Syria, and contrary windshad driven him back to the Christian shores. He had gone into Spainin order to pass into Africa, when a violent illness compelled him todesist from the undertaking. He thinks he already grasps the palm, when he finds himself in Egypt; in order to hasten the accomplishmentof his desires, he places himself in the hands of the infidels, andattacks the tyrant on his throne; when, instead of the opprobrium andtortures which he sought, he finds nothing but mildness and curiosity, attentions and honor. He seeks for martyrdom, and martyrdom flies fromhim. "It was, " St. Bonaventure remarks, "by an admirable dispositionof Divine Providence, who chose that the ardent desire of his faithfulservant should give him the merit of martyrdom, and that his lifeshould be preserved to receive the glorious stigmata which were to beimpressed on his body by a singular prerogative, in reward of his greatlove for Jesus crucified, who inflamed his heart. "Wading relates, upon the authority of a religious of the Order, whowas a contemporary of St. Francis, whose name was Ugolino of St. Maryof the Mount, corroborated by some other writers of the Order, thatthe sultan was converted and baptized. Some later authors deny this, and remark that they have mistaken the Sultan of Egypt for the Sultanof Ieonium, who never saw St. Francis, and of whom James of Vitry says, that he was believed to have received baptism at his death whichhappened in the year when Damietta was besieged. It is admitted thatWading was mistaken in quoting this passage to prove the conversionof the Sultan of Egypt, but that does not weaken the evidence ofUgolino. He says that Francis went a second time to the sultan beforehis return to Italy. He urged him to be converted. The Saint, not beingable to induce him to overcome the human obstacles which stood in theway, prayed fervently for him for several successive days, and thenfelt that his prayers were heard. This he communicated to Meledin, whoimbibed still greater affection for him, and wished to detain him, buthe departed according to the command that he had received from heaven. Some years after, this prince being dangerously ill, the Saint appearedto two of his religious who were in Syria and ordered them to go tohim, instruct him, baptize him, and remain with him till he shouldexpire; all this was complied with. There is nothing in this legendwhich is not very probable, and which is not consistent withcircumstances that cannot be called into question:1. We have seen, in the narratives of James of Vitry, and of St. Bonaventure, that Meledin said to Francis: "Pray for me, that God maymake known to me which religion is most agreeable to Him;" and thathe wished to induce him to receive his presents, in order to distributethem to the poor Christians, or to the churches, for the salvation ofhis soul. 2. After he had seen the holy man, he treated the Christians with greathumanity, and shortly after their discomfiture, he sent some of hisprisoners to their camp, to offer terms of peace. In the year 1221, their army, which was coming to offer him battle, entangled itselfbetween two branches of the Nile, where it must have inevitablyperished. "He behaved to his enemies, " says one of our authors, "insuch a manner as could not reasonably have been expected from a Saracen, and which in these days would do honor to a Christian prince were heto do it. "3. An author, whose testimony on such a point is beyond suspicion, says, "that this sultan, being on his deathbed, caused a large sum ofmoney to be distributed among the poor Christians who were sick in thehospitals, and that he left a considerable revenue for the same purpose;that he enfranchised many slaves, that he had performed various otheracts of mercy, and that his death was greatly lamented by theChristians, whom he spared to the utmost of his power. The EmperorFrederic was inconsolable after Meledin's death, having had stronghopes that he would receive baptism according to a promise he had givenhim, and that he would strenuously contribute to the propagation ofChristianity in the Levant. "4. It may have happened that St. Francis who was then in heaven, appeared to two of the religious of his Order, and that he sent themto Meledin; that these religious instructed and baptized him; and thatthe thing was done secretly from the circumstances of the times; thatthe authors of those times were not informed of it, and that Ugolinolearned it from the religious themselves. In short, it is not improbablethat the conversion of this soul should have been granted to the zeal, labors, prayers and tears of such a friend of God as St. Francis. Thus, the baptism of the sultan is not so very uncertain, and those who haverecorded it have not given the Saint praise which may be called false, as Wading has been acrimoniously taxed with. After all, if Meledin wasnot converted, it is a judgment of God, which those must be fearfulof who recommend themselves to the prayers of the pious, formingprojects of conversion, and even doing some good works, who yetpositively resist the grace vouchsafed them, which requires an effectualchange of heart. If he was converted, which is probable, it was a greateffect of divine mercy, which sinners must not abuse by deferring theirrepentance; these graces are very rarely given, and those who wait forthem run great risk of their salvation. There is reason for thinking that Meledin gave Francis and hiscompanions leave to preach in his dominions, since it is well knownthat the Friars Minor began from that time to spread themselves amongstthe Saracens, as James de Vitry says:--"Even the Saracens, blinded asthey are, admire the humility and perfection of the Friars Minor, receive them well, and provide them cheerfully with all the necessariesof life, when they go boldly amongst them to preach the gospel; theylisten to them willingly, speaking of Jesus Christ and His doctrine;but they beat them and drive them away if they attack Mahomet, andhold him as a liar and infidel. "An anecdote, related by St. Bonaventure, may have easily happened inthose times. A Saracen seeing some Friars Minor, was moved by theirpoverty and offered them some money, which they refused to accept, andthis astonished him. Having understood that it was for the love of Godthat they refused money, he conceived such a liking for them, that heundertook to provide them with everything necessary as long as he wasable to do so. The holy doctor exclaims on this:--"O inestimableexcellence of poverty, which is so powerful to inspire a barbarianwith such tender and generous compassion!" It would be a shameful andvery criminal thing, were Christians to despise and trample under footthis precious evangelical pearl, for which a Mahometan showed suchesteem and respect. While Francis remained in Egypt, he did not gather much fruit fromamong the infidels; but his words were a fertile seed which hisdisciples reaped the abundant harvest of, when afterwards sent thitherby Gregory IX and Innocent III. The Saracens were not the only objects of the zeal of Francis. Helabored also for the salvation of the Christians in the army of theCrusaders, and some of them became his disciples. James de Vitry, Bishop of Acre, writing to his friends in Lorraine informed them thatRenier, the Prior of St. Michael, had joined the Order of the FriarsMinor; and that three of the most eminent of his clergy had followedhis example, and that it was with difficulty he prevented the choristerand several others from taking the same course, to which he adds thatthis religious Order spreads fast in the world because it is an exactimitation of the form of the primitive Church, and of the life of theApostles. The most ancient records of the Order assure us that after some months'residence in Egypt, the holy Patriarch went to Palestine, and visitedthe holy places, but they enter into no particulars. What we may safelyconjecture is, that God, who led him into the Holy Land, seemed to sayto him, as He had said to Abraham: "Arise and walk through the landin the length and in the breadth thereof, for I will give it to thee. "Rather more than a hundred years after his death, the Sultan of Egyptpermitted the Friars Minor to take charge of the Holy Sepulchre of ourLord, and they still have the care of it in the midst of the infidels, under the protection of the Eldest Son of the Church. This privilege, which is so honorable for the Order of St. Francis, is justly consideredby them as the fruit of the fervent devotion of the blessed Patriarchto Jesus Christ crucified. From Palestine Francis went to Antioch, the capital of Syria, andpassed by the black mountain, where there was a celebrated monasteryof the order of St. Benedict. The abbot who had died only a short timebefore, had foretold that a saintly man would soon come to their house, who was much beloved by God, the Patriarch, of a great Order, who wouldbe poorly attired and of mean appearance, but very much to be revered;in consequence of which the religious, hearing of his coming, went inprocession to meet him, and received him with all the honors due toa man of God. He remained some days with them, and the holiness whichthey observed in him made such an impression upon them, that theyembraced his Institute, placing all their effects at the dispositionof the patriarch of Antioch. Some other monasteries followed theirexample; and, in a few years, there was a flourishing province in thatcountry, which continued until such time as the Saracens ravaged thewhole of Syria. While Francis was thus employed in extending his Order in the East, Brother Elias, who was his vicar-general in the West, was destroyingit there. He said to the religious, in their conferences, that thelife of their Founder was worthy of the highest praise, but that itwas not given to all to imitate it; that among the things which he hadprescribed for them, some appeared in the eyes of prudence verydifficult of observance, others absolutely impracticable and beyondthe strength of man; that, in the opinion of the most prudent, somemodification was requisite and some change required, some practicesnecessary, which were not so strictly regular--by specious insinuationsof this nature, he brought over many to his opinions, and even someof the provincials who ventured to represent the simplicity of theirFather as imprudent. The vicar-general, nevertheless, in conjunctionwith the ministers, made some regulations for the government of theprovinces which were very useful; but, by a strange inconsistency, atthe time when they were talking of modifications, they prescribed totalabstinence from meat, and forbade its use either in or out of thecloisters, which was a direct contradiction of the rule, which permitsthe Friars Minor, except in times of fasting, to eat, according to theterms of the Gospel, whatsoever is put before them. All those who had the true spirit of God were greatly grieved to seethat human prudence was preferred to the divine will, and that thevineyard of the Lord was rendered desolate by Brother Elias. They putup fervent prayers to God for the speedy return of their pastor, sonecessary for the flock; and, after having secretly concerted together, they sent Brother Stephen into Syria, to communicate to their Founderwhat was going on. Stephen went and gave him a full detail of allthings. Francis was not cast down by this deplorable intelligence, buthe had recourse to God, and recommended to His protection the familyhe had received from him. As to the regulation which prescribed entireabstinence from meat, he, with great humility, asked the advice ofPeter of Catana, who replied: "It is not for me to judge; it is forthe legislator to decide thereon, as on all the rest. " Francis deferredthe decision till his return, and embarked immediately for Italy. His voyage was not a long one; they soon anchored at the Isle of Candia, from whence they came to Venice where they landed. He sent circularletters to convene the chapter which he proposed holding at the ensuingMichaelmas, to remedy the evil which had been brought about by BrotherElias. He built a small chapel near the Venetian lakes, (Lagunes, ) inwhich two of his religious were to say the Divine Office, in memoryof an extraordinary thing which happened to him at this place. The Saint then went to Padua, Bergamo, Brescia, the island of the lakeof Garda, to Cremona and Mantua; at all these places there were conventsof his Order. We are assured that St. Dominic joined him on his way;that they conferred together and with John of Navarra de Torniella, Bishop of Bergamo, on the salvation of souls; that they made some piousvisits to the solitaries of the valley of Astino, and that the patriarchof the Friars Preachers celebrated Mass there, that of the Minors beingthe deacon at the service. When they were in spiritual conference atCremona, the religious came to request them to bless the well, and tosolicit the Almighty to purify the water which was thick and muddy. Dominic, at the entreaty of Francis, blessed a vessel full of thewater, and caused it to be thrown back into the well, and all waterthat subsequently was drawn from it was clear and wholesome to drink. The two saints separated, but, shortly after, met again at Bologna. Francis going to Bologna, met a woman whose son was epileptic, and whocame to beg the aid of his prayers. He wrote on a slip of paper someshort but very devout ejaculatory prayers which he thought might betaken to the sick youth; they had no sooner been given to him, thanhe was entirely cured; in gratitude whereof, he placed himself at theservice of the Friars Minor in the convent of Parma. The reputation of the holy man was so great that, according to Sigonius, the streets were choked with the number of students who wished to seeand hear him. It was with difficulty that way was made for him to reachthe principal square, where he preached in so sublime a manner thatthey thought they heard an angel and not a man. The greater part ofthe audience was converted; and many solicited the habit of the Order, among whom were Nicholas of Pepulis, Bonizio, Pelerino, Falleroni, andRiger or Ricer of Modena. Nicholas was that learned jurisconsult whohad been so kind to Bernard de Quintavalle in 1211, when every one hadtreated him with contempt at Bologna. Bonizio excelled in the love ofholy poverty, and was very useful to the Saint in affairs of importance, by the talent he had of managing with prudence. Pelerino and Rigerwere young gentlemen from the Marches of Ancona, who were students atBologna--to them Francis foretold all they would do in the course oftheir lives. The first would only be a lay-brother, although he waswell versed in canon-law; it was said of him that when he was incompany with men of the world, either from necessity or from charitablemotives, he left them as soon as he could; and when he was censuredfor so doing as being guilty of rudeness, he replied: "When we havesought Jesus Christ our Master, we have never found Him either amongstrelatives or amongst our acquaintances. " The second attached himselfto his holy Patriarch, and strove to imitate him in all things. Althoughhe was eminently favored with the gift of chastity, he neverthelessavoided with great care the conversation of females, and he said tothose with whom he was intimate, who were surprised at it: "I shouldperhaps lose the gift with which I have been favored, by a just judgmentof God, if I took fewer precautions: he who loves danger will perishin it. "Here is an authentic testimonial as to one of the sermons which Francispreached at Bologna in the year 1220; it is taken from the Archivesof the church of Spalatro, and it is found in the history of the bishopsof Bologna, written by Sigonius:"I, Thomas, citizen of Spalatro, and archdeacon of the cathedral ofthe same town, saw, in the year 1220, on the day of the Assumption ofthe Mother of God, St. Francis preach in the square in front of thelittle palace where almost the whole city was collected. He began hissermon thus: 'The angels, the men, and the demons. ' He spoke of theseintelligent beings so well and with such precision, that many learnedmen who heard him, were astonished to hear such a discourse from themouth of so simple a man. He did not diverge to draw a moral fromdifferent subjects, as preachers usually do, but as those who dilateupon one point, he brought everything to bear upon the sole object ofrestoring peace, concord, and union which had been totally destroyedby cruel dissensions. He was very poorly clad, his countenance waspale and wan, and his whole appearance was uninviting; but God gavesuch force and efficiency to his words, that they led to thereconciliation of a great number of gentlemen who were greatlyexasperated against each other, and whose irritation had caused theshedding of no small quantity of blood. The love and veneration forthe Saint were so universal, and went so far, that men and women ranto him in crowds, and those esteemed themselves fortunate who couldonly touch the hem of his garments. "The author who records this testimonial adds that he performed miraclesalso in Bologna. A child of quality was taken to him, who had what iscalled a pearl on his eye, which rendered his eye quite blind, and noremedy could be found for it. Francis made the sign of the cross overhim from the head to the feet, and he was perfectly cured. Havingsubsequently entered the Institute of his miraculous physician, he sawmuch better with the eye on which the pearl had been than with theother. This miracle, which was known throughout the city, increasedthe zeal and respect which the Bolognese had for the servant of Godso much, that they could not tear themselves from him, and they gavehim a second house for his Institute, situated in a wood about a milefrom the town. After these apostolical functions, he went to see Cardinal Ugolino, who was then legate in Lombardy, by whom he was received with marksof the most sincere affection. He proposed next to visit the conventof his Order which was close to one of the gates of Bologna, but assoon as he saw it, finding it much more spacious and handsome than wasrequisite for strict poverty, he turned away his eyes from it, andsaid indignantly: "Is this the dwelling of the poor Evangelicallaborers? Such grand and superb palaces, are they for Friars Minor?I do not acknowledge this house as one of ours, and I do not look uponthose who dwell in it as my brethren. I, therefore, order and enjoinall those who wish to continue to bear the name of Friars Minor, toleave this house forthwith, and to give up to the rich of the worldbuildings which are only fit for them. "He was so implicitly obeyed, that even the sick, among whom was BrotherLeo, one of his first companions, who is the relator of thiscircumstance, were carried out on the shoulders of their brethren andexposed to the air. There they all remained till the arrival of thelegate, who, having been informed of what was going on, had come andappeased the holy man. He represented to him that it was necessary toallow the convents to be more spacious, in order that the infirm mighthave more air for restoring their health; and that such as were wellshould have more room for relaxing their minds. "But as to theproperty, " he added, "I can assure you that your brethren have no partin it, as it remains entirely to the founders. Moreover, if you haveany further scruples on the subject, I declare to you that I take thewhole upon myself in the name of the Holy Roman Church. "Francis could not resist the powerful reason of the prudent and piouslegate, the protector of his Order. He, therefore, consented that hisbrethren should remain in the convent; he even ordered them to returnto it, but he would not go into it himself, and he chose to take therepose which nature required, in the house of the Friars Preachers, where he passed some days with his friend Saint Dominic. It would appear that St. Bonaventure had this circumstance in view, when he said: "that if it happened that St. Francis found in the houseswhich his brethren occupied, anything which looked like property, orthat was too elegant, he wished the houses to be pulled down, or thatthe religious should quit them, because he maintained that the Orderwas grounded on Evangelical poverty as its principal foundation, sothat if this poverty was adhered to in it, it would flourish, but thatit would perish if it was set aside. "While the Saint was with the Friars Preachers, one of them, fromfeelings of compassion, begged him to return to his children, and topardon the fault they had committed, but he replied: "Indulgence whichgives rise to an easy relapse into sin, is not be commended. I willnot sanction by my presence what has been committed against holypoverty. " This charitable religious endeavored to induce him at leastto see them, in order that they might be made aware of their fault, and be corrected. "We will come back here together, " he said, "if youdo not choose to remain there, after having performed this duty ofsuperior. " Francis yielded to this prudent advice; he went to hischildren, and seeing them grieved and repentant, and ready to receivethe penance he might inflict, he pardoned them. His indulgence did not extend to the provincial, whose name was Johnde Strachia, one of those who wished to have the rule mitigated in1219. He censured him severely for having had so beautiful a housebuilt, or, at least, for having permitted it to be built. He upbraidedhim in strong terms for having, without consulting him, opened a schoolfor the studies of the Friars Minor, and for having made regulationsfor its conduct more favorable to science than to piety. He did awaywith this school, because he chose that his religious should prayrather than study, and that the other provincials might learn to bemore humble and more religious in all that had relation to studies. And here we must advert to what happened at a later period; theprovincial had the rashness to reestablish the school after thedeparture of the Founder, who, having been informed of it, and knowingfrom interior revelation the obduracy of this man, cursed him publicly, and deposed him at the ensuing chapter. The Saint was entreated towithdraw this curse, and to give his blessing to Brother John, who wasa noble and learned man, but he answered: "I cannot bless him whom theLord has cursed. " A dreadful reply which was soon after verified. Thisunfortunate man died, exclaiming: "I am damned and cursed for alleternity. " Some frightful circumstances which followed after his deathconfirmed his awful prognostic. Such a malediction which pride anddisobedience brought upon this learned man, ought to strike terrorinto those vain men who forsake piety for science, and in whom greattalents have no other effect than to produce in them great attachmentto their own conceits, and proud indocility, which induces, at length, even a revolt against the Church. St. Francis was not averse to studies, as will be seen, when, two yearsafter, he caused theology to be taught. But he chose that they shouldso study as not to extinguish the spirit of prayer. He approved ofscience, but of that only, which the Holy Spirit calls religious, whichis sanctified by the fear of the Lord, of which St. Augustine says:"that it is the companion of charity, and teaches humility. "Cardinal Ugolino proposed to the Servant of God that they should makea retreat of some days together, at Camaldoli, in order to give hisbody some rest, which was borne down by fatigue, and relax his mindfrom the various cares which oppressed it. He willingly assented tothis, because he liked the life of a recluse. They, therefore, wentto this holy solitude, and they remained there nearly a month, solelyemployed in meditation on heavenly things. The cardinal took a cellat the entry of the desert where it is still to be seen; and Francistook one near it, which had been inhabited by St. Romnald. It has sincetaken the name of St. Francis' cell, and is only occupied by the prior, or major of Camaldoli. The writers of the country add, that the festivalof St. Francis is celebrated solemnly there, and that it is decreedby the statutes that the anthem which the Friars Minor chant shall besung on that day: Salve, Sancte Pater, &c. The two pious solitaries went from thence to Mount Alvernia, wherethey only stayed a few days. The cardinal returned to Bologna, andFrancis took the route for Assisi, in order to open the chapter at St. Mary of the Angels, as he had given notice. On the way, St. Bonaventure acquaints us what occurred to him. Hisinfirmities and fatigue having compelled him to mount on an ass, hiscompanion, Leonard of Assisi, who followed him on foot, and was alsovery much fatigued, gave way to human feelings, and said to himself:"His parents were not the equals of mine; yet, there he rides, and Iam forced to trudge on foot and lead him. " As he was thus giving wayto these thoughts, Francis, to whom God had made known what was passingin Leonard's mind, dismounted, and said: "No, brother, it is not fittingthat I should ride while you walk on foot, because you are better bornthan I am, and are of greater consideration in the world. " Leonard, greatly surprised, and blushing for shame, threw himself at his Father'sfeet, acknowledged his fault, and with tears solicited his pardon. As soon as the holy Patriarch entered the Valley of Spoleto, hischildren came in crowds from various parts to meet him, and tocongratulate him on his return. He was greatly gratified on seeingthem, and communicated freely with them, encouraging the weak, consolingthose who were in affliction, censuring such as were in fault, andexhorting them all to adhere strictly to the rules. It was there thathe received a confirmation of the complaints which had been made tohim in the Levant, against the government of Elias, his vicar general, and he had himself the proof of it. Elias ventured to present himself to him, in a newer habit and onemade of finer cloth than those of the other brethren, the cowl of whichwas longer and the sleeves wider, and he assumed an air little suitableto his profession. Francis, dissembling what was passing in his mind, said to him before the assistants:--"I beg you to lend me that habit. "Elias did not dare refuse: he went aside and took it off and broughtit to him. Francis put it on over his own, smoothed it down, plaitedit nicely under the girdle, threw the cowl over his head, and then, strutting fiercely with his head erect, he paced three or four timesround the company, saying, in a loud voice :--"God preserve you, goodpeople. " Then taking the habit off indignantly, he threw it from himwith contempt, and, turning to Elias, "That is the way, " he said, "thatthe bastard brethren of our Order will strut. " After this he resumedhis usual demeanor and walked humbly with his old and tattered habit, saying:--"Such is the deportment of the true Friars Minor. " Then, seating himself amongst them, he addressed them in the mildest manner, and spoke on poverty and humility, of which he so forcibly pointed outthe perfection, that it seemed to them that those whom they hadpreviously considered the poorest and most humble, had made but smalladvance in the practice of those two virtues. In fine, he annulled allthe novelties which the vicar-general had introduced into the Orderduring his absence, except the prohibition of eating meat, which hethought it necessary to retain some time longer, lest he might bethought to encourage gluttony. The means he had taken to curb the foolish vanity of Brother Elias, showed both his prudence and his authority, and made such an impressionon his disciples, that there was not one of them who ventured to saya word in favor of the vicar-general, although he had his partisansamongst them. Some time afterwards, the Patriarch had an opportunityof taking off the prohibition of eating meat, in consequence of awonderful event which is worthy of being recorded. A young man in the dress of a traveller, came in haste to the door ofthe Convent of St. Mary of the Angels, and said to Brother Masse, whowas the porter:--"I wish to speak to Brother Francis, but I know heis meditating in the woods; call Brother Elias to me, who is said tobe learned and prudent, in order that he may satisfy a doubt whichpresses upon me. " The porter was turned away by Brother Elias, and waspuzzled what reply to give the stranger, not to scandalize him, andnot to say what was untrue. The young man anticipated him, saying:"Brother Elias does not choose to come, I must therefore beg you togo to Brother Francis, in order that he may order him to come to speakto me. " Masse went, and did as he was requested, and Francis, havinghis eyes fixed on heaven, said, without changing his position:--"Goand tell Brother Elias that I order him to speak to the young man. "This order vexed Elias, and he came to the door in great irritation, asking what he was wanted for? "Do not be angry, " said the young man, "I ask you, if those who profess to follow the Gospel may not eatwhatever is given to them, as Jesus Christ has observed; and if anyone may rightfully direct the contrary?" Elias, seizing hastily thedoor to shut it, said:--"I know all that, and have no answer to giveyou but: go your ways. " The young man replied:--"I cannot tell whatyou would answer, but I know very well that you ought to give ananswer. "When Elias got calm in his cell, he reflected on what had passed, andon what would be proper to say in answer to the question which hadbeen put to him; and, finding it difficult, and being sorry that hehad given the young man so ungracious a reception, in whom he thoughthe had remarked something extraordinary, he returned to speak to him, but he was gone and could not be found. Francis learned from God thatit was an angel, and, on his return to the convent, he said to BrotherElias:--"You do what is not right; you turn contemptuously away angelswho come from God to visit and instruct us; I greatly fear that yourpride will render you unworthy of the humble institution of FriarsMinor, and that you will die out of that state. " It was then that herevoked the statute which forbade eating meat. Bernard of Quintavalle returning from Spain and being on the borderof a river which he could not cross, the same angel appeared to himin the same form, and greeted him in the Italian language. Bernard, surprised at hearing the language of his country, and taken with thegood looks of the young man who addressed him, asked him from whencehe came. The angel then told him what had just occurred between himand Brother Elias. He took him by the hand, carried him across theriver, and disappeared, leaving him so full of consolation, that hehad no fatigue during the remainder of his journey. When he arrivedin Italy, and had related the circumstance, with the day and hour, hefound that it was in fact the same angel. Before the opening of the chapter, Francis, reflecting mournfully onthe relaxation which had been introduced into his Order by those whoought to have been most zealous in promoting the purity of itsobservance, had a vision which was very extraordinary. A great statueappeared before him, and he saw it with his bodily eyes; it greatlyresembled that which Nabuchodonosor had seen in a dream, theinterpretation of which had been given him by the Prophet Daniel. Godchose to employ this mode to acquaint the holy Patriarch with thevarious revolutions which would take place in his Order, and hesignified them to him by the statue itself, by the different metalsof which it was composed, either thus to modify by these humiliatingforeshowings the honor which he derived from being the Founder of sowonderful a work as that of the establishment of his Order; or toinspire him with the intention of sending up fervent prayers to heaven, which should draw down graces on his flock at all times, which, infact, he did with a profusion of tears; or, in fine, it was a foresightgiven him of the relaxations which would be introduced, to enable himto advise his religious to be more vigilant, as St. Paul had predictedthe errors and irregularities which were to occur in the Church, inorder to excite the vigilance of the bishops. In Nabuchodonosor's vision, a stone was separated from the mountain, which, striking the feet of the statue, shivered it to pieces; thestatue was wholly broken, and disappeared. This did not occur in thevision which Francis had; for the great body of religion which itrepresented, which has had its vicissitudes, as all others (and withmore lustre than any, because of its more extensive and greater exposureto the eyes of the public) has nevertheless continued to have existence, to maintain itself, to serve the Church at all times, and to furnishit with saints. It has even often renewed itself with features whichbring to mind its primitive beauty; by which it may be said to be atype of the mystical body of Jesus Christ, which notwithstanding thedecay of ages, does not cease to have vigorous and healthy members whoare as fervent as those of the earliest periods. The holy Founder having listened to all that was said against thegovernment of Brother Elias, and to what he had alleged in hisjustification, held his chapter on the Festival of St. Michael, in theConvent of Portiuncula. He substituted Brother Gratian, in the placeof Brother John of Strachia, as Provincial of Bologna, of which wehave spoken before; and Brother Peter of Catania, in place of BrotherElias. Peter had been the second of his disciples, and into his handshe committed the whole guidance of his Order, not only because he didnot think himself able to look to it in person, on account of themultitude of religious now belonging to it, and on account of hisinfirmity, but in order to improve himself in the virtue of humility, to which he was so much attached. He then assembled them and said:--"I am now dead to you all; there isPeter of Catania, who is your superior, whom henceforward we must allobey, you and I, " and prostrating himself at the feet of Peter, hepromised to obey him in all things as minister general of the Order. This title of minister general was displeasing to the religious, whodid not wish it should be given to any one during the lifetime of theirFather, and they agreed that he who took his place should only havethe title of vicar general. Francis being on his knees, with his hands clasped, and his eyes liftedup to heaven, said, with affecting emotion: "My Lord Jesus Christ, Irecommend to Thee this family, which is Thine own, and which up tothis moment Thou hast confided to me. Thou knowest that my infirmitiesincapacitate me from having any longer the care of it; I leave it inthe hands of the ministers; if it should so happen that on their part, negligence, scandal, or too great severity, should be the cause of anyone of the brethren perishing, they will render to Thee, O Lord, anaccount of it at the day of judgement. "From that time till his death he continued as much as it was in hispower in the humble state of an inferior, although he did not fail tocommunicate to the superiors the lights which God gave him for thegood government of the Order, and on several occasions he could notavoid acting as its Founder and General. St. Dominic, his friend, had similar feelings as to the employmentsof office. In this year he held the first chapter of his Order atBologna, and wished to resign the station of superior, of which hishumility made him consider himself incapable and unworthy; but hisreligious would not permit it. These have been the feelings of all thesaints, because they knew that, for the purpose of salvation, it issafer to obey than to command. Eight days before the chapter, PopeHonorious issued a bull addressed to Francis, and to the superiors ofthe Friars Minor, by which he forbade them to receive any one toprofession, unless after a twelvemonth's probation, and directing that, after profession, no one whosoever should leave the order; forbidding, also, any persons from receiving such as should quit it. What gaverise to this measure was that, at the commencement of the Order ofFriars Minor, and of that of the Preachers, there were some who madetheir profession without a novitiate, according as the superiors thoughtproper under different circumstances, and this sort of precipitateengagement was found to have its inconveniences. Peter of Catania, acting as vicar general, and finding that he couldnot provide for the multitude of religious who came to the Convent ofSt. Mary of the Angels, as to the chief monastery of the Order, thoughtthat, in order to provide for this, some portion of the property ofthe novices might be retained; on which he consulted Francis to knowwhether he thought the suggestion proper, and if he would permit it. Francis said: "My dear brother, God preserve us from this sort ofcharity, which would render us impious in respect to our rule, in orderto acquire consideration in the sight of men. " The vicar then askingwhat he should do for the relief of the guests; "Strip the altar ofthe Blessed Virgin, " replied Francis, "take away all the ornamentswhich are there; the Lord will send you what is requisite to restoreto his Mother what we shall employ in charity. Believe firmly that theVirgin will be pleased to see her altar stripped, rather than thatthere should be any contravention of the Gospel of her Son;" and hetook occasion again strenuously to recommend holy poverty. He also said many things relative to books, to science, and topreaching, which will be recorded in another part of his life. BrotherCasar of Spires, who had been professor of theology before becominga Friar Minor, and who was a man of great piety, having heard all thatthe Father said on the subject of science, and the learned, had a longconversation with him on the state of his soul, and on the observanceof the rule, which he concluded thus: "My Father, I have made a firmresolution, with God's grace, to observe the Gospel and the rule, according to the instruction of Jesus Christ, until my death; and now, I have a favor to ask you, which is that, if it may happen in mylifetime that some should swerve from it, as you have foretold, yougive me your blessing from this moment, and your leave to separatemyself from such transgressors, in order that I may adhere to the rulealone with those who have a like zeal with myself. " Rejoicing at thisproposition, Francis embraced him and blessed him, saying: "Know, myson, that what you solicit is granted to you by Jesus Christ, and byme;" and placing his hands on his head, he added: "Thou art a priestforever according to the order of Melchisedech"--the holy man desiringto have it understood thereby that all the promises he had receivedfrom Jesus Christ, would have their accomplishment to the end, in thosewho adhered to the rule. It was at this time that he addressed a letter to the religious of hisOrder, and particularly to the priests, upon the profound venerationwhich we ought to have for that august mystery of the Eucharist. In the course of the year 1220, Francis received the news of themartyrdom of the five religious whom he had sent to Morocco. We mustrelate the circumstances, more at length, since they belong to thelife of the holy Patriach, who gave this mission to these valoroussoldiers of Jesus Christ, and since they are the first martyrs of theOrder. Berardus, Peter, Otho, Ajut, Accursus, and Vital, their superior, having left Italy for Morocco, after having received their Father'sblessing, as has already been noticed, arrived shortly after in thekingdom of Arragon. There Vital was detained some time by a lingeringillness, which induced him to think that it was not God's will thathe should continue his journey. He therefore let the other five proceed, who soon reached Coimbra, and were favorably received by Urraca, queenof Portugal, the wife of King Alphonso II. This princess conceived sohigh an opinion of their virtue and placed such confidence in them, that she entreated them to pray to God to inform them of the time atwhich she should die. They promised to do so, although they consideredthemselves unworthy of making such a request; but they were so favorablyheard, that they foretold to the queen that they were to suffermartyrdom with all the circumstances thereof; that their relics wouldbe brought to Coimbra, and that she would receive them honorably, afterwhich she would be called from this world. Predictions which were fullyverified. They went from thence to Alanquer, where the Princess Sancia, sister to the king of Portugal, approving their plans, induced themto put secular clothing over their religious habits, without whichprecaution they would not have been able to pass into the territoriesof Morocco. Having reached Seville, which was then occupied by the Moors, theyremained a week concealed in the house of a Christian, where they threwoff their secular clothing. Their zeal induced them to go forth, andthey got as far as the principal mosque, which they attempted to enterin order to preach to the infidels, but they were driven back withloud cries and severely beaten. From thence they went to the gate ofthe palace, saying that they were ambassadors sent to the king fromJesus Christ, the King of kings. They were introduced, and said manythings relative to the Christian religion, to induce the king to beconverted and receive baptism; but they afterwards added much againstMahomet and against his law, which irritated him to such a degree, that he ordered them to be beheaded; but being mollified by theentreaties of his son, he was satisfied with having them confined atthe top of a tower, from whence he had them removed to the ground-floor, because, from above, they continued to speak of Jesus Christ, andagainst the prophet, to those who entered the palace. Having causedthem to be again brought before him, he engaged to pardon them, ifthey would change their religion: "Prince, " they replied, "would toGod that you would have mercy on yourself! Treat us as you think proper. It is in your power to take away our lives, but we are sure that deathwill lead us to a glorious immortality. " The king, seeing theirunshakeable firmness, sent them, by the advice of his council, toMorocco, with Don Pedro Fernandas de Castro, a gentlemen of Castile, and some other Christians. They found there the Infant Don Pedro of Portugal, who had retired tothat country in consequence of some misunderstanding which he had withhis brother, King Alphonso, and who now commanded the troops of theking of Morocco. This prince received them with great respect andcharity as apostolical men, and had them provided with every thingnecessary for their subsistence. Knowing what had occurred to them atSeville, in consequence of their preaching, and seeing that, consequently, they were still in a state of great weakness, heendeavored to dissuade them from doing the same thing in Morocco; butthe generous missionaries, solely intent upon their pious object, ceased not to preach without any fear, wherever they met with anySaracens. One day, when Berardus was giving instruction to the people and wasdeclaiming against Mahomet from a wagon, the king passed by, going tovisit the tombs of his predecessors, and seeing that he continued histalking notwithstanding his presence, he thought the declaimer mustbe out of his mind, and instantly directed that all the five shouldbe driven out of the town, and sent back to the country of theChristians. The Infant Don Juan gave them an escort to convey them toCeuta, whence they were to embark. On the road, they got stealthilyaway from their escort, and returned to Morocco, where they recommencedpreaching in the great square. The king, being informed of this, becamegreatly irritated, and had them imprisoned, in order to starve themto death. They were there twenty days without food or drink. During this time the heat became so excessive and caused so muchsickness, that it was thought that the hand of God fell heavily uponthem to avenge his servants. The king became alarmed, and by the adviceof a Saracen named Abaturino, who loved the Christians, he liberatedthe prisoners. They were extremely surprised to find that, after twentydays' confinement, without any nourishment whatsoever, they came outin full health and strength. As soon as they had left the prison, they were anxious to recommencetheir preaching; but the other Christians, who were apprehensive ofthe wrath of the king, opposed themselves to it, and had them takento the place of embarkation; but they again made their escape, andreturned to Morocco. Then the Infant Don Pedro was induced to keepthem in his palace, and to place guards over them to prevent theirappearing in public. This prince being obliged to set out, some short time after, to takethe command of the army which the king sent against some rebels, hetook the Friars Minor with him, as well as several other Christians, fearing lest, during his absence, they should escape from those whohad charge of them. As he returned victorious, his army was three dayswithout water, and was reduced to the greatest distress. BrotherBernardus resorted to prayer, and having made a hole in the groundwith a pickaxe, he caused a spring to flow from it, which sufficed forthe whole army, and enabled them to fill their goat-skins, after whichit dried up. So palpable a miracle procured for them from all partsthe greatest veneration. Many even went so far as to kiss their feet. When they returned to Morocco, the Infant continued to take the sameprecautions as before, to prevent their appearing in public;nevertheless, they found means to get out secretly one Friday, and topresent themselves before the king, as he was passing, according tohis custom, to visit the tombs of his predecessors. Berardus again gotupon a wagon, and spoke in his presence with astonishing intrepidity. The king, irritated beyond control, gave orders to one of the princesof his court to have them put to death. This prince only had them putin prison, because he had witnessed the miracle which we have recordedabove. They were very ill-treated in this confinement, but continued to preacheven there, when there were either Christians or Saracens to listento them. All this occurred towards the end of the year 1219. At the beginning of the year 1220, the Saracen prince who had receivedthe order to put them to death, having sent for them from the prison, found them very firm in their faith, and that they spoke with the sameboldness against their prophet Mahomet. He was so enraged at this, that, forgetful of the miracle he had witnessed on the return of thearmy, he directed them to be kept separated and tortured in variousways. They tied their hands and feet, and dragged them along the groundby a cord fastened round their necks, and they were so cruelly scourgedthat their bowels nearly protruded. Thirty men who were employed forthis cruel service did not leave them till they had poured boilingvinegar and oil into their wounds, and rolled them upon broken piecesof earthenware covered with straw. Some of those who guarded them, saw a great light which came fromHeaven, and which seemed to raise these religious up, with aninnumerable number of other persons; they thought that they had leftthe prison and entered it in great haste, where they found them infervent prayer. The king of Morocco, informed of what had been done, desired that theymight be brought into his presence. They brought them to him, theirhands tied, and they were driven in with blows and cuffs. A Saracenprince who met them endeavored to induce them to embrace the law ofMahomet. Brother Otho rejected the proposition with horror and spaton the ground, to mark his contempt of such a religion; this broughtupon him a severe box on the ear, upon which he turned the other side, according to the direction of the Gospel, and said to the prince:--"MayGod forgive thee, for thou knowest not what thou doest. "When they had reached the palace, the king said to them: "Are you thenthose impious persons who despise the true faith, those foolish personswho blaspheme the prophet sent from God?" "O king, " they answered, "wehave no contempt for the true faith; on the contrary, we are ready tosuffer and die in its defence; but we detest your faith, and the wickedman who was its author. " The king, imagining that he might perhapsgain them over by the love of pleasure, of riches or of honors, saidto them, in pointing out to them some Saracen women whom he had broughtthere on purpose: "I will give you those women for wives, togetherwith large sums of money, and you shall be highly esteemed in mykingdom, if you will embrace the law of Mahomet; if not, you shall dieby the sword. " The confessors of the faith answered without hesitating:"We want neither your women nor your money: keep those for yourself, and let Jesus Christ be for us. Subject us to what tortures you please, and take away our lives. All suffering is light to us, when we thinkof the glories of heaven. " Then the king, having lost all hopes ofovercoming them, took his scimitar, and with his own hand split theirskulls in two; and thus was completed the martyrdom of the five FriarsMinor, on the 16th of January, 1220. Their bodies, having been dragged out of the town and cut to piecesby the infidels, were collected by the Christians; and the Infant DonPedro took them into Spain, from whence he sent them into Portugal toKing Alphonso, not daring as yet to revisit his own country. This king, accompanied by Queen Urraca and some of the grandees of the kingdom, came with the clergy to meet them, and had them placed with great pompin the monastery of Regular Canons of the Holy Cross, at Coimbra, wherethey still are. The celebrated miracles which were achieved there ingreat numbers as well as those which were performed in Morocco, andon the way to Europe, are recorded by contemporary authors, who havewritten their acts. Pope Sixtus IV recognized them solemnly as martyrs, in the year 1461, and gave permission to the religious to say theiroffice. At the time of their death, the Princess Sancia of Portugal, was inthe act of prayer; they appeared to her with a bloody scimitar in theirhands and told her that by their martyrdom they were on their way toheaven, where they would pray to God continually for her and wouldthus reward the good she had done them. What they had foretold Queen Urraca, as to the time of her death, cameto pass, and her confessor, a canon regular of Santa Cruz, a mostexemplary man, of great piety, was made acquainted with it by a verymarvellous vision. A short time after the bodies of these gloriousmartyrs had been placed in the church of this monastery, he saw in themiddle of the night the choir filled with religious, who were singingvery melodiously, which surprised him exceedingly, neither knowingwhat brought them there, nor how they got in. He asked one of them, who replied: "We are all Friars Minor. He whom you see at the head, is Brother Francis, whom you have longed so much to see; and the fivewho are more resplendent than the rest, are the martyrs of Morocco, who are honored in this church. Our Lord has sent us hither in orderto pray for Queen Urraca, who is dead, and who had great affection forour Order; and he has willed that you should see all this, because youwere her confessor. " The vision disappeared, and the confessor's doorwas immediately knocked at, to communicate to him that the queen wasdead. The severe vengeance with which God visited the king of Morocco andhis subjects was also noticed. The right hand with which this princehad struck the holy martyrs, and the whole of his right side, from thehead to the feet, was paralyzed and became perfectly dry. During threeyears, no rain fell in the whole country, and an infinity of peopledied by pestilence and famine, which scourges lasted five years, Godchoosing to proportion the duration of the punishment to the numberof the martyrs. All these marvels which he wrought in their favor, and the title ofmartyrs, which the Church gives them, must convince every faithfulChristian, enlightened by the wisdom which is from above, that it wasby a particular impulse from the Holy Ghost that they exposed themselvesto death with so much ardor, against the advice of the other Christians. Human prudence is very rash when it takes upon itself to blame whatis approved by God and by His Church. It would be difficult to express the joy which filled the heart ofFrancis, when he learned that his brethren had suffered martyrdom. Hesaid to those who were with him:--"It is now that I can rest assuredthat I have had five true Friars Minor!" and he called down a thousandblessings on the convent of Alanquer, where they had prepared themselvesfor martyrdom, which had such effect, that there have been always sincea great number of religious there, and at least one who has beendistinguished for religious perfection. Brother Vital, who had been the superior of these generous martyrs, was delighted on hearing of their triumph, and greatly regretted nothaving shared therein. It was not in good-will that he was deficient;he was only arrested by his illness, of which he died at Saragossasome time afterwards. One of the authors of the life of St. Dominic, tells us that this greatpatriarch, who held his general chapter at the time, was in ecstasiesof joy, when he heard that five Friars Minor had received the crownof martyrdom; that he looked upon it as the first fruits of the plansof his friend Francis, and, at the same time, as a powerful incentivefor his brethren to aspire to what is most perfect, which is to sufferfor the faith of Jesus Christ. The Friars Preachers have profited bythe example, as is evinced by the great number of martyrs of theirorder, by whom the Church has been enriched. It was not without a special dispensation of Providence that the relicsof the five martyrs were deposited at Coimbra, in the Church of theCanons Regular of Santa Cruz, since our Lord made them subserve to thevocation of St. Anthony of Padua, who is one of the most strikingornaments of this renowned Order. He was a native of Portugal, of a very noble family of Lisbon, bornin the year 1195, and had received the name of Ferdinand in Baptism. The first years of his life had been passed in innocence and piety;the fear of being seduced by the world, and the wish to consecratehimself wholly to God, made him take the resolution, at the age offifteen, to enter the Order of Regular Canons, in the Convent of St. Vincent, at Lisbon. Two years afterwards, in order to avoid the frequentvisits of his friends, which interfere with habits of retirement, heasked permission of his superior to remove to the convent of SantaCruz at Coimbra, which is of the same order. He had some difficultyin obtaining this leave, because they had great esteem for himpersonally. He made use of the quiet he now enjoyed to apply himselfto the study of sacred literature, and, as if he had foreseen what hewas to do at a future period of his life, he not only taught himselfwhat was requisite for his own sanctification, but also what was usefulfor instructing others in the paths of virtue; he gathered also fromthe Holy Scriptures, and from the study of the Fathers, what couldserve to confirm the truths of faith, and to impugn error. The assiduitywith which he pursued his studies, together with the excellence of hismemory, and his surpassing talents, with the light he received fromHeaven, rendered him in a short time very learned. The relics of the five Friars Minor who had been martyred at Morocco, and which were taken to Santa Cruz, at Coimbra, at that time, inspiredin his heart an anxious desire to die for Jesus Christ as they haddone, and made him entertain the thought of becoming a member of thatOrder, as the school of martyrdom. Some old authors add that St. Francis, who was then at Assisi, appeared to him, and induced him toembrace his Institute, foretelling him what would happen. The Friars Minor of the convent of St. Anthony of Olivares, nearCoimbra, having come to the Canons Regular of Santa Cruz to quest, Ferdinand could not control his zeal, but taking them aside, he openedto them the wish he had to enter their community. They were highlypleased on hearing this, and fixed the day with him for putting hisdesign into execution. In the meantime, he asked leave of the Superiorof Santa Cruz to effect the change, and with great difficulty obtainedit. The Friars Minor returned on the appointed day, and gave him thehabit of the Order, in the Convent of Santa Cruz itself, and took himback with them to that of St. Anthony. The loss of so estimable amember was very distressing to the canons; one of them who felt itmore than the others, said to him with bitterness, as he left thehouse:--"Go, perhaps you shall become a saint. " To which Ferdinandanswered with humility:--"When you hear that it is so, you willdoubtless give praise to God. " He was not satisfied with having changedhis order; he chose likewise to change his name, in order by that meansto disappoint those who might endeavor to seek for him; and as St. Anthony was the titular saint of the convent, he begged the superiorto call him Anthony, which is the name he was ever after known by, andto which was added of Padua, because his body reposes in that city, and is there honored by the faithful. The wish to shed his blood for the faith of Jesus Christ, which wasthe source of his vocation, was constantly increasing in his mind andgave him no rest. He solicited leave from the superiors to go intoAfrica, which was granted to him, as had been promised him, when heentered the Order. Being come into the land of the Saracens, he wasseized with a violent illness, which confined him the whole winter, and obliged him to return to Spain in the spring for his recovery. Heembarked for this purpose, but the Almighty, who had destined him forthe martyrdom of the apostolical life, and who intended by his meansto convert an infinity of souls in Italy and France, gave him a passagein a contrary direction. The wind drove the vessel he was in to Sicily, where he landed, and from thence he went to Assisi, where we shallmeet him in the general chapter at St. Mary of the Angels. It was in the year 1220, that the Friars Minor, Angelus and Albert, both natives of Pisa, after having stayed some time at Paris in orderto arrange the first establishment there, crossed the channel toEngland, whither Francis had sent them at the general chapter of 1219. The religious of St. Dominic had already a convent at Canterbury, wherethey received the two new comers with great charity. King Henry III, who reigned at that time, settled them with royal magnificence atOxford. There he held his court, and he conceived so great a likingfor them that he had a lodge built near their convent, to which heoccasionally retired in order to converse with them. The reason which primarily induced him to show them so muchconsideration, was his having learnt from authentic sources what hadoccurred to them on their journey from Canterbury to Oxford. The prior, the sacristan, and the cellarer of the abbey of Abingdon, who were atone of their farms, contrary to the usual practice of their order, where hospitality is always given, as recommended by St. Benedict, refused it to these poor religious, and turned them from their doors, although it was at nightfall. A young religious, who was in theircompany, seeing that they were about to pass the night in the wood, introduced them secretly into the barn, brought them some food, andrecommended himself urgently to their prayers. In the night he had adreadful vision of the justice with which God visited the prior andthe two others, but which did not fall on him, because he had beencharitable. In the morning he went to them with a view of telling themwhat he had seen in his sleep, and found them all three dead in theirbeds. Struck with astonishment he left the farm, from whence the twoFriars Minor had departed before daybreak, and went to relate what hadhappened to the abbot of Abingdon; they both had serious reflectionson this subject, which ended in their entering into the Order of FriarsMinor. So extraordinary an occurrence could not be kept secret; manypersons heard it; the king was made acquainted with it, and this causedthe favorable reception he gave to Angelus and Albert. His open protection, with the sanctity of their lives, caused theInstitute to flourish throughout the kingdom. Several doctors oftheology embraced it; and subsequently Robert Maideston, Bishop ofHereford, an enlightened prelate of great distinction at court, obtainedleave from Gregory IX to give up his bishopric to take the poor habitof St. Francis, under which he became a model of humility and poverty. Three hundred years after, King Henry VIII destroyed all these monumentsof science and religion, which his predecessor Henry III had raisedwith so much zeal, and tyrannically treated the successors of thosewho had been received with so much benevolence. The strange revolutionwhich the incontinence and heresy of this prince brought about inEngland, reduced the Friars Minor, and all other missionaries, to thenecessity of running greater risks in endeavoring to maintain theremnant of faith, than what they had to incur amongst the infidels. We suppress all comment on so deplorable a subject, and we are satisfiedwith offering up our prayers to the Almighty that He might deign tocast the eyes of His mercy upon those islands which formerly gave somany saints to the Church; that by His grace, the talent and learningwhich are found there, may be employed in searching for the truth andappreciating that truth which the illustrious Pope St. Gregory hadtaught there in the sixth century; that these talents may be no longeremployed in the defence of a variety of sects, equally at variancewith the doctrines of antiquity, condemned by the principles of theChristian religion, and by the rules of right reasoning; and that itshall no longer be said that men of learning make use of the lightthey have received and cultivated, to countenance every descriptionof falsehood; so that, as St. Leo said of idolatrous Rome, dictatingto almost all other nations, she herself was the slave of all theirerrors. Francis, having received the resignation of his vicar general, on hisreturn from his visitations, deferred the choice of his successor tillthe assembly of the chapter which was held on Whitsunday. He consultedGod on the election, who made known to him by revelation that BrotherElias should be restored; he communicated this to his companions, andwhen the chapter met, he named Elias vicar-general. We may feel assured that after having deposed him for laxness, he wouldnot again have placed him at the head of his Order, had he not beencertain that God himself had ordered it. As soon as the saints aremade aware of the will of God, they have no thought but of obeying, whether it be that they know His reasons, or that they be hidden fromthem. Thus, three hundred years before St. Francis, St. Stephen, thethird Abbot of Citeaux, did not fail sending Arnaud to Morimond to beits first abbot, although he knew by divine inspiration, that thispost would be prejudicial to him, and that it would not turn out well:it was enough for him that it was God's will that he should be so sent. Thus we find in Holy Writ that Eliseus, by God's order to Elias, consecrated Hazael King of Syria, who, he foresaw would bring suchgreat evils on the people of God, that the foresight moved him totears. Human prudence must not censure in the saints what they haveonly done from supernatural views, against their own impressions, andtheir own inclinations. In these extraordinary cases we must only adorethe counsels of Divine Wisdom, without endeavoring to penetrate them:we must acknowledge, as Tobias did, that all His ways are ways ofmercy, truth, and justice; and say with one of the prophets: "Thy losscomes from thyself. "At the chapter Francis sat at the feet of Elias and, as his infirmitiesprevented him from making himself heard, it was through Elias that heproposed all that he wished to communicate to the assembly. Towardsthe close he pulled him by the tunic and told him in a low tone ofvoice his intention of sending some of the brethren into parts of UpperGermany, into which they had not yet penetrated. Elias laid the affairbefore the brethren in the following terms: "My brethren, this is whatthe Brother says" (for thus they designated Francis, as a mark of greatrespect). "There is a part of Germany, the inhabitants of which areChristians and devout; they go, as you know, through our country duringthe heats with long staves and great jack-boots, singing the praisesof God and His saints, and thus visit the places of devotion. I sentsome of our brethren into their land, who returned often having beensorely ill-treated. For this reason, I compel no one to go thither, but if there are any sufficiently zealous for the glory of God and thesalvation of souls, to undertake this journey I promise him the samemerit as is attached to obedience, and even more than if he made avoyage over the sea. "About ninety offered themselves for the mission which they consideredas an opportunity for suffering martyrdom. The chief was named withthe title of Provincial Minister of Germany, and Brother Caesar, aGerman, was selected for that office. He was an ecclesiastic of Spire, who had been drawn into the Order by the preaching of Brother Elias, some time before, he himself having the character of a good preacher. He had permission to select those whom he desired to take with himfrom among those who had volunteered; however, he only chosetwenty-seven, twelve of whom were priests, and fifteen lay-brethren, among whom there were some Germans, and some Hungarians, excellentpreachers. He remained nearly three months in the Valley of Spoleto, with leave from Francis, and sent his companions into Lombardy toprepare themselves for the great work they were about to undertake;then they set forth dividing themselves into small groups of three andfour. We shall further on give the details of their journey, and oftheir labors and success. In the choice which Casar made of those whom he thought adapted to theGerman mission, something occurred which at first was amusing, butwhich turned out very serious and very useful. Some one having suggestedto him to take one of the brethren named Jourdain, he went to him andsaid:--"And you Brother Jourdain, you will come with us?" "I?" repliedhe, "I am not one of yours; if I rose up, it was not with any intentionof going with you, it was to embrace those who were about to go intoGermany, and who, I am certain, will all be martyred. " He was soapprehensive that the Germans by their cruelty, and the heretics ofLombardy by their artifices, would be the causes of his losing hisfaith, that he daily prayed to God for the favor of being kept awayfrom the one and from the other. Casar, continuing to urge him to go with him, and Jourdain continuingto refuse, they went to the vicar general, who, after having beeninformed how the matter stood, said to Jourdain:--"My brother, I commandyou, on your holy obedience, to decide absolutely upon going intoGermany or not going. " This order put his conscience in a dilemma: ifhe should not go, he feared its reproach for having followed his ownwill, and did not like to lose a glorious crown; and, on the otherhand, he could not determine on going, thinking the Germans so cruelas he had been led to believe. In order to come to a conclusion, heconsulted one of the religious who had greatly suffered in the firstmission, and had been stripped in Hungary no less than fifteen times, who said to him:--"Go to Brother Elias, and tell him that you areneither willing to go into Germany nor to stay here, but that you willdo whatsoever he shall desire you to do. You will hardly have addressedhim, then your difficulties will be done away. " He followed this advice, and Elias ordered him by the obligation of obedience to accompanyBrother Casar into Germany. He went and labored assiduously, and morethan any of the others, to extend the order throughout the country. His obedience quieted his mind for a man is never more satisfied withhimself than when he obeys. "Experience shows, " says St. Bernard, "thatthe yoke of obedience is light, and that self-will is oppressive. "Anthony had heard in Sicily that the chapter was to assemble at St. Mary of the Angels, and although he was still in a state of weakness, he had come to it with Philippinus, a young lay brother of Castile. When the chapter was over, the brethren were sent back to their conventsby the vicar general, but no one asked to have Anthony, because no oneknew him, and he appeared so feeble, that he did not seem fit for work. He offered himself therefore to Brother Gratian, who was Provincialof Bologna, or of Romagna, whom he begged as a master, to instruct himin the rules of regular discipline, making no mention of his studies, or of any talent he had, and showing no other desire than to know andlove the crucified Jesus. Gratian delighted with these his sentiments, asked to have him, and took him with him into his province, withPhilippinus, who was sent to Citta di Castello, and from thence toColumbario, in Tuscany, where he died a holy death. Anthony, who onlywished for solitude, had leave from the provincial to live at thehermitage of Mount St. Paul, near Bologna, where he wished to have acell cut in the rock, which was separated from all the others; thisthe brother who had cut it out for himself ceded to him. There he livedin as much solitude as obedience allowed him, devoting himself tocontemplation, fasting on bread and water, and practising such otherausterities, as to be thereby so weakened, that, according to thesavings of his brethren, he could hardly stand when he came to them. Although he was full of zeal, he did not dare attempt to preach; themartyrdom which he had escaped in Africa had rendered him timid; heabandoned himself to Divine Providence, without any other anxiety thanthat of inciting himself to the more perfect love of God, andstrengthening himself in the hope of enjoying the good things of Heaven, and resisting the attacks of the tempter, who strove to dissuade himfrom the holy exercise of prayer. Living thus in great simplicity amonghis unpretending brethren, he disguised under a plain exterior thevast light he received from Heaven; but by that humility he deservedto be brought forward for the accomplishment of the designs ofProvidence, who generally prepares those in secret, whom he destinesto splendid ministrations. BOOK IVAfter the chapter, Francis, notwithstanding the bad state of his health, actuated by his zeal, undertook to preach repentance in the townsadjacent to Assisi, where he dilated, in forcible language, on viceand virtue, and the sufferings and happiness of a future life. Theinhabitants of Canaria were so moved by his preaching, that theyfollowed him in crowds, forsaking their usual occupations. Many also, from the neighboring villages, joined them, and all together solicitedhim to teach them how to profit by his instructions. Many married men were desirous of separating themselves from theirwives, in order to embrace the religious state, and many married womenwere anxious to shut themselves up in cloisters; but the holy Patriarch, not wishing to break up well-assorted marriages, nor to depopulate thecountry, advised them to serve God in their own houses, and promisedto give them a rule by which they might progress in virtue and liveas religious, without practising the austerities of that state of life. He was under the necessity of repeating the same injunctions in severaltowns in Tuscany, particularly in Florence, where similar viewsprevailed, and where they had already commenced building a monasteryfor females, who were desirous of renouncing the world. While he wasyet ruminating on the mode of life he should prescribe for them, heassembled them all, and formed them into two congregations: the oneof men, and the other of women; and having given each of them apresident, they gave themselves separately up to exercises of pietyand practices of mercy, with so much fervor, that a contemporary authorcompares them to the Christians whom Tertullian so eloquently eulogizes. With the alms which the two congregations collected, they built ahospital for the sick and aged, on the outskirts of the town where allthe virtues of charity were assiduously exercised; an establishmentwhich is extant to this day. St. Antoninus, when Archbishop of Florence, removed these pious assemblies to a locality near the Church of St. Martin, for the convenience of the poor. The vicinity of the churchand their good works procured for them the name of the "Good Men ofSt. Martin;" and they were afterwards called the "Penitents of St. Francis, " because they followed the rule of the Third Order of Penance, which the Saint instituted. One day St. Francis having gone from Florence to Gagiano, nearPoggibonzi, in Tuscany, met a shop-keeper of his acquaintance, whosename was Lucchesio, who had been very avaricious, and an enthusiasticpartisan of the faction of the Guelphs, but who, having been converteda few months before, now lived a very Christian-like life, gave awaygreat sums in alms, attended the sick in hospitals, received strangershospitably into his house, and endeavored to instil similar sentimentsinto Bonadonna, his wife. They had already asked Francis to put themin a way of sanctifying their lives, which should be suitable to theirposition; and the holy man had given them this answer: "I have beenthinking of late of instituting a Third Order, in which married personsmight serve God perfectly; and I think you could not do better thanto enter it. " After having given the subject serious consideration, Lucchesio and his wife entreated him to admit them into this new Order. He made them assume a modest and simple dress, of a grey color, alsoa cord with several knots in it for a girdle, and he prescribed verballycertain pious exercises, which they were to follow until such time ashe should have composed the rule. This was the beginning of the Third Order of St. Francis, which manypersons in the environs of Poggibonzi embraced, and which was soonestablished in Florence by the congregation of men and women of whichwe have just spoken. The following year, at latest, the Founder composeda rule for this Order, which he called the Order of the Brethren ofPenance, in which the sisters were comprised, which was also calledthe Third Order, or the Order of Tertiaries, as relative to the twoolder Orders: the Order of Friars Minors, which is the first, and thatof the Poor Clares, which is the second. This rule was subsequentlyconfirmed by Pope Nicholas IV, and Leo XIII, with some changes, whichthey considered advisable as well in regard to the times as to theOrder itself. The holy Patriarch manifests therein not only the zeal which animatedhim in all that concerned the purity of the faith, but also the prudencewhich guided all his actions. He requires that all those who apply foradmission into the Order shall be carefully examined in the Catholicfaith, and their submission to the authority of the Church, and hedirects that they shall only be received after having made professionof all the orthodox truths; and that great care shall be taken not toadmit any heretic, nor any one suspected of heresy; and should anysuch be detected after having been admitted, he insists on their beingimmediately informed against. He, likewise, directs that their previousconduct may be inquired into, to ascertain whether any notorious crimesare imputed to them, or whether their morals are irreproachable, andhe desires that they be warned to restore what they have which belongsto any other person; he also forbids receiving any married female intothe Order without the consent of her husband. The profession consists in a promise to keep all God's commandments, and to perform such penances as the visitor shall enjoin for faultscommitted in breach of the practices required by the rule. The habitis similar to what was given to Lucchesio and his wife; but so, thatthis may be dispensed with, according to the state of life of thepersons, and the customs of the country in which they may be. Thespiritual exercises laid down in the rule, have nothing in them whichcan interfere with the different stations of persons living in theworld. Days of fasting and abstinence are prescribed, but modifiedprudently for the infirm, for pregnant women, for travellers, and forlaboring people; and it is clearly explained that these observancesare not obligatory under pain of sin, and that they only bind thetransgressor to perform the penance imposed on him, unless thetransgression has at the same time contravened any law of God, orcommandment of the Church. St. Francis, moreover, strenuously recommends to the brethren andsisters, to avoid all words tending to swearing or imprecation, thetheatre, dancing, and all profane meetings; to undertake no law-suits, and to live in fraternal union; to take great care of the sick of theOrder, to bury the dead, and to pray for them. He adds to this, an article which is deserving of peculiar notice; itis, that all persons who enter the Order and have property over whichthey have the disposal, shall make their wills within a few monthsafter their profession, lest they should die intestate. We see thathis intention was to make them think on death, and to have their mindsfree for meditating on the important affair of their salvation, andto prevent those dissentions which frequently occur after the deathof such as have not regulated their temporal affairs, before beingcalled away. Wills which are made during a last illness are frequentlyexposed to deceit and fraud. They are never better made than whenexecuted while the testator is in good health, in possession of allhis faculties. By the institution of the Third Order, Francis proposes to himself toreanimate the fervor of the faithful, to induce all the world, thosein orders, laics, married persons of either sex, and such as wereliving in a state of celibacy, to a stricter observance of God'scommandments, to live a more Christian and Catholic life, and to addthe practice of virtues to the duties of civil life. His views metwith astonishing success; the Order was established, and spread withthe greatest rapidity through all conditions of life. Cardinals, bishops, emperors, empresses, kings, queens, considered themselveshonored in being admitted into it, and it has given to the Church aninfinite number of saints and blessed of either sex, who are publiclyrevered with her sanction. Wading says, that in his day, (that is in1623, ) there were at the court of Madrid more than sixty lords whobelonged to the Third Order; and Cardinal Trejo, who had joined it, wrote to him in these terms on the subject of the works of St. Francis, which that author was about to give to the public with learned notes. "You praise me with some surprise, that wearing the purple of acardinal, I should have taken the habit and made solemn profession toadhere to the rules of the Third Order of St. Francis. Could I do lessthan devote myself wholly to his Order, I, who owe to him all that Ihave, and all that I am? Does not the cord of St. Francis deserve togird even royal purple? St. Louis, King of France, St. Elizabeth, Queenof Hungary, wore it, as well as many other sovereigns and princesses. In our own day, Philip III, King of Spain, died in the habit of theblessed Father; Queen Elizabeth, wife of Philip IV, the reigning monarchof Spain, and the Princess Mary, his sister, have made their professionin the Third Order. Why, then, should it be a subject of astonishmentto you, that a cardinal should cover his purple with a garment of ashcolor, and gird himself with a cord? If this dress seems vulgar andvile, I require it the more, because, finding myself raised to a highdegree of honor, I must humble myself the more in order to avoid pride. But is not the garb of St. Francis, which is of ash color, a realpurple, which may adorn the dignity of kings and cardinals? Yes, itis a true purple, dyed in the blood of Jesus Christ, and in the bloodwhich issued from the stigmates of His servant. It gives, therefore, a royal dignity to those who wear it. What have I done, therefore, inclothing myself with this garment? I have added purple to purple, thepurple of royalty, to the purple of the cardinalate; thus, far frombeing humiliated by it, I have reason to fear that I have done myselftoo much honor, and that I derive from it too much glory. "These sentiments of this learned and pious cardinal, are well calculatedto silence the proud and irreligious spirits who turn into ridiculepractices which the Church approves, and which her most illustriouschildren embrace with fervor. We have seen Queen Ann of Austria receive, at Paris, the holy habit of a penitent, and make profession of therule of the Third Order of St. Francis; Queen Maria Theresa of Austria, wife of the renowned king, Louis XIV, follow this example, and evenpermit herself to be chosen superior of the sisters of the congregation, established in the church of the great convent of the Observance, underthe protection of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, and assist at the variouspious exercises with great edification. The Holy See has loaded the brethren and sisters of the Third Orderwith many spiritual favors; and has granted them many privileges andindulgences. It has given to them a participation in all the meritswhich are gained in the other two Orders. What is singular is, thatshortly after its institution, congregations of Tertiaries were formed, in which they lived in community of property, making the three vowsof poverty, chastity, and obedience, and practising the works of mercy. God and the Sovereign Pontiff raised them to a religious body. Thus, besides the secular Third Order, there is now a religious one, of bothsexes, which Pope Leo X confirmed and extended by his bull, dated 28thof January, 1521, in which he abridged the rule and adapted it to theobservances of the religious state. St. Elizabeth of Hungary, beinga widow, joined the three vows of religion to the profession of theThird Order of St. Francis, three years after the death of the blessedPatriarch, which makes her to be justly considered as the mother ofthe religious of both sexes of the Third Order, since she was the firstTertiary who took these solemn vows. Lucchesio and his wife, who were the first Tertiaries whom St. Francisreceived, acquired by the exercise of prayer and good works, a holinesswhich God honored by many miracles during their life and after theirdeath; but the wife was sanctified by the husband. Although she hadembraced, after his example, the state of piety, she continued todisapprove the great donations of alms which he made, and to preventthem as much as was in her power, in consequence of that spirit ofavarice and self-interest, which constantly induces such tempers tofear that they shall come to want. One day, Lucchesio having given all the bread that was in his houseto the poor, he begged his wife to give something to others whofollowed. She flew into a passion, like the wife of Tobias; and havingreproached him with the care he took of strangers to the prejudice ofthose of his own household, she said that it was quite plain that hisfasts and watchings had disordered his brain. The husband, as patientas he was charitable, was not irritated by these reproaches, but quietlyrequested his wife to look into the place where the bread was kept, thinking of Him, who by His power had satiated several thousand personswith a few loaves and fishes. She did so, and found a large quantityof fresh bread, sufficient to supply the wants of all the poor. Thismiracle had such an effect upon her, that from that time forward, hehad no occasion to exhort her to the performance of works of mercy;both husband and wife gave themselves up to them with emulation, anddevoted themselves to them until their deaths. The husband's charityshows us that almsgiving does not impoverish; but that, on the contrary, God increases, even sometimes by miracles, the property of such asgive liberally; and the conversion of Lucchesio's wife shows that thespirit of interest and avarice, covered by pretence of economy, renderspiety false and deceitful. After having established his Third Order, Francis preached in severalparts of Tuscany, and received an establishment at Columbario, in avery solitary situation, which was the more agreeable to him from thegreat attraction he had for contemplation. He had it erected under thetitle of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, in honor of her Divinematernity; he then returned to St. Mary of the Angels. An abbess was requested from the Monastery of St. Damian for that ofMoncel, of the same institute, which was forming at Florence; heconsulted thereon the cardinal protector, and by his advice he selectedAgnes, the sister of Clare. Agnes, out of obedience, set out willingly;she found a very fervent, very united, and very submissive community, and the Sovereign Pontiff granted all that she required for theirspiritual wants. But Agnes was seriously grieved to have to part fromClare, and to satisfy her heart, she wrote to her a most affectionateletter, full of the most tender sentiments, in which we see that thefeelings of nature are elevated and sanctified by virtue, instead ofbeing weakened. At that time, about the month of October, Francis obtained the famousindulgence of St. Mary of the Angels, or of Portiuncula, of which weshall here relate the circumstances. The great lights and inspirations which this holy man received inprayer, discovered to him the wretched state of sinners; he deploredtheir blindness, and was moved to compassion, and he often prayed forthem. One night, when he was soliciting their conversion from God withgreat fervor, he was directed by an angel to go to the church, wherehe would find Jesus Christ and his Blessed Mother, accompanied by ahost of celestial spirits. Greatly rejoiced, he went and prostratedhimself to render due homage to the Majesty of the Son of God. OurSaviour said to him: "Francis, the zeal which thou and thy followershave for the salvation of souls is such, that it entitles thee tosolicit something in their favor, for the glory of my name. " In themidst of the marvels which enraptured him, he made the following prayer:"O Jesus, my Saviour, I entreat Thee, although I am but a miserablesinner, to have the goodness to grant to men, that all those who shallvisit this church may receive a plenary indulgence of all their sins, after having confessed them to a priest; and I beg the Blessed Virgin, Thy Mother, the general advocate of humankind, to intercede that I mayobtain this my request. " The Blessed Virgin did intercede, and JesusChrist spoke the following words: "Francis, what thou askest is great, but thou wilt receive still greater favors; I grant thee this one; Idesire thee, nevertheless, to go to my vicar, to whom I have givenpower to bind and to loose, and to solicit him for the same indulgence. "The companions of the Saint who were in their respective cells, heardall these things; they saw a great light which filled the church, andthe multitude of angels; but a respectful fear prevented them fromapproaching nearer. In the early morning, Francis assembled them, and forbade their speakingof this miraculous event, and then set out with Masse of Marignan forPerugia, where Pope Honorius then was. When he came into his presence, he said to him: "Most Holy Father, some years ago I repaired a small church in your dominions; I beg youto grant to it a free indulgence, without any obligation of making anoffering. " The Pope replied, that the request could not reasonably begranted, because it was but just that he who wished to gain anindulgence should render himself deserving of it by some means, particularly by some work of charity. "But, " added he, "for how manyyears do you ask me for this indulgence?" "Most Holy Father, " repliedFrancis, "may it please your Holiness, not to give me so many yearsbut so many souls. " "And in what way do you desire to have souls?"rejoined the Pope. "I wish, " added Francis, "that it may be the goodpleasure of Your Holiness, that those persons who enter the Church ofSt. Mary of the Angels, are contrite, shall have confessed their sins, and have properly received absolution, may receive an entire remissionof their sins, as well in this world as in the next, from their baptism, to the time of their so entering the church. " The Pope then said tohim, "Francis, what you solicit is a thing of great importance. TheRoman court has not been accustomed to grant any similar indulgence. ""Most Holy Father, " returned Francis, "I ask not this for myself, itis Jesus Christ who sent me; I come from Him. " Upon which, the Popesaid publicly three times: "It is my desire that it be granted to you. "The cardinals who were present, represented to him, that in grantingso important an indulgence, he was subverting the throne of the holylaw, and that of the sepulchre of the holy Apostles. "The concessionis made, " replied the Pope, "nor is it right it should be revoked; butlet us modify it. " And recalling Francis, he said to him: "We grantyou this indulgence which you have solicited. It is for all years inperpetuity; but only during one natural day; from one evening includingthe night, to the evening of the following day. " At these words Francishumbly bowed down his head. As he went away, the Pope asked him:"Whither art thou going, simple man? What certitude hast thou of whatthou hast just been granted?" "Holy Father, " he replied, "your wordis sufficient for me. If this indulgence is the work of God, He willmake it manifest. Let Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother, and theangels, be the notary, on this occasion, the paper, and the witnesses. I require no other authenticated document. " This was the effect of thegreat confidence he had in God. He left Perugia to return to St. Mary of the Angels, and midway hestopped at a village named Colle, at a leper hospital, where he restedawhile. On awaking, he had recourse to prayer; then he called Masse, and said to him with great exultation: "I can assure you that theindulgence which has been granted to me by the Sovereign Pontiff isconfirmed in Heaven. " The day had not been fixed, however, until thebeginning of the year 1223. Clare wished to see once more the Church of St. Mary of the Angels inwhich she had renounced the world, and to take another meal withFrancis, her spiritual Father. He refused her his leave for some time;but his companions having represented to him that he treated a virginwhom he himself had consecrated to Jesus Christ, with too muchharshness, he consented to what she wished. An appropriate day wasfixed on, and she came to the convent of Portiuncula, accompanied bysome of her nuns, and some Friars Minor who went on purpose to theconvent of St. Damian. After having prayed fervently in the church, and visited the convent, the Friars and the nuns seated themselves round the reflection whichSt. Francis had laid out on the ground, in pursuance of his usualpractice of humility, which was his daily observance, whenever it wasin his power. The first nourishment they took was for the soul. Theholy Patriarch spoke of God, but in so moving a manner, and with somuch unction and animation, that all who heard him were thrown intoecstasy, as he was himself. At the same time, the convent, the church, and the woods seemed to the inhabitants of Assisi and environs, to beon fire. Many ran thither to afford their aid; but finding everythingin good order, they entered the convent, where they saw, with stillgreater surprise, the whole assembly in a state of ecstasy. By thatthey were made aware that what had seemed to them to be a fire, wasthe type of the fire which inflamed these holy bosoms, and they returnedgreatly edified. By this marvel the Lord clearly showed that He approved the request, which Clare had made, to be allowed to come to the Portiuncula; as byanother marvel He approved of the prayer which St. Scholastica madeto detain her brother, St. Benedict, whom she wished to hear speak ofthe happiness of the future life, in the place in which they had justdined together. Such, was the condescension of His goodness for theconsolation of these two saints, and it is thus that, according to thewords of the Prophet, "He fulfils the wishes of those who fear Him. "The repast finished without any one having chosen to eat anything, somuch were they filled with celestial aliment; and Clare returned tothe Monastery of St. Damian, where her sisterhood received her withso much the more satisfaction, as they had been fearful that they wouldhave given her the direction of some new establishment, as they had, a short time before, sent her sister Agnes to Florence as abbess. Theyknew that Francis had said to her on other occasions: "Be prepared togo wherever it may be necessary;" and that she had obediently answered, "My Father I am ready to go whithersoever you may send me. " Her havinggone out seemed to them a preparation for some longer journey and theirgrief for having lost Agnes, their dear companion increased the fearsthey had, lest they should lose Clare, also, who was in their regarda most excellent mistress of spiritual life. But they had not, thereafter, any similar alarms; this was the only time in forty-twoyears that their holy mother left the enclosure. Elias, the vicar general, gave Francis great uneasiness, by hiserroneous views. Many of the Friars Minor came to see their Patriarch, who received them with every mark of kindness. The vicar made greatdistinction between them. He was very particular in honoring thosewhom science and dignities rendered considerable in the Order; he neverfailed giving them the first places, and he took care to satisfy allthey needed; while he left the others in the lowest places, and oftenwithout attending to their necessary wants. In his station he did whatthe Apostle St. James forbids all Christians to do. Their common Father, who could not endure that so great a differenceshould be made, particularly amongst persons of the same Institute, affected, one day, at table, after grace had been said, to call twoof the most simple of the brethren, and to place one on each side ofhim, without showing any attention to the merits of others. He did this, not because he disapproved of peculiar consideration beingshown to those to whom it is due, according to the maxim of St. Paul, in consequence of their character, their dignity, or their personalqualifications, but because he did not choose that these considerationsshould be to the disadvantage of those who had not similar circumstancesto recommend them, and to whom, according to the same apostle, besidesthe feelings of charity to which they and all others are entitled, acertain degree of honor should be shown. The vicar general, who was not impressed with a similar way of thinking, was highly indignant at this act of the Saint, and murmuring to himself, he said: "Ah! Brother Francis, it is quite certain that your extremesimplicity will be the ruin of the Order. You place alongside of you, men who have neither learning nor talents, and you affront those whoare the support of the Order by their science. " Francis, who by asupernatural revelation, was made aware of what his vicar had passingin his mind, replied immediately to his thought: "And you, BrotherElias, you do much greater injury to the Order by your vanity, and bythe prudence of the flesh, with which you are filled. The judgmentsof God are impenetrable; He knows you as you are, and nevertheless, He chose that you should be Superior of the Order; and it is His desirethat I leave it in your hands. Alas! I fear that the people, and hewho governs them, resemble each other, and that God has only given apastor, such as He foresees the flock will be. " The holy Patriarchwell knew that the whole of the flock would not be corrupted by BrotherElias, and that the majority of the members would resist him, as itcame to pass. And thus the fear which he experienced in general terms, was a warning to keep them all to their duty. But what he added wasa true prophecy: "Unhappy man, as you are, you will not die in thisOrder; God has so decreed. You have been weighed in the balances, andhave been found wanting, because you are puffed up with the scienceof the world. "The following is the way in which this matter is related in the ancientlegend which is followed by St. Antoninus. Francis, knowing by arevelation that Brother Elias would die out of the Order, and wouldbe damned, avoided conversing with him, and even seeing him. Eliasnoticed this, and did not rest till he discovered the reason. Terrifiedand dismayed at such a prophecy, he threw himself at the feet of hiskind master, and entreated him to intercede with God to prevent oneof the flock committed to his care, from perishing eternally: "Let notthe sentence which has been revealed to you, discourage you; for theLord may change His decree, if the sinner corrects his sin. I havesuch confidence in your prayers, my very dear Father, that I shouldthink they would mitigate my sufferings even if I were in hell, as youhave been told I shall be. Pray for me, my Father; pray, and I haveno doubt but that God will modify His decree, and that I shall beconverted. " Francis prayed, and obtained from God that Brother Eliasshould not be damned, but he could not obtain the reversal of thedecree which said that he should not die in the Order. It was, in fact, out of the Order that he died; but, previous to his death, he gavegreat signs of contrition. Wading makes on this a judicious remark, worthy of a sound theologian. He says that Brother Elias, who was universally admitted to be a learnedman, was not ignorant that the decrees of God which are absolute, areimmutable, because He Himself is incapable of change; but he also knewthat the Lord sometimes expressed Himself in absolute words againstsinners, which decrees are merely threats, which may be changed bytheir repentance, without His changing, according to what He has saidby the Prophet Jeremy: "I will suddenly speak against a nation, andagainst a kingdom, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy it. If that nation against which I have spoken shall repent of their evil, I also will repent of the evil that I thought to do them. " Jonas sentfrom God, had positively announced that in forty days Nineveh shouldbe destroyed, and nevertheless the penitence of the Ninevites hinderedthe destruction of their city. St. Gregory says, that in this senseGod changed His decrees, but did not change His design; and St. Thomassays, that God proposes the change of certain things, but that in Hiswill no change takes place. Sinners, however, must not abuse thisdoctrine, and imagine that God only threatens them, and that He willnot damn them, for He has an absolute will to damn eternally those whodie in mortal sin, as well as to crown with immortal glory such as diein a state of grace. In truth, it is His wish that sinners should beconverted, and He places the means in their power by His mercy: "But, "says St. Augustine, "He has not promised a to-morrow to your delay;"and as the Apostle has it: "According to thy hardness and impenitentheart thou treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to everyman according to his works. "The example of the holy Patriarch, who had sought three times, thecrown of martyrdom, and the triumph of the five brethren martyred atMorocco, had inspired many with an ardent desire to die for JesusChrist. Shortly after Elias had been restored as vicar general, Daniel, Minister in the Province of Calabria, asked leave to go and preach thefaith to the Moors, with six other brethren, whose names were Samuel, Donule or Daniel, Leo, Hugolin, Nicholas, and Angelus. Having receivedthe permission of the vicar general, and the blessing of Francis, theyembarked in a port of Tuscany, from whence they sailed to Tarragona. Their first intention was to have gone to Morocco, to mingle theirblood with that of their martyred brethren, but some reasons, probablyfavorable to their intention, induced them to go to Ceuta. Daniel arrived first with three of his companions, the master of thevessel not having thought proper to take on board more. They lived outof the town, in a village inhabited by traders from Pisa, Genoa, andMarseilles, because Christians might not enter the town without aparticular permission. Their occupation here was to preach to thesetraders, until they should be joined by their companions, who arrivedthere on the 29th of September. The following Friday, which was the first of October, they consultedtogether as to their future plans, and the aids they should requirein the formidable combat they were about to sustain. On the Saturday, they confessed and received the Holy Communion, without which, whenit is possible to receive it, St. Cyprian would not suffer confessorsto be exposed to martyrdom for the faith, because it is the Body andthe Blood of Jesus Christ which gives the strength to endure it. St. Chrysostom and St. Bernard, also, say that it is the firmest defencewhich can be opposed to the temptations of the devil, and to theallurements of sin, which are powerful motives for having recourse tofrequent Communion. The seven brothers went forth from the holy table, according to theexpression of St. Chrysostom, "as roaring lions, breathing fire andflames, " and they could not restrain the zeal which animated them. Onthe evening of the same day, they washed each other's feet, in orderto follow the example of the Son of God, who washed His disciples'feet before His Passion; and very early on the Sunday morning, beforethere were any persons in the streets, they entered the town, havingtheir heads strewed with ashes, and commenced crying out with a loudvoice, "There is no salvation but through Jesus Christ. "The Moors soon collected, abused and beat them, and led them to theking. The missionaries then repeated, in presence of the learned inthe law, what they had previously said to the people, "That it isrequisite to believe in Jesus Christ; that there is no salvation inany other name than His, " which they proved by the most forciblearguments. The king, who fully understood that in thus upholding thename of Jesus Christ they rejected that of Mahomet, looked upon themas idiots, and thought that their shaven heads, with a crown of hairround them, was a proof of their folly. However, to prove theirconstancy, he had them confined in a loathsome jail, where he keptthem eight days in irons, and where they were cruelly treated. Their confinement did not prevent their finding means to write to theChristians who were in the vicinity of Ceuta. Their letter was addressedto Hugh, Cure of the Genoese, and to two religious, one of their ownOrder, and the other of the Order of Friars Preachers, who had justreturned from the farthest part of Mauritania. They blessed, in thefirst instance, the Father of Mercies, who consoled them in theirtribulation; and, after having quoted several passages from theScriptures to justify their mission and to animate themselves tosuffering, they assured their brethren that they had borne witness, and strongly argued in presence of the king, "that there is no salvationbut in the name of Jesus Christ;" and they concluded by referring toGod the glory of all that they had done. The judge, whose name was Arbold, wishing to see what they did inprison, saw that they were no longer chained, that their faces shonewith a splendid light, and that they sang the praises of God withextraordinary joy. The king, having been apprised of this, caused themto be brought before him on Sunday, the tenth of October, and offeredthem great wealth if they would become Mussulmen. They boldly replied, that they utterly despised all the things of this world and of thepresent life, in consequence of the happiness of the future life. Theywere then separated, and each was separately tempted, by promises andthreats, but they were all found steadfast in their resolution. Daniel, speaking with great energy, one of the Moors cut him across the headwith his scimitar, from which he did not even wince, and anotherexhorted him to embrace the law of Mahomet, to save his life withhonor. "Wretch!" exclaimed Daniel, "your Mahomet and all his followersare but ministers of Satan, and your Koran is but a series of lies;be no longer misled, but embrace the Christian faith. "As soon as the seven brothers were collected together, six of themthrew themselves at Daniel's feet, who had procured this mission forthem, and who was their leader, and said to him with tears of joy: "Wegive thanks to God and to you, our father, for having procured for usthe crown of martyrdom; our souls will follow yours; bless us and die;the struggle will be soon over, and we shall enjoy eternal peace. "Daniel tenderly embraced them, gave them his blessing, and encouragedthem by these words: "Let us rejoice in the Lord; this is for us afestival day; angels surround us, the heavens are opened to receiveus; this day we shall receive the crown of martyrdom, which will lastforever. "In fact, the king, seeing that they were resolute, and not to be shaken, condemned them to be beheaded. They were stripped, had their handstied behind them, and were taken to the place of execution, whitherthey went as to a banquet, preceded by a herald, who proclaimed thecause of their death, and where, after having recommended their soulsto God, they were decapitated, on the tenth of October, in the year1221. Infidel children and adults broke their skulls to pieces, and mutilatedthe remains of the holy martyrs; but these precious relics were gatheredup by the Christians, and removed into the storehouse of theMarseillese, and were afterwards buried in their dwellings beyond thewalls of Ceuta. It is asserted that some years afterwards they weretransferred to the Church of St. Mary, near Morocco, and that Godmanifested them by miracles, and particularly by a splendid light, which even the Moors saw during the night; and that some time afterwardsan Infant of Portugal, having obtained them from a King of Morocco, had them removed into Spain, where fresh miracles rendered themcelebrated. Whatever truth there may be in the account of thesetranslations, it is not known now where the relics of these sevenmartyrs are. This is certain--that the faithful had their memory ingreat veneration, and that in 1516, the Friars Minor solicited leavefrom Pope Leo X, to recite an office in their honor, which leave hemost willingly granted to them, placing them in the number of martyrsrecognized by the Church, as they are commemorated in the RomanMartyrology on the 13th of October. We may imagine the satisfaction their triumph gave to Francis, fromthe ardent desire he always evinced for the crown of martyrdom, andthe tender love he bore for his children. He had, moreover, in thisyear another great consolation on this subject. Pope Honorius sent toalmost all the bishops of Europe, desiring them to send him four menfrom each province, or at least two, noted for their science and theintegrity of their lives, whom it was his intention to commission topreach to the idolaters, and to the Saracens, for whose conversion hewas most anxious, and amongst the number thus selected there were manyFriars Minors, and Friars Preachers who generously exposed themselvesto every sort of peril for the salvation of souls. The intimate union which the love of God had formed between St. Dominicand St. Francis, induces us to note here, that the blessed Patriarchof the Dominicans died this year, on the sixth day of August at theage of fifty-one years. The eminent sanctity of his life, the greatmiracles he performed; the ardor and splendor of his zeal for thedestruction of heresy; his inviolable attachment to the holy See; histender piety to the Blessed Virgin, whom he causes to be generally anddaily honored in the devotion of the Rosary; and the establishment ofhis Order, so useful by its science, by its piety, and by the greatservice it still renders to the Church, cause him to be illustriousthrough the entire Church. Among the Friars Minor, there is not onewho, if animated by the spirit of St. Francis, must not have a specialdevotion for Him, and a respectful affection for those of his order. Charity, which inflamed the breast of Francis, soon drew him from hisretreat. He set out at the beginning of the year 1222, for the Terradi Lavoro, Apulia and Calabria, and, in the course of this journey, God worked many splendid miracles by his hand. Passing, first, through the Town of Toscanella, on the road to Rome, he received hospitality from a knight, whose only son was lame in bothlegs, and was in a state of suffering through his whole body. Theafflicted father asked him to procure the cure of his son from God;he abstained from doing this for some time out of humility, esteeminghimself unworthy of being loved by others, but being prevailed uponby reiterated entreaties, he placed his hands upon him, and made thesign of the cross upon the boy, who, at the same moment, stood uprightand firm on his legs, and was entirely cured, to the great astonishmentof his whole family. At Rome, he made acquaintance, and became intimate with a nobleman, named Mathew de Rubeis, of the illustrious family of the Orsini. Oneday, on which he had been invited to dinner there, and having got thereat the appointed hour, not finding his host yet returned from town, he joined, unperceived, the poor to whom they were giving a meal, andhe received the alms with them. The nobleman arrived shortly after, and inquired where Brother Francis was, and as they did not find him, he declared he would not eat his dinner, if he did not come. Whilethey were looking for him, he saw him seated in the yard with a groupof poor. He went to him, and said: "Brother Francis, since you won'tdine with me, I am come to dine with you;" which he did, placing himselfon the ground near him, and in the group, where he found himself verycomfortable in that company. When he heard that the holy man hadestablished a Third Order for secular persons of all ranks, he prayedfor admission into it, and had himself instructed in the practices tobe observed. The consideration which his rank in life gave him in theworld, threw great splendor on the new institution, and drew manypersons to it. There was a little child called John whom he requested Francis tobless; the servant of God gave him his blessing; he took him in hisarms and foretold to all there that he would bring great glory to hishouse, and that he would be Sovereign Pontiff. Then, fixing his eyesupon the child, he spoke to him as if he had had the use of reason;he entreated him seriously, and in most affectionate terms, to befavorable to his Order; after which the prophet continued as follows:"He will not be a religious of our Order, but he will be its protector;he will not be reckoned among its children, but he will be acknowledgedas its father; and our brethren will be delighted at seeing themselvesunder his shadow. I consider the immense benefits we shall receivefrom this child, I see them already in his little hands. " Such aprediction caused as much pleasure as surprise to the lord of thefamily of the Orsini, but he never spoke of it till he saw itsfulfilment, which happened fifty-five years afterwards. His son, cardinal, under the title of St. Nicholas, was chosen Pope in the year1277, and took the name of Nicholas III. His singular benevolence forthe Order of the Friars Minor showed that its holy Founder had notspoken in vain to him in his infancy. From Rome Francis went to visit the Grotto of St. Benedict. Heconsidered with great attention the bush covered with thorns, intowhich the great Patriarch of the monastic life had the courage to throwhimself, in order to overcome a temptation of the flesh. In admirationof such extraordinary fervor, he touched this bush as a sacred relic;he kissed it, and made on it the sign of the cross. God, in order tohonor his two servants, changed it immediately into a beautifulrose-tree, the flowers of which have served in many cases for the cureof the sick; the place has since been held in greater respect. In achapel which is near it, and which was consecrated by Gregory IX, wesee that Pope, with Francis on his left hand, who holds a scroll ofpaper, on which these words, taken from the Gospel of St. Luke, arewritten, "Peace be to this house, " words which he constantly used asa salutation. The remainder of his journey was remarkable for many other wonderswhich were worked through his means, in announcing the word of God. While preaching at Gaeta, on the border of the sea, seeing that a crowdof people were anxious, from a devotional feeling, to touch him, hethrew himself into a boat to avoid these demonstrations of respect, which were disagreeable to him. The boat, which had no sailors in it, floated to a certain distance out to sea, and then became stationary;from thence he gave instruction to those who were on the shore, andthe crowd dispersing after having received his blessing, the boatreturned of itself to its former place. St. Bonaventure thereuponsays:--"Who, after this, will have a heart so hardened and soirreligious as to despise the preaching of Francis, to which inanimatethings lent their aid, as if they had reasoning faculties?"The inhabitants of Gaeta, admiring the power which God gave to Hisservant, entreated him to stay some time in their town, and to permitthem to build there a convent for his Order. He assented to this, andthe work was commenced forthwith. While the church was in progress, a carpenter was crushed by the falling of a beam. As the other workmenwere carrying him home, Francis, who was returning from the country, met them, and directed them to lay the dead man on the ground; he thenmade the sign of the cross on him, took him by the hand, called himby his name, and commanded him to arise. The dead man rose immediatelyand went back to his work. This is well-known in the country bysuccessive tradition, and a small chapel has been erected, under dueauthority, on the spot where the miracle was performed, in order toperpetuate the memory thereof. The earliest authors of the life of our Saint record a very singularmiracle which he performed on his route, in the house of a gentleman. All the inhabitants of the place were gone to the great square to hearhim preach. A female servant who had been left in a house to take careof a child, wishing to hear the sermon, left the child alone. On herreturn, she found the child dead, and half-boiled in a copper of hotwater, into which it had fallen. She took it out, and in order to hidethe disaster from the father and mother, she shut it up in a trunk;the parents, however, learnt their misfortune, which was the moreafflicting as this was their only child. The husband entreated hiswife not to let her distress appear, out of respect for the servantof God, who was to dine with them. During dinner, Francis endeavoredto inspire them with a holy joy, knowing what the Almighty had in storefor their consolation, and at the end of the dinner he feigned a wishto eat some apples. They expressed their regret that they had none tooffer him; but pointing to the trunk in which the child was shut up, he said: "Let them look there, and some will be found. " It was in vainthat they assured him that there were none there; he insisted on havingthe trunk opened. The gentleman, to oblige him, and with a view ofhiding the object of their grief, opened the trunk, when, judge of hisastonishment on finding his child alive and well, and, with a smilingcountenance, holding an apple in each hand. Transported with joy, hecarried the child and placed it in the arms of the holy man. The people of Capua were so moved by his preaching, and by the miracleshe performed, particularly on his having saved from the waters a womanwhom the river Volturnus had carried off, that the town made him theoffer of a convent. St. Anastasius, Bishop of Civita di Penna, gavehim another, with great marks of regard, after having gone out to meethim, on an inspiration he had in his sleep that Francis would come thenext day to his town, a circumstance which is recorded by a paintingin the church, and is explained in two Latin verses. The servant of God having preached during the entire day at Montella, went to pass the night in a wood in the vicinity of that town, wherehe seated himself with his companion under an evergreen oak. Somepersons who passed by, in the morning, perceived that there was nosnow where the two religious sat, although there had been a heavy fallin the night, and they related the circumstance to the Lord of Montella, who sent for Francis, and entreated him to remain in that country, orto leave some of his companions amongst them, for the instruction ofthe people. He left two, for whom they built a house on the very spotwhere heaven had been so favorable to him. The force which God gave to his discourses, and the miracles of whichHe made him the instrument, converted sinners, and animated the pietyof the good. Both the one and the other were anxious to retain himamongst them, or, at least, to have some of his religious. In thisjourney alone, he founded more than twenty houses, among which was oneat Amalfi, whither his devotion had led him to honor the relics of theApostle St. Andrew. The inhabitants of Acropoli, who at first had beendeaf to his instruction, were penetrated with contrition, and gave hima convent, after having been reproached with the hardness of theirhearts by a multitude of fish, that God caused to collect round a rockfrom which Francis preached those truths which this people had refusedto listen to. The Emperor Frederic II was, at that time, with his court at Bari. Theservant of God went there, no doubt, to venerate the relics of thegreat bishop St. Nicholas; he preached in the town, and as hisdiscourses were always made suitable to the wants of his auditors, hespoke energetically on the dangers of the court, and particularlyagainst impurity. On leaving Bari, he found on the road a purse, which appeared to befull of money. His companion, who was aware of his great charity, saidthat he ought to take it for the poor. Francis refused to do so, sayingthat it was only a snare of the devil, and that, if it was really moneywhich had been lost, it would not be right to take what belonged toothers to give away in alms; so they continued their route. Hiscompanion was not satisfied; he thought that an opportunity was lostof doing a good action, and he tired Francis with his remonstrances. The holy man, who was very mild and very obliging, returned to thespot where the purse was, not intending to do what his companion wished, but to expose to him the artifice of the evil spirit. A young man waspassing at the time, in whose presence he told his companion to takeup the purse; he, trembling from a secret misgiving of what was aboutto happen, would have been glad not to have anything to do with it;but, obliged to obey, he put his hand to it, which he had no soonerdone than he saw a large snake slide out, which disappeared with thepurse. On which, Francis said to his companions: "Brother, money is, as regards the servants of God, but as a venomous serpent, and eventhe devil himself. " We may here add, that it is the same thing forthose who are too fond of it, and who avariciously keep it, or makeit serve for the gratification of their passions. A chapel, which hasbeen built in that place, is a memorial of the teaching of the Patriarchto the poor of Jesus Christ. His devotion induced him also to visit the grotto consecrated by theapparition of the Archangel Michael, on Mount Gargano. They wished, out of respect, to take him to the very spot where the blessed spiritwas manifested, and where mass is offered up, a privilege which is notallowed to all. But through humility he stopped at the door, and, ashe was urged to enter, he said: "I dare not go farther; this place isawful; it is the dwelling of angels, whom men should respect in allways. " The place where he stopped to pray is shown to this day. Thesesentiments of humility should abash those Christians who crowd roundour altars in unbecoming postures, and particularly those worldly womenwho, in immodest postures and in an air of vanity, approachcontemptuously the sanctuary in which the Sacred Body of Jesus reposes. Francis placed some of his religious near Mount Gargano and in someother parts, after which he came to Gubbio, where he cured a woman, the sinews of whose hands were contracted. Near Gubbio, a soldier called Benvenuto, asked to be admitted into theOrder; he was admitted as a lay-brother, with directions to wait uponthe lepers. Profound humility, implicit obedience, an ardent charity, the love of poverty and of silence, assiduity in prayer, perfectpatience in sickness, and a tender devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, rendered this soldier an excellent religious. God honored him with somany miracles during his lifetime and after his death, which happenedin the year 1232, that Pope Gregory IX had information taken on thesubject, in 1236, through the Bishops of Malfi, Molfetta, and Venosa, and permitted these three dioceses to allot to him an office, whichis now said by the whole Order of Friars Minor. There lived, between Gubbio and Massa, an old advocate of the Romancourt, called Bartholomew Baro, who had retired thither to avoid thetumults and dangers of the world, and lived in great reputation ofsanctity. Francis, delighted at what he had heard of him, wished tosee him. They discoursed on spiritual things, and Bartholomew, hearingthat there was a Third Order, willingly entered it. The holy Founderwho saw that great prudence was associated with his consummate piety, placed confidence in him regarding the affairs of his Order, and leftsome of his religious with him. St. Antoninus relates, that Bartholomew had in his hermitage a manpossessed by the devil, who was incessantly talking, but who did notspeak a word during the three days that Francis was there. After hisdeparture he recommenced talking, and Bartholomew having asked himwhy, during the stay of Francis, he had kept silence: "It was, " hesaid, "because God had so tied his tongue that it was out of his powerto speak a single word. " "How is it, then, " replied Bartholomew: "isFrancis so great a man, that his presence has such an effect?" "Truly, "rejoined the demoniac, "his virtue is so great, that all the worldwill see in him most wonderful things. It is not long since our princecalled us all together, and told us that God, who in all times hadsent men for the conversion of sinners, has similar designs in regardto this man, and that Jesus Christ proposes to renew His passion inFrancis, in order to imprint it in the hearts of men from whence itis obliterated. "As this was said two years before Francis received the stigmata, itwould seem that the prince of darkness had some knowledge of the favorswhich Jesus Christ intended to confer on Francis. St. Augustine says, that the Son of God made Himself known to the demons on earth, makingcertain signs to them of His presence; but that it was only as far asHe thought proper; that He made use of it, when necessary to inspirethem with terror; and that, at other times, He left them in doubt asto His divinity. According to this doctrine, it might be said thatGod, to confound the demons, had made known to their chief His intentionto renew the Passion of Jesus Christ in the person of Francis, withoutinforming him in what manner this was to happen, for it is certainthat this spirit of darkness, neither by his natural lights, nor byconjectures, had the means of discovering a favor which solely dependedon the Divine will. At length, having labored for the salvation of souls with great fatigue, nearly the whole year, the holy Patriarch returned to his dear home, St. Mary of the Angels, to attend more immediately to his ownsanctification. He there received Brother Casar of Spire, who hadreturned from Germany, and the subject of whose mission we must nowresume, having lost sight of it since the year 1221. This zealous missionary left Italy with twenty-seven companions, dividedinto small parties, and before the Feast of St. Michael, they arrivedsuccessfully at Trent, where they remained fifteen days, during whichthe bishop provided liberally for all their wants. On the day of thefestival, Casar preached to the clergy, and Barnabas to the people. An inhabitant of the town, named Pellegrino, was so moved by Barnabas'sdiscourse, that he had all the brethren newly clothed, and shortlyafterwards he sold all his property, gave it to the poor, and took thesame habit himself. Casar left some of the brethren at Trent, exhorting them to the practiceof patience and humility, and then set out with the remainder. On theirway they attended with greater interest to spiritual than temporalwants, although they had commissioned some of their companions toprovide what was necessary for them. The Bishop of Trent, whom theyfound at Posen, detained them for some days, and gave them leave topreach in the whole of his diocese. From thence they went to Brixen, where the bishop received them very charitably; but from thence theyhad much to suffer in the mountains, where they could procure nothingto eat, after long and fatiguing marches, and were reduced to feedupon wild fruits, and even then they had a scruple of tasting theseon Friday morning, because it was, by their rule, a fast, althoughthey had slept in the open air, and had had scarcely anything to eatthe preceding day. But God supported them, and they reached Augsburg, where the bishop embraced them all, and gave them special marks of hisbenevolence. In 1221, near the Feast of St. Gall, which is on the sixteenth ofOctober, Casar assembled the first chapter of the Order which had beenheld in Germany; there were about thirty of his brethren, whom hedistributed in several provinces of this vast country. Some were sentto Wurtzburg, Mentz, Worms, Spire, and Cologne, where they exertedthemselves with much success for the salvation of souls, and builtconvents. Giordano was sent with two companions to Saltzburg, and thearchbishop of that city received them with great benevolence. Threeothers went to Ratisboa, where they founded an excellent establishment. The provincial followed them, animating them by word and example. Whileat Wurtzburg, he gave the habit of the Friars Minor to a young man ofgood family, named Hartmod, who had enjoyed a good education. He calledhim Andrew, because the day of his reception was that of the holyApostle. Andrew, having taken holy orders some time after, became acelebrated preacher, and was the first warden in Saxony. Rodinger wasalso admitted into the Order, who was afterwards warden of the conventof Halberstad, and director of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, before Dr. Conrad of Marburg. In 1222, Casar, having received a great number of novices, some ofwhom were made priests, assembled a chapter at Worms, and finding thatthe Order was taking firm root in Germany, he instituted asvice-provincial, Thomas de Celano, and returned into Italy with Simonde Collazon, who had preferred the humble state of Friar Minor to thenobility of his birth. The reason of Casar's return was the anxiousdesire he had to see once more his holy Patriarch, and his companionsin the Valley of Spoleto, with whom he was intimately united throughvirtue. He was a man greatly attached to contemplation, very zealousfor holy poverty, and highly esteemed by his brethren, who, after theirholy Father, looked up to him above any other. The religious whom he had left in Germany pursued their mission withgreat success. Even in this year, or shortly after, they penetrated, with the Friars Preachers, into the Kingdom of Sweden, and into someother countries of the North, according to the testimony of John theGreat. Archbishop of Upsal, and Legate of the Holy See, who noticesthis circumstance in the history of his church. This prelate remarks that one of the first who entered the Instituteof the Friars Minor, was Laurence Octavius, an illustrious man, whoseconversion made such a sensation, that it drew into the Order manypersons of high rank. The poor habit which he wore, and which he honoredby his splendid virtues, and particularly by love of suffering, didnot render it less venerable than his sciences. Octavius could not avoid giving his consent, in the year 1244 or 1245, to the election which was unanimously made of his person, by the clergyand people, for the Archbishopric of Upsal, which was confirmed byInnocent IV. In this dignity, he continued to live the life of a trueFriar Minor, and did so much for the salvation of his flock, as wellas for the benefit of the whole kingdom, that, if heresy had notdestroyed in Sweden all sentiments of piety with the light of faith, his memory would still be honored there as one of their greatest aswell as holiest persons. He died a saintly death, in the year 1267, and chose to be buried among the Friars Minor, with whom he would havegladly spent his life. While the Institute of St. Francis thus flourished in Germany and inthe North, a treasure was discovered in Italy, which had been up tothis time overlooked. It was the great St. Anthony of Padua, who wasleading a hidden life in the Hermitage of St. Paul near Bologna. His superior sent him, with some others, to Forli, in Romagna, to takeorders. Some Friars Preachers were also present. Being assembledtogether at the hour of conference, the superior of the place requestedthe Friars Preachers to give them an exhortation. As they excusedthemselves because they were not prepared, he turned to Anthony, andwithout being aware of the depth of his learning, he ordered him tosay whatever the Holy Spirit should suggest to him. Anthony repliedwith great humility that he was ill fitted for such a task, and thathe was much more qualified for cleaning the plates than for preaching. However, yielding to the superior's reiterated order, he began todiscourse with simplicity and timidity; but God, proposing to placeconspicuously the lamp which was hidden under the bushel, he continuedhis discourse with so much eloquence, and showed himself to possessso profoundly learned a doctrine, that the audience was most agreeablysurprised, and admitted that they had never heard anything to equalit; and they did not know which most to admire, his learning or hishumility. It was, indeed, requisite to be possessed of rare and extraordinaryhumility, to hide with so much care such sublime learning, and talentsso varied; for Anthony had earnestly requested the guardian of theconvent in which he was, to employ him in cleaning the plates anddishes, and in sweeping the house. This man, who, according to thesaying of the Apostle, was "A vessel of honor, sanctified and profitableto the Lord, prepared unto every good work, " treated himself, andwished to be considered by his companions, as one of the vilest amongstmen. He was deserving of the highest place, and took the very lowest. He was so deeply versed in the Holy Scriptures, that his memory servedhim as a book; and he penetrated so well into the most obscure passagesthat he was the admiration of the most profound theologians; but hewas more anxious to be confounded with the unlearned, and to be unknown, than to let his learning be discovered, and to appear capable ofinstructing others. We may here notice a reflection of St. Bernard on a somewhat similarcase: "Let this passage be remarked by those who undertake to teachwhat they have not learnt themselves; seeking for scholars, withouthaving had masters, they are the blind leading the blind. But justiceis done them; although it is admitted that they have some talent, itis soon found that they have nothing solid, and they are treated withcontempt. "The fortunate discovery that was thus made of the talents of Anthony, soon reached the ears of Francis, who ordered him to apply himself tothe pulpit. He desired, however, that the preacher, in order to exercisehis ministry with the greatest effect, should study theology atVercelli, under the Abbot of St. Andrew, who gave lessons with greatreputation, and who is supposed to have been the celebrated DoctorThomas, a canon regular of the Abbey of St. Victor of Paris. He wassent to be the first abbot at the Abbey of St. Andrew of Vercelli, which was founded about the year 1220. Anthony had as a fellow-studentanother Friar Minor, named Adam de Marisco, an Englishman, who wasafterwards a doctor of the University of Oxford, the holiness of hislife, his learning, and his writings rendered him famous throughoutthe whole realm of England. He was subsequently elected Bishop of Ely. The application which Anthony gave to the study of theology did notprevent his preaching during all Lent at Milan, and at other times insome parts of the duchy. But his preaching was no hindrance to hisstudies, because the lights he had previously acquired, and those hereceived from above, together with his splendid talents, gave him aninsight into the most sublime truths. His progress was so quick andso great, that his master often declared, that he learnt many thingsfrom his scholar. Speaking of the book of the celestial hierarchy whichhe was explaining, he said that his scholar ran over the several ordersof blessed spirits with so much precision, and a penetration sosurprising, that it might have been thought that the whole heavenlyhost passed before him. This exalted wisdom, joined to his eminentvirtues, induced his illustrious preceptor to give him the name ofSaint, and to apply our Blessed Lord's eulogy of St. John the Baptistto him: "He was a burning and a shining light. " Anthony was requestedby his fellow-students to communicate to them the learning in whichhe abounded, and to give lessons in the convent, but he would not takeupon himself to exercise the functions of master, without having firstconsulted the holy Founder of the Order. He wrote to him on the subject, and received the following answer:"To my dear Brother Anthony, Brother Francis sends greeting in JesusChrist. "I entirely approve of your teaching the brethren sacred theology; insuch a manner, however, that the spirit of prayer be not extinguishedin you or in them, according to the rule which we profess. Adieu. "This is a proof that Francis was not hostile to study, but that heonly wished it to be conducted in a religious manner, without prejudiceto piety. Anthony, having obtained leave, taught first at Montpellier, and then at Bologna, where studies were again set on foot, to whichdisobedience had put a stop, as has been said; then he taught at Padua, at Toulouse, and in other places where he was stationed: always joiningto this holy exercise, that of preaching with wonderful success. At the time when he began taking lessons from the Abbot of Vercelli, the most celebrated doctor of the University of Paris took the habitof the Friars Minor. This was Alexander d'Hales or d'Hels, or Hales, thus named from the place of his birth in the County of Gloucester, where, from the year 1246, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, had founded aconvent of the Order of Citeaux. Having gone through his course ofhumanities in England, he came to Paris, where he studied philosophyand theology, took a doctor's degree, taught, and was universallyadmired. St. Antoninus believes that what led to his vocation was this: havingmade a vow to grant, if he possibly could, whatever should be askedof him for the love of the Blessed Virgin, for whom he had a singulardevotion, a person who was questing for the Friars Minor, came andsaid to him: "It is now long enough that you have been laboring forthe world, and you have acquired celebrity in it. I entreat you, forthe love of God, and of the Blessed Virgin, to enter into our Order, which you will honor, and you will sanctify yourself. " The doctor wassurprised at this request, but God touched his heart, and he repliedto the brother: "I shall follow you very soon; and shall do as youwish, " and shortly after, he took the habit of a Friar Minor. Others, however, are of opinion, that he was induced to quit the world by theexample of his fellow-countryman, John of St. Gilles, an illustriousdoctor, who, preaching one day to the clergy, with great energy, onvoluntary poverty, in the convent of the Friars Preachers, descendedfrom the pulpit in the middle of his sermon, and in order to give forceto his words by his example, he took the habit of St. Dominic, andreturned to the pulpit to finish his discourse. However this may be, the holy life and happy death of Alexander Halesin the Order of St. Francis, bore testimony to his having been calledby God. It is said that, at first, the practices were difficult tohim, and that some interior suffering made him think of leaving theOrder, but that, in this agitation, he saw in spirit Francis bearinga heavy wooden cross, and endeavoring to carry it up a very steep hill;that he offered to assist him, but that the holy Patriarch spurned hisaid indignantly, saying: "Begone, you feeble man; you have not thecourage to bear your own light cross, and you would attempt to bearthis heavy one!" This vision having enlightened the doctor who was anovice, he was delivered entirely from the temptation under which helabored. He continued to teach with the same repute; and the faculty of theology, to do honor to his merits, gave him the privilege of presenting oneof his brethren and disciples for a doctor's degree; which he did thefirst time by an interior revelation, in favor of Brother John de laRochelle, who afterwards became very celebrated. Alexander had manyother disciples distinguished both for their learning and their piety, but there are none who have done more honor to his instructions thanSt. Bonaventure, and, according to the opinion of many authors, St. Thomas Aquinas. Among his writings, which are very numerous, and onall sorts of subjects, his Summa is much esteemed, in which, by orderof Pope Innocent IV, he arranged methodically the theological subjects. This is the first Summa which was compiled, and it has served as amodel for all others. Pope Alexander IV spoke in the highest terms, both of the author and of his work. Gerson, Chancellor of the University of Paris, in speaking ofAlexander's doctrine, expresses himself as follows: "It is not to betold how many excellent things it contains. I declare to have read ina treatise, that some one having asked St. Thomas what was the bestmode of studying theology, he replied, 'To study the works of a singletheologian;' and being asked what theologian it was desirable to fixon, he named Alexander Hales. Thus, " continues Gerson, "the writingsof St. Thomas, and principally the Seconda Seconda, show how familiarthe works and doctrine of Alexander were to him. "So then learned men entered the Order of Friars Minor, as St. Francishad foretold; and this is the reason why he recommended that prayershould be joined to study, lest learning should obliterate piety. The indulgence granted to St. Mary of the Angels, or the Portiuncula, two years previous to this time, had not yet had the day fixed on whichthe faithful could gain it. Francis waited till Jesus Christ, who firstconceded so precious a boon, should Himself mark the day, nor was hedisappointed. It occurred as follows:One night, when he was praying in his cell, at St. Mary of the Angels, in the beginning of the year 1223, the tempter suggested to him notto watch and pray so much, but rather to adopt other modes of penance, because, from his age, more sleep and rest was absolutely necessaryfor him, and these watchings would be his death. Being aware of themalice of his infernal enemy, he retired to the woods, and threw himselfdown into a bush of briars and thorns, till he was covered with blood. "For, " said he to himself, "it is much better that I should sufferthese pains with Jesus Christ, than that I should follow the adviceof an enemy who flatters me. "A brilliant light which surrounded him, disclosed to him a great numberof white and red roses, although it was the month of January, and thewinter was very severe. This was an effect of the power of God, whohad changed the briars into rose-trees, which have ever since beenevergreen and without thorns. Angels, who appeared in great numbers, said to him: "Francis, hastento return to the Church, Jesus Christ is there, together with HisBlessed Mother. " At the same time, he perceived himself miraculouslyclothed with a new habit of pure white; he gathered twelve roses ofeach color, and went to the church. After a profound adoration headdressed the following prayer to Jesus Christ, under the protectionof the most Blessed Virgin: "Most holy Father, Lord of heaven andearth, Saviour of man, deign, through Thy great mercy, to fix the dayof the indulgence which Thou hast been pleased to grant to this sacredplace. "Our Lord answered him, that it was His desire that it should be fromthe evening of the vigil of the day when St. Peter the Apostle wasdelivered from his chains, to the evening of the following day. Francis, again asking in what manner this should be publicly made known, andwhether his own assertion would be given credit to, he was directedto present himself before the vicar of Jesus Christ, to take with himsome white and red roses as testimonials of the truth of the fact, also a number of his own brethren, who would testify to what they hadheard; for, from the cells which were near the church, they had, indeed, heard all that had been said. Then the angels sang the hymn "Te Deumlaudamus. " Francis took three roses of each color in honor of the MostBlessed Trinity, and the vision disappeared. Francis, accompanied by Brothers Bernard de Quintavalle, Peter ofCatania, and Angelus of Rieti, set out for Rome, where he related tothe Pope all that had happened at St. Mary of the Angels, in proofwhereof, he presented to him the roses he had brought, and hiscompanions testified to what they had heard. The Pope, astonished tosee such beautiful and sweet-smelling roses in the depth of winter, said: "As to myself, I believe the truth of what you tell me, but itis a matter which must be submitted to the cardinals for theiropinions. " In the meantime, he directed his attendants to see thatthey should not want for anything. The next day, they came before the consistory, where Francis, by thePope's desire, said, in presence of the cardinals: "It is the will ofGod that whoever shall, with a contrite and humble heart, after havingconfessed his sins, and received absolution by a priest, enter theChurch of St. Mary of the Angels, in the Diocese of Assisi, betweenthe first vespers of the first day of August and the vespers of thesecond day, shall obtain an entire remission of all the sins he mayhave committed from his Baptism until that moment. " The SovereignPontiff, seeing that the words of Francis were not thought to have anydeceit in them, having conferred with the cardinals thereon for sometime, confirmed the indulgence. And he subsequently ordered the Bishopsof Assisi, Perugia, Todi, Spoleto, Foligno, Nocera, and Gubbio, tomeet at the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, on the first of Augustof that year, and there solemnly to publish this indulgence. All these prelates met on the day specified, and having mounted a largeplatform, which had been prepared outside of the church, they madeFrancis mount there also, to explain to the assembly, which was verynumerous and gathered from all parts of the country, the cause of theirmeeting. He spoke with so much fervor that it seemed to be rather anangel who addressed the meeting than a man, and he ended his discourseby announcing the plenary and perpetual indulgence which God and theSovereign Pontiff granted to this church every year on that day. Thebishops were not satisfied with his publishing it to be in perpetuity. "Brother Francis, " they said, "although the Pope desires us to do onthis occasion whatever you wish, it is not, however, his intentionthat we should do things which are not suitable; therefore you mustgive notice that the indulgence is only to last for ten years. " TheBishop of Assisi was the first to restrict it to this time, but hecould not help saying, as St. Francis had, "in perpetuity. " The otherbishops endeavored successively to announce this restriction, but Godpermitted that, without intending it, they should all say, "inperpetuity. " By this, they were made sensible of the will of God, andwillingly proclaimed the indulgence to be perpetual. Many of those who were at the sermon preached by Francis, have lefttestimony in writing to the effect, that he had in his hand a smallscroll on which was written these words: "I wish you all to go toParadise. I announce to you a plenary indulgence which I have obtainedfrom the goodness of our Heavenly Father, and from the mouth of theSovereign Pontiff. All you who are assembled here to-day, and with acontrite and humble heart have confessed with sincerity, and havereceived absolution from a priest, will have remission of all yoursins; and in like manner, those who come every year with similardispositions, will obtain the same. "Such is the way in which the famous indulgence of St. Mary of theAngels, or of Portiuncula, was published on the second day of August;an indulgence which the Sovereign Pontiffs have since extended to allthe churches of the Order of St. Francis. The seven prelates consecrated the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, and performed a similar ceremony for the Church of St. Damian, at therequest of Francis and Clare. The remembrance of this is commemoratedyearly at Assisi, on the ninth of August. The benevolent feeling which Honorius III expressed to the holyPatriarch, when he was at Rome, for the indulgence of the Portiuncula, induced him to wish that this Pontiff would authorize solemnly theRule of the Order, which Innocent III had only verbally approved. Hehad in the night the following revelation, which is thus recorded bySt. Bonaventure:It seemed to him that he had taken up from the ground some very smallcrumbs of bread, in order to distribute them to the half-starvedbrethren who surrounded him, and how, fearful lest such small crumbsshould fall out of his hands, a heavenly voice said to him: "Francis, collect all these crumbs and make a host of them, and give of it tosuch as wish to eat of it. " He did so, and all those who did not partakeof it devoutly, or treated it contemptuously, after having receivedit, seemed to be infected with leprosy. In the morning, he related allthis to his companions, and was distressed at not comprehending themystery. The following day, while he was at prayer, a voice from heavensaid to him: "Francis, the crumbs of last night are the words of theGospel, the host is the Rule, and the leprosy is iniquity. "The term of Host, to designate the Rule, is worthy of particularconsideration. Its import is that, as bread without leaven, which iscalled the Host, is made of the finest flour, so the Rule is composedof what is most perfect in the Gospel; and as this bread, by the wordsof consecration, is changed into the Body of Jesus Christ, the trueHost immolated on the altar, so those who make profession of the Rule, must be transformed into hosts, or victims, and immolate themselvesto God. It is thus that St. Paul warns Christians, "To become as a newpaste without leaven, " and to pass the whole time of their lives asa continual festival, "presenting their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing unto God. " St. Peter also says to them, that theyare a "Spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritualsacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. "The oracle of Heaven communicated to Francis that the Rule which hesought to have approved, and which was composed of sentences from theGospel, required abridgment, and putting into order with greaterprecision. In order to effect this, he was inspired, after thepublication of the indulgence, to go to Mount Columbo, near Rieti, where he retired into an opening in the rock, with Brothers Leo andBonzio, fasting on bread and water; and this fast, according to thestatement of Marianus, lasted forty days. There he wrote the Rule, according to the dictation of the Holy Spirit manifested to him, inprayer. On his return to St. Mary of the Angels, he put it into thehands of his vicar, Brother Elias, to read it, and keep it. Eliasthought it too severe, and some days afterwards, in order to suppressit, he feigned to have lost it by negligence. The holy men returnedto the same place, and wrote it out a second time, as if God haddictated it to him with His own mouth. The vicar-general communicated to some of the provincial ministerswhat had happened, and told them that the Founder was desirous ofimposing upon them a stricter mode of life than that to which they hadhitherto adhered. They concerted together what they should do to avertthis, and it was agreed that Elias, as vicar-general, should go andrepresent to him the inconvenience of such increased austerity, andthe objections of his brethren. Elias, who was aware of the firmnessof Francis in these matters, and had been severely rebuked by him onother occasions, acknowledged that he did not dare execute thiscommission alone, but he offered to accompany them for the commoncause, and they consented to this arrangement. While they were drawing near to the mountain, Francis had a revelationof what was passing. When they had reached the top, he left the openingof the rock quickly, and demanded of Elias what he and all theseministers who were with him wanted. Elias, with downcast eyes, andtrembling, said, in a low tone of voice: "These ministers, havinglearnt that you were about to give them a new Rule above the strengthof man to endure, have engaged me to come here, in my capacity ofvicar-general, to entreat you to modify it, because they will notreceive it, if it is too austere. "At these words, the Saint, in great emotion and shuddering, raised hiseyes to heaven and exclaimed: "Lord, did I not say that these peoplewould not believe me? As to myself, I will keep this Rule to the dayof my death, with those of my companions who love poverty; but I shallnot have it in my power to compel those who do not choose it, and whomake so much resistance. "Jesus Christ appeared in a luminous cloud above Francis, and said, sothat all heard him: "Little man, why are you discontented, as if thisis your work?--It is I who have dictated the Rule; no part of it isyours. I insist on its being literally observed to the very letter--tothe very letter, without gloss or comment. I know what frail man canendure, and what support I can and will give him. Let those who willnot keep the Rule leave the Order; I will raise up others in theirplace; and if it be requisite, I will bring them forth from thesestones. "Then Francis, from the top of the rock on which he had knelt down, addressed these words to the vicar-general and to the others, who weregreatly alarmed: "You now know that your conspiracy has been solelyan opposition to the will of God, and that instead of taking intoconsideration what He can do for us, you have only consulted the feeblelight of your human prudence. Have you heard, have you, yourself, heardthe voice which came forth from the cloud, and which spoke so audibly?If it did not resound in your ears, I will take steps to cause you tohear it once more. " Upon this, Elias and his companions, astounded andbeside themselves, retired without saying a single word. The holy Patriarch having returned to join his faithful children inthe small fissure of the rock, in which they lay prostrate at the voiceof the Lord, said to them: "Rise up now, and fear nothing, but as truesoldiers of Jesus Christ put on the armor of God, in order to be onyour guard against the snares which the devil will not fail to throwin the way of your following Him. " He left the mountain and went tothe nearest convent to show the Rule to his brethren, intending tocommunicate it afterwards to the others, in order to know what eachone thought of it. His countenance, animated and shining, was amanifestation that God himself had dictated to him the rule of lifewhich he proposed to them. It was a striking representation of Mosescoming down from Mount Sinai, his face shining brightly. The resemblancecannot be too much admired in its several relations. Moses, after afast of forty days, received, on a mountain, the Law which God gavehim. Jesus Christ having fasted forty days, was on a mountain when Hetaught that doctrine which embraces, as St. Augustine observes, allthe perfection of the Christian life. And it was on a mountain thatit was His pleasure to give His servant Francis, who fasted rigorously, a Rule in which the perfection of the evangelical life is contained. Some having read the Rule, said to Francis, that it was necessary thathis Order should have something in common, as the other religiousorders had; seeing that the number of the brethren was already verygreat, and that, according to all appearance, the Order would be soextended; that it would not be possible to exist in so restricted astate of poverty. The Saint returned to the place he had left, andhaving had recourse to prayer, he consulted Jesus Christ, the trueLegislator, who gave the following reply: "It is I who am their portionand their inheritance, I do not choose that they should be encumberedwith the things of this world. Provided they adhere strictly to theRule, and that they place their confidence in me, I will take care ofthem; I will not suffer them to stand in need of anything necessaryto life; the more their numbers increase, the more will I manifest myprovidence to them. "We must here render to that adorable and loving Providence the justicedue to it. It has never been wanting to the Order of St. Francis, andthey have never had greater proofs of His care than when they havechosen to live most poorly. We see verified to the letter, in thesepoor evangelical brethren, the imitators of Jesus Christ crucified, what is said in the twenty-first psalm, in which the Son of God hasclearly foretold His Passion: "The poor shall eat and shall be filled, and they shall praise the Lord that seek Him, their hearts shall liveforever and ever. " Were He now to ask the Religious of St. Francis, as He asked the Apostles: "When I sent you without purse, or scrip, and shoes, did you want for anything?" There is not one who would notanswer as they did: "No, we have not wanted for anything. " For a poorevangelical brother is bound to consider himself as not wanting anythingwhile he lives, and to look upon having nothing but what is necessaryas the treasure of his state of life. A religious order which, without any revenue, maintains many thousandmen, was a subject of admiration for an infidel prince, and the Founderwas considered by him as a very great man. He was not aware of thecause of this wonderful effect, but religion teaches us that it is Godhimself who provides for the wants of His servants, by the charitywith which He inspires the faithful. Francis communicated to the ministers what our Lord had said to him. They submitted to everything, and returned with him to St. Mary of theAngels, where the Rule was approved by the brethren who were there, and was then sent into the provinces to be examined before it wassubmitted for confirmation. Speaking of the Rule, he said to his children: "I have not put anythinginto it of my own; I caused it all to be written as God revealed itto me;" and he adduced this motive to incite them the better to keepit. He confirmed the revelation in his will, in the following terms:"When the Lord confided to me the guidance of the brethren, no onecommunicated to me how I was to behave towards them, but the AlmightyHimself revealed to me that I ought to live according to the formprescribed by the Gospel; I caused it to be written out in few andsimple words, " etc. This is the eulogium he passed on it: "My brethren and my dear children, a very great favor was done to us in giving us this Rule; for it isthe book of life, the hope of salvation, the pledge of glory, themarrow of the Gospel, the way of the cross, a state of perfection, thekey of Paradise, and the bond of our eternal alliance. None of you isignorant how greatly advantageous to us holy religion is. As the enemywho fights against us is extremely clever in inventing and executingeverything which is malicious, and strews in our way all sorts ofsnares to effect our perdition, there are many whose salvation he wouldhave brought into great peril, if religion had not been their shield. Study, therefore, your Rule, all of you, not only for alleviating yourpains, but in order that it may remind you of the oath you have takento keep it. It is necessary that you should employ yourselves inmeditating on it, that it may sink into your hearts, and be alwaysbefore your eyes, so that you may observe it with exactness, and holdit fast at your deaths. "St. Bridget being in prayer at Jerusalem; where she was intercedingfor a Friar Minor who had some conscientious scruples on the subjectof the Rule, our Saviour caused her to hear the following words: "TheRule of St. Francis was not the composition of the human mind; it isI who made it; it does not contain a single word which was not inspiredby my spirit; and thus Francis gave it to the others. "Pope Nicholas III says, that it bears on the face of it, the evidenceof the Trinity; that it is descended from the Father of Light, thatit was taught to the apostles by the example, and by the doctrine ofHis Son, and that the Holy Ghost inspired it to the blessed Francisand to those who had followed him. He also declares, as Gregory IX haddone before, that it is established on the word of the Gospel, authorized by the life of Jesus Christ, and supported by the actionsand words of the Apostles, who founded the Church Militant. It consists, according to the remark of St. Bonaventure, in observing the HolyGospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, because all its substance is takenfrom the pure source of the Gospel. It is, therefore, no new rule; itis only a renewed rule; literally the same as what the Son of God laiddown for the Apostles, when He sent them forth to preach; and thatought always give great spiritual consolation to those who keep it. This holy doctor considers the impressions of the wounds of JesusChrist, which Francis received from the hand of the living God, sometime after the revelation of the Rule, as a bull of Jesus Christ, bywhich that High Pontiff confirmed it; and Pope Nicholas III was of thesame opinion, in his decrial. Finally, the Rule of the Friars Minor, given by St. Francis, is whollyEvangelical, and wholly Apostolical; there never was one which was souniversally and so promptly followed. Men illustrious by their birth, by their knowledge, by their talents, by their virtue, embraced it andhave followed it, during a number of centuries, in all parts of theChristian world; it has given to the Church a new family, in numbersmost extensive, whose fecundity does not become exhausted, and it hasproduced a great galaxy of saints. The children of the Patriarch, having most willingly received it, heleft them in the month of October, in order to solicit the approvalof the Sovereign Pontiff. When at Rome, he was invited to dine withCardinal Ugolino, the Protector of the Order, who had a sincereaffection for him; but he did not come to the invitation, until he hadbegged some pieces of bread, as he was accustomed to do, when he wasto dine with persons of rank. Being at table, he drew this bread fromhis sleeve and began to eat of it, and he gave some to the other guests, who partook of it from devotion. After dinner, the cardinal embracedhim, and said, smiling: "My good man, why, as you were to dine withme, did you put the affront on me, to go and beg bread first and bringit to my table?" "My Lord, " replied Francis, "far from doing anythingto affront you, I did you honor, in honoring, at your board, a muchgreater Lord than you are, to whom poverty is very agreeable, especiallythat which goes as far as voluntary mendicancy, for the love of JesusChrist. I have resolved not to give up in favor of false and passingriches, this virtue which is of royal dignity, since our Lord JesusChrist became poor for us, in order that, by His poverty, we mightbecome rich and heirs to the kingdom of heaven. "An admirable reply, which is quite in unison with what was said by St. Gregory Nazianzen. "If I am reproached for my poverty, I am sure thatit is my treasure;" and with these words of St. Ambrose, on the birthof Christ: "His poverty is my patrimony; He chose to want foreverything, in order that all others might be in abundance. "The cardinal presented Francis to the Pope, that he might solicit theconfirmation of his Rule. The Holy Father read it, and, finding it toosevere, he desired some changes might be made in it; but, the man ofGod protesting by everything that was most sacred, that he had not puta single word into it, and that Jesus Christ had dictated it, as itthere stood, the Pontiff, after discussing it with the cardinals, confirmed it. His bull commences thus:"Honorius, bishop, the servant of the servants of God. To our dearlybeloved sons, Brother Francis, and other brethren of the Order ofFriars Minor, health and apostolical benediction. The Apostolic Seeis accustomed to assent to pious intentions and to favor the laudablewishes of those who solicit her favors. For which reason, our dearchildren in Jesus Christ, we confirm by apostolical authority, and westrengthen by this present writing, the Rule of your Order, which wasapproved by Pope Innocent, of glorious memory, our predecessor, expressed in these terms, etc. "After having gone through it all, he concludes as follows: "Let noperson, therefore, have the temerity to violate the contents of ourpresent confirmation, or to contravene it. Should any one dare to doso, let him know that he will incur the indignation of Almighty God, and that of His blessed Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul. Given in theLateran palace, the twenty-ninth day of November, 1223, the eighth ofour pontificate. "The original of this bull, with its leaden seal, is preserved as Assisi, in the Convent of St. Francis, where Wading saw it, in 1619, with acopy of the Rule written by St. Francis' own hand. While Francis was still at Rome, he proposed to himself to celebratethe Festival of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ at Grecio, withall the solemnity possible, in order to awaken the devotion of all inthat vicinity. He wrote a letter on the subject to his friend, JohnVelita, begging him to prepare all things; and in order that thereshould be no room for censuring what he was about to do, he spoke tothe Pope about it, who approved highly of this pious ceremony, andgranted indulgences to those who should assist at it. St. Bonaventure informs us that, before his departure from Rome, hewent to pay his respects to Cardinal Leo Brancaleone, titular of SantaCroce, with whom his friendship began in 1210, when he first came tohave his Rule approved. This cardinal invited him to stay some daysin his palace, because the severity of the weather and the floods mightimpede his journey; it was the month of December. He retained, toremain with him, with Francis' leave, Brother Angelo Tancredi, whosemiraculous conversion we have related; at that time, there were butfew of the cardinals who did not wish to have some of the Friars Minorin their company; such was the veneration they had for their virtueat the Roman court. Francis, however, found excuses for not spendingmore than two or three days in the palace of Brancaleone, saying thatit was not fitting for the poor to dwell in the palaces of princes. The cardinal told him that he would receive him as a pauper, and givehim a bed, not in his palace, but in an adjacent tower near the citywalls quite out of the way of any noise, where he might repose fromhis fatigue for some time. Tancredi entreated him not to refuse thissatisfaction to a prince of the Church, who was a person of greatpiety, and a generous benefactor to the Order; therefore, out ofrespect, and from gratitude, he consented to stay, and with hiscompanion took up his abode in the tower. The following night, when he was about to take some repose, the devilscame and beat him so long, and so violently, that they left him half-dead. He called his companion, and told him what had happened, and headded: "Brother, I believe that the devils, who can do nothing withoutthe leave of the Almighty, have ill-used me to this degree, becauseof my having remained with great people, here; if so, it augurs nogood. My brethren who dwell in very poor houses, knowing that I am theguest of cardinals, might suspect that I enter willingly into theconcerns of the world, that I glory in honors, and that I am livingdaintily. I therefore think that a man who is to be an example toothers, should leave the court, and dwell humbly with the humble, inplaces adapted to the profession of humility, in order that he mayinspire those with fortitude, who suffer the inconveniences of a lifeof poverty, by suffering with them. " In the morning, he took leave ofthe cardinal, and set out for Grecio. It is necessary here to remark that St. Francis, who permitted someof his brethren to remain with the cardinals, did not think that hehimself, who was the superior, ought to spend a single night in theirpalaces, lest others should be disedified thereby, and that it was hisduty to give good example to all. This shows how much persons in powershould strive not to do anything calculated to give bad examples, andto abstain from certain things which, though irreprehensible inthemselves, and which would not be noticed in a lowly individual, mightbe a cause of scandal in one of high station, who ought to be a modelof virtue. On this principle, St. Paul said to the Christians: "Allthings are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All thingsare lawful for me, but all things do not edify. I do all for youredification. " He recommended his disciples, Timothy and Titus, whomhe had ordained bishops, to be "an example to the faithful, in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in chastity, in the practiceof good works. " St. Gregory, St. Bernard, and all the Holy Fathershave always required of prelates, as a primary qualification, thatthey should greatly edify; which is the more necessary in the superiorsof religious communities, as their example is under more immediateobservation. The bad health of Francis, the beating which he had received from thedevils, and a constant fall of rain, compelled him to ride on an ass. During his journey he dismounted to say the Divine Office, standing;he remained on the same spot without paying attention to the rain, anddid not mount till he had quite finished. Having reached Grecio, he found all things prepared for the celebrationof the festival by his friend Velita. They had prepared a crib in thewood, in which was represented the Nativity of our Saviour; they hadplaced straw there, and, during Christmas-night, also took there anox and an ass. Many Friars Minor had arrived at the wood from theneighboring convents, and the people of the environs came in crowdsto the ceremony. The wood was lit up by numerous torches, and resoundedmelodiously from the sound of a thousand voices which sang the praisesof God with untiring zeal. Francis, full of devotion, and with hiseyes bathed in tears of holy joy, knelt before the manger, above whichan altar had been placed, where mass was celebrated at midnight; heacted as deacon, and after having sung the Gospel, he preached on thebirth of the newborn King, became poor. Velita, who had prepared the ceremonial, assured them that he had seena most beautiful child in the manger, who was asleep, and whom Francistenderly embraced in order to awaken it. There is so much the morereason for giving credit to this marvel, says St. Bonaventure, sincehe who relates it, having been an eye-witness thereof, was a very holyman, and since it was confirmed by many miracles; for the straw onwhich the child appeared to be sleeping, had the virtue of curingvarious maladies amongst cattle; and, what is still more wonderful, those who came to visit the spot, however tepid and indevout they mayhave been, were inflamed with the love of God. After the death of theSaint, a chapel was erected on the spot, and the altar was placed atthe manger, in order that the flesh of the man-Cod immolated on thecross, might be eaten on the spot on which He had chosen to appear asa sleeping infant. After the ceremony, Francis retired to the convent of Grecio, wheresome of the provincial ministers had collected, who had come thitherto communicate to him the affairs of their respective provinces. Therefectory had been set out in a better style than usual, with napkinsand glasses, not only on account of the solemnity of the day, but toshow respect to the guests. Francis was displeased at this, and, duringdinner, he went to the door of the convent, and took the hat and staffof a pilgrim who was soliciting alms, and then, in this garb, came tothe refectory to beg as a poor pilgrim. The superior, who knew him byhis voice, said to him, smiling: "Brother pilgrim, there are here verymany religious, who stand in great need of what has been bestowed uponthem out of charity; however, come in, and they will give you whatthey can. " Francis came in and sat himself on the ground, where he atevery contentedly some scraps of bread and other things which they gavehim on a platter, without choosing to have anything else. Francis remained some time at Grecio, where, one night, when he intendedto lay himself down to sleep, he felt a severe headache, and a shiveringover his whole body, which quite impeded his resting. Thinking thatthis might be caused by a feather pillow which his friend Velita hadcompelled him to accept, in consequence of his infirmities, he calledhis companion, who was near his cell, and said: "Take away this pillow:I believe the devil is in it. " His companion, who took it away, foundit extremely heavy, and he had hardly left the cell, when he foundhimself motionless and dumb. The Father, not doubting of the malignityof the devil, ordered the brother, under obedience, to come backdirectly; the wicked spirit having immediately left him, he came backand related the state in which he had found himself. The Saint, confirmed by this in the idea with which he had been impressed, thatwhat he had suffered had been brought on by his enemy, said:--"It istrue that yesterday, when reciting Compline, I perceived that the devilwas approaching, and I prepared to resist him. He is full of maliceand artfulness; as he could not sully a soul which God protects by Hisgrace, he endeavored to injure the body, and to prevent the necessaryaid being afforded to it; desiring to induce it to commit some fault, at least of impatience, and prevent its having recourse to prayer. "The holy man was delivered from his sufferings, and got the rest hecould not obtain, when his head was laid upon a feather pillow. Towhat a height of perfection did not God propose to raise this Hisfaithful Servant? He did not even allow him to have a small relieffrom his sufferings. He is a holy God, jealous of the sanctity ofsouls, who desires to have them purified by all sorts of sacrifices;but, then, His rewards are great. Whilst Francis was at Grecio and in its environs, Peter of Catania, his first vicar-general, died in the Convent of St. Mary of the Angels, on the 2d day of March, 1224. As soon as he was in the tomb, God borewitness to his merit by many miracles. The people crowded to his grave, and left valuable offerings, which greatly disturbed the quiet of thereligious, and caused them much uneasiness on account of their strictpoverty. Francis, having been informed of it, went to the tomb, and, moved by holy zeal, he addressed the dead man in a commanding tone, with which God alone could have inspired him: "Brother Peter, whilstyou were living, you always obeyed me punctually: I command you toobey me similarly now. Those who come to your grave are very troublesometo us. Our poverty is offended, and our quiet infringed on, so thatour discipline becomes relaxed; thus, I command you, by your vow ofobedience, to refrain from performing any more miracles. " His orderwas obeyed. From that moment no more miracles were performed at thetomb of Brother Peter. An ancient manuscript chronicle which is preserved in the Vatican, mentions that Francis, having directed the body of Brother Peter tobe removed sometime afterwards, it was found that it was turned andkneeling, the head bowed down, and in the posture of one who obeys acommand given him. To mark the value of obedience and the respect dueto it, God was pleased to permit a dead person to obey the orders ofa superior, as if he had been living. A similar prohibition from performing miracles after death, is recordedin the life of St. Bernard. Gosvin, Abbot of Citeaux, who was at hisfuneral with many other abbots of his order, seeing the commotioncaused by the numerous miracles which were worked there, and fearingthis would become prejudicial to regular discipline, approachedrespectfully to the coffin, and forbade the saint from performing anymore miracles, in virtue of his obedience. And, in fact, from thattime, there were no more performed at that shrine publicly, althoughGod performed others privately by his invocation. The author adds, that St. Benedict requires in his rule, an obedience without reserve, according to the example of Jesus Christ, who was obedient unto death, and that the soul of St. Bernard rendered itself obedient even afterdeath to a mortal man. Clare, and her daughters of the Monastery of St. Damian, now askedFrancis to give them a written rule, and a form of life similar tothat of the Friars Minor, in order that, in his absence and after hisdeath, they and those who should succeed them, might live up to it. These Religious of St. Damian, did not wish to receive the rule of St. Benedict, nor the constitutions prepared by Cardinal Ugolino, whichthe other monasteries, established on the plan of St. Damian, hadwillingly accepted, and which were of great severity: these nuns desiredto have a rule which should be of even greater rigor. The holy Patriarch consulted the same cardinal on this subject, hebeing the protector of both Orders; and they jointly composed a rulein twelve chapters, which was similar in all respects to that of theFriars Minor, with modifications and usages proper for females. Ifanything made Francis hesitate, the cardinal gave his opinion eitherto modify certain parts, or to take precautions on others. He alsoused some articles from the constitutions which had before been drawnup. While he was writing, he could not help shedding tears, inreflecting that young females were willing to practise austerities ofsuch a nature. St. Clare says in her will, addressing herself to the sisters: "Ourblessed Father, St. Francis, has written for us a form of life, principally that we may ever persevere in the practice of holy poverty, to which he has exhorted us, not only by his word and example, but bymany writings which he has left us. Pope Innocent IV expressly declaresin the bull which he issued at the earnest entreaty of St. Clare, threedays before her death, that the rule which he confirms was given themby St. Francis. All is his, except some very trifling things, in noway essential, which seem to have been added to it by Cardinal Ugolino, by St. Clare, and by the Pope. "It was in the year, 1224, that the marvellous apparition recorded byWading was seen, which is noted as follows in the legend of St. Bonaventure:"Although Francis could not attend the provincial chapters, the orderwhich he had laid down for these assemblies, the fervent prayers whichhe put up for their success, and the influence of the blessing whichhe gave them, were as if he were present at them. Sometimes even, God, by His almighty power, caused him to appear among them in a sensiblemanner, as it happened at the chapter at Arles. While that excellentpreacher Anthony was discoursing to the brethren on the Passion of theSon of God, and on the inscription on His cross, 'JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS, ' one of the religious, named Monald, a man ofexemplary virtue, moved by the Spirit of God to look towards the doorof the chapterhouse, saw the blessed Francis, raised into the air withhis arms extended as a cross, giving his blessing to the assembly. They then became filled with great spiritual consolation, which wasan interior testimonial assuring them of the presence of their Father, and confirming what Monald had seen. This became more certain, afterwards, by the avowal which Francis made respecting it. ""We should have no difficulty in believing this, " continues St. Bonaventure, "for God, by His almighty power, rendered the holy BishopSt. Ambrose, during a mysterious sleep, present at the funeral obsequiesof St. Martin; in a similar manner it was His pleasure that the truthsannounced by His preacher Anthony, on the subject of the Cross of JesusChrist, should receive greater weight by the presence of His ServantFrancis, who carried the cross with such exemplary courage, and preachedit with such zeal. "Having given a rule to the sisters of St. Damian, and transacted allthat related to the three orders, Francis recommended strongly toBrother Elias, to attend carefully, and to see that everything wascarried into effect, and then thought it necessary to take some timeto attend to his own interior. For it was his custom to go from onegood work to another, in which he imitated, St. Bonaventure says, theangels whom Jacob saw in his dream, going up and down the mysteriousladder, the feet of which rested on the earth, but its summit reachedthe heavens. This angelic man so employed the time which was givenhim, in which to amass treasures of merit, that he was constantlyoccupied either in descending to his neighbor by the laboriousministries of charity, or in elevating himself to God in the quietexercise of contemplation. When circumstances had compelled him togive more time to the service of souls, he afterwards retired to somelonely and noiseless place, to remove from himself, by giving histhoughts solely to God, all the filth which might have attached itselfto him in his intercourse with men. Our Lord often gave His apostlesexamples of retreats, and they cannot be too often recommended to thosewho labor for the salvation of their neighbors. Francis, therefore, went with some of his brethren to meditate in theconvent of Celles, near Cortona. He met on the road a lady of goodfamily, who was very pious and in great affliction, having a husbandwho used her cruelly, and prevented her from serving God. She told himthat she was come to pray to God for the conversion of her husband, and he made her this answer: "Go in peace; and rest assured that yourhusband will soon afford you consolation; only tell him from God andfrom me, that now is the time of mercy, and that afterwards will bethe time of justice. " The lady received the Father's blessing, andsaid what she had just learned to her husband. The Holy Ghost descendedat the same moment on this man, and he became so changed, that he saidto his wife in a mild tone of voice, "Madam, let us serve God and workout our salvation. " He passed thus many years with her in continence, with which she had inspired him, and they died most holily on the sameday. We saw in the first two Tertiaries, a wife sanctified by her husband. This is precisely what St. Paul says: The one may contribute to thesanctification of the other. In fact, St. Chrysostom thinks that avirtuous woman who is mild and prudent, is more likely to bring backa profligate husband to the service of God, than any other person; andthat the solid piety of a husband, with good manners and discreetfirmness, may soften the asperity of an ill-tempered woman, or at leastrender her less fractious. All that Francis did at Celles, was to give himself up to contemplation;and, in order that the place itself should be favorable to meditation, he resolved, after having been there a short time, to retire to thedesert of Mount Alvernia; it was the Holy Ghost who inspired him withthe desire to go thither, where he was to receive the glorious privilegeof the stigmata. As he passed through the country of Arezzo, his greatinfirmities compelled him to ask for an ass to continue his journey. There was not one in the village, but a person offered him a horse, which he was under the necessity of accepting: it was the only timethat he had been on horseback since his conversion; for, whenever hehad been forced to ride, he took the most despicable animal, in orderto set an example to his brethren. In the village to which the horsewas sent back, there was a woman who, for several days, was sufferingcruelly from labor-pains, without being able to be delivered, so thatno human hope remained of saving her life. The people of the place, seeing the horse brought back which had carried the Saint, took thebridle and placed it on the woman's bed, in full confidence that hewho had had the use of it, would come to her aid; and, in fact, shewas immediately, most fortunately, delivered. This fact is one of thoserelated by St. Bonaventure. On Mount Alvernia Francis reaped extraordinary consolations inmeditation; he was filled with ardent desires of heaven, and, at thesame time, he felt that the celestial gifts were communicated to himin greater abundance. These interior feelings which threw his soulinto ecstasies, raised his body into the air to greater or less height, in proportion to their degree, as if an extreme disgust for every thingthat was connected with the earth, gave him a stimulus to raise himselfto his celestial home. Brother Leo, his secretary and his confessor, attests to have seen himraised sometimes to the height of a man, so that one could touch hisfeet, sometimes, above the tallest beech-trees, and sometimes so high, that he was elevated out of sight. When he was not raised higher thanthe height of a man, Leo kissed his feet and watered them with histears, with tender devotion, saying the following prayer: "My God, bemerciful to me, a sinner such as I am, by the merits of this holy man, and deign to communicate to me some small portion of Thy grace. " Whenhe lost sight of him, he prostrated himself and prayed, on the spoton which he had seen him elevate himself. St. Thomas and many others believed that St. Paul in his rapture mayhave been elevated in body and soul into the third heaven, that is, into the Empyrean, into Paradise, into the place where the angels andthe blessed are; and we must not call this in question, since theapostle himself says, that he does not know whether he was raised upin the body or out of the body. St. Theresa, whose works are publishedby authority, says that she had sometimes raptures in which she wasraised from the ground by a supernatural power, whatever resistanceshe might make; that others saw her in this state, and she saw herselfin it. We may therefore believe that God raised the body of His ServantFrancis, while his soul was in raptures by interior operations; moreparticularly, as the fact is attested by so trustworthy a witness asLeo, who certifies having seen it with his own eyes. "God, " says St. Theresa, "grants extraordinary favors to a soul, to detach it entirelyfrom everything that is earthly, by the body itself, so that lifebecomes burthensome to it, and that it suffers a sort of torment broughton by a violent desire of possessing God, which is a martyrdom bothagreeable, and, at the same time, painful; but we must be under theconviction, that with ordinary grace, which God increases in proportionto faithfulness, we may attain to an entire disengagement from worldlyaffairs, and to that longing for heaven which, as Christians, we areobliged to feel. "One day, when Francis was restored from one of the ecstasies which hadraised him from the ground, Jesus Christ appeared seated at a low stonetable, where the Saint was in the habit of taking his meals, andspeaking to him with the familiarity of a friend, as to the protectionwhich He proposed to give to the Order, after his death, He made knownto him the following points: first, that the Order would last to theend of the world; secondly, that those who should persecute the Order, would not be long-lived, unless they became converted; the third andfourth points, related to favors which our Saviour promised not onlyto the Friars Minor, but to those who were sincerely attached to them. When our Lord had disappeared from the table, Brother Leo, not knowingwhat had happened, was about to prepare it, as usual, for their meal, but Francis stopped him, saying: "It must be washed with water, withwine, with milk, with oil, and with balm, for Jesus Christ hascondescended to sit on it, and to make known to me from thence whatwill be communicated to you hereafter. " As Brother Leo had not thearticles he required, he only took oil, as Jacob had done, to consecratethis table to the Lord, and, having poured oil on it, he pronouncedthese words: "This is the altar of God. " He then told his companionthe four favors which had been promised and added that there was afifth which he should not repeat: it was thought that it was out ofhumility; for, after his death, it was revealed to Brother Leo, thatit consisted in that God, in consequence of the merits of the Saint, had deferred punishing the country by famine, to give sinners time tobe converted; and, as they did not avail themselves of it, after hisdeath, this scourge fell on the land, and was followed by a greatmortality. Towards the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, he retiredinto the most secret part of the mountains, where his companions builtfor him a small and unpretentious cell. He remained there with Leo, having forbidden the others to return to him till the Feast of St. Michael, and on no account to permit any persons whomsoever to haveaccess to him. It was then the time of the fast which he prescribedfor himself, in honor of the archangel; one of the nine periods offasting he observed during the year, which will be noticed elsewhere. Proposing to fast this year more rigorously than in the precedingyears, he directed Brother Leo to bring him nothing but bread and wateronce a day, and that, towards evening, and place it at the thresholdof his cell. "And when you come to me for Matins, " he added, "don'tcome into the cell, but only say in a loud voice, 'Domine, labia meaaperies;' and if I answer, 'Et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam, ' youwill come in, otherwise you will go back. " His pious companion, whohad nothing more at heart than to obey him, and be useful to him, complied minutely with all he said; but he was often obliged to returnin the night, because the holy man was in ecstasy, and did not hearhim. The reward of his solicitude was to be freed from a mental agitation, which he had found very troublesome; although it was not a temptationof the flesh, he nevertheless was ashamed of it, and did not dare makehis Father acquainted with it; he only wished to have something writtenby him, which he thought would enable him to overcome the temptation, or at least enable him to bear it with less difficulty. The Father, knowing by revelation the state of his mind and his wish, desired himto bring him paper and ink, and he put on the top of the paper, inlarge characters, the letter "T, " after which he wrote some praisesof God, with his blessing: "May the Lord bless you and take you intoHis keeping, may He show you His countenance, and take pity on you, may He turn His eyes towards you, and give you His peace. May God blessBrother Leo. " "Take this paper, " he said, "and keep it carefully allyour life. " Leo had no sooner received it than his temptation lefthim; he preserved it carefully till his death, knowing the virtue thatwas attached to it. This writing is still extant at Assisi, in thesanctuary of the Church of St. Francis, and God has permitted it tobe frequently used for the cure of diseases. St. Bonaventure says that, in his days, it had been the means by which several miracles wereeffected. Francis experienced on Mount Alvernia, what had occurred to St. Anthonyin the Desert of Thebais: after having been the means of freeing othersfrom the attacks of the devil, he was exposed to them himself. Thesubtle spirit often suggested evil thoughts to him. He placed horridspectres before him, and he even visibly struck him severe blows. Oncein a very narrow path, and on the edge of a deep precipice, he appearedto him in a hideous figure, and threw himself upon him to cast himdown; as there was nothing by which he could support himself, Francisplaced his two hands on the rock, which was very hard and slippery, and they sank into it, as if it had been soft wax, and this preservedhim from falling. An angel appeared to him to put away his fright, andto console him, causing him to hear celestial music, the sweetness ofwhich in so far suspended the powers of his soul, that it seemed tohim that his soul would have been separated from his body, had themusic lasted much longer. He resumed his prayer in which he returned thanks for having escapedthe danger, and for the consolation he had received; then he set aboutconsidering what might be the will of God. He was not, as St. Bonaventure remarks, like to those inquisitive minds, who rashlyendeavor to scrutinize the ways of God, and who are overwhelmed withHis glory; but as a faithful and prudent servant, he endeavored todiscover the intention of his Master, only from the anxiety he feltto conform himself to it in all things. A divine impression inducedhim to think that, if he opened the Book of the Gospel, he would learnfrom Jesus Christ what in him and for him would be most agreeable toGod. Having, therefore, again prayed with great fervor, he told BrotherLeo to take the New Testament from the altar, and open it; Leo openedit three times in honor of the most Holy Trinity, and, each time, heopened it at the Passion of our Blessed Lord. Francis, who was filledwith the Spirit of God, understood from this, that, as he had imitatedJesus Christ in the actions of His life, he must now conform himselfto His sufferings, and in the pains of His Passion. Although his body was greatly weakened by the austerities he practised, by which he incessantly carried the cross of the Son of God, he wasnot alarmed at the idea of having new sufferings to endure; on thecontrary, he put on fresh courage for martyrdom, in which, he thought, conformity to the Passion of Jesus Christ consists--hence the piouswish he had three times entertained of exposing himself to it. For thelove he had for the good Jesus, remarks St. Bonaventure, was so lively, that the following words of the Canticles seemed to be applied to him:"His lamps are lamps of fire and flame. " The charity which inflamedhis heart was so ardent and forcible, that all the waters oftribulation, and all the fury of persecution would have been unableto extinguish it. It is in this sense that St. Paul said: "Who shallseparate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation? or distress?or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword?"Such is the exalted love which Christians should have for God, if theydesire to love Him eternally; their hearts must be ready and willingto make every sacrifice, and to suffer everything in order to preservethis divine love. Some days after the opening of the book of the Gospel, Leo had comeat midnight to say aloud, at the door of Francis' cell, "Domine labiamea aperies, " according to the order he had received; and receivingno reply, he had the curiosity to advance a step further, and to lookthrough the chinks of the door, to see what was going on. He saw thecell entirely illuminated, and a bright ray of light come from heaven, and rest upon the head of the Saint; he heard voices which madequestions and answers; and he remarked that Francis, who was prostrate, often repeated these words: "Who art Thou, O my God, and my dear Lord?and whom and I? a worm, and Thy unworthy servant. " He also saw him puthis hand out three times into his bosom, and each time stretch it outto the flame. The light disappeared, the conversation ceased, and Leo wished toretire quickly; but the Father heard him, and rebuked him severely forhaving watched him, and thus seen what ought to have been secret. Leoasked pardon, and having obtained it, humbly entreated his master toexplain to him, for the greater glory of God, the things he had seen, which Francis did in these terms:--"God manifested Himself to me in the flame which you saw; He explainedmany mysteries to me, by His infinite goodness, and He communicatedto me an immense knowledge of Himself, and I was so overpowered withadmiration, that I exclaimed: 'Who art Thou, Lord, and who am I?' Fornothing has tended more to my knowledge of what I am, than thecontemplation of the infinite and incomprehensible abyss of theperfections of God, although from afar, and under obscure veils. "The Lord then having condescended to disclose to me, as much as I amcapable of knowing of His infinite greatness, I could not avoid makingthis reflection; that it is certain that every creature is a merenonentity before God. While I was thus meditating, it was His pleasureto direct that, for all the good He had done me, I should make Himsome offering; I replied that my poverty was so great, that except thepoor habit which I wore, I had nothing in the world but my body andmy soul, which I had long since dedicated to Him. The Lord then urgedme to offer Him what was in my bosom, and I was surprised to find therea beautiful piece of gold, which I immediately offered to Him; I foundthree pieces successively, which I presented to Him in the same manner;it was when you saw me extend my hand in the flame. I gave thanks toGod for His many benefits, and for the means He put in my power tomake Him some acknowledgment. He gave me to understand that the threepieces of gold, which were highly agreeable to Him, represented thethree modes of life which it had been His will that I should institute, and also the three vows of poverty, obedience, and chastity. "When he said that nothing had tended so much to the knowledge of whathe was, as the contemplation of the infinite perfections of God, hewell knew that the best mode to attain the knowledge of God is to knowone's self, as St. Augustine and St. Bernard teach us; that is to say, that in order to our obtaining peculiar lights which open to us thegrandeur of God, it is necessary to be thoroughly impressed with ourown vileness, be sensible of our misery, and annihilate ourselves, because the Divine Majesty only communicates itself to the humble. ButSt. Francis proposed to himself to explain that, when it pleases Godto manifest Himself in some manner to a soul which is duly sensibleof its nothingness, it is better impressed with its own nothingness, by the disproportion it sees between the Sovereign Being and Hiscreature, which discovers to it a thousand imperfections which it wasnot previously aware of, as a ray of the sun penetrating into a room, discovers a multitude of atoms of which we were previously unaware. We may also form to ourselves an idea of this by our knowledge of humanignorance; an ignorant man is less sensible of his ignorance andsometimes he is not at all aware of it; he thinks he knows everything;but a very learned man knows that he is ignorant of an infinity ofthings, and finds his mind very confined. So also souls which areinteriorly enlightened as to the greatness of the Divinity, are moreperfectly aware of their own nothingness, and are more humble thanthose who have not similar views. The mode adopted by the former isto dive into his own nothingness by the light of faith, to humblehimself continually, in order to attain to a more exalted idea of thegreatness of God and to repeat frequently this prayer of St. Augustine:"O God, who art always the same! may I know myself, may I know Thee. "The self-knowledge which St. Francis possessed in such perfection, prepared him sufficiently for the signal favor which God proposed toconfer upon him, according to the principle of St. Augustine, thatdeep foundations are requisite for a building of great height. About the Festival of the Exaltation of the Cross, which is on thefourteenth of September (it is believed that it was on the eve), anangel appeared to him and gave him notice as he afterwards communicatedto some of his companions, to prepare himself for all that God woulddo for him. "I am prepared for everything, " he replied, "and I shallnot in any way oppose His holy will, provided he condescends to assistme with His grace. Although I am a useless man, and unworthy that Godshould cast a thought on me, nevertheless, as I am His servant, I begHe may act by me, according to His good pleasure. "This generous concurrence, which had martyrdom in its view, was thelast disposition which the Almighty required previous to giving toFrancis the peculiar and signal prerogative of the stigmata, that isto say, previous to imprinting on his body the five wounds of ourSaviour Jesus Christ. We are about to put on record this marvellousevent as nearly as possible in the very words of St. Bonaventure, whichwe have extracted from his two legends. He does not name the preciseday, but Wading assigns good reasons for thinking it occurred on theFestival of the Exaltation of the Cross. "Francis, the servant and truly faithful minister of Jesus Christ, being one morning in prayer on one side of the Mountain of Alvernia, elevating himself to God by the seraphic fervor of his desires and bythe motives of tender and affectionate compassion, transforming himselfinto Him who, by the excess of His charity, chose to be crucified forus; he saw, as it were, a seraph, having six brilliant wings, and allon fire, descending towards him from the height of heaven. This seraphcame with a most rapid flight to a spot in the air, near to where theSaint was, and then was seen between his wings the figure of a crucifiedman, who had his hands and feet extended and fastened to a cross. Hiswings were so arranged that he had two of them on his head, two werestretched out to fly with, and he covered his whole body with the twoothers. "At the sight of such an object, Francis was extraordinarily surprised;joy, mingled with grief and sorrow, spread over his soul; the presenceof Jesus Christ, who manifested himself to him under the figure of aseraph in so marvellous a mariner, and with such familiarity, and bywhom he found himself considered so favorably, caused in him an excessof pleasure; but the sorrowful spectacle of His crucifixion filled himwith compassion, and his soul felt as if it was pierced through witha sword. Above all, he admired with deep concern that the infirmityof His sufferings should appear under the figure of a seraph, wellknowing that this does not agree with His state of immortality; andhe could not comprehend the intention of the vision, when our Lord, who appeared outwardly, communicated to him interiorly, as to Hisfriend, that He had been placed before him in order to let him knowthat it was not by the martyrdom of the flesh, but by the inflammationof the soul, that he was to be wholly transformed into a perfectresemblance to Jesus Christ crucified. "The vision vanished, after having had a secret and familiar conferencewith him, leaving his soul filled with seraphic ardor, and imprintingon his body a figure similar to that of the crucifix, as if his flesh, like softened wax, had received the impression of the letters of aseal. For the marks of the nails immediately began to show themselveson his hands and feet, such as he had seen them on the figure of thecrucified man. His feet and hands were seen to be perforated by nailsin their middle; the heads of the nails, round and black, were on theinside of the hands, and on the upper parts of the feet; the points, which were rather long, and which came out on the opposite sides, wereturned and raised above the flesh, from which they came out. Therewas, likewise, on his right side a red wound, as if it had been piercedwith a lance, and from this wound there often oozed a sacred blood, which soaked his tunic, and anything he wore round his body. "This is the new prodigy which Jesus Christ chose to exhibit in favorof Francis, in order to render him more like to himself. He marked himand ornamented him with His own wounds, by a singular and gloriousprerogative which had never, previously, been conceded to any one, andwhich justly excites the admiration of the Christian world. St. Bonaventure is of opinion that all human encomium falls short of whatit deserves. In fact, in the midst of all the marvels which we findin the life of St. Francis, we are compelled to admit that this is theone which, without any exaggeration, may be termed incomparable. Whatcan there be so beautiful as to be visibly clothed with Jesus Christ, to bear on the body the lively resemblance of those wounds which arethe price of our redemption, the source of life, and the pledge ofsalvation? What interior conformity must the Servant have had with hisMaster, to have deserved to have so marked a one exteriorly, for, nodoubt, the one was in proportion to the other! This faithful Servanthaving embraced the cross from the very commencement of his conversion, he carried it in his heart, in his mind, in his body, and in all hissenses; all his love, all his desires, were centred in the cross, itwas the standard of his militia. Therefore did Jesus Christ, whosegoodness appears with magnificence towards those who love Him, afterhaving honored the zeal of Francis by various apparitions in Hiscrucified state, choose, as a crowning of all His favors, that heshould be himself crucified, in order that, as the love of the crossconstituted his merit before God, the glory of being so miraculouslyfastened to it, should render him admirable in the sight of mankind. Such was the sort of torment which God reserved for him in order tosatisfy the extreme desire he had to suffer martyrdom, on which St. Bonaventure exclaims: "O truly fortunate man, whose flesh not havingbeen tortured by the racks of a tyrant, has nevertheless, borne theimpress of the Lamb that was slain! O fortunate soul, thou hast notlost the palm of martyrdom, and yet thou art not separated from thebody by the sword of the persecutor!" Must we not also admit that theimpression of the five wounds of our Savior Jesus Christ on his bodywas a true martyrdom--a precious martyrdom; rigorous in one sense, andthe more so, as it was not the consequence of the cruelty ofexecutioners, but was owing to the darts of divine love, and to thevery influence of the Son of God, the operation of which is mostpowerful; sweet and delicious in another sense, and the more so, asit was the effect of a most affectionate communication, and broughtabout more intimate relations? Out Savior, thus, in some degree, represented in His creature the situation in which He had been on thecross, enjoying sovereign beatitude, while He suffered all the painsand violence of the execution. It was in all probability after this favor of the stigmata, that Franciscomposed the two Italian canticles which are found amongst his works. In the first, the burden of which is, "In foco l'amor mi mise, in focol'amor mi mise, " he describes very practically, with figurative andvery lively expressions, the struggle he had with divine love, and theattacks he had himself made on that love, the wounds which he received, the flames by which his heart was kindled, and the state of languorand faintness to which he found himself reduced, and, finally, thestrength, with a tranquillity of feeling exceedingly refreshing, whichJesus Christ had imparted to him. In the second, which is much longerthan the first, he describes the strength, elevation, and tenderness, the vehemence of the divine love in his heart; he enters intoconversation with Jesus Christ, who answers him; and this loveconstantly increasing, he declares that he can resist no longer, thathe consents to everything, and that he wishes no other relief than todie of love. St. Theresa, speaking of her situation at prayer, in which she oftenfound herself, as it were, intoxicated with the love of God, and quitebeside herself, said: "I know a person who, without being a poet, sometimes made very good extempore verses in spiritual canticles, whichexpressed beautifully her sufferings. It was not from her mind thatthey originated; but, by order of the glory so delicious a sufferingcaused her; she laid her complaint in this manner before God. She wouldhave wished to tear herself to pieces to show the pleasure sheexperienced in this delightful pain. " These spiritual and divineemotions are neither known nor relished by profane minds and hearts, who only learn from their own corruption, and from the pestiferousbooks which encourage it, the extravagances and transports of criminallove; but pure minds, who know what it is to love God, and to be lovedby Him, are not astonished at the effects which this holy reciprocatedlove produced in a St. Francis, in a St. Theresa, and in many others. Neither is it surprising that the saints who are full of the thoughtsof God, should have had recourse to poetry to express the feelings oftheir hearts, since the sacred writers, inspired by the Spirit of God, have composed many of the sacred books in poetry; this also is practisedby the universal Church in her Divine Office. The precious wounds which Francis had received, were a subject of greatembarrassment to him; for, in the first place, he wished to concealthem wholly, well knowing that it is "proper to conceal the secretsof the king, " as the angel said to Tobit; and, in the second place, he saw that the wounds were too conspicuous to remain long hidden fromthose of his companions who had familiar intercourse with him. Hishesitation was, whether he should tell them what had occurred, inconfidence, or whether he should be silent on the subject, for fearof making known the secrets of the Lord. He called some of them to himand laid before them his difficulty in general terms, and solicitedtheir advice. Brother Illuminatus, he from whom he had received suchexcellent advice in the camp before Damietta, opining, from the lookof astonishment which he remarked in him, that he had seen somethingwonderful, said: "Brother, you ought to know that it is not only foryour own edification, but for that of others also, that God sometimesdiscovers his secrets to you, for which reason you should be fearfulof being reprimanded for having hidden the talent, unless you makeknown what is to be of service to many. "Francis was struck with this advice, and although on other occasionshe was in the habit of saying with Isaiah, "My secret is to myself, "he communicated to them all what had passed in the apparition, butalways with great fear; adding, that He who had appeared to him, hadcommunicated things to him which, while he lived, he never woulddisclose to any one. We must believe, as St. Bonaventure remarks, thatthe seraph whom he saw attached to the cross in so wonderful a manner, or rather, Jesus Christ Himself in the appearance of a seraph, hadsaid to him, as he had to St. Paul, "Secret words, which it is notgranted to man to utter;" either because there are no words in whichthey can be expressed, or, as a respected author thinks, because thereare no souls sufficiently disengaged from sensible objects, andsufficiently pure, to understand them. The confidence which Francis had reposed in his companions, did notprevent his taking every precaution possible to hide, as much as itwas in his power, the sacred marks with which the King of kings hadsecretly favored him. From that time forward, he kept his hands covered, so that the nails should not be seen, and he wore slippers, whichcovered those of his feet. Wading saw in the Monastery of the PoorClares at Assisi, the sort of slippers which St. Clare made for herspiritual Father, so neatly contrived that the upper part covered theheads of the nails, and, the underneath being somewhat raised, thepoints did not prevent his walking; for these miraculous nails did nottake from him the use of his hands and feet, although it was painfulto him to use them. But all the precautions which his humility had suggested, becameuseless; it is God's providence to reveal, for His greater glory, thewonderful things which He does. The Lord Himself, who had secretlymarked on Francis the impressions of His Passion, by their means workedmiracles, which manifestly disclosed their hidden and marvellous virtue. Moreover, the Saintly Man could not prevent his wounds from being seenand touched by persons whose veracity cannot be called in question, and who rendered public testimony thereto; besides which, after hisdeath, all the inhabitants of Assisi saw, touched, and kissed them. The Sovereign Pontiffs of those days were so convinced of this admirableevent, that they issued bulls to exalt it by their praise, and torepress by their authority those who refused credence to the fact, because they had not seen it with their own eyes. Pope Alexander IVcertified it, as having been an eye-witness to it, in a sermon and ina bull; and St. Bonaventure says that the proofs then collected madeit so certain, that they were sufficient to dispel every shade ofdoubt. This degree of certainty is still further enhanced and renderedmore respectable, since Popes Benedict XI, Sixtus IV, and Sixtus Vhave consecrated and extolled the impression of the stigmata on thebody of St. Francis, by having instituted a particular festival intheir honor, which is found in the Roman Martyrology, on the 17th ofSeptember, and which is kept in the universal Church. The forty days which Francis had resolved to pass in solitude andfasting having terminated on Michaelmas Day, this new man, whom perfectlove had transformed by a lively resemblance into Him whom he loved, descended from the mountain, carrying with him the image of JesusChrist crucified, not modelled by the hand of a workman on wood orstone, but stamped on his very flesh by the finger of the living GodHimself, as St. Bonaventure expresses it. He became more partial thanever to Mount Alverno, where he had received this sacred image, andrecommended to his brethren to cherish great respect for this holyplace. As he descended the mountain, he met a number of the country peoplewho had already heard of the marvellous occurrence; it is probablethat God had informed the people of it by some extraordinarymanifestation. At the time when it occurred, they saw at break of daythe mountain illuminated by a most brilliant light, and what theyheard, informed them of the reason. They wished to kiss his hands; butthey were tied round with bandages, and he only offered them the tipsof his fingers. In a village near Arezzo, they brought him a child of about eight yearsof age, who had been dropsical for four years, whom he curedinstantaneously by touching him. He went afterwards to Montaigne, whereCount Albert, the lord of that place, who was his good friend, and atwhose house he often took his bed, received him with great pleasure. But the count was distressed to hear him say that his infirmities wouldnot allow him to return there any more, and that the time of his deathwas hastening on. To mitigate the grief of such melancholy tidings, he entreated the Saint to leave him some memorial of their friendship;to which Francis replied, that he had nothing to give but the miserablehabit he had on, but that he would willingly leave it him, providedhe could get another. The change was soon effected; and it cannot be told how much Albertprized the habit in which Francis had received the impression of theprecious pledges of our redemption. After the death of St. Francis heenfolded this poor habit in rich stuffs of silk and gold, and he placedit with great veneration on the altar of the church. The Lords ofMontaigne, from father to son, had it long in their possession; andit, at length, came in the manner related by Wading, into the possessionof the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, who preserve it as a precious relic. The great infirmities which the man of God suffered, obliged him totake an ass to carry him from Montaigne to Mount Casal, through theborough of Saint Sepulchre. When he reached the latter place, whichis very populous, the crowd surrounded him, touched him, and pressedupon him, but he was insensible of it; he was as a dead person, in noway aware what was doing, insomuch that, having proceeded a good wayfrom thence, and coming to himself, as one returned from the otherworld, he inquired of some lepers at the door of the hospital, whetherthey would soon get to Saint Sepulchre. His mind, contemplating, saysSt. Bonaventure, with deep attention the brilliant lights of heaven, had not noticed the difference of time, place, or persons; so penetratedwas he with divine communications, that he was not aware of what passedaround him. On reaching Mount Casal, he learned that one of his religious wassuffering under an extraordinary disorder, which some considered tobe epilepsy, and others thought it a true case of possession by thedevil, for he had all the violent contortions of those possessed. TheFather, who was full of tender compassion for the suffering, was greatlyafflicted at seeing one of his children in this deplorable state, andhe sent him a mouthful of the bread he was eating, the virtue of whichwas so great that, as soon as the sick man had swallowed it, he wascured, and thenceforward had no relapse into the disorder. From Mount Casal Francis went to Castello, and at the house where hewent to lodge, he was required to lend his aid to a female whom thedevil possessed, and compelled to talk without ceasing. The servantof God with great prudence first sent one of his companions to see andhear her, to examine into the case, to see whether it was really oneof possession, or whether the woman was not counterfeiting. She gnashedher teeth, --she imitated the cry of an elephant with a dreadfulcountenance; she affected to laugh when she saw the religious, andordered him to go away, saying that she did not care about him, butshe was afraid of him who hid himself. The Saint, who was in prayer, having heard this, came into the room, where this woman was speakingwithout any reserve, before many who were there. As soon as she sawhim, she fell on the ground, trembling. He reproached the demon withhis cruelty in thus torturing one of God's creatures, and ordered himto leave her, which he did instantly, but with so much noise asmanifested his wrath. In the same town he cured a child who had anulcer, by making the sign of the cross on the dressing which coveredit. When the parents of the child took off the dressing, they sawwith surprise, in lieu of the ulcer, a fleshy excrescence, like a redrose, which remained during the whole of the child's life, as a sensibleproof and memorial of the miracle which had been performed. After an abode of a month at Castello, the man of God set out on hisreturn to Saint Mary of the Angels. Brother Leo, who accompanied him, assures us, that during the whole way, and until his arrival in theconvent, he saw a beautiful golden cross, shining--with various colors, preceding him, which stopped where he stopped, and advanced as he wenton. This pious companion understood from this, that God had chosen togive to His Servant the consolation of seeing with the eyes of hisbody that cross which he had always in his heart, and which he likewisebore in his flesh by the wounds of Jesus Christ. Nothing is more affecting than what St. Bonaventure says of the feelingsof St. Francis after having received the impression of these sacredwounds. These are the words of the holy doctor:--"Francis, being crucified with Jesus Christ in mind and body, not onlyburned with the ardent love of a seraph, but he likewise participatedin the thirst for the salvation of souls which the Son of God felt onthe Cross. As he could not go, as he usually had done, into the townsand villages, on account of the large nails he had on his feet, he hadhimself carried thither, to animate every one, although he was in adeplorable state of languor and half dead with his infirmities, tocarry the cross of our Saviour. He used to say to his brethren: 'Letus now begin to serve the Lord our God, for up to this time we havemade but little progress. '""He was also ardently desirous of returning to his first practicesof humility, --to attend the lepers, and to bring his body intosubjection, as he had done in the first days of his conversion. Althoughhis limbs were enfeebled by his exertions and sufferings, that did notprevent his hoping that, as his mind was yet vigorous and active, heshould still combat and be victorious over his enemy. Under the guidanceof Jesus Christ, he proposed to perform some extraordinary things; forwhen love is the spur, which admits of no neglect nor slackness, iturges to the undertaking of things of greater importance. His body wasin such unison with his mind, so submissive, so wholly obedient, that, far from resisting, it was forward in some measure, and went as itwere of itself towards the attainment of the great elevation of sanctityto which he aspired. "It being God's will that he should acquire the summit of merit, whichis only attained by great patience, He tried him by many sorts ofmaladies, so grievous, that there was scarcely any part of his bodyin which he did not suffer excruciating pains. These reduced him tosuch a state, that he was scarcely more than skin and bone, almost allhis flesh was wasted away; but these sufferings he did not consideras such, he denominated them his sisters, to show how much he cherishedthem. These words of Saint Francis to his brethren, "Let us begin to servethe Lord our God, for until now we have made little progress, " containone of the most important lessons of all spiritual life. The Wise Mansays of the knowledge of the works of God: "When a man hath done, thenhe shall begin, " St. Augustine applies this sentence to the obscurityof the sacred writings, when he says that, the deeper they are searched, the more hidden mysteries are found in them; and it is equallyapplicable to Christian and religious perfection. It is an errorcondemned by the Church to believe that a man is capable of attainingin this life such a degree of perfection, as not to be able to increaseit; but it would be a deplorable illusion to make use of the languagecondemned by Saint Bernard; "I have done enough, I will remain as Iam: neither become worse, nor better. " The just man never says, "Itis enough;" he has always hunger and thirst after justice; as theapostles, "He forgets the things that are behind, and stretches himselfto those that are before, to press towards the mark. " To believe thatwe have made progress is not to do so; not to strive to advance is togo back, and to lose one's self. What instruction do we find here forthe most perfect, in the example of a saint who deems himself to havemade little progress in the service of God, and who wishes to beginall afresh, at a time when he is found deserving to bear on his bodythe wounds of Jesus Christ!His disorders were only afflicting to Francis inasmuch as related tothe vast projects he unceasingly formed for the good of souls. He wasmost grieved at the state of his eyes, which made his sight begin tofail. Notwithstanding his other infirmities, whenever he could, hemounted on an ass, and went about, preaching penance, announcing thekingdom of God, and addressing these words to all his hearers: "JesusChrist, my Love, was crucified. " He spoke with so much fervor, andwith such assiduity, visiting sometimes five or six towns in the courseof a single day, that it might be paid that God gave him, as to theprophet, the agility of a deer. However, although in the person of St. Francis the interior man was renewed from day to day, yet it necessarilyfollowed that the exterior man, borne down by so much, austerity andfatigue, began rapidly to decay. The acute pains in his eyes, and thetears he constantly shed, brought on blindness, besides it wasimpossible for him to preach any longer, however desirous he was todo so. Moreover, he would not have recourse to remedies, although hisbrethren urged him to avail himself of them, because, being alreadyin heaven in mind and heart, he wished, as the Apostle had done, "tohave his conversation in heaven. "Brother Elias, vicar-general, who felt the loss which the death of hisholy founder would be to the Order, was most anxious to procure himrelief. His feelings also induced him to wish it; for, with all hisfaults, he was tenderly attached to his father, and was as a motherto him by the care he took of him: of this all the first writers ofthe life of Saint Francis bear testimony. He used entreaties andargument to induce him to have recourse to medicine for his disorders, and quoted the following Scriptural texts: "The Most High hath createdmedicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them. " Healso on this occasion made use of the power he had received from theSaint: he commanded him, on his obedience, not to resist his cure. Cardinal Ugolino, Protector of the Order, urged him also to the sameeffect, and warned him to be careful, lest there should be sin insteadof merit in neglecting to take proper care of himself. The sick man yielded to the advice of his friends. He was removed toa small and poor cell, very near the Convent of Saint Damian, that hemight be nearer to Clare and her sisterhood, who loved him as theirfather, and who prepared the medicines for him. He remained there fortydays with the Brothers Masse, Ruffin, Leo, and Angelo of Rieti; butthe disorder of his eyes became so painful, that he could get no restnight or day; when he endeavored to procure a little sleep, he wasprevented by a number of rats, which infested the hut, and ran overhis table and bed so daringly, that it was thought to be a stratagemof the evil one. Seeing himself overwhelmed by an accumulation of disorders, he madethe following prayer humbly to God: "My Lord and God, cast Thine eyesupon me, and lend me Thine aid; grant me grace to bear with patienceall these ills and infirmities. " A voice forthwith made him this answer:"Francis, what price should be set upon that which shall obtain akingdom which is above all price? Know that the pains you suffer areof greater value than all the riches of the world, and that you oughtnot to be rid of them for all that is in the world, even though allthe mountains should be changed into pure gold, all its stones intojewels, and all the waters of the sea into balsam. " "Yes, Lord, "exclaimed Francis, "it is thus that I prize the sufferings Thou sendestme; for I know that it is Thy will that they should be in this worldthe chastisements of my sins, in order to show me mercy in eternity. ""Rejoice, then, " added the voice, "it is through the way in which youare, that heaven is reached. " At these words he rose up full of fervor;and wishing that Clare, who was almost always ill, should benefit bywhat he had just heard, he sent to her, and informed her of the tendergoodness of God to man, even in the dispositions of His Providence, which have the appearance of being the most severe. Men who are enlightened by the light of faith, --must they not beconvinced of these Christian truths: that the most perfect have somesins to expiate; that the saints can only attain to heaven by suffering;that the Kingdom of Heaven, which is invaluable, cannot be purchasedat too great a price; and that God never manifests His paternal regardin our favor more evidently than when He afflicts us in this worldin order to show us His mercy in the next? What fruit might not begathered from sicknesses and other sufferings; what alleviations, whatconsolations, and even what joy, might not be found, if these holytruths were but reduced to practice, which unfortunately are onlyviewed theoretically, and with little or no application!Francis being one day at dinner, and beginning to eat, stopped suddenly, and, with his eyes raised to heaven, exclaimed in a loud voice: "MayGod be blessed, glorified, and exalted above all!" Then leaving theroom in an unusual manner, he threw himself on the ground, where heremained motionless in ecstasy during a whole hour. When he came to himself, one of the brethren whose name was Leonard, who had witnessed what had passed, and had heard what he had exclaimed, spoke to him of it, as if what he had done had been very unbecoming. "My dear brother, " said Francis, "I had great cause for what I did, which I will communicate to you confidentially, upon condition thatyou will tell no one of it during my lifetime. If a king promised togive a kingdom to one of his subjects, would not that person have greatreason to rejoice? What, then, did I do that was unseemly, --I whom theAlmighty assured of His kingdom? I was so overpowered with joy, thatI could not control the emotions of my heart; you must excuse theexcess in the expressions of my satisfaction, whatever it may havebeen, and however it may have seemed to transgress the rules of decorum. But what I did is not enough, I will praise God still more; I willunceasingly praise His holy name. I will sing hymns to His glory duringthe remainder of my days. "After which he sat down, and after having reflected a little, he gotone of his companions to write an Italian canticle, which begins thus:"Altissimo, Omnipotente, bon Signore; tue son le laude, la gloria, l'onore, ed ogni benedizione, " etc. "O God, most high, most powerful, most good! to Thee belong praise, honor, glory, and every blessing:these are solely to be referred to Thee; neither is any man worthy topronounce Thy holy name. Praise be to Thee, O Lord, my God! by all thycreatures. " He speaks of the sun as the most brilliant of all, of themoon, the stars, the air, the wind, the clouds, the seasons, the water, the fire, the earth and all that it contains; giving praise to God foreach of His creatures, whose beauties and properties He recites. This canticle resembles that which was sung at Babylon, in the fieryfurnace, by the three young men who were thrown into it, for not havingadored the statue of Nebuchodonosor. They called upon all creatures, inanimate and irrational, to praise God, as David had done before; andSt. Francis calls upon all to praise Him, because of His creatures. This has the same result; for inanimate creatures, as St. Jeromeobserves, only praise God by making Him known to men, and by placingbefore them His magnificence. "When they are considered as His work, "says St. Augustine, "we find in them numberless reasons for singinghymns to His glory; and if His greatness is manifested in His gloriousworks, He is not less great in those which are less so. Whatsoever Godhas made, praises God; there is only sin, of which He is not the author, which does not praise Him. " It was Francis's desire that all hisbrethren should learn his canticle, and recite it daily, and thatBrother Pacificus, the famous poet, of whom we have before spoken, andwho was then in France or in the Low Countries, should put it intowell-sounding verse. He called it the Canticle of the Sun, because ofthe preeminence of that beautiful planet, in which, David says, Godseemed to have taken up His abode, in order to show Himself to us. As his malady did not show symptoms of amelioration, Elias had himremoved from the Convent of St. Mary of the Angels to Foligno, in hopesthat change of air might be of service to him. And he was in factsomewhat relieved by it; but God made known, by an extraordinaryrevelation, that he would continue to suffer until death. Elias foundhimself overpowered with sleep, and in his slumber he saw a venerableold man, clothed in white, with pontifical ornaments, who told himthat Francis must prepare himself to suffer patiently for two yearsmore, after which, death would deliver him, and would cause him topass into perfect repose, free from all pain. He communicated this toFrancis, who said that the same thing had been communicated to him;and then, filled with joy, not only on account of the eternal felicityagain promised him, but because the time was fixed when his soul wasto be released from the prison of his body, he added this furthercouplet to his canticle: "Be Thou praised, my Lord, for death oursister, from which no living man can escape, " etc. "Blessed are theywho, at the hour of death, are found conformed to Thy holy will, forthey will not be overtaken by the second death. Woe to those who diein mortal sin! May all creatures praise and bless God, obey Him andserve Him with great humility!" If we are surprised to find St. Franciscall death our sister, we must bear in mind that the holy man, Job, said to rottenness: "Thou art my father; and to the worms, you are mymother and sister. "The whole of the year 1225, Francis passed in various illnesses andin great sufferings. Towards autumn, Cardinal Ugolino and Brother Eliasinduced him to be removed to Rieti, where there were able physiciansand surgeons who could attend to the state of his eyes. As soon as itwas known in the town, all the inhabitants met, and went to meet him;but, in order to avoid all the honors preparing for him, he had himselftaken to St. Fabian, a village two miles from Rieti, where he lodgedat the cure's. The Pope was at Rieti, with all his court, at that time: many of theprincipal persons of the court, and even cardinals, came to St. Fabianto visit the holy man. While they were in conversation with him, thepersons of their suite went into the cure's vineyard to eat grapes, and they gathered so many that the vineyard was nearly stripped. Thecure was much displeased at this, and complained to St. Francis, whoasked him, how much he thought he had lost? "I usually, " replied thecure, "have made fourteen measures of wine, which were sufficient forthe consumption of my house. " "I am sorry, " said Francis, "that theyshould have done you so much damage, but we must hope that God willfind a remedy for it, and I firmly believe He will, and that, from thegrapes which remain in your vineyard, He will give you fourteen measuresof wine and more. " The cure saw this prophecy fulfilled, for he madetwenty measures from the few grapes which had been left. The magistratesof Rieti caused, at a subsequent period, a convent to be built for theFriars Minors on this spot; and the same Pope, Gregory IX, out ofrespect for the Saint, chose to consecrate the church himself, in whichare still seen representations of the miracle. After some days Francis could no longer avoid going to Rieti, wherethe persons of the court received him with honors, which he gladlywould have dispensed with. --He lodged there with a pious citizen, namedTheobald, a Saracen, who had settled in the town. The dejection of spirits which his sufferings had brought upon him, made him desirous of having instrumental music to cheer him; "but, "says St. Bonaventure, "decorum did not allow him to ask for it, andit was God's pleasure that he should receive this agreeable consolationby means of an angel. The mere sound, which was marvellously harmonious, raised his mind so entirely to God, and filled his soul with so muchdelight, that he thought himself in the enjoyment of the joys of theother world. His intimate companions perceived it, and they frequentlyobserved that God gave him extraordinary consolations, for the effectsthey produced on him were so manifest, that it was impossible for himto disguise them, and then he admitted to them from whence they arose. "This shows that, if the saintly sufferer wished to hear someinstrumental music, it was in order to listen to it for the glory ofGod, as St. Augustine observes was the case with David, and not forany purely human gratification, nor to take any ordinary pleasuretherein, nor even for the assuagement of his violent sufferings. It is true that harmonious sound will procure this relief; and withoutreferring to what ancient writers say on this head, without noticingSaul, we know that there are feelings of the body and mind, in whichwe experience what the wise man supposes to be a common occurrence, "that music rejoices the heart. " Man being born with a taste forproportion, and finding himself full of concert and harmony, it is noway surprising that the harmony and proportion of sounds should causestrong and vivid impressions on him. St. Francis, who may have been naturally more affected by music thanothers, may also have reasonably wished for its solace, more from adesire to prevent the depression of his spirits, than from the violenceof his sufferings, or from being deprived of its solace by a principleof mortification. For he was too spiritual a man not to have usconvinced that his wish proceeded from a purer and more noble motive. He desired to prevent his mind from being too greatly depressed, inorder to render himself more equal to interior operations, and to unitehimself more easily and more intimately to God--as the Prophet Eliseus, who, having been greatly excited against the King of Israel, causeda canticle of the temple to be sung to him, with a harp accompaniment, in order to calm his irritated mind, and to prepare him for the lightsof the Lord, as to the knowledge of future events. St. Augustine alsoobserves, that, after his baptism, the chant of the hymns and psalmssung in the church excited in his heart tender sentiments of piety, and drew from his eyes floods of tears. We may say: Music is a science given to men by the liberality of theCreator, to represent to them the admirable harmony by which He governsthe world, in order to guide them by the channel of the senses, andmelody of sounds, to the knowledge and love of immutable truth. Thisis also the true use of music, and it is only with this view that theChurch permits it in the Divine Service. That which is soft andeffeminate, which is calculated to excite the passions, by multitudesof ambiguous expressions, (not the less dangerous for being so cloaked)should be considered by Christians as an abuse the more deplorable, as it has even been censured and condemned by the pagans. All the skill of the physicians and surgeons of Rieti not having hadany effect towards the cure of their patient, he had himself taken tohis Convent of Fonte Colombo, where they were to continue theirremedies; and it was their opinion that a hot iron should be appliedabove his ear, from which it was expected he would obtain relief. Forthis reason his brethren urged him to give his consent, which hewillingly did, in hopes to recover his sight thereby, and then tocontinue his exertions for the salvation of souls; and also because, the operation being very painful, he would have an opportunity ofvoluntary suffering. When they were about to apply the red-hot iron, he could not avoidfeeling a natural sense of fear; in order to overcome it, he addressedthe fire as we should speak to a friend: "My brother, " said he, "theMost High has given you great beauty, and has made you most useful;be favorable to me on this occasion. I entreat the great God who createdyou, to temper your heat, so that I may be able to bear it. " He thenmade the sign of the cross on the instrument, and without any fearpresented himself to receive the impression. His companions, not havingcourage to witness the operation, left the room. The physician andsurgeon remained alone with him, and the hot iron was pressed fromover his ear to his eyebrow, into his flesh. After the operation, the brothers having returned, he said to them:"Praise the Lord, for I assure you I neither felt the heat of the fire, nor any pain. " Then he reproached them mildly in these words: "Why didyou fly, you pusillanimous men, and of little faith? He who preservedthe three young men in the furnace of Babylon, could He not temper inmy favor the heat of my brother, the fire?" We shall see further whatan exalted principle it was which induced him to qualify all creaturesby the names of his brothers and sisters. He said to the physician:"If the flesh is not sufficiently burnt, replace the hot iron. " Thephysician, struck with so much fortitude in so feeble a body, saw thatit was miraculous, and said to the religious: "I see truly to-day amost wonderful occurrence. "St. Bonaventure, who relates this, makes the following observation:That Francis having attained so high a degree of perfection, his bodywas subject to his mind, and his mind to God; with admirable harmonyit followed from thence, by a peculiar disposition of Divine Providence, that inanimate creatures which obey God, obeyed His servant also, andforebore from hurting him, according to the words: "O Lord! the creaturebeing subject to Thee, as to its Creator, renovates its strength totorment the wicked, and softens it to contribute to the good of thosewho trust in Thee. "It is, moreover, remarkable that St. Francis feared when he saw thered-hot iron, --he who had consented to have the remedy applied, becauseit was severe, and who had offered, when in Egypt, to cast himselfinto the fire to prove the truth of the Christian religion. It is thusthat God permits His saints to become sensible of their natural weaknessin trifling things, in order that they may be sensible that in greaterthings all their strength depends upon His grace. The disorder in the eyes of St. Francis was caused by the tears hecontinually shed. His physician told him he ought to restrain them, unless he wished to lose his entire sight; and this is the reply hegave him: "My dear Brother Doctor, for the love of corporal sight, which we enjoy in common with flies, we must not set aside for a singleinstant the Divine illustrations; for the mind has not received thefavor on account of the body, it has been granted to the body on accountof the mind. " He liked better, says St. Bonaventure, to lose corporalsight than to check for a single moment that tender and affectionatedevotion which calls forth tears, by which the interior sight ispurified and rendered competent to see an infinitely pure God. In order to show some gratitude to the physician for the trouble hetook in his regard, Francis one day desired the brethren, in hispresence, to take him to dine with them. They represented to him thattheir poverty was such that they had nothing which was fit to placebefore a person of his consideration, for this physician was in greatestimation, and very rich. "Men of little faith, " replied the Saint, "why have you these doubts? Why have you not considered more favorablythe merit of obedience? Go and take to the refectory our honorablebrother, the doctor. " They took him, seeing that he would consent topartake of their poor fare out of devotion, but, just as they weresitting down to table, there was a ring at the bell; it was a woman, who brought, in a basket, several dishes exceedingly well dressed, which a lady, who lived at a country house, six miles off, sent to theservant of God. He desired that these might be offered to the physician, and that he might be told that the Lord took care of His own. Thedoctor admired the hand of Providence, and said to the religious: "Mybrethren, we do not sufficiently understand the holiness of this man;and even you who live with him, have no conception of the secret virtuewith which his mind is replenished. "This physician was not less charitable than learned; he had greatpleasure in prescribing for this sick man, he frequently visited him, and paid the expense of the medicines he required. God, who consideredas done to Himself what was done to His servant who could not repayhim, rewarded him in this world by a miracle worked in his favor. He had laid out all his ready money in building a house which was onlyjust finished, when one of the principal walls was found to have alarge crack in it from the top to the bottom, which no human art couldmake good. Full of faith and confidence in the merits of Francis, hebegged his companions to give him something which the holy man hadtouched. After many entreaties they gave him some of his hair, whichhe placed at night in the fissure in the wall. He came back in themorning, and found the whole so completely closed, that it was notonly impossible to get back the hair, but it was no longer perceivablethat there had been any rent in the wall. The good offices which hehad manifested to a worn-out body prevented, says St. Bonaventure, theruin of the house he had just built. Some days after, Francis was taken to Rieti, where the bishop lodgedhim in his palace; they brought to the foot of his bed, upon a tressel, one of the canons, who was dangerously ill; he had been a very worldlyman, who had lived a dissipated life, but who, struck with the fearof approaching death, entreated the Saint to make the sign of the crossupon him. "How, " said Francis, "shall I make the sign of the cross onyou, who, without any fear of the judgments of God, have given yourselfup to the lusts of the flesh? I will do it, however, because of thepious persons who have interceded in your favor. But, bear in mindthat you will suffer much greater ills, if, after your cure, you shouldreturn to your vomit, for the sin of ingratitude and relapse makes thelast state of man worse than the first. " He then made the sign of thecross upon the sick man, who immediately arose, praised God, andexclaimed, "I am healed. " All the bystanders heard his bones crack, as when dry sticks are broken. That unhappy man, however, did notremain long without plunging again into vice; and one night, as he wasin bed at the house of a canon where he had supped, the roof of thehouse fell in and crushed him, without hurting any one else. "It was, " says the same holy doctor, "by a just judgment of God; forthe sin of ingratitude is a contempt of the graces of God, for whichwe ought to be most thankful; and the sins into which we again fallafter repentance, displease Him more than any others. Will it neverbe understood that, in the diseases of the soul, as in those of thebody, there is nothing so dangerous as a relapse?"The pains felt by Francis were in some degree assuaged, his sight wasrestored, and he made use of this interval to have himself taken intoseveral parts of Umbria, of the Kingdom of Naples, and of the adjacentprovinces, in order to work for the salvation of souls. At Penna, ayoung religious who was naturally good, and of great promise, came toask his pardon for having left the Order, which he had only done atthe instigation of the evil spirit, who persuaded him that by livingprivately, he could better sanctify himself. As soon as the Saint sawhim, he fled to his cell, and shut the door; when he came out again, his companions expressed their surprise at what he had done: "Do notbe astonished, " he said, "at my having fled; I saw on this young mana frightful demon, who was endeavoring to throw him down a precipice, and I acknowledge to you that I could not bear his presence. I haveprayed as earnestly as I could for the deliverance of this poor brotherfrom such a seducer, and God has heard my prayer. " Then, having sentfor him, and telling him what he had seen, he exhorted him to be onhis guard against the snares of the devil, and not to separate himselfagain from his brethren: "For, if you do otherwise, " he added, "youwill not fail to fall into the precipice from which the mercy of Godhas preserved you. " The docile and faithful religious passed theremainder of his days in great piety, and in the exercises of a regularlife. At Calano, a town of the Duchy of Marsi, in the farther Abruzzo, whereFrancis was come to preach, a common soldier pressed him so earnestlyto come and dine with him, that he could make no excuse. He thereforewent, with one companion, who was a priest, --a circumstance which wasvery serviceable. The poor family of the soldier having received themwith great joy, the Saint began to pray, as was his custom, and he hadhis eyes constantly raised to heaven. He then said to the soldier, privately, "My brother and my host, you see I have acceded to yourrequest in coming to dine with you. Now, follow my advice, and makehaste; for it is not here, but elsewhere, that you will dine. Confessyour sins with as much exactness and sorrow as you can; the Lord willreward you for having received His poor ones with such good religiousintentions. " The soldier, placing confidence in what the servant ofGod said to him, made his confession to Francis' companion, regulatedhis temporal affairs, and prepared himself, as well as he could, fordeath. When that was done, he sat down with the others at table, anda minute afterwards he expired suddenly. Then were the words of theGospel fulfilled, that he who should receive a prophet as a prophet, that is to say, not seeing in him any other qualification, receivesalso the reward of the prophet, inasmuch as the prediction of Francisenabled him to fortify himself by penance against death, which he didnot think to be so near at hand. It was probably in this apostolic tour that the Servant of God performeda miracle on the person of St. Bonaventure, who, under the dispositionsof Divine Providence; was to become one of the most illustrious of hischildren. He was born at Bagnarea in Tuscany, a town belonging to theEcclesiastical States, in the year 1221, and he was baptized by thename of John. His father, John Fidenza, and Ritella, his mother, joinedto the nobility of their birth a large fund of piety. In his infancyhe was seized with a mortal illness, of which he was cured by St. Francis, which was one of the reasons why he determined to write hisLife. "I should fear, " he says in his preface to his Legend, "that Ishould be accused of criminal ingratitude if I neglected to publishthe praises of him, to whom I acknowledge that I owe the life of mybody and my soul. "It is reported, with the circumstances which he himself may have told, and the memory of which may have been preserved by tradition, that hismother, having no further hopes of saving him by means of medicaments, came and presented him to St. Francis, who was renowned in Italy, atthat time, for the splendor of his sanctity and his miracles; sheimplored the aid of his prayers, and made a vow that, if the child wassaved, she would give him to his Order. The holy man consoled theafflicted mother, and obtained from God the cure of her son, to theastonishment of the physicians, who had deemed his disorder incurable. At the sight of this miraculous cure, he said, in the Italian language:"O buona ventura!" "How fortunate!" from whence came the name ofBonaventure; and finally, he foretold that the child would become agreat light in the Church of God, and that through him his Order wouldreceive great increase of sanctity. In the year 1243, being then twenty-two years old, he proposed tofulfil his mother's vow, and take the habit of a Friar Minor. This isnot the place to narrate his illustrious actions, but we must noticetwo remarkable circumstances which are connected with St. Francis. The first is, that, as this blessed Patriarch bears the name ofSeraphic, because of the Divine love with which he was inflamed, whenJesus Christ, under the figure of a seraph, imprinted on him the sacredstigmata, so St. Bonaventure has been called the Seraphic Doctor, "because his whole doctrine, as well as his whole life, breathes thefire of charity. " It is a torch which burns and illuminates; itinfluences while instructing; whatever truths he expounds, he bringsback all to God by love, and, to define him properly, he should bestyled the Seraphic and Cherubic Doctor. Tis thus that Gerson, theChancellor of the University of Paris, expresses himself. "If I am asked, " he continues, "who amongst the doctors seems to methe best calculated to instruct, I answer, without detracting from anyother, it is Bonaventure, because he is sure, solid, exact, and devout, at one and the same time; and separating from his theology all questionsforeign from the purpose, all superfluous dialectic, and that obscurityof terms with which so many others load their works, he turns intopiety all the beautiful lights he gives to the mind. In a word, thereis not a doctrine more mild, more salutary, more sublime, than his;and in devotion alone can neglect it. As to me, " he adds, "havingrecommenced studying it since I am grown old, the more I advance themore I am confounded, and I say to myself:"What is the use of so much talking, and so much writing? Here is adoctrine which is quite sufficient of itself, and it is only necessaryto transcribe and to spread it into facts. '"--Such is the opinion ofthe celebrated Gerson as to St. Bonaventure, before he was canonized, declared a Doctor of the Church, and honored by the title of Seraphic, which he shares with his blessed Father. The Abbot Trithemius, of theOrder of St. Benedict, passes a similar eulogium on him, to which theSovereign Pontiffs, Sixtus IV. And Sixtus V. , have added the crowningpoint in their bulls, the one for his canonization, the other for hisdoctorship. The second particularity of his life, which had relation to St. Francis, is, that he gloriously verified his prediction as to the fruits ofsanctity which he was to bring to the Order. Having been elected generalwhen he was five and thirty years of age, in consequence of his greattalents and eminent virtues, he governed his brethren for eighteenyears with so much zeal, light, mildness, and wisdom, that he perfectlymade amends for the evil which the relaxation of some and the perplexityof others had occasioned. He prepared such judicious regulations forthe form of government, for the recital of the Divine Office, for theregularity of discipline, that they have served as a basis andfoundation for all the statutes which have since been introduced intothe Order. He decided on the difficulties which occurred as to the observationof the rules, and this with so much precision, that, in order to followthem exactly and conscientiously, without scruple, it is only necessaryto practise what he has clearly laid down. He composed spiritualtreatises, so elevated, so instructive, and so affecting, that theyare alone sufficient to guide the Friars Minors, or all other personsof piety, to the sublimest perfection. He answered, with so muchstrength and judgment, the philosophers of his day, who attacked theMendicant Orders, despite of the Sovereign Pontiffs, by whom they wereapproved, that his works, with those of the Angelic Doctor, St. ThomasAquinas, will ever cover with confusion whosoever may attempt to renewthe former disputes on this head. The exertions which St. Francis made, during a short interval frompain, for the salvation of souls, in an unfavorable season of the year, increased all his maladies. His legs became inflamed, and he was obligedto lie by in a small hamlet near Nocera. When this was known at Assisi, the fear they had lest he should die on the way, and lest his countryshould be deprived of his precious remains, induced the authoritiesto send means to bring him into town. This deputation, returning with the patient, arrived at the dinnerhour in the Village of Sarthiano, where they found nothing to bepurchased for their meal, although they offered a double price forevery thing they wanted. Upon their complaining of this, Francis said:"You have not found anything, because you have had greater confidencein your flies than in your Lord" (he called their money flies); "butreturn to the houses where you have been, and ask them humbly for alms, offering to pray to God for them in payment. Don't think, under falseimpressions, that there is anything mean or shameful in this, for, since sin came into the world, all the good which God so liberallybestows on man, on the just, and on sinners, on the worthy and unworthy, is done by means of alms, and He is the chief almsgiver. " These menovercame their bashfulness, and went cheerfully to beg for the loveof God, and got whatever they wanted, although they had not been ableto obtain it for money; God having so touched the hearts of theinhabitants, that, in giving what they had, they even offeredspontaneously every service. The Bishop of Assisi had the man of God brought to his palace, andkept him there till the spring of the year 1226, providing him witheverything he required, with great affection. One day, when his stomachloathed everything, he expressed a wish for a particular sort of fish, which the severity of the winter made it difficult to procure, but, at the very moment, a messenger sent by Brother Gerald, the guardianof the convent of Rieti, brought three large fishes of this species, with certain sauces which were calculated to sharpen the appetite andstrengthen the patient. Thus it is that it sometimes pleases the Lordto give sensible relief to His friends who have neglected their healthand crucified their flesh for His sake. The children of the holy patriarch, and particularly Elias, his vicar-general, who saw that there was no amelioration in the state of hishealth, but that, on the contrary, his disorders increased with therenewal of the year, entreated him to allow himself to be removed toSienna, where the mild climate and the excellence of the physiciansmight afford him some relief, if there were no hopes of a cure. Andthey urged this so energetically, that, as he was mild and obliging, he consented to be taken thither at the beginning of April. But allhis ills continued, and the disorder of his eyes was greatly increased. A red-hot iron was again applied to both sides of his head, from theears to the eyebrows, but this had no good effect, though he sufferedno pain from it, God having renewed the miracle He had before performedin his favor. So the mild air of Sienna, and the kind care of the physicians, didnot prevent the sufferings of Francis from continuing and increasing. During one night he vomited so much blood, and he was to such a degreeweakened from it, that it was thought he was about to expire. Hischildren, cast down and in tears, came to him, like the disciples ofSt. Martin, when he was on the point of death, and said to him, sobbing:--"Dear Father and Master, we are greatly distressed to see you sufferso intensely, but we are likewise afflicted for ourselves. After allyour labors you are about to go to the enjoyment of eternal repose, but we shall remain without our Father and Pastor, you have begottenus in Jesus Christ by the doctrine of the Gospel, and we are scarcelyborn before we lose you. Who will instruct us? Who will console us?You have been everything to us, your presence has been our happiness. To whom do you consign us, in the desolate state in which we are? Alas!we foresee that after your departure ravenous wolves will invade yourflock. Leave us, at least, something of yours to remind us of yourinstructions, in order that we may follow them when you are no more;and give us your blessing, which may be our shield against our enemies. "The holy patriarch, casting his eyes affectionately on his children, called out to Brother Benedict of Piratro, who was his infirmarian, and who, during his illness, said Mass in his room: "Priest of God, "said he, "commit to writing the blessing I give to all my brethren, as well to those who are now in the Order, as to those who shall embraceit to the end of the world. As my great sufferings and extreme weaknessprevent me from speaking, here are in a few words my intentions andlast wishes: 'May all the brethren love each other as I have lovedthem, and as I now love them. May they always cherish and adhere topoverty, which is my lady and my mistress; and never let them ceasefrom being submissive and faithfully attached to the prelates and allthe clergy. May the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost bless and protect them!Amen. '"His sufferings being in some degree modified, and his weakness nolonger so intense, his zeal induced him to think of instructing andexhorting the absent, for, by the example of the Son of God, he lovedhis own even to the last. As soon as Brother Elias, the vicar-general, learnt the extreme dangerin which the Father was, he came in great haste to Sienna, and proposedto him to be removed to the convent of Celles, near Cortona. Franciswas very glad to see him, and was quite willing to be removed to Celles, where he was attended with great care by the relations and friends ofElias, who were of that country. But, as he became swollen, and thesufferings of his stomach and liver were greatly increased, he requestedto be taken to Assisi; which the vicar-general had done with all thecare and precaution possible. His return was a source of extraordinarygratification to the inhabitants, who had been fearful of being deprivedof so great a treasure had he died elsewhere. They went in crowds tomeet him, with great expressions of pleasure, and the bishop receivedhim again into his palace. Before we put on record the last acts and precious death of St. Francis, it will be proper to notice the state in which his Order was at thattime. There were some of his brethren in all parts of the known world. In Europe, they filled all Italy. Greece furnished them a province. The esteem of the great, and the love of the people, procured for them, daily, new houses in Spain, Portugal, France, the Low Countries, andEngland. They had spread into Scotland, and began to be received inIreland. Brother Albert, of Pisa, had sent missioners into Upper andLower Germany, with great success. They had penetrated into Poland, and into the countries of the North. In Asia, those whom the holyPatriarch had left, with others who followed, multiplied the missionsamong the Saracens. In Africa they continued to preach Jesus Christto the Mohammedans, and we see by letters dated from Rieti, the 7thOctober, 1225, which Pope Honorius addressed to the Friars Preachersand Minors, destined by the Apostolic See for the mission into thekingdom of the Miramolin, "that they renounced themselves, and desiredto sacrifice their lives for Jesus Christ, in order to gain souls forHim. "The Second Order instituted by Francis, and called that of the PoorDames, spread itself also throughout Europe, and the Third Order ofPenance made stupendous progress. The children of this holy Patriarch, being thus spread in all parts, preached the Gospel to the infidels, repressed heresies, attacked vice, inspired virtue, and gave admirable examples of poverty, humility, penance, and all perfection. Anthony, of Padua, preached in Italy and France with so much lustre, that he has ever been considered as one of the most marvellous preacherswhom Italy ever saw. The strength and the unction of his discourses, the eminent sanctity of his life, the evidence of his miracles, changedthe face of the towns in which he announced the word of God. Hisauditors, penetrated with conjunction, and bursting into tears, excitedeach other to works of penance; the revengeful, the lascivious, theavaricious, the usurers became converted, and resorted so to thetribunals of penance that the number of priests were insufficient tohear the confessions. In the year 1225 he came to Toulouse, and visited other towns of France, where his principal object was to confront the heretics. Animated withthe same spirit which inspired his Father, Francis, with so perfectan attachment to the Roman Church, and the Holy See, he was the declaredenemy of all errors, and he labored with all his strength to root themout. By quotations from the Holy Scriptures, with which he wasintimately conversant, and the sense of which he perfectly understood, and by the solidity of his reasoning, he confounded the sectarians, and created a great horror of the false doctrines they taught. Withadmirable tact he discovered their artifices and frauds, which he laidbefore the people, to preserve them from their seduction; and, in fine, he pursued them with so much vigor and perseverance, that the faithfulgave him the name of the indefatigable mallet of the heretics; noneof them ventured to enter the lists with him, not even to say a wordin his presence. God favored him by converting a very great number of their supporters, and, what is very singular, many of the heads of their party. At Bourgesa man whose name was Guiald, and whom the historian calls an heresiarch, was so convinced by the power of his words, and by a marked miracleof the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, that hepersevered till death in the Catholic faith, and in submission to theChurch. Another named Bonneville, or Banal, who is also stated to havebeen an heresiarch, who had been thirty years buried in the darknessof errors, was converted in a similar manner at Rimini by the sermonsof St. Anthony, and had a like perseverance. The state in which, as we have just shown, St. Francis left his Orderwhen on the point of death, must be looked upon as one of the principalmarvels of his life. God had predestined him for this great work; helabored at it for eighteen years without ceasing, with all possibleassiduity, and, on the eve of quitting this world, he might say, inconforming himself to Jesus Christ, after having profited by His grace:"I have glorified Thee on earth; I have finished the work Thou gavestme to do, I now go to Thee. " Happy the Christian whose conscience bearshim thus out on the bed of death, who can say that he has endeavoredto do what God required of him, and fulfilled the duties of hisprofession. BOOK VThe cruel and continued pain under which the holy Patriarch suffered, did not prevent his giving instruction to his children, his providingfor their spiritual wants, and his answering, with admirable presenceof mind, to various questions which were put to him relative to theobservance of the Rule, and the government of the Order. He spoke as freely, and with as much composure, as if he felt noinconvenience. As his body became weaker, his mind seemed to acquirefresh vigor. One day, when his sufferings were greatly aggravated, he saw that thebrothers took great pains in endeavoring to afford him relief, andfearing that fatigue would cause some of those who were about him tobecome impatient, or that they might complain that their attendanceon him prevented them from observing their spiritual exercises, headdressed them affectionately, saying: "My dear children, do not tireof the trouble you take for me, for our Lord will reward you, both inthis life and in the next, for all you do for His little servant; andif my illness takes up your time, be assured that you will gain morefrom it, than if you were to labor for yourselves, because the aid yougive me is given to the entire Order and to the lives of the brethren. I also assure you that God will be your debtor for all that you willdo for me. "It is very true that those who assisted the Saint in his illness laboredfor the entire Order, and for the spiritual life of his brethren, because they aided in the preservation of him who was so necessary tohis Order; and they put it in his power to give further instructionsto his brethren who were now in it, and to those who were to enter itin future. On another occasion, when his sufferings were apparently bringing himto extremity, one of his infirmarians said to him: "Brother, pray thatGod may treat you with less severity, for it seems that His hand pressestoo severely upon you. " At these words Francis exclaimed in a loudvoice: "If, " said he, "I was not aware of the simplicity and uprightnessof your heart, I should not dare to remain in the same house with youfrom this instant. You have had the rashness to criticise the judgmentsof God in my regard;" and immediately, notwithstanding the weak statein which he was, he threw himself on the ground with such violencethat his worn-out bones were all bruised; he kissed the ground andexclaimed: "My God, I return Thee thanks for the pains I endure, andI pray Thee to add to them an hundred-fold, if such should be Thy goodpleasure. It will be pleasing to me to know that, in afflicting me, Thou dost not spare me, for the greatest consolation I can enjoy is, that Thy holy will shall be fulfilled. " He had in his sufferings similarfeelings to those of holy Job, and he expressed himself in a similarmanner. Ought not all Christians to have such feelings in theirillnesses and other afflictions? Are the saints not to be imitated inthis? May we not, by the grace of God, which assuredly will not bewanting, practice those virtues by which they became saints?Clare and her daughters, hearing that their father was so dangerouslyill, sent to express to him the grief which it caused them, and theyentreated him to mitigate their sorrow by sending them at least hisblessing. The holy Patriarch, full of tenderness for these piousvirgins, and sympathizing in their grief, and in that which they wouldfeel on his death, sent them some verses he had composed in the praiseof the Lord, and added to them a letter of exhortation, in whichdoubtless he gave them his blessing most amply; but this is not foundin his works. We find only the following fragment, which may belongto the letter he had written to them at that time:--"I, Brother Francis, little man, I choose to follow the example of thelife and poverty of Jesus Christ, our most high Lord, and that of Hisholy Mother, and to persevere in it to the end. I beg you also, allyou whom I consider as my Ladies, and I recommend you to conformyourselves at all times to this life and to this poverty, the sanctityof which is so great. Be careful not to swerve from it in the least, nor to listen to any advice, nor to anything which may be said tocontravene it. "The oldest historians of the Order say that, in the letter he sentthem shortly before his death, he entreated them, that, as the Lordhad brought them together from many places, in order that they mightapply themselves to the practice of the sacred virtues of charity, humility, poverty, and obedience, they should use every effort to passtheir lives accordingly, and to die in holy perserverance. He exhortsthose of his sisters who were suffering from sickness, to have patienceunder their ills. And because he knew how austere they were, herecommended them to use with discretion, and with joy and thankfulness, the alms which Divine Providence sent them. He promised Clare that sheshould see him, and, in fact, after his death she and her daughtersdid see him, as shall hereafter be related. The same writers add, that he had always entertained peculiar affectionand regard for these holy religious females, thinking that the holinessof their life, which had been from the beginning one of great povertyand mortification, reflected glory on the religious state, and was asource of great edification to the whole Church. He wrote to themseveral other times, to encourage them in virtue, and particularly inthe love of poverty, as we find in the will of St. Clare, but theletters are not extant. Even to this day we are sensible of the truth of what he said; nothingis more glorious for the regular state, and nothing more edifying forthe whole Church, than to see the nuns of St. Clare, who keep the ruleof their Order without the slightest mitigation, who renounce thepossession of any property whatsoever, whether private or in common, who live wholly on alms, and in such a state of rigorous austerity, that the stronger sex would find to be quite appalling. As soon as it was known in Assisi that the holy man was at the pointof death, the magistrates placed guards round the episcopal palace, with orders to keep strict watch, lest his body should be taken awaythe moment he should have expired, and thus the city would be deprivedof so precious a treasure. The physician, whose name was John Lebon, a native of Arezzo, communicated to him that death was approaching; his brethren told himthe same thing. Full of joy, he began to praise God, and having causedsome of the choir-singers to be called in, he sang with them in a loudvoice the last verses which he had added to the Canticle of the Sun:"Be praised, O Lord! for death, our sister--which no man living onearth can escape. "Elias, whose thoughts were always governed by human prudence, wasfearful lest his singing should be considered a weakness of mind arisingfrom the fear of death, and entreated him to stop. "Brother, " repliedFrancis, with extraordinary fervor, "permit me to rejoice in the Lord, and to thank Him for the great tranquillity of my conscience. I am, through His mercy and His grace, so united to my God, that I have justreason to manifest the joy that He gives me, who is the high and mostliberal Giver of all good gifts; and do not imagine that I am so wantingin courage as to tremble at the approach of death. "He had his children brought to him, and he blessed each one of themas the Patriarch Jacob had done, giving to each an appropriate blessing. Then, after the example of Moses, who blessed all the faithfulIsraelites, he gave a general and ample blessing to the whole Order. As he had stretched his arms one over the other in the form of a cross, as Jacob had done in blessing the children of Joseph, his right handcame upon the head of Elias, who was kneeling on his left. He askedwho it was, for his sight was quite gone, and being answered that itwas Brother Elias, he said: "'Tis well, my right hand is properlyplaced on him. My son, I bless you in all and above all. Inasmuch asunder your hand the Most High has increased the number of my brethrenand children, thus I bless them all in you. May God, the SovereignLord of all things, bless you in Heaven and on earth! As for me, Ibless you as far as is in my power, and even more than that--may Godwho can do all, do in you what I cannot! I pray that God may bear inmind your labors and your works, and that He may give you a share inthe rewards of the just, that you may obtain the blessings you wishfor; and may what you solicit worthily be fulfilled!"The reader may perhaps be surprised that Francis, who knew BrotherElias, and who had learnt by revelation that he was to die out of theOrder, should have given him a share in his blessing; but we mustrecollect that He who enlightens the saints, inspires them with viewssimilar to His own. He loves and favors those who are in a state ofgrace, although He foresees the great sins they will commit hereafter. What affection had He not for David, and what favors did He not heapupon him before he became guilty of the adultery and homicide whichrendered him so criminal! Thus, in a manner, the holy Patriarch, inblessing Elias, only had in consideration the good dispositions inwhich he believed him to be at that time, independent of the future, which God had revealed to him, and which was not to guide him in thisinstance. Moreover, Elias was his vicar-general, and was so by an orderfrom on high; he had labored usefully in the works of the Lord; thetalents he possessed put it in his power to do still more good service;we cannot deny that he was sincerely and tenderly attached to hisFather, and that he had an ardent zeal:--all these circumstances unitedmight have induced the Saint to give him an ample blessing, nor wasit without good effect, since he died in sentiments of true repentance. The man of God finding the day of his death, which Jesus Christ hadrevealed to him, draw near, said to his brethren in the words of thePrince of the Apostles: "The laying away of this my tabernacle is athand;" and he begged them to have himself taken to the Convent of St. Mary of the Angels, wishing, as St. Bonaventure remarks, to render upthe spirit which had given life to him, in the place where he hadreceived the Spirit of grace. He was, therefore, removed, accordingto his desire; and when he had come to the place between the town andthe convent, he asked if they had reached the hospital of the lepers, and, as those who were carrying him replied in the affirmative, hesaid: "Turn me now towards the town, and set me down on the ground. "Then raising himself upon the litter, he prayed for Assisi, and forall its inhabitants. He likewise shed tears, in considering the illswhich would come upon the city, during the wars which he foresaw, andhe then gave it this blessing: "Be blest by the Lord, O city, faithfulto God! because many souls will be saved in thee and by thee. A greatnumber of the servants of the Most High will dwell within thy walls, and among the number of thy artisans not a few will be chosen foreternal life. "Some time after his arrival at St. Mary of the Angels, he called forpaper and ink, that he might acquaint Dame Jacqueline de Septisal ofthe proximity of his death: she was the illustrious Roman widow whowas so much attached to him. "It is right, " he said, "that, dying, Ishould give that consolation to a person who afforded me so manyconsolations during my life. " This is what he dictated for her:"To the lady Jacqueline, the servant of the Most High, Brother Francis, the poor little servant of Jesus Christ, sends greetings, andcommunication with the Holy Ghost, in Jesus Christ. ""Know, my very dear lady, that Jesus Christ, blessed for ever, hasdone me the favor to reveal to me the end of my life: it is very near. For which reason, if you wish to see me alive, set out as soon as youshall have received this letter, and hasten to St. Mary of the Angels, for, if you arrive later than Saturday, you will find me dead. Bringwith you some stuff, or rather, a sackcloth, to cover my body, andsome wax-lights for my funeral. Pray bring also some of those comfitswhich you gave me when I was sick at Rome. "At these words he stopped, having his eyes raised to Heaven. He saidit was not necessary to go on with the letter, nor to send a messenger, because the lady had set out, and was bringing with her all that wasrequired; and, in fact, she arrived shortly after with her two sonsand a considerable suite, bringing with her the stuff, a quantity ofwax-lights, and certain electuaries which were comforting for thestomach. The religious asked her how she could have come so opportunely, withouthaving had notice given her, and how she came to bring all that wasrequisite for the time. She told them that during the night she hadreceived an order from Heaven, and that an angel had requested her notto leave out any of the things which had been desired. On Friday, October the 4th, Francis again collected all his brethrentogether, blessed them a second time, and having blessed a loaf ofbread with the sign of the cross, he gave to each a piece as a symbolof union and fraternal charity. They all partook of it with greatdevotion, representing to themselves, in this repast of love, the lastsupper which Jesus Christ ate with His disciples. Brother Elias, whowept bitterly, was the only one who did not eat his portion, which wasperhaps a mournful foreboding of the division he was to introduce intothe Order. In truth, he kept the piece he had received from theirFather respectfully in his hand; but, as if he had cast aside thecharity which was offered him, instead of, at least, keeping the morselof bread, he gave it to Brother Leo, who asked him for it. Great carewas taken for its preservation, and God permitted that it should besubsequently used for the cure of many maladies. All the brothers had melted into tears, and the holy Patriarch inquiredwhere Bernard, his eldest son, was. And Bernard having drawn near, hesaid: "Come, my son, that I may bless you before I die. " Feeling thathe was kneeling on his left, while Brother Giles was on his right, heput his hands again crosswise, so that his right hand came on the headof Bernard, to whom he gave this blessing:--"May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you with all thespiritual blessings which He has shed from on high on His Son. As youwere chosen the first to give good example of the Evangelical law inthis Order, and to imitate the poverty of Jesus Christ, to whom yougenerously offered your goods and your person in the odor of sweetness, so may you be blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by His poor servant;and may you be so blessed in your going out and coming in, waking orsleeping, living and dying. May he who blesses you, be filled withblessings; and may he who curses you, not remain unpunished. Be thelord of your brethren, and let them be all subject to you. Let allthose whom you shall approve, be admitted into the Order, and all whomyou shall reject, be rejected. Let no one have authority over you, sothat you may be at liberty to go and dwell where you think proper. "Bernard having retired, with his eyes bathed in tears, Francis saidto the others: "My intention is, and I direct that whoever may beappointed minister general, may so love and honor Brother Bernard asmyself, and that all the provincial ministers, as well as all thebrethren of this Order, may look upon him as they have done on me; infact, I leave him to you as the half of my soul. There are few who areable to appreciate his virtue: it is so great, that Satan never ceasesfrom tempting him, molesting him, and laying snares for him. But, byGod's help, he will get the better of all, to the great profit of hissoul, and he will find himself in an extraordinary manner in perfecttranquillity. " Those who were present, and who afterwards lived withBernard, witnessed the fulfilment of these predictions. His eminentsanctity, well known to Francis, and of which he foresaw theperseverance, was the reason why he ordered the others to respect himas their master, and why he rendered him independent, in order thathe might have full leisure to give himself up to contemplation, whichhad such charms for him. For a similar reason, he gave him power toadmit or reject novices, as his prudence should dictate: a privilegewhich was the more appropriate, as Bernard had been the first to enterinto the Order. St. Bonaventure is silent as to the manner and fervor with which theServant of God received the last sacraments, following in that themethod of many old authors who, in the lives of saints, only noticethose things which are peculiar and marvellous, without speaking ofthe common and ordinary actions of all Christians. But we have onlyto bear in mind the great respect St. Francis had for all the practicesof the Church; the spirit of penance by which he was animated; thevivid and tender affections of his heart towards the Passion of theSon of God, and the mystery of the Holy Eucharist; the ardor of hiszeal to cause Jesus Christ to be adored in the august sacrament, andrevered in all that related to it; his eagerness in recommending thefrequent approach to the Holy Communion, and the constant recourse hehimself had to this balm for the soul, so that for fear of beingdeprived of it, he chose to have Mass said in his own room during hisillnesses:--all these recollections, being united, are demonstrationsof what must have been the dispositions of the Saint when the lastsacraments were administered to him. He particularly desired all his brethren to have a peculiar venerationfor the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, because it had been revealedthat the Blessed Virgin had a singular affection for this church amongall those which were dedicated to her name, and upon this subject hespoke as follows, with great animation:--"It is my desire that this place shall be always under the directionof the person who shall be minister-general and servitor of the Order;and that the minister shall be careful to select for its service onlygood and holy brethren; and that the clerics who shall be appointedto it shall be taken from those of the Order who are the best and theholiest, and are the best instructed for the celebration of the DivineOffices, so that their brethren and the seculars may be edified inseeing and hearing them. Let them also be particular in choosing thelay brethren to be placed there; let them be discreet, mild, and humblemen, whose lives are holy, who shall serve the others without enteringinto idle discourse, not talk of the news, or what is passing in theworld, nor of any thing which does not relate to the salvation ofsouls. It is also my desire that none of the brethren shall come hereexcept the minister-general and his companions, and that no secularshall be admitted, in order that those belonging to the place may thebetter preserve themselves in purity and holiness, and that the placeitself may remain pure and holy, being solely devoted to singing thepraises of the Lord. When God shall be pleased to call any one of themto Himself, I desire that the minister-general may send another whoselife shall be equally holy. My intention is, that, if the brethrenshall swerve from the path of perfection, this place shall be everblest, and shall remain as the example and model for the whole Order;as a beautiful torch before the throne of God, and before the altarof the Blessed Virgin, where lamps shall be ever burning, to obtainfrom the goodness of God that He may grant His pardon to the brethrenfor all their faults, and preserve and protect this Order which He hasplanted with His own hand. ""My children, " he continued, "be careful never to abandon this spot, and if you are driven out on one side, return by the opposite one; forit is holy, it is the dwelling-place of Jesus Christ, and of the BlessedVirgin, His Mother. It is here that the Lord, the Most High, hasmultiplied our numbers, from being very few; here, by the light of Hiswisdom, He enlightened the minds of His poor ones; here, by the ardorof His love, he inflamed our hearts; here, whoever shall pray devoutly, will obtain whatever he may ask; and whoever shall sin here, will bepunished with greater rigor. Wherefore, my children, have a greatveneration for this place, which is truly the dwelling of the Almighty, peculiarly beloved by Jesus Christ and His blessed Mother. Employyourselves here joyfully, and with your whole hearts, in praising andblessing God and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in unity with theHoly Ghost. Amen. "The day at length arrived which had been fixed by Divine Providencefor terminating and rewarding the labors of this faithful Servant ofGod: it was a Saturday, the fourth of October. St. Bonaventure whoconsiders him on his death-bed as a work well finished by the chiselof suffering, as a precious jewel cut and polished, to be placed inthe sacred edifice of the celestial Jerusalem, remarks, that, findinghimself near his end, and animating himself with fresh fervor, hestretched himself on the ground. All the brethren were penetrated with grief and shed tears. One ofthem, whom the holy man called his guardian, knowing by inspirationwhat he wished for, went quickly to fetch a tunic, a cord, and theother parts of the dress of a Friar Minor, and brought them to him, saying: "Here is what we lend you, as to a poor man; take them out ofobedience. " He accepted this alms, and was rejoiced that he was faithfulto the last to poverty, which he called his dame and his mistress;then raising his hands to heaven, he gave glory to our Lord JesusChrist, that, being disengaged and free from everything, he was aboutto go to Him. At the beginning of his conversion he stripped himself before theBishop of Assisi, in imitation of the poor life of our Saviour; andto resemble Him more completely in His state of poverty, of nudity, and of suffering on the cross, he stripped himself before his brethrenat his death, and chose to leave this world poor as he came into it, or, at least, only in a habit which he had received as an alms: suchwas his love of poverty. "Oh!" exclaims St. Bonaventure, "with what truth may it be said thatthis was verily a Christian man, who has rendered himself perfectlyconformable to Jesus Christ while living, or dying, or dead, and whohas merited the honor of such a conformity, by the impression of thefive wounds!"What is further remarkable is, that they asked him where he desiredto be buried, to which he answered: "In the vilest of places, on theInfernal Hill, on that side where criminals are executed. "This place was out of the Town of Assisi, near the walls, vulgarlycalled the Infernal Hill, perhaps on account of its being the placeof execution. The Servant of God wished to be buried there, in orderto be in strict conformity with his Divine Master, "who chose, " saysSt. Jerome, "to be crucified in the usual place of execution, as acriminal among criminals, for the salvation of men, and to be placedin a tomb which was close by. " His wish became a prophecy, for, twoyears after his death, as will be explained hereafter, a church wasbuilt in his honor on the Infernal Hill, when the name was changedinto that of the Hill of Paradise, and the site of the church was socontrived that his body was placed precisely on the spot where thegallows had been formerly erected. Seeing his last hour drawing nigh, he summoned all his brethren whowere in the convent, and after having addressed some words ofconsolation to them, to mitigate the grief they felt for his death, he exhorted them to love God as a tender Father. Then he spoke to themfor a long time on the care they should take to persevere in the faithof the Church of Rome, in poverty and in patience, under thetribulations which awaited them, as well as in successes of their holyundertaking. He made use of the most moving expressions in recommendingto them to make progress towards eternal goods, to be armed withvigilance against the dangers of the world, and to walk exactly in thepaths of Jesus Christ; remarking to them that the observance of HisGospel was the basis and essence of their Institution, and that alltheir practices had this in view. After the holy man had made known his last wishes, he sent for BrotherLeo, his confessor, and for Brother Angelo, whom he directed to singin his presence the Canticle of the Sun, because death was very near:this is the canticle of which we have spoken, in which he gives gloryto God for all His creatures, and also for death. As he was assuredby revelation that death would remove him to eternal life, its proximityfilled him with joy, which he evidenced by causing the praises of Godto be sung. When the canticle was finished, he placed his arms one over the otherin the form of a cross, --a saving sign, to which he had been alwaysdevoted, as St. Bonaventure remarks--and stretching them over hisbrethren who stood around him, he gave his blessing for the last time, as well to those who were present, as to those who were absent, in thename and by virtue of Jesus crucified. He then pronounced the followingwords with great mildness and suavity: "Adieu, my children, I bid youall adieu; I leave you in the fear of the Lord, abide ever in that. The time of trial and tribulation approaches; happy those who perseverein the good they have begun. As to me, I go to God with great eagerness, and I recommend you all to His favor"He then called for the book of the Gospels, and requested them to readto him the Gospel of St. John, at that part where the history of thePassion of our Blessed Saviour begins by these words: "Ante diem festumPascha, " before the Feast of the Passover. After this had been read, he began himself to recite, as well as he could, the hundred andforty-first psalm, "Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi:" "I have cried toThee, O Lord, with my voice;" and he continued it to the last verse, "Me expectant justi, donec retribuas mihi:" "The just wait for me, until Thou reward me. " In fine, all the mysteries of grace having beenfulfilled in this man, so beloved by God, his very soul, absorbed inDivine love, was released from the shackles of his body, and went torepose in the Lord. Such a death makes good what the Holy Fathers of the Church say, thatthe perfect Christian dies with joy, and with pleasure. There is noone who would not wish for such a death. The most worldly would desirewith Balaam, that their life should end as that of the just; but theperfection of the just must be imitated to afford any hope of the endbeing similar: death is only mild and consoling in proportion to thefervor of a Christian life. St. Bonaventure places on record many proofs which they had of theglory of St. Francis at the moment of his death. One of his disciplessaw his blessed soul, under the figure of a brilliant star, rise upona white cloud, above all the others, and go straight to heaven. Thismarked, says the holy doctor, the splendor of his sublime sanctity, with the plenitude of grace and wisdom, which had rendered him worthyof entering into the regions of light and peace, where, with JesusChrist, he enjoys a repose which will be eternal. Brother Austin, of Assisi, Provincial of the Terra di Lavoro, a justand saintly man, who was in the last stage of a severe illness, andhad ceased to speak, suddenly exclaimed: "Wait for me, my Father, waitfor me; I will go with you" The brethren, quite astonished, asked himwho he was speaking to. "What, " said he, "don't you see our Father, Francis, going up to Heaven?" At that very moment his soul separateditself from his body, and followed that of his Father. Thomas of Celano, and Bernard of Bessa, companions of St. Bonaventure, also mentionedthat a holy man of their day had a revelation to the effect, that thesouls of several Friars Minors were delivered from the sufferings ofpurgatory, and were joined with that of the holy Patriarch, to enterHeaven with him. The Bishop of Assisi being then on a devotional tour to Mount Gargano, to visit the Church of the Archangel Michael, Francis appeared to himon the night of his death, and said: "I leave the world, and am goingup to heaven. " The prelate, in the morning, mentioned to those whoaccompanied him what he had seen; and on his return, having made exactinquiry, he found that the apparition had appeared to him at the verytime of the Saint's death. The body of St. Francis, after his death, was an object worthy ofadmiration, according to this description of it, given by St. Bonaventure on the testimony of those who had seen it, and reportedverbally to him all the circumstances, conformably to what had beentaken down in writing: On his hands and on his feet black nails wereseen as of iron, wonderfully formed of his flesh by Divine power, andso attached to his flesh, that, when they were pressed on one side, they protruded farther on the other, as hard excrescences, and all ofone piece. Nothing now prevented the wound on his side from being seen, which he hid with so much care during his lifetime, --this wound, whichhad not been made by the hand of man, and which resembled the openingin the side of our Blessed Saviour, from which the sacrament of ourredemption issued, and that of our regeneration. Its color was red, and the edges, rounded off, gave it the appearance of a beautiful rose. The flesh of the Saint, which was naturally of a brownish color, andwhich his diseases had rendered tawny, became extraordinarily white. It called to mind the robes whitened in the blood of the Lamb, withwhich the saints are clothed. His limbs were flexible and pliable asthose of an infant; evident signs of the innocence and candor of hissoul. The whiteness of his skin contrasted with the black nails of hishands and feet, and with the wound in his side, which resembled afresh-blossomed rose, exhibited a variety of tints which was beautifuland pleasing, and was the admiration of those who saw it. His body, in fine, was the representation of the Passion of Jesus Christ by thewounds imprinted on it, and of the glorious resurrection by thequalifications it had received after death. This marvellous and novel sight mitigated the affliction of hischildren; it strengthened their faith, inflamed their love, and quiteenraptured them; and, although the death of so amiable a father causedthem to shed torrents of tears, they, nevertheless, had their heartsfilled with joy when they kissed the impressions of the wounds of thegreat King imprinted on his flesh. As soon as the news of his death was spread, and the circumstances ofthe stigmata came to be spoken of, the people came in crowds to seethem: each person wished to see them with his own eyes, and assurehimself of the truth of an event which was the cause of so much joyto the public. A great number of the citizens of Assisi were permittedto approach, to see and to kiss the sacred stigmata. One of them namedJerome, belonging to the army, a learned and prudent man, whosereputation was very extensive, finding it difficult to give credit toso wonderful a circumstance, examined the wounds more particularly andmore minutely than the rest, in presence of the brethren, and of manypersons of the town. He felt the feet, the hands, and the wound in theside of the Saint's body; he moved the nails, and convinced himselfso perfectly of the truth of the fact, that he was afterwards a mostzealous advocate and witness to it, and made oath to its truth on theholy Evangelists. "It was, " St. Bonaventure remarks, "a case similarto that of the Apostle St. Thomas, who, from being incredulous, becamea faithful witness after having put his hands into the wounds of theSaviour, in order that his faith, preceded by incredulity, shouldstrengthen our faith, and prevent us from becoming incredulous. "The brethren, who had been present at the death of the blessedPatriarch, passed the remainder of the night in singing the praisesof God around the body, with a number of other persons, who hadcollected there for the purpose, insomuch that it more resembled afeast of celestial spirits than the funeral service of a mortal. The next morning, which was Sunday, the holy corpse was carried toAssisi on the shoulders of the principal persons of that city, andthose of the highest rank among the Friars Minors; hymns and canticlesbeing sung the whole way, while the concourse followed, carrying intheir hands lighted torches, or branches of laurel. The processionpassed on to the Church of St. Damian, where Clare and her nuns awaitedit, and where it halted for a short time, to afford them the consolationof seeing and kissing the stigmata. In admiring this extraordinaryprodigy, and lamenting the death of such a father, they called to mindthe promise he had made them during his last illness, that they shouldagain see him before their death. Clare endeavored to draw the nailfrom one of his hands, which, as the head of it was raised above thepalm of the hand, she thought she would be able to effect, but shefound it impossible. She, therefore, only dipped a piece of linen inthe blood which exuded; and she took the measure of the body, by whichshe had a niche made of similar size, on that side of the choir whichthe religious occupied, in which the image of the saint was afterwardsplaced. These pious virgins would have been glad to have detained thebody longer, but it was necessary to resume the route to Assisi, wherehe was buried in the Church of St. George, with every possibleveneration and respect. It was there he had received the first rudimentsof education, it was there he had preached for the first time, andthere was his first place of repose. Brother Elias, in his quality of vicar-general, wrote a circular letteron his death, which he sent into all the provinces of the Order. Thecopy which the Provincial of France received, was thus directed: "Tomy well-beloved brother in Jesus Christ, Brother Gregory, ministerof the brethren who are in France, and to all his brethren, and toours, Brother Elias sends greeting. "He first expresses his grief in very affecting terms, and in alludingto the loss the Order had sustained, he passes a high eulogium on thesanctity of their common Father, with many citations from the SacredScriptures, very aptly applied. Then, he says, that what must consolethe children of the blessed patriarch is, that his death opened to himeternal life, and that previously he had pardoned all the offenceswhich he might have sustained from any of them. This article onlyregarded Brother Elias and his adherents, for they were the only oneswho had caused him any displeasure, and, according to all probability, Elias only adverted to it to soften the feelings of many who wereirritated with him in consequence of his relaxation. After thispreliminary he communicates to them a great cause for rejoicing in themiracle of the stigmata, which he treats as follows: "We had seen ourBrother and our Father, Francis, some time before his death as onecrucified, having on his body five wounds similar to those of JesusChrist, nails of the color of nails of iron, which perforated his handsand feet, his side being laid open as by the wound of a lance, fromwhence blood often percolated. Immediately after his death his face, which was not handsome during his life, became extraordinarilybeautiful, white and brilliant, and pleasing to behold; his limbs, which the contraction of the muscles, caused by his great sufferings, had stiffened like to those of a corpse, became pliant and flexibleas those of a child: they could be handled and placed in any positionwhich might be wished. "He then exhorts them to give glory to God for so great a miracle, andadds: "He who used to console us in our afflictions is no more, he hasbeen taken from us; we are now orphans, and have no longer a father. But, since it is written, that 'to the Lord is the poor man left: Hewill be a helper to the orphan, let us address our prayers to Him, mydear brethren, and let us entreat Him to give us another chief, who, as a true Machabee, shall guide us and lead us to battle. " At the closeof the letter he ordered prayers for the deceased, saying: "It is notuseless to pray for the dead; pray for him, as he requested we should:but at the same time pray that we may obtain from God a participationin His grace. Amen. " It was signed, "Brother Elias, a sinner. "Although Elias doubted not that the holy man was in glory, he, nevertheless, prescribed praying for him, not only to comply with thewish of the deceased, and not to forestall the decision of the HolySee, but, also, because he bore in mind what St. Augustine had said, that the sacrifices and prayers offered for the dead whose life hasbeen irreproachable, are acts of thanksgiving. CONCLUSIONWe have yet to mention what the Holy See did to glorify St. Francisand to make his name memorable for all times. Pope Honorius III diedon the 18th of March, 1227, to the great grief of the entire Church. He dearly loved St. Francis and had approved the Rule of the FriarsMinor. The morning after his death the cardinals assembled and electedCardinal Ugolini as his successor, who took unto himself the name ofGregory IX. Cardinal Ugolini was the intimate friend of Francis, theProtector of his Order and the founder of several Franciscan Convents;as was recorded above, St. Francis predicted his Pontificate. A riot at Rome shortly after caused the Holy Father to flee to Rieti, he then went to Spoleto, and from thence to Assisi. At Assisi he wasgreeted with the greatest enthusiasm by the people. His deep pietyprompted him to visit the grave of our Saint, where he spent a longtime in prayer. At the general chapter held at Rome, June 7, 1227, inwhich Brother Elias was re-elected, His Holiness was petitioned by allpresent to canonize Francis whom God already made illustrious by manymiracles. Now a favorable opportunity presented itself to pay specialheed to this petition. He caused a rigorous examination to be made ofall the miracles attributed to the intercession of the Saint after hisdeath. This was not a difficult matter for there were a great numberof witnesses in the city and neighboring places. In the meanwhile theHoly Father went to Perugia to attend to some affairs of state. Whenthe validity of the proofs regarding the miracles and virtues of St. Francis could in no way be questioned, Gregory returned to Assisi. The canonization took place with the greatest solemnity on Sunday July16th, in the Church of St. George, where the body of the Saint reposed. Amidst an immense assembly of cardinals, bishops, priests, clerics, members of the Franciscan Orders, knights, lords, and dignitaries ofthe, provinces and a vast multitude of people the Sovereign Pontiffpronounced from his throne, the following solemn words:"To the glory of the Most High God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, theglorious Virgin Mary, the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and to thehonor of the whole Roman Church, we have resolved, in concert with ourbrethren and other prelates, to inscribe in the catalogue of the saints, the blessed Father Francis, whom God has glorified in Heaven, and whomwe venerate on earth. His feast shall be celebrated on the day of hisdeath. "At once the cardinals intoned the Te Deum, the people responded bytheir cries and shouts of joy. Thereupon prayers of thanksgiving wererecited and then the august Pontiff celebrated Holy Mass. It was a dayof grace, of exultation and triumph for Assisi, for the FranciscanFamily and for the whole Church. Thus was St. Francis canonized buta few years after his death. The humble Saint had asked to be interred on the "Infernal Hill, " thehill on which criminals were buried. Up to the present his desire couldnot be fulfilled. The City of Assisi waited to make that place ofignominy a worthy abode for the remains of its most saintly andillustrious citizen. A magnificent double-church was erected on thespot. The Sovereign Pontiff declared that henceforth the place shallbe called "Hill of Paradise" and later on laid the corner-stone forthe new edifice. The lower church was completed in 1230. The elaborateportal is a plan of Baccio Pontelli. The stained glass windows byBonino, a native of Assisi, render a soft and mellow harmony of lightno less charming than that of the mosaic interior of San Marco, Venice. Famous frescoes which influenced all the great movements of art thatfollowed, cover the walls of the church. Those in the sanctuary byGiotto are particularly fine. They represent St. Francis espousingHumility, Charity, and Poverty. The gold and blue of the backgroundsupon which the numerous scenes are painted, harmonize beautifully inthe general color scheme of the sacred edifice. In the fourteenthcentury nine chapels were added along the walls of the lower church, mostly memorial chapels of cardinals and bishops. Two years after the construction of the lower church with its vaultedtop, the building of the upper church began. The Gothic form ofarchitecture was chosen for the building, so that the high and pointedarches be emblematic of the lofty spirit of St. Francis, and of thetowering strength of his followers, whose object it is to raise thespirit of men to a higher standard of religion and devotion. After itscompletion in the year 1253 Pope Innocent IV came in person to Assisiand consecrated the upper and lower church. At the same time the HolyFather, who resided in the monastery at Assisi with the FranciscanFathers for five months, solemnly canonized the Bishop and MartyrStanislaus of Cracow. The upper church again afforded the genius ofartists ample opportunity to blossom forth. Zimabue enriched thesanctuary with brilliant frescoes from the life of the Blessed VirginMary whom St. Francis had chosen to be the Patroness and Protectressof his three orders for all future times. The choir-picture, theAssumption of the Virgin, is the finest of the series. In the apse arefrescoes of St. Peter and St. Paul to whose tomb (at Rome) St. Francismade a pilgrimage to ask for grace and light at the beginning of hisconversion. Other frescoes of Zimabue, also in the apse of the church, represent various passages of the Apocalypse, relative to therejuvenation of the Church; St. Francis was called and appointed byGod to restore the church which was falling into ruins. Along the lowerwall-spaces of the nave are twenty-eight large frescoes from the lifeof St. Francis by Giotto, Taddio, Gaddi and Giunto Pisano; the upperspaces have representations of the Old and New Testament by PietroCavallini and his school. These upper paintings are now in ruins, buteven in their ruins they are precious pearls of mediaeval art. Thestained glass windows are of such exceptional beauty and artisticcorrectness that their equal cannot be found in all Italy. Speakingof the Church of St. Francis at Assisi, a traveller says in substanceas follows: In its tremendous proportions the gigantic Church of St. Francis can only be compared to the pyramids of Egypt; and both aresymbolic of their times. The pyramids were erected by the iron willand the cruel might of the Pharaohs, the blood of nations stain everystone and they are bedewed with many tears. The Church of St. Franciswas built by the self-sacrificing love and heartfelt gratitude ofnations. Its stones are worn by the footsteps and the tears of millionsand millions of people, who came there, perhaps sad and weary, butreturned with the love and the peace of the Saint in their heart. When the lower church was completed (1230), the venerable remains ofSt. Francis were translated to their new resting-place. Such numberswere present at this translation, that many had to sleep out undertents during the night, the walls of Assisi not being able to containso vast a multitude. The people of Assisi, having observed a commotionin the crowd, began to fear that an attempt was being made to deprivethem of their sacred treasure: accordingly they rushed to the bier, took possession of the Saint's body, entered the church, locked thedoors, and interred the body, without allowing any of the clergy, religious, or people to enter. In consequence of this event, animpenetrable veil of secrecy long hung over the place where the bodyhad been laid. In 1818, Pope Pius VII gave permission to the Generalof the Conventual Minors to make researches under the high altar. Manyprevious researches had been made; they grew to such giganticproportions that the foundations of the massive structure were partlyundermined. To prevent the ruin of the basilica at Assisi, the HolySee finally forbade all further researches without the special consentof the Sovereign Pontiff. When Pope Pius VII gave the necessarypermission, the researches were again taken up, but very carefully andin great secrecy. The workmen were employed for fifty-two nights inhard labor. At length, after having broken through rocks and massivewalls, an iron grating was discovered, beneath which was a skeletonin a stone coffin, which when opened, exhaled the most fragrant odor. The Holy Father deputed the Bishops of Assisi, Nocera, Spoleto, Perugia, and Foligno, to make a juridical examination, to certify theauthenticity of the body. Then, in accordance with a decree of theCouncil of Trent, he named a commission of cardinals and theologians, and, all being settled, on the 5th of December, 1820, he declared ina Brief that "this body is verily the body of Saint Francis of Assisi, Founder of the Order of Friars Minor. " The sacred body of St. Francisnow lies beneath the main altar of the lower church, mentioned before, in an exquisitely beautiful little chapel hewn out of the solid rock. The remains repose in their original sarcophagus, which is bound bybroad girders of steel. Seven hundred years have elapsed since the death of this humble servantof God. His memory has outlived all the storms that have agitated theworld. The good seed that he sowed is still bringing forth fruit ahundredfold. Like the Apostles of old, he labored in the vineyard ofthe Lord, and opened up to others, Heavenly treasures of untold value. Yet more, in the person of St. Francis, Jesus of Nazareth lived againfor the instruction and edification of the whole world, as He had neverdone in any individual, since the great Apostle of the Gentiles. Atthe word of St. Francis a revival of primitive Christianity spranginto existence at a time when all civilization seemed unhinged onaccount of the almost universal decay in morals. He taught men afreshthat the commands of Jesus Christ could be literally obeyed and thatthe Sermon on the Mount was as applicable to the men of the middle andall succeeding ages as to the first age of Christian history. This NewAbraham begot through the Gospel the largest family of Christ'sfollowers and of missionaries the Catholic Church has ever produced. It is well known that the history of the Church from the thirteenthto the sixteenth century was largely the history of the rise and growthof Franciscanism in every part of Europe. To-day, after seven centurieshave elapsed, we find no symptoms of decay in the great FranciscanFamily. The priests and laybrothers of the First Order are to be foundlaboring assiduously in every country. In efficiency and number theiractive missionaries are second to none. They are storming thestrongholds of Satan from one end of the world to the other. The SecondOrder stands before us as of old, a beautiful lily in the Sanctuaryof God. The Holy Virgins, of the Second Order, called "Poor Clares, "seek voluntary oblivion and by their pure and pious life of the greatestausterity, of seclusion, silence, penance and prayer, daily open thefloodgates of God's graces to mankind. The wonderful and healthy growthof the Third Order, especially since the great Encyclical on St. Francisand on the Third Order by Pope Leo XIII (1882), need not be mentioned;it is a fact known to all. Since the work of the Seraphic Saint is soprosperous at present, we need not doubt about the future. As we havepreviously seen God Himself revealed to St. Francis that his institutionshall remain till the end of times. Thus the Most High glorified andrewarded the poor, humble man of Assisi, "the greatest of sinners, "as he loved to call himself. St. Francis now reigns in Heaven, brilliantas the Morning Star, and showers his blessings upon his many children. Let us praise God for the grace and glory He gave his humble Servantand let us deeply impress upon our mind the words of the Holy Ghost:"God resists the proud, but gives his graces to the humble. " "He thathumbleth himself shall be exalted. ""ST. FRANCIS SEALED WITH THE CHARACTER OF JESUS"The eminent perfection of St. Francis was grounded on a tender andfervent devotion to Jesus Christ crucified. This adorable object hada powerful attraction for his heart, was the source of all the graceshe received, and the model of all the virtues he practised. From thesufferings of our Saviour he made for himself, as St. Bernard had done, a nosegay of myrrh, which he always carried in his bosom; he consideredattentively the sufferings of his Beloved, he suffered them himself, and they called forth his sighs and his tears; it was his wish thatthe fire of this love might transform him entirely into Him who hadborne them. The poverty of the Son of God, in His birth, during His life, and atHis death, made such impression on the heart of Francis, that heembraced this virtue with inexpressible ardor. Seeing that it was rejected by the world, and looking upon it as thepearl of the Gospel, to acquire it, he abandoned father, mother, andall that he had. No person ever sought after riches with so muchavidity, and no one ever guarded his treasure with so much care. Henever wore, until his death, anything but a worthless tunic, and herefused himself everything but what was absolutely necessary. He wouldyield to no one in poverty, although he considered himself the mostabject of all. If he saw any one worse dressed than he was, heconsidered it as a reproach to himself. One day, meeting a poor manwho was almost naked, he said to his companion with a sigh: "There isa poor man who shames us. We have chosen poverty for our greatestriches, and in him you see it shine far more than in us. "For his nourishment, he greatly preferred what he solicited for thelove of God from door to door, to what was offered to him. He frequentlyconsidered within himself, and it brought tears into his eyes, howpoor our Saviour and His Blessed Mother had been in this world, andthe reflection induced him to live in greater poverty. As to the cells, he always chose the smallest. One of his secularfriends having had one built, which was only made of wood, thoughpretty neat, in the hermitage of Sarthiano, he found it too fine, andsaid he would not enter it a second time unless it was put into a stateof poverty; so that, in order to induce him to return, it was necessaryto cover it roughly with branches of trees, both without and within. He left it afterwards because one of his companions had said to him, "Father, I am come to look for you in your cell. " "I will not occupyit any longer, " he replied, "because you consider it mine in callingit my cell: another may live in it, to whom it will not beappropriated. "This is what his companions tell us on the subject:--"We have oftenheard him say, we, who have lived with him: 'I will not have as mineeither dwelling-place, or any other thing, for our Master has said:"The foxes have lairs, and the birds of the air, nests; but the Sonof Man hath not where to lay His head. "'"He was also accustomed to say: "When our Lord went to fast in thedesert, where He remained forty days and forty nights, He had no cellprepared for Him, nor any other covering; it was only in some creviceof the mountain that He took repose. " The same authors add, that, inorder to imitate Jesus Christ perfectly, Francis desired to have neitherconvent nor cell which could be called his. And, moreover, if sometimes, on arriving, he pointed out to his brethren the cell which he proposedto occupy, he checked himself immediately, as having shown too muchsolicitude, and went into another, which had not been prepared forhim. Shall, then, the children of the Patriarch of the poor be censuredwhen they imitate this tenderness of conscience; and when, to showtheir aversion to the possession of property, they call even the thingswhich are most essential for them to have the use of, by terms whichshow that they do not even hold them in common, and that they havenothing which is their own?Although the servant of God possessed every virtue in a very highdegree, yet it was remarked that the virtue of poverty was the onewhich was above all the others; and this it pleased the Almighty tomake known by an admirable vision. When the saint was going to Sienna, three very poor women, who resembled each other both in size andcountenance, and appeared to be of the same age, presented themselvesbefore him, and greeted him in these words: "May the Lady Poverty bewelcome!" This salutation filled him with joy, because nothing wasmore grateful to him in greeting him than to speak of poverty, whichwas so dear to him. The vision immediately vanished, and his companions, who had seen it, had no doubt that there was something mysterious init; that God meant thereby to discover to them something which relatedto their father. --"In fact, " says St. Bonaventure, "these three women, who were so like to each other, were not bad representations ofchastity, obedience, and poverty, which constitute the beauty ofEvangelical perfection, and were the very eminent characteristics ofthe saintly man; yet the expressions which these women made use of ingreeting him, showed that he had chosen poverty as his specialprerogative, and the principal object of his glory; and, indeed, hewas in the habit of calling it sometimes his lady, sometimes his mother, and sometimes his spouse or his queen. "It is not possible to record in this place all the praise which theholy Founder gave to this Evangelical virtue. He called it the Queen, not only because it shone with splendor in JESUS CHRIST, the King ofkings, and in His Blessed Mother, but because it is elevated above allearthly things, which it tramples under foot. "Know, " he used to sayto his brethren, "that poverty is the hidden treasure of the Gospel, the basis on which an order rests the special path to salvation, thesupport of humility, the mother of self-renunciation, the principleof obedience, the death of self-love, the destruction of vanity andcupidity, the rod of perfection, the fruits of which are abundant, though hidden. It is a virtue descended from Heaven which acts withinus, and enables us to despise everything which is despicable; itsubverts all the obstacles which prevent the soul from perfectly unitingitself to God by humility and charity; it causes those by whom it isbeloved to become active as pure spirits, and enables them to taketheir flight towards Heaven, to converse with angels, though stillliving on earth. It is so excellent and so divine a virtue, that vileand abject vases such as we are, are not worthy of containing it. "In order to obtain the grace of poverty, he often recited the followingprayer to Jesus Christ: "O Lord Jesus! point out to me the ways ofpoverty, which are so dear to Thee. Have pity on me, for I love itwith such intensity that I can find no repose without it, and Thouknowest that it is Thou who gavest me this ardent love. It is rejected, despised, and hated by the world, although it is a dame and a queen, and Thou hast had the goodness to come down from Heaven to make povertyThy spouse, and to have from her, by her, and in her, perfect children. My Jesus, who chosest to be extremely poor! the favor which I ask ofThee is, to give me the privilege of poverty; I ardently desire to beenriched by this treasure; I entreat of Thee that it may be mine, andof those who belong to me, and that we may never possess anything ofour own under heaven for the glory of Thy name, and that we may exist, during this miserable life, on those things only which are given tous, and that we be very sparing in the use we shall make even of these. Amen. "This friend of poverty did not confine it to the repudiation of allexternal things: he carried its perfection to the most elevatedspiritual point. "He who aspires to its attainment, " he said, "mustrenounce not only all worldly prudence, but in some degree all learningand science, so that, being stripped of all sorts of goods, he mayplace himself under cover of the protection of the Most High, thinkonly of His justice, and cast himself into the arms of the Crucified. For it is not to renounce the world entirely, if any attachment to itslights, and to one's own feelings, remains in the secret recesses ofthe heart. " He did not assert that, in order to arrive at the perfectionof poverty, it was necessary to be without learning, but he requiredthat learning should not be considered by the possessor as an interiorproperty, from which self-love should be fed; that there should notbe that secret attachment to mental illumination, which is the primarysource of error, and the basis of the obstinacy of heretics; that allof knowledge should "be referred to God, and that we should in somesense strip ourselves of it to acquire the perception of God alone, and of His holy law. St. Hilary said, speaking in the same sense, thatwe must always bear in mind that we are men, that we have nothing ofour own, not even the use of our senses and faculties; that these comefrom God, and that we must only use them as things which are in acontinual dependence on His will. This is an important instruction forthe consideration of the learned. "The lively affection which St. Francis bore for the crucified Jesus, from the moment of his conversion, rendered him very austere towardshimself. Not only could he not suffer that the tunic which he woreshould have anything soft in it, but he chose that it should be roughand harsh; when he found that it had become too soft, he put knottedcords on the inside to counteract the softness. It was usually on the bare ground that he laid his body down, --thatbody which was worn out by fatigue; sometimes he slept, sitting withhis head resting on a stone or piece of wood. As to food, he scarcelytook what was absolutely necessary for his nourishment. When in health, he seldom permitted anything to be put before him which was cooked, and then he either strewed ashes upon it, or added water to it, totake away the taste. Pure water was his only beverage, and then hedrank so little that it was insufficient for quenching his thirst. Besides the Lent kept by all Christians, he kept eight others in thecourse of the year. The first, of forty days, from the day after theEpiphany, in memory of our Lord's fast in the desert, after He hadbeen baptized by John, which took place on the sixth day of January, according to the old tradition of the Church. The second was from theWednesday in Easter week, to Whit-Sunday, to prepare himself forreceiving the Holy Ghost. The third, from the day after the Festivalof Pentecost to the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul, in honor of theseblessed Apostles. The fourth, from the day after their festival to theAssumption, in honor of the Blessed Virgin. The fifth in honor of St. Michael, from the Assumption to the feast of that angel. The sixth, from that feast is the first of November, in honor of all the saints. The seventh, from All-Souls to Christmas, to prepare himself tocelebrate the birth of Christ. The eighth, from the Feast of St. Stephento the Epiphany, in honor of the three kings. Thus was his life aperpetual fast. When he went abroad he ate whatsoever was put before him, not only toobserve the direction of the Gospel, but in order to gain worldlingsto Jesus Christ, by conforming to their ways; but when in the convent, he resumed his habits of abstinence, and this mode of life was veryedifying to laymen. The more he advanced towards perfection, the morehe mortified himself. We cannot form a more correct opinion of theEvangelical hatred he bore his body, than by noticing the terms hemade use of to express it. After having finished Complin, and spenta considerable time in prayer, in a deserted church, in which he passedthe night, he wished to take some rest. As the evil spirits preventedhim from so doing, by suggestions which frightened him, and made himtremble, he mustered courage, rose, made the sign of the cross, andsaid in a loud voice: "Devils, I declare to you from Almighty God, that you may use against me all the power given to you by my Lord JesusChrist, and do all the harm you can to my body. I am ready to suffereverything, and assuredly you will oblige me greatly, for this bodyis a great burden to me; it is the greatest enemy I have, the mostwicked, and the most crafty; and you will revenge me by so doing. "He exhorted his religious to austerity in their food, in their clothing, and in everything else. For he was convinced, as was St. Augustine, that it is difficult to satisfy the demands of the body, without insome degree sacrificing to sensuality; and he used to say, "Our Saviourpraised St. John the Baptist for his having clothed himself coarsely. According to the words 'Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings, ' soft garments must not be found in thehuts of the poor. I know by experience that the devils fly from thosewho lead an austere life; and St. Paul teaches us, that they who areChrist's have crucified their flesh with its vices and concupiscences. "We remember that he knew how to temper what seemed to be excessive inthe mortifications of his brethren. Francis taught persons to flee from idleness. "I desire, " he said, "that my brethren may work and be occupied. He who desires to live bythe labor of others, without doing anything, deserves to be nicknamedBrother _Fly_; because, doing nothing that is worth anything, andspoiling what is good, he becomes odious and despicable to all theworld. " If he came upon any one wandering about, and without occupation, he applied to him these words of the Apocalypse: "Because thou artlukewarm, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth. " His example wasan excellent lesson for not losing time, and fostering the idlenessof the flesh; he employed himself always holily, and he called hisbody brother ass, which required to be well worked, to be severelybeaten, and to be badly fed. Silence was not considered by him to be a small virtue; he consideredit as a guard to the purity of the heart, according to the maxim ofwisdom: "Life and death are in the power of the tongue;" by which heunderstood the intemperance of speech, as well as that of taste. Buthe principally wished his brethren to become exact in keepingEvangelical silence, which consists in abstaining from all idleconversation, of which an account must be rendered at the day ofjudgment, and he severely reprimanded those who were in the habit ofsaying useless things. In fine, his instruction was, that they shouldendeavor to destroy all vice, and to mortify the passions; and that, in order to succeed in this endeavor, every thing should be cut offwhich could serve as an attraction, and, therefore, that the exteriorsenses by which death enters into the soul, should be continuallymortified. As soon as he felt the smallest temptation, or if he only foresaw it, he took every precaution for resisting it. At the beginning of hisconversion he frequently threw himself in the depth of winter, intofreezing water, in order to subdue his domestic enemy, and to preservehis robe of innocence without stain, asserting that it is far lesspainful to a spiritual man to suffer the rigor of the severest cold, than to feel interiorly the slightest attack upon his purity. We have seen, in his life, that he threw himself into the midst ofthorns, to drive away the tempter who wanted to induce him to moderatehis watchings and his prayers. One of his actions, the circumstancesof which are thus related by St. Bonaventure, shows how great thepurity of his heart was, and with what force he resisted the impurespirit. One night, while he was at prayer in his cell, at the hermitage ofSarthiano, he heard himself called three times by his name. After hehad answered, a voice said to him: "There is no sinner in the worldwhom God does not pardon if he be converted; but whoever kills himselfby too rigorous a penance, will never find mercy. " Francis was madeaware by a revelation that these deceitful words emanated from the oldenemy, who wished to induce him to relax in his austerities, and hesoon had sensible proof of it, for, "he who by his breath sets fireto coals, " as holy Job says, "tempted him strongly to sin againstpurity. " As soon as he became aware of it, he inflicted a severediscipline on himself, saying to his body: "O brother ass! this iswhat suits you, this is the way in which you should be chastised. Thetunic you wear is that of religion, and is a mark of its holiness. Itis not permitted to one who is impure to wear it: that would be atheft. " As the devil represented to him probably that he might marryand have children, and have servants to wait upon him, he respondedto that by turning his own body into derision, and treating it cruelly. With admirable fervor he burst from his cell, and threw himself upona large mound of snow; he made seven balls of it with his hands, andthen said to himself: "The largest of these snowballs is thy wife, four others are thy two sons and two daughters, and the two last arethy man and thy maid-servants. I must think of clothing them, for theyare perishing with cold. " Then he added: "If this solicitude isoverpowering, think hereafter of nothing else than of serving Godfervently. " At this the tempter fled, and the Saint returnedvictoriously to his cell. He never after had a similar temptation. Oneof his brethren, who was at prayer in the garden, saw by the light ofthe moon what was going on, and Francis, being aware of it, could notavoid explaining to him the whole temptation: "But, " said he, "I forbidyou strictly from saying a word on the subject during my lifetime. "It was only known after his death. Those who know how far the scrupulousness of chaste souls will carrythem, will not feel surprised that, after the example of many othersaints, he had put in practice such severe mortification, to shieldhimself from the slightest taint on his purity. His lively and agreeableturn of mind are apparent in the way in which he taunted his body whensuffering from extreme cold; this also shows how much self-possessionhe had under the severest trials, and by what sentiment he was actuatedin his penances. St. Bonaventure says that, as a skilful architect, he laid downhumility for the foundation-stone of his spiritual edifice, and thatit was from Jesus Christ that he had acquired this wisdom. Thefoundation was so solid that humility became natural to him, as wellas poverty, and thus it is justly that he is called the humble St. Francis. He was in the eyes of all a mirror of holiness, but in hisown eyes he was but a sinner; on all occasions he sought to vilifyhimself, not only in his own mind, but in that of others. Upon one occasion Brother Pacificus, while praying with him in a church, was raised in an ecstasy, and saw several thrones in the heavens, amongwhich there was one more splendid than the rest, ornamented withprecious stones. As he was pondering for whom this magnificent seatcould be destined, a voice said to him: "This was the seat of an angel, and now it is reserved for the humble Francis. " Some short time after, when conversing with the Saint, he led to the topic of the knowledgeof one's self, and he asked him what idea he had of himself, upon whichSt. Francis answered quickly: "I consider myself the greatest ofsinners. " Pacificus maintained that he could not conscientiously eithersay so or think so. "I am convinced, " replied Francis, "that, if themost criminal of men had experienced the great mercies I have receivedfrom Jesus Christ, he would be much more grateful for them than I am. "This beautiful effusion confirmed Pacificus in the opinion he hadentertained, that the vision he had seen was a true vision; and it isquite in accordance with the maxim of the Gospel that, "whosoever shallexalt himself, shall be humbled; and that he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted. " It is humility that raises men to those places fromwhence pride cast down the fallen angels. We have seen the extraordinary things which Francis did in order tohumble himself; from the same motive he felt no difficulty in makingpublic the defects he thought he discovered in himself. If he foundhimself attacked by any temptation to pride, vain-glory, or any othersin, he never failed communicating it to those who were present, whetherthey were religious or seculars. One day when he was followed by agreat concourse of people, he gave his cloak to a poor woman who hadasked him for an alms, and some minutes after he turned round to thecrowd and told them in a loud voice that he had sinned from vaingloryin so doing. We may imagine that his humility was at that moment verygreat, which prevented him from distinguishing between voluntary consentand the feeling over which we have no control. He took great care not to do anything in private which he should havehad any hesitation in doing in public, and which was not in conformitywith the opinion people had of his sanctity. His illness rendered itnecessary that he should eat meat in the Lent he kept before Christmas, but this relaxation consisted only in the use of lard; yet he, nevertheless, accused himself of it in public, as an act of gluttony. His companions have recorded what he said: "I wish to live in hermitagesand in other solitary places, as if I was seen by all the world; for, if people have a great opinion of me, and I were not to live as theythink I do, I should be guilty of scandalous hypocrisy. " The vicar ofhis convent suggested that he should permit his tunic to be lined withfox-skins, to keep his chest warm, which his disorder had greatlyweakened. "I consent to this, " he replied, "provided you put a similarset of skins outside, that the world may know the relief which isinside also. " This condition put a stop to the proposition. Praise mortified him, and he liked that people should blame him, andhe rejoiced in being despised. When he heard people express byacclamation the merits of his sanctity, he made some of the brethrensay to him, "You are a vulgar man, ignorant and useless in the world, a nobody;" and when he answered, with pleasure depicted on hiscountenance, "May the Lord bless you, my dear child, what you say isquite true, and is exactly what the son of Peter Bernardo deserves tohear. " To those who called him a saint he used to say: "Do not praiseme; I have no assurance that I shall not sin; a person must never bepraised whose end cannot be known. " And he addressed the followingwords to himself: "Francis, if the Most High had bestowed so manyfavors on a thief as He has on you, he would be much more gratefulthan you are. "One day when great honors were paid him, his companion remarking thathe received them without showing any reluctance, said: "Father, do younot see what they are doing in your honor? and far from refusing toreceive the applause manifested in your regard, as Christian humilityrequires, you seem to receive them with complacency. Is there anythingwhich a servant of the Lord should more sedulously avoid?" This is thereply which the holy man made him: "Brother, although it may appearto you that they are paying me great honors, nevertheless, know thatI consider them as little or nothing in comparison to those which oughtto be paid me. " His companion was not only surprised, but almostscandalized, on hearing him utter such sentiments; but, not to exposehis follower, Francis added: "Now be attentive to this, and understandit properly. I refer to God all the honor which is paid me, I attributenothing to myself; on the contrary, I look upon myself as dirt by mybaseness. I am as those figures of wood or stone for which respect ishad. All goes back to what they represent. Now, when men know and honorGod in His creatures, as they do in me, who am the vilest of all, itis no small profit to their souls. "This is the magnanimous humility of which St. Thomas speaks, by whicha man honors in himself the great gifts of God, permits them to bethere honored, and practises great virtues to render himself moreworthy to receive new ones, while he shrinks from the contemplationof his own merits. Such was the humble Francis, in permitting, for theglory of God, and the salvation of his neighbor, that the supernaturalgifts which had been imparted to him, should be honored in his person, while he himself only considered his own nothingness; and afterwardshe retired into solitary places, where he passed whole nights inmeditating upon this nothingness, and on the infinite mercy of God, which had loaded him with graces. Being one day with Brother Leo in one of these solitudes, and beingwithout the books necessary for saying the Divine Office, he inventeda sort of humiliating psalmody for glorifying God during the night. "My dear brother, " he said to Leo, "we must not let this time, whichis consecrated to God, pass without praising His holy name, andconfessing our own misery. This is the verse which I will say: 'OBrother Francis! you have committed so many sins in this world, thatyou have deserved to be plunged into hell. ' And you, Brother Leo, yourresponse will be, 'It is true; you deserve to be in the bottom ofhell. '" Leo promised, however repugnant he felt, to answer as hisfather desired; but, instead of that, he said: "Brother Francis, Godwill do so much good through your means, that you will be called intoParadise. " The Father said to him, with warmth: "You don't answer asyou ought. Here is another verse: 'Brother Francis, you have offendedGod by so many bad deeds, that you deserve all his maledictions. 'Answer to that: 'You deserve to be among the number of the cursed. '"Leo promised again; but when the Saint had said his verse, strikinghis breast, and shedding abundance of tears, Leo pronounced thesewords: "Brother Francis, God will render you such, that, among thosewho are blessed, you will receive a peculiar blessing. " "Why don't youanswer as I desire you?" said Francis, surprised. "I command you, underobedience, to repeat the words which I am going to give you. I shallsay: 'O Brother Francis, miserable man, after so many crimes committedagainst the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation, do youthink he will have any pity on me? In truth you are undeserving ofpardon. ' Brother Leo, answer immediately: 'You deserve no mercy. '"Leo, however, said: "God, our Father, whose mercy infinitely surpassesour sins, will pardon you all your sins, and will load you with Hisfavors. "Then Francis said somewhat angrily: "Why have you dared to transgressthe rule of obedience, and to answer so often differently to what Idesired?" Leo excused himself most respectfully, saying: "My very dearFather, God is my witness that I had each time intended to repeat thewords which you had directed me, but He put into my mouth the wordsI uttered, and caused me to speak, notwithstanding my resolution, according to His good pleasure. " The humble Servant of Jesus Christadmired this disposition of the Lord; but persisting, nevertheless, in his intention of humbling himself, he entreated Brother Leo torepeat, at least once, the following words, which he pronounced withmany sighs: "Oh Brother Francis, miserable little man! do you thinkthat God will have mercy on you, after so many crimes which you havecommitted?" "Yes, my Father, " replied Leo, "God, your Saviour, willhave mercy on you, and will grant you great favors. He will exalt you, and glorify you eternally, because he who shall humble himself shallbe exalted. Nevertheless, pardon me for not having said what youdesired. It is not I who speak, it is God who speaks in me. " FinallyFrancis bowed to what Leo communicated to him, who only disobeyed himby an impulse of the Holy Ghost; and they conversed during the remainderof the night on the great mercy of God to sinners. It has been already remarked, with St. Bonaventure, that St. Francishad given to his brethren the name of Minors, and to their superiorsthat of Ministers, in order that their very name should cause them tobe humble. These are the maxims by which he used to impress this uponthem:--"The Son of God debased Himself in coming from the bosom of HisFather to us, to teach us humility by His example and by His word, asour Lord and Master. " "What is exalted in the eyes of man is anabomination before God. " "Man is nothing but what he is before God, and is nothing more. It is folly to feel glorified by the applause ofman; it is better to be blamed than praised, for blame induces theperson to correct himself, while praise leads to his fall. No manshould pride himself for doing those things which a sinner may do aswell as he. A sinner may fast, pray, weep, macerate his body, but whathe cannot do, as long as he is a sinner, is to be faithful to his God. Now, this is what we may glory in, to render to God the glory whichis due to Him, to serve Him faithfully, and to return with like fidelityall that He has given. Happy the servant who finds himself as humbleamidst his brethren, inferiors like himself, as in presence of hissuperiors! Happy the servant who does not believe himself better whenmen load him with praises, than when he appears in their eyes simple, vile, abject and despicable! Happy the servant who bears reprimandingwith meekness, who acknowledges his fault with humility, and voluntarilypunishes it; who is sufficiently humble to receive a reprimand withoutoffering an excuse. Happy the religious who has not been desirous ofthe elevation he has attained, and who always wishes to be at the feetof the others! Woe to the religious who has been raised by the restto an honorable position, and who has not the inclination to descendfrom it. "The example of Jesus Christ, who "was obedient unto death, even to thedeath of the cross, " inspired St. Francis with great love for obedience. Although he was appointed superior by order of God and of the Pope, he was always desirous of obeying rather than commanding. In histravels, he promised obedience to him who accompanied him, and herigidly kept that promise. One day he communicated the following inconfidence to his companions: "Among all the graces which I havereceived from the bounty of God, this is one, that, if they were toappoint a novice of an hour's standing to be my guardian, I would obeyhim as implicitly as if he was the oldest and the most serious of ourbrethren. " He was not satisfied with having renounced being Generalof the Order, to obey the Vicar-General; he asked Brother Elias, whofilled that position to give him a guardian, on whose will he shoulddepend in all things. Brother Angelo of Rieti was given to him, andhe obeyed him with entire submission. The instructions he gave his brethren on the subject of obediencecontained all the perfection which could be given them: 1st. To renouncetheir own will, and to look upon it as the forbidden fruit, which ourfirst parents could not eat of without being guilty. 2d. To abandonthemselves wholly to their superior, so that they should neither donor say anything which they know he would not approve of; and thatthey should do what he wishes the moment he has spoken, without waitingfor his speaking a second time. 3d. Not to examine whether what isordered is difficult or impossible, for, said St. Francis: "When Iorder anything which is above your strength, holy obedience will enableyou to effect it. " 4th. To submit their lights to those of the superior, not with a view of obeying him in anything manifestly contrary tosalvation, but to act upon his views, although they may think theirown better and more useful. 5th. Not to consider the man, nor hisqualifications, in the obedience they bow to, but the authority hehas, the place he fills, and the greatness of Him for whose love theyare subject to man. This last point is the greatest sacrifice of a religious life; but anecessary sacrifice, one which is just, and worthy of God, and themost certain proof that our obedience is grounded on our love for God. It is not difficult to follow the dictates of a superior of acknowledgedtalent and merit; the hardship is to submit with humility, withoutremonstrance or murmur, to one who has not these qualifications. Thisalso it is which enhances in the eyes of God the value of religiousobedience; it may then be considered as a sort of martyrdom of themind, as well as that of the body, which will receive its crown inheaven. Nevertheless, it is requisite to be cautious, lest antipathyor some other motive, and the natural revolt of the human heart againstauthority, should cause a superior to appear contemptible, who reallyis not so. Finally, the religious are highly interested in practicingholy obedience, whoever may be the superior; it is, as St. Francisremarks, so abundant in fruits, that such as bend to the yoke pass nota moment of their lives without some spiritual profit: it increasesvirtue, and procures peace to the soul. He was asked one day, who was to be considered to be truly obedient, and he instanced a dead body. "Take, " said he, "a dead body, and placeit where you please; you will see that it shows no repugnance at itsremoval, it utters no complaint at its situation, nor of dissatisfactionat being left where it is. If you put it in an honorable place, itseyes will remain closed, it will not raise them. If you clothe it inpurple, it will only be paler than before. That is true obedience; itasks no reason as to why it is put in motion, it is indifferent as towhere it is placed, and does not require to be removed. --If a Minoris raised to the dignity of superior, he remains equally humble; themore he is honored, the more does he think himself unworthy of it. Ihave often, " he said, "seen a blind man led by a little dog, the manwent wherever his guide took him, in good roads and in bad. This isanother resemblance of one who is perfectly obedient; he should shuthis eyes, and be blind to the commands of his superior, think of nothingbut submitting immediately to him, without stopping to examine whetherthe thing be difficult or not, only keeping in view the authority ofhim who gives the order, and the merit of obedience. "Disobedience is insupportable; he considered it as the unfortunateoffspring of pride, which is the source of all evils, and of which hehad great horror. One day while praying in his cell, and meditatingbetween God and his brethren, he saw in spirit one of them who refusedto perform the penance imposed on him in chapter by the vicar-general, and excusing himself as to the fault of which he had been accused. Hecalled his companion, and said: "I saw on the shoulders of thisinsubordinate brother the devil, who was wringing his neck, and leadinghim as by a bridle. I prayed for him, and the devil, abashed, loosedhis hold immediately. Go to him, and tell him to bend immediately tothe yoke of obedience, " In fact, the brother did submit as soon as hewas told this, and threw himself humbly at the feet of his superior. Another, who had erred in some way against obedience, was brought toFrancis, that he might correct him; but he appeared so penitent, thatthe Saint, who liked the humility of repentance, felt himself inclinedto pardon the fault. Nevertheless, lest the facility of pardon shouldbe abused, and to show what chastisement disobedience deserves, heordered his cowl to be taken from him, and thrown into the fire. Someminutes after, he desired it to be taken out of the fire, and to bereturned to him, when it was found that the fire had not injured itin the least; "God having shown by his miracle, " St. Bonaventureobserves, "the power He gave to His Servant, and how agreeable to Himhumble repentance is. "The conduct of the holy Founder was more severe to one of his brethren, who was obstinately disobedient. He desired the others to put him intoa pit, and to fill it up with earth, in order to bury him alive; whenthey had filled it up to his chin he said:--"Brother, are you dead?"The religious, absorbed in grief, replied: "Yes, Father, and I oughtto die in reality for my sin. " Francis, moved by compassion, had himdug out, saying: "Come forth from thence, if you are truly dead, asa good religious ought to be, to the world and its concupiscences. Obey the smallest sign of the will of your superiors, and make no moreresistance to their orders than a dead body could do. I wish forfollowers, not living, but those who are dead. "He once called Brother Juniper to employ him a little while, and thisbrother not having immediately obeyed, because he was busy in plantinga juniper tree, he cursed the tree that it should never grow, and itremained always in a dwarf state. The Fathers of the Desert weresimilarly exact in their attention to obedience, insomuch as to leavea letter unfinished when they had to attend to the orders of a superior. The virtues of St. Francis, which we have recorded, and those whichwe have yet to narrate, were cultivated by the exercise of prayer. Hehad the gift as soon as he was called to the service of God; and hefollowed it up so faithfully, that he consecrated to it his heart, hisbody, all his actions, and all his time. In-doors, or out of doors, walking or seated, working or resting, his mind was always raised toheaven; he seemed to live with the angels. As he was always diffidentof himself, he had recourse to prayer, and consulted the Almighty, with perfect confidence in His goodness, in all that He had to do. Although he could pray in any place he might happen to be in, nevertheless, he found solitary spots best adapted for recollection;he sought them out, and often retired to them. This shows us why hemade so many houses of his Order, where there had previously beenhermitages only. Careful in attending to the interior calls of the Holy Spirit, if heperceived one coming on, he let his companions go forward, and stopped, not to receive it in vain, and to enjoy it to its full extent. Whenhe prayed in community, he avoided all exterior signs, which mightdiscover the secret dispositions of his mind, because he loved secrecy. He did not find the precaution difficult, because he was wholly absorbedin his interior, and united himself so intimately to God, that he wasalmost without exterior motion. If it happened that he was surprisedby a visit from heaven in the presence of his brethren, he had alwayssomething ready to propose to them, to take off their attention. Whenhe returned from prayer, in which he had been marvellously transformed, he strove to conform himself to his brethren, lest what they mightperceive might draw from them applause, which would deprive him of hisreward by inspiring him with vanity. But in the solitudes he was under no restraint, and gave his heartentire liberty. The woods resounded with his sacred sighs and laments, the earth was moistened with his tears, and he struck his breast withviolence. Sometimes he addressed himself to God as to his SovereignLord; sometimes he spoke to Him as to his Judge; sometimes he prayedto Him as to his Father; and at other times, he conversed with Him asa friend converses with his Friend. He solicited the pardon of sinnerswith loud and energetic exclamations; and he expressed his horror atthe Passion of Jesus Christ in loud laments, as if he had been presentat it. All this was seen and heard by some one or other of hiscompanions, who had the pardonable curiosity to watch his proceedings. The devils tormented him severely during his prayers, and that in avery sensible manner, as St. Bonaventure informs us; but, protectedby celestial aid, he continued his prayers with additional fervor, inproportion to the efforts they made to distract him. God favored him with the gift of contemplation in a sublime degree. His companions bear witness that they have often seen him in a stateof ecstasy, in which he had lost all the use of his senses, and inwhich all the powers of his soul were suspended. Once they saw him, during the night, raised from the ground, and his arms extended in theshape of a cross, surrounded by a luminous cloud, as if to betoken theDivine light which filled his mind. St. Bonaventure says that they hadefficient proof that God at such times revealed to him some of thegreat secrets of His wisdom; but His faithful Servant only made suchparts of them known as were for the glory of his Master, or the utilityof his neighbor. One of his brethren, not finding him one evening in his cell, went tolook for him in the wood. Having penetrated a short distance into it, he heard him praying, with loud cries, for the salvation of men, andaddressing the Blessed Virgin with moving sighs, humbly imploring herto show him her Son. He then saw the Blessed Mother of God descendfrom Heaven, with great splendor, and place her Son into the arms ofFrancis, who received Him as Simeon had received Him in the temple ofJerusalem, with the profoundest respect; he caressed the Infant mosttenderly, entreating Him for the conversion of sinners, and thesalvation of the world. At this sight the religious fell on the ground, half dead, and remained on the spot where he fell. Here the Saint foundhim, as he was returning to the convent for Matins; he brought him tohimself from this fainting, but strictly forbade him from telling anyone what had occurred; but he, thinking it for the glory of God notto be obliged to obey in this instance, communicated the marvel to allthe others. A novice whom the holy Patriarch had received, and whom he was takingto the convent of the novitiate, wished to know what he did during thenight. In order to succeed, he tied his cord to that of the Father, whom he saw asleep in the fields, in which they had been obliged toremain, and laid himself down near him, in order that he might beroused as soon as he should stir. A few hours afterwards, Franciswished to get up, but finding himself fastened by the cord, he untiedthe knot, and went to pray under some neighboring trees. The novice, not finding him when he awoke, went to seek him under the trees. Acelestial light caused him to draw near a spot, where he stopped, andfrom whence he saw Jesus Christ, surrounded by angels, His BlessedMother, and John the Baptist, who were in conversation with him. Hisastonishment made him fall on the ground, where he remained tillFrancis, to whom God had imparted the circumstances, came and raisedhim up, and restored him to his senses, forbidding him to speak of thevision. The young man, who continued to live very holily, kept thesecret; but, after Francis's death, he published what he had seen. God chose that his Servant should be respected in the secret retirementsto which he went to pray, and that he should not be disturbed at thosetimes. The Bishop of Assisi knew this by his own experience. One day, when he had come to the Convent of Portiuncula, as he frequently did, he wished to go at once into the cell where the Saint was at prayer;but scarcely had he seen him in that attitude, when he was pushed backby an invisible hand, his body became stiff, and he was unable tospeak. Much astonished at this accident, he made his way back, as wellas he could, to the other brethren; God restored his voice, and hemade use of it, to acknowledge that he had committed a fault. TheCelestial Spouse, in the Canticles, conjures the daughters of Jerusalem, "not to awaken her whom he loves, and not to disturb her repose untilshe awakes of her own accord. " St. Bernard, on this, says that suchas are given to prayer should not be troubled about useless affairs, and that those who disturb them when they are conversing with God, become enemies of heaven. In consequence of the knowledge which Francis had of the sweets andfruits of mental prayer, he constantly urged his brethren to practiseit, and they profited so fully by his instructions, that most of thembecame spiritual and contemplative men. "A religious, " he said, "mustprincipally desire to acquire the spirit of prayer. I believe that, without this, peculiar favors cannot be obtained from God, nor anygreat progress made in His service. When one is sorrowful and uneasy, he should have immediate recourse to prayer, and remain before hisHeavenly Father, until such time as the joy of salvation is restoredto him. If one remains in this state of depression and disturbance, this disposition, which comes from Babylon, will increase, and producerust, unless it be purified by tears. "He taught them to shun the tumult of the world, and to seek for solitaryplaces in which to pray, because he knew that the Holy Ghostcommunicates Himself more intimately to souls in such places; but herecommended them to be perfectly secret as to the favors they mightreceive; his maxim being, that a slender human communication oftencauses the loss of that which is of inestimable value, and has theeffect of preventing the Lord from again communicating what He hadpreviously given; that when one is visited by God, he should say: "Itis Thou, O Lord! who hast sent me this consolation from Heaven, --tome who am a sinner, wholly unworthy of thy bounty. I commit it backto Thy keeping; for I feel myself capable of stealing Thy treasurefrom Thee;" and when he returns from prayer, he should show as muchhumility and self-contempt as if he had received no peculiar favor. All the masters of spiritual life have had similar opinions of thevalue of mental prayer as this contemplative Saint, and they havepointed out the necessity of it for advancing in the ways of virtue. St. Teresa wrote so sublimely on this practice, that the Church praysto God that "her Heavenly doctrine may be our nourishment. " She declaresthat she was near being lost, from having given it up, but that ourLord had done her the signal favor to urge her to resume it; she exhortsall to apply themselves to it, even should they make but small progressin it, because it is always useful, and, if persevered in, will beattended with great benefit. This is what directors might representto those who seriously wish to attend to their salvation, and to sayto them, with the same saint, that "mental prayer is nothing else butholding friendly intercourse with God, often remaining alone inconversation with Him, who, we know, loves us. "The practice of mental prayer no way diminished the zeal of St. Francisfor vocal prayer, which every Christian ought to resort to as he did. Vocal prayer was practised and taught by Jesus Christ; the Churchemploys it in her public worship. "We require it, " says St. Austin, "to assist our memory and understanding, and to animate our fervor;finally, God desires that we should offer to Him "a sacrifice ofpraise, " and that it shall be "the fruits of our lips and hearts, giving glory to His name, " because our body and soul belong to Him. Piety had inspired the holy man to compose vocal prayers on varioussubjects, which he often repeated, and some of which he recited daily. He said the Lord's Prayer, with particular devotion, weighing all thewords, and meditating on the sense they contain, as is seen by theparaphrase of it he composed, and which we think it useful to insertat length:"'Our Father, ' most happy and most holy, our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Consoler. 'Who art in Heaven;' in the angels, in the saints, in the illuminated, in order that they may know Thee, who inflamestthem by Thy love; for, O Lord! Thou are the Light and the Love whodwellest in them, and Thou art their Beatitude by satiating them: Thouart the Sovereign and Eternal Good, from whom all good proceeds, andwithout Thee there is no other good. 'Hallowed be Thy name:' in orderthus to make Thyself known to us by vivid lights, so that we may seethe full extent of Thy bounty, the duration of Thy promises, thesublimity of Thy majesty, and the depth of Thy judgment. 'Thy Kingdomcome:' in order that Thou mayest reign in us by grace, and that Thoumayest bring us to Thy Kingdom, where Thou art clearly and perfectlyloved, where we become happy in Thy society, and where Thou arteternally enjoyed. 'Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven:' inorder that we may love Thee 'with our whole hearts, ' thinking alwaysof Thee 'with our whole soul, ' ever longing for Thee, 'with all ourmind, ' referring to Thee all our views, seeking Thy glory in all things;'with all our strength, ' employing in Thy service, for Thy love, allthe strength, ' of our bodies and souls, without making any other useof them; that we may love our neighbor as ourselves, using all ourefforts to draw them to Thy love; rejoicing in all the good that happensto them, as if it was our own; being grieved at any ills which maybefall them, and giving offence to none. 'Give us this day our dailybread:' it is Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ; we ask Thee for Him, inorder to remind us of the love He has shown us, and of what He hassaid, done and endured for us; we ask Thee to make us fully comprehendthese things, and cause us to revere them. 'Forgive us our trespasses, 'by Thy infinite mercy, by the passion of Thy beloved Son, our LordJesus Christ, by the merits and intercession of the Blessed VirginMary, and of all the elect. 'As we forgive them that trespass againstus:' what may be not altogether remitted on our part, grant us thefavor, O Lord! to remit entirely, in order that, for love of Thee, wemay sincerely love our enemies, and may intercede for them ferventlyat Thy throne; that we may not render to any one evil for evil, andthat in Thee we may endeavor to do good to all. 'And lead us not intotemptation, ' hidden, manifest, sudden, grievous. 'But deliver us fromevil:', past, present, and to come. Amen: willingly and gratuitously"These two words show that he ardently desired what he prayed for; andthat it was purely for the glory of God, without any temporal interest. He recited the Divine Offices with a devotion full of respect, andwith great fervor. St. Bonaventure says that, although he sufferedgreatly from pains in his head, from his stomach, and from his liver, he never leant while reciting it; that he stood during the whole time, with his head uncovered, his eyes looking down. In travelling, healways stopped to say it; however much it might rain, he never omittedthis pious practice, and he gave this reason for it: "If the bodyrests, in order to take its food, which will, as well as himself, soonbecome the food of worms, with how much tranquillity ought the soulto take its spiritual nourishment, which is to cause it to liveeternally!"The verse, Gloria Patri, etc. , made a lively impression on his heart;once he repeated it in thankfulness to God for His bounty after eachverse of the Magnificat, which Brother Leo was reciting, and he exhortsall to say it frequently. A lay brother, who was strongly tempted toapply himself to study, having come to ask his permission, was told:"My dear Brother, learn the Gloria Patri, and you will know the wholeof the Holy Scriptures. "--The brother obeyed, and had no furthertemptation on that head. The distractions which his lively imagination caused him during theholy exercises, appeared to him to be great faults, and he never failedto confess them, and to expiate them by penance, asserting that weought to be ashamed of being distracted by trifles when speaking tothe great King. Once during Tierce, the thought of a little vase whichhe had made came into his head, and called off his attention; heimmediately went and took it, and threw it into the fire, saying: "Iwill sacrifice it to the Lord, whose sacrifice it has hindered. " Buthe acquired the habit of reciting the Office so attentively, that thissort of distractions seldom importuned him. His application was equally strong and respectful in reciting thepsalms, as if God had been present in a sensible manner; and he foundso much sweetness in the name of God, that he seemed to have the tasteof sweetness on his lips, after having pronounced it. Thus the Prophetsaid to the Lord: "How sweet are thy words to my palate! more thanhoney to my mouth. " Francis had also an interior joy in pronouncingthe holy name of Jesus, which communicated itself to his exterior, andproduced on his senses a similar effect as if he had tasted somethingagreeable to his palate, or heard some harmonious sounds. He desired that all the holy names should be peculiarly reverenced, not only when people thought of them, or pronounced them, but wheneverthey saw them written. This is the reason why, in his last will, herecommends his brethren to pick them up should they find them scatteredabout in unseemly places, and put them in a better locality, lest theyshould be disrespectfully trampled upon. This must be considered notas a mere nicety of feeling, but as a sentiment inspired by faith, which teaches us to venerate the word of God. If a great bishop hasthought it proper to compare the abuse of the sacred word, when it isannounced, to the profanation of the Body itself of Jesus Christ, maywe not, in the same spirit, say that he who permits that word to betrampled upon when it is written, becomes in some measure as guiltyas if he had allowed the Sacred Body of our Saviour to be treated withsimilar indignity?It was the love of God which gave St. Francis so much zeal for mentalprayer, as well as for that which is vocal. He sought his Beloved, from whom he was only separated by the wall of his flesh. To be presentto Him in spirit, and to contemplate Him, were his sole consolations, and his anxiety to gain these was intense. But then the frequentexercise of prayer increased his love, and inflamed it to that degree, that St. Bonaventure does not think it possible to find words to expressit. This Divine charity penetrated his whole interior, as firepenetrates a burning coal. Only by hearing the term of the love of Godpronounced, he was moved and inflamed, and this movement made theaffections of his soul thrill, as the strings of a musical instrumentsound on being touched. To incite himself more and more to the love of God, he made use of allcreatures, as of so many mirrors, in which he viewed the Supreme Reason, the Sovereign Beauty, and the Principle of being and of life. Theywere for him as so many steps by which he raised and united himselfto the object of his love, as so many streamlets in which he tasted, with inconceivable unction, the Infinite Purity of the source fromwhence all that is good is derived; so many delightful strains whoseharmony resounded on his ears, and which, as David in his psalms, heinvited to praise and glorify Him who had given them their being. Wholly inflamed with love, he prayed to be enabled to love still more, and he addressed the following prayer to God, which is found among hisworks: "Grant, O Lord! that the mild vehemence of Thy ardent love mayseparate me from everything which is under Heaven, and may consume meentirely, in order that I may die for the love of Thy love, since itwas for the love of my love that Thou didst deign to die. I solicitthis through Thyself, O Son of God! who livest and reignest with theFather and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen. "And here is another, which he used to say every day: "My God and myAll, who art Thou, O sweet Lord! and who am I, Thy servant, a miserableworm? I wish to love Thee, most holy Lord, I wish to love Thee. O God!I have consecrated to Thee my heart and my body. If I had the meansof doing more for Thee, I would do it, and I ardently wish I had themeans. "This poor Evangelical could not give more to God than his body andsoul. He continually offered the sacrifice of his body, by the rigorof his fasts, and that of his soul, by the vehemence of his desires;"by which, " says St. Bonaventure, "he conformed in a spiritual mannerto the practice of the Old Law, which was to offer holocausts out ofthe tabernacle, and to burn incense within it. "The sacrifice of his desires went to a great extent. For the love ofGod he had renounced all the things of this earth; he had strippedhimself of everything; he had embraced the severest poverty, andpractised the most austere penitential life; he had devoted himselfto the ministry of preaching, and to the establishment of his Order;his life was but a course of labors and fatigue, but he reckoned allthat as nothing; he wished to do much more, to mortify himself morerigorously, to forward thereby the glory of God, because, accordingto the words of our Saviour, this is the greatest mark of love whicha friend can give to his friend. This was the motive of the ardentdesire he had to endure martyrdom, and of the three voyages he undertookin search of it; seeing that he could not succeed, he lowered his viewsto wishing for and soliciting grace to know what he could do, to testifyhis love for God. The Lord granted his desire, favoring him with theimpression of His five wounds, which rendered him a living and, at thesame time, an expiring martyr; but it inflamed his heart to such adegree, that then he wished to die for love, and to be absorbed in thelove of Him whom he loved. Inflamed with divine love, he endeavored to spread the fire on allsides. He often made it the subject of his discourses, and it wasusually the motive he employed to animate his brethren to the practiceof virtue. When he proposed anything that was difficult to them, suchas to go about soliciting alms, "Go, " he would say, "and ask it forthe love of God. " He found a noble prodigality in asking it for thatmotive, and he thought those demented who preferred money to the loveof God, the price of which is incalculable, and sufficient to purchasethe Kingdom of Heaven, and which the love of Him who has so loved usmust make infinitely dear to us. They were surprised one day to findthat he could bear the severity of winter in so miserable a habit asthat which he wore, and, full of fervor, he gave this reason, whichcontains a very useful lesson; "If we were inwardly inflamed with alonging for our celestial country, we should easily bear exteriorcold. " It was his wish that a Friar Minor should love God with aneffective, liberal, and generous love, which should enable him tosuffer calmly and joyfully pain and opprobrium for the object of hislove. This is what he said one day to Brother Leo, on the subject, ina conversation which Leo himself has recorded at full length: "If aFriar Minor had a clear and distinct knowledge of the course of thestars, and of all other things in the universe; if he possessed allthe sciences, all the languages, and a perfect knowledge of the HolyScriptures; and if he spoke with the tongues of angels, cast out devils, performed all sorts of miracles, even that of raising one from thedead who had been four days in the tomb; if he had the gift of prophecy, and that of discerning the affections of the heart; if he preached tothe infidels with such success as to convert them all, and if he shouldedify the world by his sanctity, all that would not be to him thesubject of perfect and true joy. "Afterwards, to show in what this true joy consisted, he proposed asupposition, similar to one he had made on another subject, and verylike to the hypothesis of St. Paul: "Who shall separate us from thelove of Jesus Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or famine, ornakedness, or persecution, or the sword?" From which he concluded, that all that there is in Heaven or on earth could not separate himfrom the love of God, which is grounded on Jesus Christ, our Lord. "Suppose, " said St. Francis, "that we were to arrive at the Conventof St. Mary of the Angels very wet, covered with mud, perishing withcold, dying of hunger, and that the porter, instead of letting us in, were to leave us at the gate in this pitiable state, saying angrily, 'You are a couple of idle vagabonds, who stroll about the world, andreceive the alms which the real poor ought to get. ' If we bear thistreatment with patience, without being discomposed, and withoutmurmuring; if even we think humbly and charitably that the porter knowsus well for what we are, and that it is by God's leave that he behavesthus to us, mark this down as perfect joy. ""Suppose, moreover, that we continue to knock at the door, and thatthe porter, considering us importunate, should come out and give ussome severe boxes on the ears, and say, 'Get along, scoundrels, go tothe hospital, there is nothing for you to eat here. ' If we bear allthese things patiently, and we pardon him from our hearts, and withcharity, note, this would be a subject for perfect joy. ""Let us, in fine, suppose, that in this extremity the cold, hunger, and the night, compel us to entreat, with tears and cries to be allowedto enter the convent, and that the porter, in great irritation, dartsout with a stick full of knobs, takes us by the cowl, throws us downin the snow, and beats us till we are quite covered with bruises:--ifwe bear all this ill usage with joy, with the thought that we oughtto participate in the sufferings of our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, note this, and note it carefully, that this is, for a Friar Minor, thesubject of a true and perfect joy. ""Now hear the conclusion of all this. Amongst all the gifts of theHoly Ghost, which Jesus Christ has granted and will grant to Hisservants, the most considerable is, that of conquering one's self, andof suffering pain and opprobrium for the love of God, in order torespond to the love He has for us. In all the miraculous gifts whichI have noticed, there is not one from which we may derive so muchglory; we have no share in it, it is all from God; we only receivewhat He gives us, and, as St. Paul says, 'If thou hast received, whydost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?' But we have ourshare in the tribulations which we suffer for the love of God, and wemay make it a subject of glory, as the same Apostle has said: 'Godforbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. '"St. Francis was far from thinking that we may glory in our sufferings, as of a favor which we have not received, since he acknowledges thatit is the greatest gift of the Holy Ghost, conformably to what St. Paul said to the Philippians: "To you is given not only to believe inJesus Christ, but also to suffer for His sake;" and to what is writtenof the Apostles: "And they, indeed, went from the presence of thecouncil, rejoicing that they were accounted to suffer reproach for thename of Jesus. " He only proposed to say that our sole cause of gloryis, that God permits us to be associated to the Cross of Jesus Christ, in which alone we are glorified. Thus it is to God that he refers allthe glory of our sufferings, which indeed is His, since, without theaid of His grace, we should not suffer as we ought, and without theCross of Jesus Christ we should have no merit. But he correctly says, and he speaks the true orthodox faith, when he adds, that we have ashare in the merit of what we suffer, and when he draws the distinctionbetween that and miraculous gifts. St. Chrysostom has spoken in thesame manner, and says that our virtues are in so far the gifts of God, that they are also merits of our will, for which God has been pleasedto render Himself indebted to us, by the promise He has made to rewardthem. The mystery of the Incarnate Word, "that great mystery of piety, whichhas been manifested in the flesh, " produced in the heart of St. Francissentiments so pious and so tender, that they were observable exteriorly, by actions of extraordinary fervor, as we saw in the grand solemnitywhich he celebrated at Grecio on Christmas night. "Consider, " he says, in his letters, "that the most high Father has sent from Heaven Hisarchangel, St. Gabriel, to announce that His most worthy, holy, andglorious Word should descend into the womb of the most Blessed VirginMary. And, in truth, He did so descend, and took from her true humanflesh, passible and mortal, such as ours is: 'Being rich, He becameof His own accord poor. ' He chose, by preference, poverty in this worldfor Himself and for His Blessed Mother. He gave Himself thus to us, in conformity to the will of His Father, to wipe away our sins on thecross, by the sacrifice of His Blood, and to leave an example for usto follow in His traces, for it is His wish that we should all be savedthrough Him; but there are few who desire the salvation He proffersthem, although His yoke is sweet, and His burden light. "When he spoke of the incarnation and birth of the Son of God, it waswith affectionate devotion; he could not hear the words, "the Wordmade flesh, " without manifesting great joy. The religious of a monasterywhere he was one day, remarked this emotion, and took occasion to askhim if it was right to eat meat on Christmas-day, when it fell on aFriday, or if it was not better to abstain from it. "Not only do Ithink, " he replied, "that men may eat meat on this day, on which theWord was made flesh, but I wish that princes and rich persons wouldthrow meat and corn in the highways, in order that the birds and beastsof the field should rejoice, in their way, in the joys of so great afestival; I wish, even, that some was placed on the walls, if theycould derive sweetness from it. "We see plainly that these are hyperbolical expressions, flowing fromhis heart, by the emotions of his spiritual joy, by which he wasactuated; but, in saying that men might eat meat on Christmas-day, although it fall on a Friday, he speaks in conformity with the usageof the Church, which, however, is a permission, and not a law. PopeHonorius III. Pointed it out clearly to the Bishop of Prague, inBohemia, in the following rescript of the year 1222: "We answer that, when the Feast of the Nativity of our Blessed Lord falls on a Friday, those who are not under the obligation of abstinence by a vow, or bya regular observance, may eat meat on that day, because of theexcellence of the festival, according to the custom of the universalChurch. Those, however, who abstain on that day, from devotion, arenot to be censured. "St. Francis was, moreover, much affected by the goodness of our Saviour, who, after His baptism, went into the desert, and there fasted fortydays and forty nights, without eating anything during that time, forthe expiation of our sensuality, and to set us an example of fasting. He honored this holy retreat by a fast of forty days, which he commencedon the seventh day of January, and which he passed in some solitaryplace, confined to his cell, keeping strict abstinence in fasting anddrinking, and employing himself solely in praising God and in prayer. It was also during this Lent that he received the most signal favorsfrom Jesus Christ. His soul was penetrated with ardor for the mystery of the Sacred Bodyand Blood of our Lord. The work of so tender a love, and of suchcondescending goodness, threw him into an excess of admiration, andput him quite beside himself. He communicated frequently, and with somuch devotion, that it inspired others with similar feelings; they sawhim almost always, after having communicated, as if in a spiritualintoxication, and raised into ecstasy by the sweetness he tasted inpartaking of the Body and Blood of the Lamb without spot. At Mass, when at the Elevation, he said this prayer: "Celestial Father, my Lordand my God, cast Thine eyes on the glorious countenance of Thy Christ, and have pity on me and on other sinners, for whom Thy beloved Son, our Lord, has condescended to die, and who has chosen to remain withus in the Sacrament of the Altar, for our salvation and consolation:who with Thee, eternal Father, and the Holy Ghost, sole God, livethand reigneth to everlasting ages. Amen. "The profound veneration which is due to the august mystery of theEucharist, the solicitude which we ought to have to hear Mass, toapproach to the sacred altar, and to prepare ourselves, in orderworthily to communicate, were points on which he used to dilate in hisconversations, in his instructions, and in his letters. The life of the holy man has furnished many examples of the ardent andrespectful zeal which animated him in all that regarded churches oraltars, or all the things which were used for the Sacrifice of theMass, and for the divine service. As he could not bear anything dirtyor slovenly, in the country churches, he took the trouble of cleaningeverything himself; and lest they should want altar breads for Masses, he made them himself in iron forms, which were made in a veryworkmanlike manner; he took them into the poor parishes: some of thesemoulds are carefully preserved in the convent of Grecio. The great love which he had for Jesus Christ, and for the sacramentwhich contains His Body, His Blood, His Soul, and His Divinity, inspiredhim with a zeal and a tenderness of devotion to His Blessed Mother, which cannot be expressed, as St. Bonaventure remarks. He placed himselfand his Order under the protection of this Blessed Mother of God, whomhe chose for his advocate; and in her, after Jesus Christ, his chiefconfidence rested: "for, " said he, "it is she who made this God ofMajesty our brother; through her we have obtained mercy. " He used, aswe have noticed, to keep a Lent of six weeks, in honor of her gloriousAssumption; and he observed it with great sentiments of piety. Theseare the prayers and eulogiums he was in the habit of addressing toher:--"Hail, Mary! Mother of God, ever a Virgin, most holy Lady and Queen, in whom is all the plenitude of grace and every sort of good. Amongstwomen there are none born like unto thee; thou art the daughter andthe handmaid of our celestial Father, the great King; and he has chosenthee for the Mother of His beloved Son. Thou art the Spouse of theHoly Ghost, the Comforter. Hail to thee, who art the palace, the temple, and the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ! I honor all the virtues withwhich thou art filled. Thou who art as mild as thou art beautiful, implore thy very dear Son, conjure Him by His great clemency, by thevirtue of His most sacred incarnation and that of His most painfuldeath, to pardon our faults. Amen. "The indissoluble ties of spiritual love, says the holy doctor whom wehave quoted, united Francis to the hierarchy of the angels, caused inhim marvellous fire which absorbs man in God, and influences the electwith noble aims. The ardent zeal he had for the salvation of souls, attached him intimately to the Archangel St. Michael, because hisemployment is to present man to the throne of the Divine Majesty. Itwas to honor these blessed spirits, that he kept every year a Lent offorty days, before the Feast of St. Michael, adding to it a continualexercise of prayer. He had prescribed to himself another Lent, toprepare for the Festival of All Saints, who seemed to him to be, according to the expression of Ezekiel, precious stones, glitteringas fire, the memory alone of which excited him to a more fervent loveof God. The great love which all the Apostles had for Jesus Christ, led him to revere them with peculiar devotion, particularly SaintsPeter and Paul, in honor of whom he fasted from Whit-Sunday to theirfeast. It is useful to remark here that this great Saint, who was raised toa sublime degree of prayer, did not neglect, nevertheless, the usualpractices of piety with the rest of the faithful. This may serve asa preservative against an illusion which might lead to the belief thatthey are useless to the spiritual, and that those who are mystical, may dispense with them, to devote themselves to contemplation. Hisheart was so full and so penetrated with that true and sincere piety, of which charity is the soul, that it seemed to have entire possessionof him. It united him incessantly to God, to the friends of God, andto everything which was holy; but, as the Apostle says, "prayer isprofitable to all things"; it gave him a fund of all that was good, a spirit of meekness, of condescension, and of zeal, to communicatewith his neighbor. All men were dear to him, because he saw in them the same nature, thesame grace, the image of the Creator, and the Blood of the Redeemer. If he had not taken care of the salvation of souls, which Jesus Christhad redeemed, he would not have considered himself among the numberof His friends. "Nothing, " he said, "is preferable to the salvationof souls;" and he gave several reasons for this, and principally thisone: that, for them, the Only Son of God had condescended to be nailedto the cross. It was also for them that he labored and lived; for them, in some measure, he called in question the justice of God in prayer, and powerfully solicited His mercy; for them he frequently forewentthe sweets of a contemplative life; he undertook journeys, he preachedeverywhere, he exposed Himself to martyrdom, and their edification wasone of his motives in the practice of virtue. Although his innocentflesh, already perfectly under the control of the spirit, did notrequire to be chastised for any faults, he, nevertheless, mortifiedit in various ways for the edification of his neighbor. When he wascensured for his too great austerities, he replied:--"I am sent togive this example; if I had not the charity to give it, I should beof little use to others, and of none to myself, although I spoke allthe languages known to men and angels. "Seeing that a multitude of persons, stimulated by his example, ferventlyembraced the Cross of Christ, he became animated with fresh courageto put himself at the head of these pious troops, as a valiant captain, in order to gain with them a victory over the devil, by the practiceof perfect and invincible virtue. The sanctity of his life gave him great freedom in his manner ofpreaching. He spoke fearlessly, without any apprehension of what criticsmight say, because he had acted before teaching, and he felt and hadexperienced all he said. The zealous preacher knew not how to flatter. Far from sparing sinners by complacence, he reproached their vices inforcible language, and attacked their disorderly conduct with greatvehemence. The presence of the great of the world did not intimidatehim; he spoke to them as plainly and forcibly as he had done to thecommon people; and, as all souls were equally dear to him, he preachedas willingly, and with as much zest, to a few people, as to a crowdedauditory. The tender love which St. Francis bore for souls redeemed by the Bloodof Jesus Christ, rendered him very sensible to their misfortunes. Whenhe knew of any one stained by the filth of sin, he lamented over itwith deep grief. His charity, fertile in expedients, inspired himsometimes to give to wicked persons temporal assistance, with a viewof getting them to return to the ways of salvation. One day, when hewas at the Convent of Mount Casal, Brother Angelo, who was the guardianof it, told him that there were in the neighborhood three notoriousrobbers, who injured considerably the farmers of the vicinity, anddaily came and extorted from them the bread which was destined for theconvent, without their being able to prevent it. "Brother, " he replied, "if you will do what I will point out to you, my confidence in Godtells me that you will reform these men, and gain their souls. Go andseek them out: although they are robbers, they are still our brothers. Take them the best bread you have, and some wine, spread a cloth onthe ground, and invite them to eat with you; while they are eating, speak to them of holy things, in an insinuating manner, both yourselfand your companion; humbly entreat them to injure no one any more. Ifthey promise you this, return to them the next day, and take themsomething to eat, with bread and wine as before, and tell them thatyou bring that, as to brethren and friends, who have granted you whatyou asked of them. If you do this a third time, do not doubt but Godwill enlighten them, and touch their hearts, and bring them into theright way. "Brother Angelo followed this advice, and gained over the robbers socompletely, that they gave up their lives of plunderers, and began torender service to the convent, supplying them with fire-wood, whichthey carried to them on their shoulders. Their conversion was complete:one of them entered the Order, and the other two went elsewhere toembrace a penitential life. The guardian used similar means forconverting three other robbers, who retired into the recesses of themountain, after having induced the Saint to pray for them. All threeafterwards entered the Order of Friars Minor and lived holy lives. The affection which our Saint had always shown for the poor from hisinfancy, during the first years of his youth, and at the beginning ofhis conversion, became stronger and stronger, and was manifested onall occasions. St. Bonaventure says that he spared nothing to come totheir assistance. Cloaks, tunics, books, the ornaments of the Church, all that he had he gave to them. Many times he has been seen takingthe burdens from the poor he met on the road, and bear them on his ownweak shoulders. When he returned from begging, he shared what he hadreceived with any that solicited alms at his hands; and as long asanything remained, he never refused any one. At Sienna, a small cloak had been given to him, which was very necessaryfor his infirmities; but, in leaving the town, he met a poor person, whose wretched state excited his pity, and he said to his companion:"Let us restore this cloak to him, for it belongs to him; we have onlyborrowed it, until such time as we should see some one poorer thanourselves. " The companion, knowing that Francis really required it, endeavored to prevent his parting with it, but the father made himthis answer: "If I did not give this cloak to a poor man, who had moreneed of it than I have, I should think I had committed a theft, whichI should be convicted of by our Sovereign Lord, who is the universalalmoner. " It was for this reason that, when anything was given him, he asked leave to give it away, if he should meet with any one poorerthan himself. On the same principle, notwithstanding his infirmities, when he wasat the convent at Celles, he gave another cloak, which he had receivedin charity, to a poor woman. One of the brothers having taken it back, promising to give the woman something else instead, the Saint saidimmediately:--"My brother, kneel down and acknowledge your fault; givethe cloak back to the woman: she is poorer than I am. " His companionsgot him another, and he gave it again to a man of Cortona, who cameto solicit alms for the love of God, at the same convent at Celles. He told Francis that his wife was dead, that he had several littlechildren, and that he had no food for them: "I give you this cloak, "said the Saint, "on this condition, that, if you are asked to give itback, you do no such thing, unless you receive its full value. " Thebrethren, indeed, did all they could to induce him to give it back:they told him there was no one poorer than the person who had givenit to him, or who wanted it more on account of his bad health and therigor of the season. But the man, referring to what his benefactor hadsaid, answered that the cloak was his, and that he would not part withit, unless he received its full value. In order, therefore, to haveit returned, they were under the necessity of taking him to a friendwho gave him in money what the cloak was considered to be worth. A very old woman, the mother of two of the Friars Minor, having cometo the Convent of St. Mary of the Angels to ask for charity, Francistold the guardian to give her something; and he having said that therewas not anything then in the convent which could be given, unless itwas a book of the Gospel which the brethren read out of, when theywere in the choir the Father said:--"Give it that the poor woman maysell it to provide for her necessities. I believe that this will bemore agreeable to God, than reading out of it. What is it that a motherhas not a right to require from us, who has given two of her sons tothe religious?"Another time, a poor man came to ask for an old habit. Francis desiredthem to look about well for one that was not used. As such an one wasnot to be found, he stole aside and began to unpick some breadths ofhis own, in order to give them to the man; the guardian, being informedof this, came down hastily and forbade his taking them out: "I willobey you, because you are my superior, but give this poor man somethingto cover himself with; otherwise I shall have a scruple, and shall begrieved to be obliged to wear an entire habit which is lined, to keepme warm, while this poor man is shivering with cold at the gate. " Hewent to the poor man to console him, and did not leave him until theguardian had given him something wherewith to clothe himself; and thisalms was no less comforting to his charitable feelings, than theclothing was to the misery of the poor man. By a similar impulse ofcharity, and in order to prevent curses against God, he gave his cloakto a servant who complained of the great injury his master had donehim, cursing him and blaspheming Providence for allowing the poor tobe so ill used. He gave him his cloak on the condition that he wouldleave off cursing and blaspheming. The physician who saw the saint in his illness, near Rieti, having oneday mentioned the extreme poverty of an old woman who was begging, hesent for the guardian and said: "Here is a cloak which I have wornuntil such time as some one should be found who has a greater rightto it than I have; I beg you to send it, with some of the bread whichhas been received on the quest, by one of the brethren, to our sister, who is very poor, and let him say that we only give her what belongsto her. I conceive that what is given to us can only be ours untilsuch time as some one shall come forward, who is more in want of itthan we are. " Not to vex the holy man, the commission was faithfullyexecuted. The blessed Patriarch wished that such of his children who had notstudied, and had no talent for preaching, should be employed in servingtheir brethren, and should frequent the hospitals, there to render themeanest offices to the lepers, with humility and charity. Brother James the Simple, who came from Perugia, was greatlydistinguished by his zeal in this charitable exercise, insomuch thatthey gave him the name of the steward and physician of the lepers. Francis recommended one to him, whose body was a mass of sores, fromhis head to his feet. James took such care of him, that, by degrees, he regained his strength; and, thinking fresh air would contribute tohis restoration, he took him with him, although still full of ulcers, to the Convent of Saint Mary of the Angels. This appeared to the Saint, who met him, to have been very indiscreet, and he said to BrotherJames: "You should not lead about, in this manner, the ChristianBrothers; it is neither proper in you, nor good for them. I wish youto serve them in their hospital, but I do not wish you to take themout of it, for there are many persons who cannot bear the sight ofthem. " The leper was distressed at hearing his benefactor thusreprimanded, and he blushed for shame. Francis, perceiving him to havebeen mortified, threw himself immediately at his feet, and begged hispardon, and, in order to console him, he ate at the door of the convent, out of the same plate with the leper, after which he embraced andkissed him, and dismissed him satisfied. There was in the hospital a leper who was so impatient and so violent, that he abused and struck the Friars Minor who served him, and evenwent so far as to blaspheme God. They reported this to their Father, who offered himself to the sick man, to wait upon him: "What can youdo for me more than your companions have done?" replied the invalid. "Ever since I have had this insupportable disorder, God has forgottenme. I am in despair, I can live no longer; no one can mitigate mysufferings; neither you nor any one else. " Francis, seeing that he wasagitated by the evil spirit, left him for a while, prayed for him, andreturned to exhort him by the most urgent motives, to be patient. Ashe saw that the man became calmer, he asked him what might seem mostagreeable to him; what he should do for him. He said that he shouldnow wash his whole body, that he could no longer endure the stench ofthe infection. The saint quickly got some water warmed, into which heput aromatic herbs, and began to wash him himself, while his companionpoured out the water. As he washed, his cure advanced, and, at thesame time, the grace of God made such impression on the mind of thepatient, that, as the water flowed from his body, the tears flowedfrom his eyes. The washing having terminated, the leper being perfectlycleansed and converted, publicly confessed his sins, asked for mercy, and went through a rigorous course of penance. He died a few monthsafterwards, and appeared to the Saint, thanking him that, by his means, after a light punishment in purgatory, he was about to enjoy eternalglory. God performed a different miracle on another occasion, to justify thecharity of His Servant to the poor. At Alexandria de la Paille, a townof the Milanese, where he was received as a Saint, he was invited todinner by a wealthy and pious man. While he was at table, a man of badcharacter, who was, however, jealous of Francis's reputation, watchedall his actions, in order to decry and criticise them: this mancounterfeited a beggar at the door, and solicited an alms for the loveof God. As soon as Francis heard the appeal for the love of God, hesent him the wing of a fowl, to which he had been just helped. Thesham beggar, to whom it was taken, kept it. The next day he producedit, in a large concourse of people, where the Saint was preaching, and, interrupting the discourse, he said in a loud voice: "This is thefood on which the preacher feeds: should such a man be honored as asaint?" His malice received a signal check; the wing of the fowl whichhe exhibited, appeared to the bystanders to be fish, and he was thoughtto have lost his wits. He himself perceiving that what he held up wasnothing but fish, was ashamed of what he had said, was touched withremorse, and published himself what had happened. After which, onemiracle succeeded another; it was found that what had appeared to befish, was in reality flesh. Thus did the Lord vindicate the virtue ofHis Servant, punish envy, and convert the envious. The malignity ofenvy often finds its punishment in the artifices it employs to injurepersons of virtue, but it is very unusual for the envious to be soconverted. St. Bonaventure says that St. Francis felt a most tender compassionfor all who suffered from temporal ills; that, indeed, he had naturallya feeling heart, but that the goodness of the heart of Jesus Christ, communicating itself to his, rendered it still more compassionate. Hewas the more sensible of the afflictions of others, as in all the poor, and in all those who suffered, he represented to himself his DivineMaster, poor and suffering; in which, continues the holy doctor, hewho was himself poor, showed that he was so as a perfect Christian. When he had it not in his power to alleviate the sufferings of thosein indigence or sickness, he endeavored, at least by soothing words, to assuage their feelings. One day, when he was about to preach, hewas entreated by a poor and infirm man to recommend him to the auditors. His compassion was excited, and, with tears in his eyes, he said tohis companion that he felt the man's ills as if they were his own. Hiscompanion answered the man rather drily, who was importunate in askingfor alms, and in order to moderate the feelings of the Saint, he said:"If we judged by exteriors, this man is apparently in great misery;but, if we could penetrate his interior, we should, perhaps, find thatin the whole province there is not an individual richer in wishes, ormore eaten up with pride: such characters are frequently found amongbeggars. " Francis censured him severely for having repulsed the poorman, and for judging him with so much asperity, and pointed out to himthat in this he offended God. The religious acknowledged his error, and asked pardon on his knees. "I shall not pardon you, " said Francis, "unless you take off your habit, prostrate yourself before the poorman, acknowledge your fault, entreat him to pardon you, and to prayfor you. " The humble penitent did immediately all that he had beendesired to do, after which Francis embraced him, and said, with greatmildness: "My son, it is not so much against the poor man that youhave sinned, as against Jesus Christ, for He is in all the poor: theyare so many mirrors, in which He represents to us His own poverty, andthat of His Blessed Mother. Therefore, as often as you see the poorand the sick, respect them, and humble yourself in their presence;consider, with sentiments of piety, that the Son of God made Himselfpoor for our sakes, and condescended to take upon Himself ourinfirmities. "If we cherish these Christianlike views, we should not judge so harshlyof the poor, of whom it is no less faulty to judge, than of the rich;and in their poverty we should find as powerful motives for lovingJesus Christ, as for affording the succor they require. The heart of St. Francis was naturally so kind and so tender, that hefelt an affection for creatures, but it was from a profound sentimentof piety that he called them his brothers and his sisters. Going backto the origin of things, St. Bonaventure says that he considered allthat had being as having emanated from the bosom of the Divinity, andhe acknowledged that they had the same principle as himself. In fact, the creation established amongst them a sort of fraternity: God beingthe parent of all nature, it is not to be denied that, in this sense, everything which composes it is brotherly. And who can censure a manwho is wholly religious, for expressing himself in a manner which isgrounded on the first principles of religion? This trait shows boththe elevation of his mind, and the piety of his heart; heretics alonecan blame it. Among animals, those he preferred were such as reminded him of themildness of Jesus Christ, or were the symbol of some particular virtue, or which gave rise to some edifying reflections; and God has sometimesshown by miracles, how much the motive of these feelings was pleasingto Him. Lambs were peculiarly agreeable to the holy man, in memory ofthe meek Lamb who permitted Himself to be led to the slaughter, forthe redemption of sinners; he frequently had them purchased, to preventtheir being killed. While he was staying at the Monastery of St. Vereconda, which is inthe Diocese of Gubbio, he found that on the previous night a sow hadkilled with its teeth a lamb, which had just been born. The Lamb withoutspot, whom sinners put to death, flashed immediately upon hisrecollection, and the pity this excited in him, caused him to lamentsorely the death of the little animal, which was a symbol of meekness;to curse the cruel beast which had killed it, and to wish that neitherman nor beast might eat of its flesh. The sow was at that moment struckwith a disease, of which it died in three days. It was thrown into aravine, not far distant from the monastery, and no animal ventured totouch it: it became dry and hard as a piece of wood. St. Bonaventureremarks, on this occasion, that if God was pleased to punish with deaththe cruelty of a beast, how infinitely more severe must not thepunishment of cruel and pitiless men be in the other world. A lad went to Sienna to sell some turtle-doves, which he had takenalive. Francis met him on his way, and said: "These are innocent birds, which are compared in Scripture to chaste and faithful souls I beg youearnestly not to put them into the hands of persons who would killthem, but to confide them to me. " They were given to him, and he putthem immediately into his bosom; he spoke to them as if they werecapable of reasoning, not only by that natural impulse which inducesus constantly to speak to animals, when we caress them, but also byan impression of the spirit of God. He told them of a great miracle, promising to prepare a nest for them, where they might increase andmultiply, according to the intention of their Creator. Having takenthem to his Convent of Ravacciano, near the walls of Sienna, he forcedhis stick into the ground before the gate, and the stick became, bythe following day, a large evergreen oak. He let the turtle-doves flyinto it, desiring them to make their nests there, which they did formany succeeding years; and they were so familiar with the religious, that they came to feed from their hands. Wading says that the tree wasstill there at his time and that many saw it. Nor did the young man go unrewarded. Francis told him that he wouldbecome a religious of his Order, and that he would acquire eternalglory: he did, in fact, enter the Order, and lived so holily as toearn Heaven. The miracle was the cause of his vocation, and at thesame time sanctioned the affection the Saint showed these birds: heonly loved God through the affection he showed to His creatures. Soalso, St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, according to the testimony of St. Gregory of Nyssa, having planted his stick in a spot where a river wasbreaking down the dyke and doing damage through the country, the Lordchanged it suddenly into a large tree, which checked the flood entirely, and served to honor the faith of his Servant, and incite the infidelsto believe in Jesus Christ. The Divine love which inflamed the heart of St. Francis, made everythingappear amiable to him which could tend to the love and service of God. For this reason he was fond of birds, whose carol seemed to invitemankind to publish the glory of their Creator, for, according to thewords of Jesus Christ, "neither do they sow nor reap, nor gather intobarns: yet their Heavenly Father feeds them. " It was gratifying to himto remark the gray and ash color of larks, the color he had chosen forhis Order, so that the minors might often think on death. He also lovedto admire the disposition of the plumage of such as were crested, whichseemed to him to have some relation to the simplicity of his habit. On the lark rising into the air, and singing as soon as it has takensome grains of corn for its nourishment, he remarked with sensiblepleasure that this example ought to teach us to give thanks to ourcommon Father, who gives us wherewithal for our sustenance, only to eatfor His glory, to despise the earth, and to raise ourselves up toHeaven, where our conversation ought to be. He was more fond of thesesmall birds than of any others, because they induced holy thoughts, and he took as much care of them as he could. As he had noble and spiritual motives for his simplest and most commonactions, God made use of this for the instruction of men by the exampleof a bird. Near the Convent of Mount Ranier, or Mount Colombo, therewas a nest of crested larks, the mother of which came every day tofeed out of the hand of the Servant of God and took sufficient forherself and her brood: when they began to be strong, she brought thelittle ones to him. He perceived that the strongest of the brood peckedthe others, and prevented them from taking up the grain. This displeasedhim, and addressing himself to the little bird as if it could understandhim, "Cruel and insatiable little animal, " he said, "you will diemiserably, and the greediest animals will not be willing to eat yourflesh, " In fact, some days afterwards, it was drowned in a basin, whichwas placed for them to drink out of. It was given to the cats and dogs, to see if they would eat it; but neither would touch it. It may bethought that so trifling an anecdote was not worth recording, but thereis nothing trifling in the moral it contains. It is a naturalrepresentation of those greedy and insatiable men who devour thesubstance of their brethren, and envy them all that they cannot despoilthem of; enemies of mankind, unworthy of the name of men, thieves, ruffians, ravaging wolves, as they are designated in Scripture, whosevoracity, say the Holy Fathers, surpasses that of wild beasts; whoselife is a public calamity; hated and detested by all, during theirlives, they die as they have lived, and their memory is held inexecration. The tender-heartedness which Francis evinced for animals has beenridiculed by heretics. Nevertheless, the Holy Ghost tells us, by themouth of Wisdom, that "the just man regardeth the lives of his beasts. "The Patriarch Jacob excused himself from following his brother Esau, because his ewes and cows were heavy, and he was fearful he shouldkill them if he hurried them. When St. Paul said, "Doth God take careof oxen?" he only wished to insinuate that God is far more interestedin what regards men. In this view St. Chrysostom, commenting on the words of Wisdom, whichwe have just quoted, says that the saints are tender-hearted; thatthey love all men, strangers as well as their own countrymen and theirown families, and that their good feelings are extended to senselessanimals. Sulpicius Severus relates of St. Martin, that, seeing some houndspursuing a hare, which they were on the point of catching, he orderedthem to stop; he had no sooner spoken, than the hounds became immovableon the spot where they were, and they did not stir till the hare wasplaced in safety. An author of the life of St. Bernard, who had been his secretary, saysthat not only men, but irrational animals, even birds, and other beasts, felt the effects of his tenderness. He adds that the Saint, in one ofhis journeys, coming close to a hare, which the dogs were about tocatch, and where a bird was nearly seized in the talons of a hawk, delivered them both miraculously by the sign of the cross, and thentold the sportsmen that all their efforts would be useless for takingthis prey. If it had been thought proper not to omit in his life, and in that ofSt. Martin also, these anecdotes of the goodness of their hearts, whichwere enhanced by supernatural evidence, and of which God approved byHis wisdom and His power, what right can critics have to censureprecisely similar circumstances in the life of St. Francis?The glorious Patriarch, who praised God in the minutest things, procuredhis glory in the greatest. His principal care was to lead his brethrento perfection; to render them worthy imitators of Jesus crucified, capable of exciting His love in all hearts. It would be difficult topoint out the founder of an order who had spoken more, taught more, or exhorted more, than St. Francis; and it may have been noticed thathe instructed his disciples in the most solid and eminent virtues. Herecommended them to put the Gospel in practice, as they had promisedto do in making profession of the rule; to adore profoundly and withgreat devotion the Body of Jesus Christ; to hear Mass most devoutly;to celebrate the Divine Office with attention; carefully to keep allthe ordinances of the Church; to have the greatest veneration for allpriests, humbly to bow in their presence, and to kiss their hands. Heeven said that, if it could be done, they ought to kiss the feet ofthe horses on which they rode, to honor the power which they have ofconsecrating and administering the Divine mysteries. When abroad, it was his desire that his religious should appear withso much modesty, reserve, and circumspection, that every one might beedified thereby, and glorify God therein. "Do not despise the men ofthe world, " he said, "and judge not ill of them. You are not to judgeother persons' servants, who are not yours; whether they stand or fall, it is not your affair, but that of their masters. Have peace in yourown mind, make it known to others, inspire it to all; labor for theconversion of sinners, for that is your vocation. "Attentive to the regulation of the interior, he incessantly exhortedthem to correct the smallest defects; to exercise themselves in thepractice of holy prayer, to meditate on the Passion of our BlessedSaviour, and to use all their efforts to preserve union and fraternallove. "Happy, " said he, "is the man who loves his brother when absent, as well as when they are together, and who would not say in his absencewhat charity would prevent his saying in his presence. "In the view of rendering his brethren more perfect, he frequentlycounteracted the bent of their devotion. Brother Masse was a veryspiritual man, who was much attached to prayer. Francis, in order totry him, said to him one day, in presence of the others: "Brother, these have received from God a greater gift of contemplation than youhave. For which reason, in order to give them more time to givethemselves very freely to it, it seems proper that you, who seem morecalculated for exterior duties, should have the care of the door andof the kitchen, and, if there is any time over, you will employ it inquesting. Take great care that the strangers who may call, do notinterrupt your brethren in their meditations. As soon as they may knockat the door, be there ready to receive them, satisfy them with fairwords, and do everything which the others would have done, so that itshall not be necessary for any of them to make their appearance. Goin peace, and fail not in doing all these things, in order to have themerit of obedience. "Masse, bowing his head, submitted to the order of his superior, withouthesitation or murmur, and, during several days, he acquitted himselffaithfully of what had been directed. His companions, who knew hisvirtue, and the love he had for prayer, had scruples at seeing him inthese employments, and begged their father to permit them to sharethese duties with him. He assented, and, sending for Masse, said tohim: "Brother, your companions wish to relieve and assist you, and Ialso wish that they may have a share in the labors. " To which Massreplied, "Father, I consider as coming from God whatever duties youdirect, whether it be my work or prayer. " St. Francis, seeing the charityon the one part, and the humility on the other, gave them an exhortationon these two virtues, and distributed the duties among them, with hisblessing. What he had ardently desired for himself, and what he was rejoiced tosee some of his brethren look forward to most anxiously, was theperfection which consists in suffering martyrdom: in shedding one'sblood for the faith. As he could not obtain this favor, and as it wasonly granted to a few of his brethren during his lifetime, heendeavored to make up for it by another species of martyrdom, which, as St. Bernard says, is indeed less cruel than the first, but isrendered more bitter by its duration. It is the martyrdom ofmortification, and principally that of voluntary poverty. In fact, this poverty, as he compelled its observance, not only placed him andhis brethren in the most humiliating situation in the eyes of theworld, but deprived them, moreover, of all the comforts and conveniencesof life; exposed them to hunger, thirst, want of clothing, and variousother annoying discomforts. All this, however, was not, in his view, the consummation of this description of martyrdom. It was still furtherrequisite to suffer patiently, in time of pain and sickness, the wantof assistance, which poverty cannot command, to see the diseaseincrease, and death about to follow, from want of necessary succor. His charity had taken all possible precaution for procuring assistanceto the sick of his Order. He had directed that, if any of the brethrenfell sick, the others should attend upon them, as they would wish tobe themselves waited upon in like circumstances, and with more affectionthan a mother has for a beloved son. Notwithstanding the great aversionhe had to money, he required that the superiors should make applicationto their spiritual friends, to induce them to give coins, in order toassist the brethren in their sickness. But, as he foresaw that thismeasure might not always be successful, and that poverty in such acase would put it out of the power of the superiors to procure whatwas absolutely necessary for the sick, he pointed out to the brethrenwhat perfection called upon them to do:"If one of the brethren, in health or in sickness, finds himself unable, through poverty, to procure what his absolute necessities require, provided he has humbly applied to his superior for them for the loveof God, let him bear with the privation, for the love of Jesus Christ, who sought for consolation, but found none. It is a suffering which, will be in His sight a substitute for martyrdom; if this should evenincrease his disease, he must not fear being guilty of suicide, forhe has done all he ought to have done, by applying humbly to hissuperiors. " The maxim is well grounded. St. Chrysostom maintains, thatto suffer generously the loss of all goods, as did holy Job, is aspecies of martyrdom. St. Bernard says the same thing of voluntarypoverty, and remarks that, in the Beatitudes, a similar reward ispromised to the poor and to martyrs. On those principles, is not aFriar Minor to be looked upon as a martyr, who, having embraced thestrictest poverty, for the love of Jesus Christ, would, rather thancontravene it, endure with patience every evil, and even death, andwould generously make to God the sacrifice of his health and of hislife, in order to practise this virtue to his last breath? St. Augustineaffirms that a Christian suffers martyrdom in his bed, when he declinesprocuring his cure by forbidden means: thus, a sick Friar Minor, whohas not the necessary assistance, brought about by his having embracedpoverty, according to the Evangelical counsel, is a martyr to poverty. Even supposing that it was less owing to poverty, than to the neglector harshness of his superior, that he was without assistance, he wouldequally have gained the crown promised to this description of martyrdom, since it would be as an Evangelical pauper that he would suffer anddie. But woe to that superior who should procure him such a crown! Hewould be like to those who have made so many martyrs in the persecutionof the Church. When St. Francis learnt that his brethren, by the sanctity of theirlives, and by the efficacy of their preaching, brought back numbersof sinners into the paths of truth, and enkindled in their breasts thelove of God, he said that such intelligence was to him as most pleasingodors and precious perfumes, by which he was wholly embalmed; and, inhis spiritual joy, he loaded these holy and edifying religious withthe most ample benedictions. On the other hand, he fulminated dreadfulmaledictions against such as dishonored religion by their conduct. "Most holy Lord, " he would say, "may those who overthrow and destroyby their bad example what Thou incessantly raisest up by the saintlybrethren of the Order, be accursed by Thee and by the whole celestialchoir, and also by me, Thy little servant. "Any scandal given to little ones gave him so much affliction andheartsore, that he often might have died of it, if God had not supportedhim by interior consolations. One day, when he was suffering extremegrief on a subject of this nature, and was praying the Father of Merciesfor his children, St. Bonaventure informs us that he received thefollowing answer: "Poor little man, why do you disquiet yourself?Because I have appointed you the pastor of this religion which I haveestablished, are you unmindful that I am its principal protector? Igave you the direction of it, to you who are a simple man, in orderthat what I should do through you might be attributed, not to humanindustry, but to my favor. It is I who called those who have enteredit; I will preserve them, and provide for their wants; I will substituteothers for those who will die off; I will cause some to be born, inorder to come into it; and whatever may occur to shake this religion, which is founded on strict poverty. I will assist by My grace, thatit shall be always upheld. " Up to this day, the world has seen theverification of this prophecy. The Order of Friars Minor has beenpowerfully attacked, and has still many enemies; nevertheless, it stillsubsists. To animate his brethren to perfection, he employed example, ratherthan precept. When he imposed punishments, if they appeared to him tobe very severe, he took them also on himself. Having sent BrotherRuffinus to preach at Assisi without his hood, because he had soughtto be excused from preaching, he reflected on the severity of thisorder, and went himself to the church where Ruffinus was preaching. The latter having left the pulpit to give it up to Francis, he beganhis discourse, and instilled into his audience so much compunction, that it was evident that God had blessed the obedience of the discipleand the example of the master. This admirable preceptor taught no virtues which he did not himselfpractise in an eminent degree; and as those which are exterior makethe greatest impression, he practised extreme austerity, in order thatthe others should imitate him. Having noticed, on a certain occasion, that some of his brethren had relaxed from the extreme poverty of theirnourishment, he thus slyly reprimanded them: "My brethren may wellbelieve that, with so infirm a body as mine is, I require betternourishment than what I get, but I am obliged to be their model ineverything; for which reason I propose to give up every alleviation, and to cast aside, with disgust, everything resembling delicacy; tobe satisfied with little in everything; to make use of those thingsonly which are the commonest, vilest, and most conformable to strictpoverty. "Being in a hermitage in some mountains, in mid-winter, when the weatherwas rigorously cold and severe, his companions prepared a habit forhim, in which they lined the breast, to make it somewhat warmer forhim, but he made them take this out, saying: "I am placed here to giveexample to others; my life must be their rule. I know that there isno harm in wearing a warmer habit in the state I am in, but I see manyof our brethren who require it as much as I do, and who could not getit. I must therefore bear this poverty with them, and not differ fromthem in anything, lest it should be thought that I take greater careof myself than of the others. They will more willingly bear theprivation of these wants, when they shall see that I voluntarily gowithout aid. " His three companions, the writers of his life, observedthat he refused his body the most lawful indulgence, in order that hischildren should be ashamed of taking those which were less so; andthat his maxim was, always to give instruction more by example thanby discourse. He recommended his brethren, also, to preach by example, and, fartheron, we shall see some beautiful sentiments in his maxims, relative topreaching. Rodriguez, of the Society of Jesus, an excellent master ofspiritual life, mentions, on this subject, a lesson which our saintgave to one of his religious, which we give here, in the very wordsof the talented academician, who translated the Practice of ChristianPerfection, of the pious author. St. Francis, taking one day one ofhis religious with him, said:--"Let us go and preach"; and thereuponhe went out, and after having made a tour round the town, he returnedto the convent. "But, Father, " said his companion, "are we not goingto preach?" "We have done so already, " replied the Saint. It was thereligious reserve which they had used in walking through the streets, which he considered to be an excellent sermon for the whole town. And, in fact, a mortified and humble exterior leads the people to piety andcontempt of the world, it excites to compunction for sin, and raisesthe heart and desires to heavenly objects. It is a mute exhortation, which has often more effect than the most eloquent and sublime sermons. To example and precept, the holy Patriarch added frequent and ferventprayers for the spiritual advancement of his children; well knowingthat neither he who plants, nor he who waters, contributes to the fruitwhich the tree bears, but that the interior virtue which fructifies, comes from God. In fine, in order not to be wanting in anything whichmight be in his power, when his infirmities absolutely prevented hiswatching over the conduct of his children, he unceasingly exhorted thesuperiors to fulfil this duty with exactness, and he enforced it bythe following powerful motive: that, if one of the brethren should belost by their fault, they would be accountable for him to Jesus Christon the day of judgment. St. Francis, being ill at Assisi, cured a spiritual wound of a moreserious nature than that of a scruple. One of his children, namedRicer, of Bologna, Provincial in the Marches of Ancona, a man of avery saintly life, had taken it into his head, at the suggestion ofthe devil, that the patriarch hated him, because he knew that he wasto be damned, and he came to Assisi, in the hopes that this thoughtwould be dissipated, if the saint should receive him kindly. The Saint, who had a revelation as to the state of his mind, and of his arrivalat Assisi, said to Brothers Masse and Leo: "Go and meet Brother Ricer, embrace him, and kiss him from me, and tell him that, among all mybrethren in the world, I love him the most tenderly. " They executedthe commission given them, and Ricer found himself strengthened in hisfaith, and filled with joy, and thanked God for the happy success ofhis journey. As soon as he appeared, Francis, weak as he was, ran tohim, and, embracing him, said, with paternal affection: "Ricer, mydear son, you are, among all our brethren, he whom I love from thebottom of my heart;" and, after having made the sign of the cross uponhis forehead, he gave him several kisses, and then added: "Ricer, mydear child, this temptation was visited upon you for your greater good. But if you do not choose to be a gainer at this price, you willhenceforward suffer no more from this temptation, nor from any other;"and from that time, he never had another. The holy Patriarch had so tender a love for his brethren, that he couldnot bear that a shade of sorrowfulness should pass over their minds, lest they should lose their spiritual joy. "My dear brethren, " he saidto them, "entertain interiorly and exteriorly the holy joy which Godgives. When His servants seek to obtain and preserve His spiritualjoy, which has its source in purity of heart, in the fervor of prayer, and in other virtuous practices, the devils can do them no injury; andthey say: 'We can do no injury to these servants of God; we have noentry to them; they are always joyful, whether in tribulation orprosperity. ' But they are highly gratified when they can deprive themof this happy temper of mind, or, at least, lessen its intensity;because, if they can succeed in instilling any of their own venom intothem, they will soon turn what has only the breadth of a hair into abeam, by adding something by little and little, unless we endeavor todestroy their work by the virtue of prayer, of contrition, ofconfession, and satisfaction. For this reason, my brethren, sincespiritual joy comes from purity of conscience and the frequent exerciseof fervent prayer, labor principally to acquire these two blessings, in order that you always possess it; I am very anxious to see it inyou, and to feel it in myself. It is for the devil and his satellitesto be sorrowful; but as to us, we can always rejoice in the Lord. "Although the holy man had occasionally reason to be sorrowful, inconsequence of the temptations to which he was exposed, or from thefear of the pains of hell, arising from the remembrance of his sins, yet he was ever gay. He was one day asked the reason of this, and hegave this answer: "My sins sometimes, indeed, make me very sorrowful, and Satan would wish to imprint this sadness on me, in order to makeme fall into slothfulness and weariness; but when that occurs, I lookon my companion: the spiritual joy I see in him, renews mine, and thetemptation passes off. My joy is a torment to the devils, for theyenvy me the favors I receive from God. I know and see that, when theycannot injure me by making me sorrowful, they endeavor to strip thisspiritual joy from my companions, and, if they cannot succeed eitherwith them or with me, they retire in confusion. "We must notice, in this answer of the holy Father, two sorts of sorrow:the one arising from the anguish caused by sin, of which St. Paul says, that "it is according to God, and works penance unto salvation. " Thisdoes not do away with spiritual joy; on the contrary, it produces it:nothing is sweeter, or more consoling, than the tears shed from theimpulse of sincere contrition. The other sorrow is a depression ofspirits, brought about by the devil, who endeavors to render us tepidand sluggish, to give us a disgust for pious exercises, and to induceus to give them up. A good conscience causes spiritual joy. No one hastruly cause to rejoice, but he who is well with God, faithful to Hislaw, and submissive to His will. A tranquil mind, free and disengagedfrom the tyranny of the passions, is, in the opinion of Wisdom, acontinual feast. It is true happiness: "For a happy life is nothingmore, " says St. Augustine, "than the joy which is found in truth; thatis, in God, who is truth, the sweet light of our souls, our salvationand our repose. " Therefore David excites the just of Israel to manifesttheir joy, and St. Paul said to the Christians: "Rejoice always in theLord; I say again, rejoice. " What constitutes the Kingdom of God isthe justice, peace, and joy, which come from the Holy Spirit. This disposition of the heart enables it to resist the evil spirit, according to the words of Esdras to the Jewish people: "The joy of theLord is our strength. " What can the evil spirit do against a soul whosesole pleasure is to serve God, who has no other solace than to loveand praise Him? There is, moreover, nothing which makes so great animpression on the people of the world, as witnessing the interiorcontentment of a truly good man, which is seen in the serenity of hiscountenance. This is, according to St. Augustine, what compels themto admit that they themselves have not true joy, for that is reservedto God's servants. It was not alone by the ardor of his zeal, and the tenderness of hisaffection, that the holy Founder led on his brethren, but by a wonderfuldiscretion and prudence in the government of his Order. Although heused every endeavor to induce his religious to live austerely, he, nevertheless, recommended them to be guided by moderation; he did notcountenance indiscreet penances. Brother Sylvester, the first priest in his Order, having fallen intoan illness of languor, brought on by excess in his mortifications, hada wish to eat some grapes: Francis, having been informed of it, hastenedto procure him this relief. He took him, as well as he could, into thevineyard of one of his friends, which was near the convent, and, havingmade him sit down near a plant of vine, he blessed it, and ordered himto eat the grapes, and ate some with him. As soon as the sick man hadeaten of them, he found himself perfectly cured, and he frequentlyafterwards related the circumstance to his brethren, with tears in hiseyes, as a proof of the love the holy father bore to his children; itwas, also, an effect of his discretion, for, disapproving of Sylvester'sexcessive austerities, he chose that he should take this sort of remedy, which nature seemed to call for, and it pleased God to render this thesubject of a miracle. This prudent and charitable Father came to know, one night, that oneof his children who had fasted too rigidly, could not take repose, inconsequence of the hunger which oppressed him. Not to leave him in sodeplorable a state, he sent for him, offered him some bread, and pressedhim to eat of it, eating some himself first, to give him confidence. The religious got over the shyness he at first felt, and took thenourishment he so greatly required, being well pleased to have beenrelieved from the peril his life was in, by the prudence and kindnessof the Saint, and to see so edifying an example. In the morning, Francisassembled his brethren, and having told them what had occurred in thenight, said:--"Brethren, take a precedent from this, not as to whatI ate, but that I had recourse to, what was charitable. " Then he pointedout to them that virtue should always have discretion for its rule andfor its guide; not that discretion which the flesh inspires, but thatwhich has been taught by Jesus Christ, whose most holy life is thefinished model of all perfection. "Let each man, " he continued, "have regard to his constitution. Ifsome of you are strong enough to support life well, while eating verylittle, I do not wish, on that account, that one who requires morenourishment, shall imitate them in this respect: such a one might givehis body what is necessary for it; for, as in eating, we are obligedto avoid whatever is superfluous, which is hurtful to the body andsoul, so also we must guard against excessive abstinence, and the moreso because the Lord requires mercy rather than sacrifice. This is whatGod says by the Prophet Osee, which means that He prefers the practiceof works of mercy to our neighbor, to the exterior exercise of religion;and that this worship which must be rendered Him, is not pleading toHim without mercy. Now, as we are commanded to love our neighbor witha love of charity, St. Thomas teaches us, as does St. Augustine, thatthe same love obliges us to have a similar regard for our own body;from whence it follows that, this charity not being found in immoderateabstinence, God does not approve of the sacrifice. To this we may add, that it is sometimes the devil who instigates a person to undertakeimmoderate fasting, in order to render that person incapable ofspiritual exercises, and for other evil intentions. "The holy Founder cautioned his brethren to avoid excess in fasting, even more than excess in eating, because he knew that they were allanimated by the spirit of mortification. Their fervor was so greatthat, in fasting very rigorously, they at the same time wore irongirdles, coats of mail, coarse hair-shirts, and took severe disciplines, which brought on frequent illnesses. For this reason he oftenrecommended discretion to them. "My brethren, " he said, "if a servantof God gives his body what is reasonable for its nourishment and forits repose, and if the body is nevertheless sluggish, lazy, sleepy atprayer, in watchings, and other good works, it must, then, be chastised, and treated as a horse that refuses to work, or an ass that won't goon, although they are well fed. But, if the body is deprived of itsreal wants, it is disabled from bearing the yoke of penance, andperforming the functions required by the soul; it has, then, everyright to complain. "We shall, perhaps, be surprised that St. Francis, who preachesdiscretion so admirably to his brethren, should have carried his ownausterities to excess; but we must bear in mind that he was a man, guided in all things by the Holy Spirit, in whom God was pleased toshow the abundant riches of His grace, and whose prodigious penitentialexercises were to draw down an abundance of mercy on sinners. Thus, what appeared excesses in his mortifications, arose from his perfectfidelity to the extraordinary impulse he received from above; and thisis true prudence. Fervent persons are occasionally found who would wish to imitate thefastings and other austerities of the saints, but this is presumption, unless they are called thereto by God, and unless the vocation hasbeen well sounded and approved by legitimate authority. The generaland safe maxim, in cases of austerities, is not to undertake anythingextraordinary, without the consent of superiors and confessors. Beforegranting any permission of this nature, the constitution and characterof the person must be carefully examined, and inquiry minutely madewhether the applicant practises regularly the ordinary mortifications, and if he is as zealous in controlling his passions and acquiring thevirtues requisite in his station, as for the maceration of his body;for it is often found that those who solicit extraordinary penances, neglect those which are ordinary and common, and who, in mortifyingtheir bodies, do not take sufficient pains to purify their hearts, tobecome humble, obedient, mild, and charitable. It may not, perhaps, be believed that the holy Patriarch carried hisdiscretion and condescension even to the buildings and the habits, --hewho advocated extreme poverty on these two articles. He had carefullyrecommended to his brethren to build only small, low houses, surroundedonly by hedges, in remote and solitary situations; but, as his owncompanions tell us, he admitted that in towns, and near towns, it wasproper to act otherwise; that, in consequence of the number of religiouswho were there for the service of the faithful, it was necessary tohave the convent surrounded by walls. His companions also say that he allowed those who required it, to weara softer and warmer tunic; on this sole condition, however, that theoutward garment should be very poor, to keep up the spirit of humilityby the contempt the world entertains for such as are poorly clothed. Finally, the same authors testify that, although he was very austerefrom the moment of his conversion, to his death, with a constitutionvery delicate and weak, yet he prudently moderated the austerities ofhis brethren; and that many things which he rigidly refused himself, he allowed to the others, from discretion and from charity. This, indeed, is characteristic in the saints; severe and inflexible tothemselves, they spared their neighbors, and were indulgent in theirregard; while hypocrites, such as the Pharisees, and certain hereticswho resemble them, put heavy burdens on the shoulders of others, whichthey are unable to carry; overwhelm with austerities those whom theydirect, often for the most trifling faults, while they themselves livein comfort and at their ease. The discretion of St. Francis was apparent in every part of his conduct. Bernard de Besse, one of the writers of his life, and secretary to St. Bonaventure, says that he never spoke to his brethren but in terms ofmoderation and mildness; that he compassionated the weak, and encouragedthe young in the practice of virtue; that he had great respect for oldage; that whatever faults a priest might commit, he never reprimandedhim but in private; in fine, that he had proper consideration for allthose whose birth, merit, or dignity required it. Brother Guy, who was beatified by the Holy See, and of whom we havebefore spoken, begged the saint to allow him to build a cell in thefissure of a rock which was opposite to the convent of Celles, nearCortona, in order that he might live there in great solitude, and givehimself up to contemplation. Francis, who knew that Guy, although hewas only in the novitiate, had the virtue of the ancients, and wouldraise himself up to an eminent degree of sanctity, permitted him thispeculiar retreat, but upon this condition, that it was not to preventhim from attending all the offices said by the community, in order topreserve the uniformity of the observance, and to obviate the illusionwhich might mix itself up with unusual practices. This was also whatthe Saint himself practised; he quitted regularly his contemplation, to join in singing the praise of God in community. St. Bonaventure says that some of his religious asked him one day ifhe thought it proper that persons who were already learned, when theywere admitted into the Order, should continue to study the HolyScriptures? To which he replied: "This is very pleasing to me, providedthey follow the example of Jesus Christ, whom we find to have prayedmore than He seems to have read. "A novice, to whom the vicar-general had allowed the particular use ofa psalter, came to solicit Francis' confirmation of this permission, and this is the reply he got: "Charlemagne, Orlando, and other greatcaptains, rendered themselves illustrious by their exploits; the martyrsare celebrated in the Church by their sufferings and death; but thereare others who aspire to glory by the sole reading of the feats ofthese persons. " The Saint intended to give him to understand that noone is estimable unless by his actions and conduct, and that there isnothing more vain than a reputation grounded on fruitless science. Doubtless the holy Patriarch wished his brethren to have psalters andbreviaries, since they were obliged to say the Divine Office. He knew, also, that books were necessary for them, to enable them, by study, to be capable to instruct their neighbors, according as their vocationrequired, for he himself read the Scriptures. But he did not approvethat any one should have a book for his own peculiar use. All study which is entered upon more through vanity than piety, andless to gain souls to God than to gain for oneself the praise of man, was his abhorrence. --He said of those whose desire for learning wasout of curiosity: "In the day of tribulation, they will find nothingin their hands. It would be better that they should labor now to improvethemselves in virtue, in order to have the Lord on their side at thattime; for the time will come, when books will be thrown aside asuseless. I do not choose that my brethren shall be curious in learningand books; what I wish is, that they be well grounded in humility, simplicity, prayer, and poverty, our mistress. It is the only sure wayfor their salvation, and for the edification of their neighbor, becausethey are called to imitate Jesus Christ, who followed and pointed outthis path. Many will forsake this path, on pretence of edifying othermen by their knowledge; and it will turn out that understanding theScriptures, by which alone they fancied themselves filled with light, devotion, and the love of God, will be the cause of their remainingcold and empty. Thus, in consequence of having, in pursuit of vain anduseless literature, lost the time which ought to have been given toliving according to the spirit of the state they had embraced, theywill not have it in their power to return to their primitive vocation. "St. Francis looked upon the ministry of preaching as the most agreeablesacrifice which could be offered to the Father of Mercies; this isalso the grand idea which St. Paul entertains of it, when he says:"God has given me the grace that I should be the minister of JesusChrist among the Gentiles, sanctifying the Gospel of God, that theoblation of the Gentiles may be made acceptable, and sanctified by theHoly Ghost. " St. Chrysostom concludes from this, that preaching is asacrifice; that the preacher is the priest; that an attentive anddevout audience is the victim; that the Word of God is the sword whichimmolates, spiritually, and the grace of the Holy Ghost the fire whichconsumes. What exalted sentiments must not a preacher entertain, inexercising this sort of priesthood; and with what spirit of devotionshould not those attend who are thus holily immolated!The ardor of his love for Jesus Christ, and his great zeal for thesalvation of souls, made him esteem all preachers very venerable. Hisintention was, that some of his Order should be brought up to thatduty, and that they should be respected by the others, because it isthey who instil life, who combat the infernal enemy, and who enlightenthe world. But he desired that they should exercise their ministry ina spirit of charity, even more by example, by prayers, and tears, thanby eloquent discourses. "I desire, " he said, "that these ministers of the Word of God shouldapply themselves solely to spiritual exercises, and let nothing turnthem from this; for, as they are chosen by the great King to declareHis will to the people, it is requisite that they should learn, in theprivacy of prayer, what they are to make known in their sermons; andthat they should be interiorly warmed, in order to make use of languagewhich shall kindle fire in the hearts they address. Those who make useof their own lights, and who savor the truths they preach, are verypraiseworthy; but it is a bad division when all is given to preaching, and little or nothing to devotion. As to those who sell their laborsfor the oil of approbation, such persons excite my pity. ""They are true brethren, whom I call Knights of the Round Table, whohide themselves in solitary places, to have better opportunities ofdevoting themselves to prayer, and whose sanctity, well known to God, is sometimes unknown to men, or even to their brethren. One day theywill be presented by angels to the Lord, who will say to them: 'Mybeloved children, here are the souls that have been saved by yourprayers, by your tears, by your good example. Receive now the fruitof the labors of those who only make use of their learning for thisobject. Because you have been faithful over a few things, I will setyou over many. ' They will thus enter into the joy of the Lord, loadedwith the fruit of their virtues; while the others, who have employedthemselves in studying the way of salvation, in order to teach it, without following it themselves, will appear naked and empty-handedat the tribunal of Jesus Christ, having on them marks of grief andconfusion. "All that St. Francis says against vain learning, --a learning which isostentatious and void of devotion, --is founded on the beautiful wordsof our Saviour: "Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, have wenot prophesied in Thy name? And then I will profess unto them, I neverknew you, depart from me you that work iniquity;" and on these of St. Paul: "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have notcharity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. " "Ichastise my body, and bring it into subjection, lest, perhaps, whenI have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway. "But it may not be concluded from this that the holy patriarch had anywish to prevent his brethren from studying and becoming learned; for, 1st, he was not unaware of what St. Augustine teaches on that head. That learning is good in itself; that it is a gift of God; that it ismost useful, when charity employs it; that it serves as a guide topiety; and that, when it has the Holy Scripture for its object, itpowerfully excites to the love of God. How many learned men there arein whom humility, simplicity, and all the other virtues, are combinedwith deep reading! 2d. He positively declared, as has been reportedupon the evidence of St. Bonaventure that he was well pleased that hisbrethren should study; it was his wish that schools should be openedin his Order, and he himself, as has been already noticed, institutedSt. Anthony of Padua lecturer in theology. 3d. He wished to have hisbrethren Apostolical men, employed in the holy ministry for thesalvation of souls, and he had inserted in his Rule a chapter whichsolely relates to the instruction of preachers. He desired, inconsequence, that the Friars Minor should acquire the learning requisitefor fulfilling their functions, which, in the ordinary course of things, is impossible without study. "It was, certainly, his intention, " addsSt. Bonaventure, "that his brethren should apply themselves to thestudy of the Holy Scriptures, for, one day, having but one copy of theNew Testament, he divided it into leaves, which he distributed amongthem, that all might read and instruct themselves at the same time. "The holy doctor maintains, in another place, that there are no religiouswho, by their position, are more employed in preaching than the FriarsMinor; and he adds, that, as St. Francis required them to be correctand accurate in their discourses, it is clear that he himself obligesthem to study, since, without such application, it is impossible tobe accurate. If the blessed founder has spoken more of humility and piety than oflearning and study, it is, in the first place, because he well knewthat, naturally, persons are more prone to learn than to practise;and, secondly, because the virtues which purify the heart, are giftsmore precious and necessary than learning, which only enlightens themind; and, in the third place, because he knew what St. Paul says, that "knowledge puffeth up, " that a learned person easily becomes proudand presumptuous, if charity does not keep him in humility, and inmistrust of himself. Finally, let not his words be misconstrued togive color, under pretence of piety, to laziness and ignorance. Hepreferred, to vain and sterile learning, the humility and simplicityof the poor brethren, who spent their time in prayer: this was no morethan right. "A rustical holiness, " St. Jerome remarks, "is more valuablethan vicious learning and criminal eloquence. " But the blessed patriarchonly spoke of the lay-brethren, who were not intended for the sacredministries, or of those clerics whose talents were not equal to beingemployed in them, and whose occupations were limited to prayer andlabor. In respect to the others, who, by study, might render themselvescapable of serving their neighbor spiritually, he certainly would havecensured them, had they continued in ignorance, even under the pretextof prayer and manual labor, --he, who had adopted, as we have seen, themaxim, that "nothing is preferable to the salvation of souls. " He wellknew that all the brethren did not resemble some among them whom Godhad supernaturally enlightened, and who, without any other aid thanthat of prayer, had sufficient light to be able to announce the Wordof God. St. Jerome says, that as a man of talent must not persuadehimself that holiness consists in the beauty of his composition, andin the ornament of eloquence, so also a simple and unpolished man mustnot imagine that his ignorance constitutes him a saint. This is evenstill clearer, when this man may not be ignorant. Now, it is self-evidentthat a Friar Minor, cleric, or priest, is obliged, in conscience, according to the talent he has received from Heaven, to study carefully, in order to be competent to fulfil properly the ministries of preachingand of the confessional; since the spirit of his vocation, and of hisOrder, is to labor for the salvation of souls. But he must always havebefore his eyes what his blessed Father wrote to St. Anthony of Padua:"I agree that you should teach the brethren sacred theology, in suchmanner, however, that the spirit of holy prayer be not extinguished, either in yourself or in others, according to the rule of which wehave made profession. "While the holy Patriarch was ill at Sienna, a religious of the Orderof the Friars Preachers, who was a doctor of theology, and a trulylearned man, put several very difficult questions to him: he answeredthem so learnedly, and so clearly, that the doctor was quite surprised, and spoke of the circumstance with admiration. Truly, said he, thetheology of this holy Father is an eagle, which soars to a great height;it is raised up, as if with wings, by the purity of the heart, and bycontemplation, while our knowledge is as that of animals which crawlon the ground. Thus, according to St. Athanasius, the great Anthony, who wasilliterate, showed admirable knowledge in his controversy with theheretical Arians, and in his replies to pagan philosophers who stroveto puzzle him. So also, according to the testimony of Sulpicius Severus, no one explained the Holy Scriptures more clearly than the celebratedBishop of Tours, St. Martin, who had never studied. Another Friar Preacher asked St. Francis how he was to understand thesewords of the Saviour to the Prophet Ezekiel: "If thou speakest not tothe impious that he may be converted from his wicked way and live, thesame wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but I will require his bloodat thy hand. " The humble Father having at first excused himself! sayingthat he should apply to learned theologians to learn the sense of theHoly Scriptures; but, as the religious urged him, nevertheless, togive his opinion, and expressed a great wish to have it preferably tothat of others whom he had consulted, he gave him this answer: "Ibelieve these words, if taken in the full extent, to mean, that theservant of God must be by holiness, and the good odor of his life, atorch which burns and enlightens, in order that the splendor of hisexample may be as a voice which censures the impious; for this is theway to warn and reprehend them all: if he act otherwise, and scandalizehis neighbor, he will not escape the punishment of heaven. "St. Francis was not ignorant that the literal and immediate sense ofthis passage is, that pastors, and all those who are in authority, areobliged to instruct, warn, censure, and correct those who are committedto their charge; that they become guilty of the loss of souls, if theyare silent when they ought to speak. He himself, faithful in the missionhe had received from God and the Holy See, never ceased from exhortinghis brethren to sanctify themselves, and from urging sinners to beconverted; but he found in the above passage a more extended sense, and one of greater moral influence, which was, to preach by example;and he adhered to this for many reasons:--1. Because words producesmall effect when they are not backed by example. 2. Because there area greater number of superiors who instruct and censure, than of thosewho edify by example. 3. Because the number of persons who have noright to instruct and reprove, is the greater, and it is good thatthey should know that God will call them to account for the good examplewhich it was their duty to have given, which might have contributedto the conversion of sinners. All this shows how solid and proper theSaint's reply was. His style is plain, because he formed it on the Gospel, from which hewould not in any degree deviate--besides that, his was not the age ofelegant Latinity; but in all that he has written we do not find anythingthat is not clear and intelligible--there are even passages insinuatingand persuasive: we have also reason to admire some parts which arebeautiful from their simplicity. Let the cleverest men read hisdescription of the rich sinner on his death-bed, and he will be obligedto admit that it would be impossible to draw a more natural or morestriking portrait. He had so completely the talent of persuasion, that neither popes, cardinals, nobles, nor any other persons could resist his appeals;whatsoever he wished, they complied with. It is not easy, for the sakeof piety, to persuade to that which is contrary to the interests ofa family: nevertheless, St. Francis succeeded in this. The followingis an example, which, relating only to a very common subject, we, notwithstanding, select, because it contains wholesome instruction:--The Saint was one day sweeping in a country church, according to hisusual practice, when a man, whose name was John, and who was ploughingin an adjoining field, came and took the broom from his hands, andafter having swept the whole church, he said to him: "Brother, whatI have heard of you and of your brethren, has inspired me with an ideaof serving God as you do. I did not know how to come to you, but, sinceit has pleased God that I should find you here as I had wished, I offermyself to you: do with me as you please. " Francis, knowing by aninterior light, that this man had been sent him by the Lord, resolvedto receive him into his Order, and after having instructed him in theRule, he said to him: "If you resolve upon joining this Institute, youmust renounce all you have, and give it to the poor. " John wentimmediately to his plough, unyoked the oxen, and brought one to Francis, saying: "I have been long in the service of my father, and I maintainthe family by my labor; I think I may take this ox for my reward, anddo with it as you shall direct me. " He immediately went home to takeleave of his parents, and desired them to take care of the plough. The parents, alarmed when they learnt his intention, ran in despairto the church, where Francis still was, and conjured him not to takea man from them who was so useful in work, who earned their means ofliving. He replied with mildness, and then said that he would come todine with them, and sleep at their house, and would endeavor to consolethem. He went, and after dinner, addressing himself to John's father, he said: "My dear host, your son wishes to serve God, and it is Godwho has inspired him with this thought. This ought not to give you anydispleasure; on the contrary, it ought to be gratifying to you, andyou should give God thanks that He has been pleased to select one ofyour family for His service. This will be no small gain to you; for, in place of this son whom you give up, you will gain as many childrenand brethren as there are religious in the Order he is about to join. Moreover, your son is one of God's creatures; and if God has destinedhim for Himself, who shall dare to resist His will? Who shall say toHim, 'Why dost Thou do thus?' He is all-powerful, and He is also just. He only asks for what belongs to Him. May His will therefore be done, and may His mercy be extended to your son, whom I cannot and ought notto refuse to receive into the house of God, which he so anxiouslywishes me to do. All that I can, and will do for you, is, to informhim to leave you the ox he had destined for the poor, according to theGospel, and that, abandoning to the world what belongs to the world, he come stripped of everything, to throw himself into the arms of JesusChrist. "This reasoning was so convincing to the parents, that they assentedwillingly and cheerfully to their son's leaving them, whom before theythought they could not part with. Human prudence will not fail to saythat he ought to have remained with his parents, to provide for theirsubsistence by his labor; but will it say that James and John, beingcalled by Jesus Christ, ought not to have left Zebedee, their father, who was poor, and whom they maintained by their fishing? Our Lord, incalling them, desired that they should obey His voice, and leave toProvidence to provide for the subsistence of their father. St. Franciswell knew that, under any other circumstances, this laborer would havebeen bound to work to provide for his parents; but, as he knew thathis call was from God to a religious state of life, he wisely judgedthat the Lord would assist the family by some other means, and thatthe vocation ought to be followed. The supernatural and miraculous gifts which St. Francis had receivedfrom God, gave great weight to his discourses. A man, who casts outdevils, who raises the dead to life, who cures the sick, whoseprophecies are verified, who discovers spirits, who commands animals, and makes them obey him, --a man who performs these prodigies, and manyothers, is listened to as if he were an angel, when he speaks. The polish of language which St. Francis neglected, was wonderfullycompensated by Divine Power. St. Bonaventura says that the Holy Ghost, from whom he had received his unction and his mission, inspired himwith abundance of words to preach His holy doctrine, and continuallyassisted him; and that Jesus Christ, who is the strength of the Father, came invariably to his aid; that, indeed, he had recourse to theornaments of human eloquence, in his discourses, but that inspirationwas very perceptible; that his preaching was a great fire, whichpenetrated quite to the bottom of hearts, with so much efficacy, thatthe most obdurate were softened, and had recourse to penance. Men andwomen, young and old, nobles and plebeians, flocked in crowds to seeand hear this extraordinary man, whom God had sent them. He seemed tothem, in fact, to be a man from the other world, when they saw him, with his eyes elevated to heaven, with the view of drawing them thither;and, as soon as he spoke, they felt their hearts moved to compunction. All that he said against the public scandals, was received with respect;those whose crimes he censured, whatever confusion they might feelfrom it, did not dare complain--not even those in the highest station. Some of the learned were likewise noticed amongst his auditory, andthey, more than any others, admired the powerful influence of hisdiscourses, knowing him to be a man who had not gone through any courseof study. In short, the public was so charmed by hearing him, that, after preaching one day at Cortona, and wishing to return to the conventof Celles, the guards at the gates of the town would not let him pass. After having preached for three successive days there he only got leaveto go, after the strongest entreaties, and after having promised toleave Brother Guy there, whose sanctity he assured them would freeCortona from many evils. God punished, in a most frightful manner, aninsolent young girl, who was making a noise with a sort of drum duringthe Saint's sermon; he called upon her three times to be quiet, butshe laughed at him, and he was then inspired to say, in a loud voice, "Devil, take what is thy own. " At the same moment the girl was raisedup into the air, and she was seen no more. By this dreadful example, God proposed to teach them the respect they were bound to have for theinstructions which His servants teach them, as once He taught thefaithful not to lie to the Holy Ghost, by the deaths of Ananias andSapphira, which followed the reproach which St. Peter had made them. St. Bonaventure assures us that the gift of prophecy appeared in ourSaint with great splendor; that not only did he foretell things tocome, but also spoke of those things which were happening in hisabsence, as if they were present before his eyes; that he penetratedto the bottom of hearts, and saw the most secret recesses ofconsciences, so that it might have been said that he inspected themirror of eternal light, and that its admirable splendor uncovered tohim what was most hidden. God revealed to him, in prayer, the loss of one of the religious, whohad the reputation of being a saint, but who was so peculiar ineverything, that, in order the more rigidly to keep silence, he usuallyconfessed by signs. The blessed Father having come to the convent inwhich this religious was, he saw him, and spoke of him to the others, who were loud in their praises of him. "Brethren, " said he, "cease allthese praises, and give them not to inventions of the devil; know thatall this is but a temptation, and an extraordinary illusion. " Thebrethren could not persuade themselves that so many marks of perfectionwere but covers to imposture; but, a few days after, this pretendedsaint left the Order, which proved that St. Francis had probed to thebottom of his soul. He knew, in the same manner, why another, who seemed to be adornedwith every virtue, had thrown off the habit of the Order; and he repliedto his brethren who expressed their surprise at it: "Do not beastonished, my brethren; this wretch is lost, because he was notgrounded in humility, and in the fear of God. Believe me that, withoutthis foundation, it is fruitless to endeavor to become virtuous. "Of two religious who were returning from the Terra di Lavoro, he sawin spirit that the senior did not by any means edify his companion. On their arrival, he asked the younger what had occurred on the road, who then replied, that all had gone on well. "Take care, " answeredFrancis, "take care, and don't say what is false, on pretence ofhumility. I know, I know; but wait a little, and you will see. " Infact, the giver of scandal abandoned his vocation shortly after. The charitable father received, with great kindness, one of the brethrenwho had apostatized from the Order, and now returned, he even gave himthe kiss of peace. But, pointing out to him the gallows erected upona height, at some distance, he said: "If the devil induce you to leavethe Order a second time, he will lead you to be hanged on the gallowswhich you see from hence. " This weak penitent did not profit from thiswarning, but left the Order again, and led a libertine life, was takenup for a robbery, and hanged on the spot pointed out. St. Francis mighthave said of those, as St. John did of the apostates who left theChurch, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for, if theyhad been of us, they would no doubt have remained with us:" that isto say, that they were not firm in the Christian religion. The knowledge of the human heart belongs to God alone; even the angelshave it not unless imparted to them by His light, and He was pleasedto communicate that light to Francis. We have had several instancesof this, but we must add the following: The blessed Father, being atthe hermitage of Grecio, two of his brethren came, from a great distanceoff, urged by a strong desire to see him, and to receive his blessing, which they had long been desirous of. Unfortunately, they reached thehermitage when he was retired to his cell, from which he did not comeout to receive visits, and they could not see him. As they were goingaway, greatly disappointed, he came out, contrary to his usual custom, called them, and blessed them in the name of Jesus Christ, and madethe sign of the cross upon their foreheads, as they had wished. Humanlyspeaking, he could not have known that they were come, but he knew itin spirit, as well as if he had seen them. Having restored peace, and performed some splendid miracles in a town, he left the place early in the morning, without having taken leave ofthe bishop, who had given him a most honorable reception. At a spotwhere three roads diverged, he did not know which one he ought to take, and desired Brother Masse, who was his companion, to turn round andround, no doubt to put his obedience to the test. When he began to begiddy, he ordered him to stop, and to follow the road which was beforehim. Masse went first, and said to himself, "How uncivil! how simple!He not only has not taken leave of the bishop who received him withso much kindness, but he makes me turn round and round as a child. "This interior murmuring did not last; these reflections followed: "Howcould I have so much pride as to despise a man who is so evidentlybeloved by God? Fool that I am, I deserve to go to hell for daring tocensure the actions of Francis, through whom the Lord works suchwonders, and whom I ought to look upon as an angel. And, after all, what reason has he given me for censuring him? He left the town withouthaving taken leave of the bishop, but it was to avoid fresh honorsbeing shown him; he made me turn round and round, but he made me takethe right road. " Then Francis exclaimed: "Ah, Brother Masse, howdifferent are these feelings from those first entertained! From whencedo these come, and from whence did those others arise?" Masse, seeingthat his thoughts were discovered, threw himself at the Saint's feet, and solicited his pardon. A particular gift which Francis received from God, was the control ofanimals. He gave them his commands, and they obeyed him, they didwhatever he pleased; it was, moreover, noticed that they showed a sortof affection for him, and applauded what he did in their way. Uponwhich two observations occur. The first is taken from St. Bonaventure, who says that the state of innocence was represented in the power whichGod gave to His Servant over animals. Adam, just and innocent, hadabsolute control over them, and he exercised it in giving to each ofthem its proper name, when God made them pass before him, as we readin Genesis. His sin caused him to lose his privilege, with all theothers which had been attached to this happy state; and we experience, as he did, the revolt of the animals, in punishment of his havingdisobeyed God. But when an eminent sanctity has brought men more tooriginal justice, and has, in some measure, reestablished them in astate of innocence, it has sometimes pleased the Almighty to restorethem to some of the privileges which man enjoyed in those times, and, in particular, this control over animals. This is what is seen inwell-authenticated acts of many saints, and, in what St Bonaventurerelates of St. Francis, on the testimony of ocular witnesses, as wellas on the evidence of facts which were of public notoriety. The second thing which deserves notice is, that, when this holy mancompelled animals to obey him, and when they appeared to be attachedto him, it never occurred but when it was to give authority to theWord of God, to do some good to a neighbor, to give a salutary lesson, or to excite to the practice of some virtue, as we shall now see. Itis another proof that these marvels had their source in God, whoproposes, in all He does, some end worthy of His wisdom. Francis left Assisi one day, to go to preach, not having any longera doubt but that he and his brethren were called for the service ofsouls, after the mission they had received from God, and from theSupreme Pontiff; this was confirmed by supernatural lights, as we haveseen above. Being near to the Town of Bevagna, he saw on a particularspot a number of birds collected, of various species, and he went upto them, and said: "My sisters, listen to the word of God; you havegreat reason to praise your Creator; He has covered you with feathers;He has given you wings wherewith to fly; He has placed you in the air, where the breathing is so pure; and He provider you with everythingwhich is necessary, without giving you any trouble. " While he was thusspeaking and saying other similar things, the birds remained wherethey were, turning towards him, and those which were perched on thebranches of trees, bending their heads, as if to listen to what hesaid. It was a curious thing to observe the joy they appeared to feeland make known by their motions; they stretched their necks, theyspread their wings, opened their beaks, and looked anxiously at thezealous preacher, who walked about in the midst of them, and sometimestouched them with his habit, without any of them stirring. They onlytook to flight after he had given them leave, and made on them thesign of the cross, to bless them. It was God's intention to honor the ministry of the Saint, in the eyesof his companions, by this miracle, which they witnessed, and thecircumstances of which they communicated to St. Bonaventure. It wasalso to show the attention which ought to be given to the truths ofsalvation; and this is the reason why Francis, in turning to them, said, with admirable candor: "I am very neglectful in not having asyet preached to the birds. " He observed, by this apparent simplicity, which was full of good sense, that men often fail to listen to thepreachers, as the birds had seemingly listened to him; in the samesense in which St. Martin had said, when complaining of theinsensibility of the men of his times: "They do not attend to me, though the serpents obey me. " This means that, with the aid of reasonand grace, they will not do what unreasonable animals necessarily do, by the impulse of divine power. But why preach to birds? will the sages of this age ask; but why didDavid say what the Church repeats daily in her Divine Office? "Whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord. All ye beasts andcattle, fowls of the air, bless the Lord. " The three young men whowere in the furnace at Babylon, said the same thing. A heart full oflove and gratitude would wish that all creatures should have heartsand tongues, to glorify the Author of their being; he knows that eventhe beasts praise Him by the marks they bear of His power, wisdom, andgoodness; in seeing them, in speaking to them, he commemorates Hissovereign greatness. On leaving Bevagna, Francis went to preach in the Borough of Alviano, and not being able to make himself heard, in consequence of the noisethe swallows made, who had their nests there, he spoke these words tothem: "Swallows, my sisters, you have made yourselves heard long enough;it is now my turn to speak. Listen, then, to the Word of God, and keepsilence while I preach. " Immediately, as if they had understood whathe said, they ceased their noise, and remained where they were, to theend of his sermon. The fruit of this miracle was to revive the fervorand piety of the assembly, who glorified God, and listened to thepreacher with wonderful deference. The circumstance was soon spread, and produced everywhere a similar effect. St. Bonaventure, who gives us this anecdote, adds, that, some timeafterwards, a scholar at Paris, who was of good conduct, having beeninterrupted in his studies by the chirping of a swallow, said to hiscompanions: "This is one of those who interrupted the blessed Francisin his sermon, and which he silenced;" having then addressed theswallow, he said, with great faith: "In the name of Francis, the servantof God, I order you to be silent and to come to me. " It was instantlysilent, and came to him; in his surprise he let it go, and was notagain troubled by it. It was thus it pleased God to honor the name ofHis servant. Other examples are found in the Saint's life, of the power he exercisedover animals, when, by their noise, or by any other means, theyinterrupted his sermons or prayers, as on his return from Syria, nearthe lagunes of Venice, where he saw a great number of birds who weresinging. He went into the midst of them to say his office, with hiscompanions, but the noise the birds made prevented their hearing eachother; Francis, upon that, ordered them to cease singing, till he hadfinished his office, and, in fact, says the holy doctor, the authorof his life, from that moment they ceased their chirping until theoffice, being finished, he gave them leave to resume their song, whichthey did, as before. He took this opportunity to settle some of hisreligious there, to celebrate the praises of the Lord, as has beenbefore noticed, St. Ambrose speaks of a circumstance as well known toall the world, that some of the faithful, having been assembled in aspot where the croaking of the frogs greatly disturbed them, a priestcommanded them to be quiet, and to show respect for holy things, andthat they immediately ceased from making any noise, and that theseirrational animals respected what they were incapable of understanding. We have already seen that when Francis was at Grecio, he freed thecountry from the wolves which had ravaged it. At Gubio, he tamed onein an extraordinary manner. He took it into the public square wherehe preached, and having pointed out to his auditors that God sendssometimes these carnivorous animals to warn sinners to return to theirduties, he addressed the wolf, and made an agreement with it, theclauses of which were, that the inhabitants should feed it, and thatthe wolf should do no injury to any of them. This was faithfullyattended to on both sides. During two years the animal came to thetown to feed, and did no injury to any one. The holy man had tamed, in a similar manner, at Carinola, a fox that stole all the poultry ofa poor old woman, and from which she received no injury afterwards. Similar traits are found in the lives of many saints, whose acts areadmitted to be authentic and certain, by the most talented critics. St. Athanasius remarks, in the life of St. Anthony, that wild animalscausing great damage in a field which he cultivated, he took one gently, and said to all the others, while speaking to the one he had caught:"Why do you injure me, who never did you any harm? go, and in the nameof the Lord, never come here any more. " The holy doctor adds, thatfrom that time they were never again seen in that place, as if theyhad been afraid of disobeying him. Sulpicius Severus relates of St. Martin, that he had an extraordinary control over all animals. Restinghimself one day with his disciples, on the bank of a river, he saw asnake swimming over, and he ordered it in the name of the Lord to swimback again, upon which it was seen to return with as much speed as ithad come. James, who wrote the life of St. Columban, given by thelearned Father Mabillon, after Surius, states that the crows and thebears obeyed him, and that all the beasts of the field came at hiscall, in the same manner as those which are domesticated. It was inorder to teach men to esteem and imitate a virtue which the Lord causedto be respected, even by dumb animals. St. Francis, when at Rome, in 1222, had always with him a little lamb, to remind him of the Lamb of God, who chose to be sacrificed for us. When he was about to leave the eternal city, he confided the littleanimal to the care of the Lady of Septisal, the illustrious widow ofwhom we have often had occasion to speak. The little lamb, as if ithad been trained to spiritual exercises by the holy man, followed thislady to church, stayed there, and returned with her, never leavingher. If she was behind her usual time of rising in a morning, it wouldgo to her bed, where, by bleating or striking the bed with its head, or other motions, it seemed to call upon her to rise, and offer hergrateful prayer to God. The lady was much attached to this lamb, andtook care of it, says St. Bonaventure, as a disciple of Francis, whichhad become her instructor in devotion. A present was made to the holyFather, at St. Mary of the Angels, of a sheep; he received itthankfully, because of the innocence and simplicity of which it wasa symbol, and he said to it, as if it could understand him, that itwas necessary it should assist at the praises of the Lord, withoutincommoding the brethren; the sheep obeyed with great punctuality. When the religious went to the choir, to sing the office, the sheepwent of itself to the church, placed itself at the foot of the altarof the Blessed Virgin, bent in its fore-legs, and bleated in a lowtone, as if to pay its homage. It did the same at Mass, when the Hostwas elevated. St. Bonaventure remarks, that this animal, by the respectit manifested during the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries, taughtthe Christians the deep reverence with which they ought to assist atMass, and at the same time passed a deserved censure on those who areirreverent or indevout during its celebration. The smallest things raised the heart of St. Francis to God, and hemade use of them to create similar feelings in the hearts of hisdisciples. The chirping of a grasshopper, which was on a fig tree, near his cell, inspired him with fresh fervor; he called it, and itcame to him directly, and he made it sing on his hand, which it begananew, whenever he required it. At the end of eight days he said to hiscompanions: "Let it now go; it has incited us long enough to praiseGod;" at the very moment the grasshopper flew away, and was seen nomore. One day, as he was about to take his collation with Brother Leo, he felt himself interiorly consoled, on hearing a nightingale sing. He begged Leo to sing the praises of God alternately with the bird;the latter having excused himself, alleging the badness of his voice, he himself responded to the bird, and continued to do so till night, when he was obliged to give over, acknowledging that the little birdhad beaten him. He made it come upon his hand, and praised it forhaving sung so well, fed it, and it was only after he had desired itto leave him, and given it his blessing, that the nightingale flewaway. In the impression which the power of God affected upon animals, infavor of St. Francis, there was this further circumstance, which wasmarvellous: that they seemed to have an affection for him, and appearedpleased when they saw him. It is St. Bonaventure who gives severalexamples of this. The Servant of God, going to Sienna, passed near a flock of sheep whichwere feeding in a meadow. He greeted them, as was his custom, with anair of kindness, and immediately the sheep, the rams, and the lambs, left their pasture, came to him, lifted up their heads to greet himin their manner, which was greatly wondered at by the shepherds andby his companions. Hares and rabbits were presented to him, which hadbeen caught alive; they were put before him on the ground, and theyimmediately sprang into his arms. Although he gave them their liberty, they remained with him, and he was obliged to have them removed faroff into the country, by some of his religious, and put in a place ofsafety. On the banks of the Lake of Rieti, a fisherman gave him a live water-fowl. After having kept it a little while, he tried to make it flyaway, but in vain. He then raised his eyes to Heaven, and remained formore than an hour in a state of ecstasy, after which he mildly orderedthe bird to go away and praise the Lord, and he gave it his blessing. The bird showed signs of pleasure by its motions, and flew away. Onthe same lake, a large fish which had been just caught, was presentedto him; he held it for some time in his hand, and then put it back inthe water. The fish remained in the same place, playing in the waterbefore him, as if out of regard for him; it could not leave him, anddid not disappear till it had received the Saint's leave, togetherwith his blessing. The first time that St. Francis went to Mount Alverno, he was surroundedby a multitude of birds, which lit upon his head, on his shoulders, on his breast, and on his hands, evincing by their beaks and wings thepleasure his arrival caused them, which he noticed to his companions, as a mark of the will of God that he should remain in this mountain. When he came thither, and received the stigmata there, the birds greetedhim in a similar manner; and a hawk, which could only have come thitherby a supernatural impulse, attached itself peculiarly to his person. When the hour of the night drew near, at which Francis rose to pray, the bird did not fail to come and make a noise at the door of his cell. This punctuality was very pleasing to the Saint, because it caused himto be watchful; but when his infirmities were more severe than usual, the bird, well taught by Him who controlled its movements, did notcome to wake him till sunrise, and even then did not make so much noiseas usual. The numerous miracles of St. Francis attached men to him in a scarcelyless degree than his extraordinary sanctity; and the gift he possessedof unbounded love--called for their admiration. This is the portraitwe find of him in the legend we have before alluded to: "Our blessedFather was agreeable to all. Joy, serenity, kindness, and modesty, were perceptible in his countenance. He was naturally mild and affable, compassionate, liberal, prudent, discreet, gave sound advice, wasfaithful to his word, and full of courage; he was easy in his manners, accommodating himself to all sorts of tempers; he was all to all, hewas a saint among the saintly, and among sinners, as if he was one ofthem; his conversation was graceful, and his manner insinuating; clearin his reasoning, energetic and compliant in matters of business; and, finally, simple in his actions and words. "These are qualifications well calculated to make their possessorbeloved, particularly when joined, as in the case of St. Francis, withthe purest morals, with the most ardent charity, the most profoundhumility, and a countenance which seemed angelical. After the portraitof his mind, we find in the same narrative the following descriptionof his person: "He was of middle size, neither short nor tall, butwell shaped. His face was oval, his forehead smooth, his eyes blackand modest, his mouth pretty; his hair was of chestnut color, his beardblack, but scanty, his body very thin, his skin delicate, his speechpleasing and animated, his voice strong and piercing, but altogethermild and sonorous. "We must receive in their true sense what was understood in saying that"he was simple in his actions and words. " The term simplicity has twosignifications in English. --Firstly it is used to describe a personof little mind, narrow-minded, dull, not well informed, weak andcredulous; it is also used to express candor, ingenuousness, anduprightness; to describe a person who is natural, without artfulness. It is in this sense that it is said that the greatest geniuses are themost simple; enemies of subtlety and trick, which are only appropriateto narrow minds. The simplicity of the just, in Scriptural language, is true virtue, solid without drawback, purity of heart, uprightnessof intention; in opposition to every sort of duplicity ordisguise--everything that St. Paul calls "the prudence of the flesh;the wisdom of this world. " St. Gregory so explains it. This does notexclude prudence, but only malice and double dealing. Our Blessed Lordwarns us "to be prudent as serpents, and simple as doves. " St. Paulsays: "I would have you to be wise in good, and simple in evil. " EveryChristian must be simple in faith, submitting himself purely and simplyto the decisions of the Church, without any endeavor to elude them bycrafty evasions, as some do in so scandalous a manner; simple in theintercourse of society, being frank and sincere, doing injury to noone; simple in devotion, going straight to God; following the waypointed out by the Gospel; not resembling those of whom the wise mansays: "They go two ways, and have two hearts, " the one for God, andthe other for the world. Such was the simplicity of St. Francis. He was simple because he hadno other intention in his mind, no other movement in his heart, thanto be conformed to Jesus Christ. In order to imitate His poverty, Hishumility, His sufferings, all His virtues, he did many things far abovethe ordinary rules of human wisdom; and, as to his language, it wasformed on that of the Gospel. St. Francis was simple, but he had great qualities of mind and heart;and his simplicity was a perfection in him--not a defect. If it inducedhim to do things of which human prudence disapproves, it was becausehe was guided by Divine light; it was because he sought to be despisedby the world, to render himself more conformable to Jesus Christ. Menof his age were not deceived by it; they discovered the principle whichmade him act and speak with such simplicity. His constant endeavor tohumble himself, and draw on himself contempt, only gave them a greateresteem for his person, and they loaded him with honors. If our agedeems itself wiser, what reason has it for not doing similar justice?May the tender holiness of St. Francis, which we have endeavored toportray, excite all those who read his life to love God, and to manifesttheir love, not only by their actions, but by their patience inadversities! May they love Him so, that the sweet violence of theirardent love separate them from all that is beneath the Heavens, andwholly absorb them, may they be enabled to kneel in spirit at the sideof St. Francis and pray with him from the bottom of their heart:My God and My All!THE END