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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/36674-8.txt b/36674-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d653715 --- /dev/null +++ b/36674-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4466 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of In God's Garden, by Amy Steedman + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In God's Garden + Stories of the Saints for Little Children + +Author: Amy Steedman + +Release Date: July 9, 2011 [EBook #36674] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN GOD'S GARDEN *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Illustration: (front cover)] + +[Illustration: SHE SLEPT CALMLY AND PEACEFULLY UNTIL SHE DREAMED A DREAM.] + + + + + + +IN GOD'S GARDEN + +STORIES OF THE SAINTS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN + +BY AMY STEEDMAN + +WITH SIXTEEN REPRODUCTIONS FROM ITALIAN MASTERPIECES + +[Illustration] + + LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK, Ltd. + 35 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C., & EDINBURGH + + + + +TO MY MOTHER + + + + +ABOUT THIS BOOK + + +There is a garden which God has planted for Himself, more beautiful than +any earthly garden. The flowers that bloom there are the white souls of +His saints, who have kept themselves pure and unspotted from the world. + +In God's garden there is every kind of flower, each differing from the +other in beauty. Some are tall and stately like the lilies, growing +where all may see them in their dress of white and gold; some are half +concealed like the violets, and known only by the fragrance of kind +deeds and gentle words which have helped to sweeten the lives of others; +while some, again, are hidden from all earthly eyes, and only God knows +their loveliness and beholds the secret places where they grow. But +known or unknown, all have risen above the dark earth, looking ever +upward; and, although often bent and beaten down by many a cruel storm +of temptation and sin, they have ever raised their heads again, turning +their faces towards God; until at last they have been crowned with the +perfect flower of holiness, and now blossom for ever in the Heavenly +Garden. + +In this book you will not find the stories of all God's saints. I have +gathered a few together, just as one gathers a little posy from a garden +full of roses. But the stories I have chosen to tell are those that I +hope children will love best to hear. + +Let us remember that God has given to all of us, little children as well +as grown-up people, a place in His garden here on earth, and He would +have us take these white flowers, the lives of His saints, as a pattern +for our own. We may not be set where all can see us; our place in God's +garden may be a very humble and sheltered spot; but, like the saints, we +may keep our faces ever turned upward, and learn to grow, as they grew, +like their Master, pure and straight and strong--fit flowers to blossom +in the Garden of God. + + 'Saints are like roses when they flush rarest, + Saints are like lilies when they bloom fairest, + Saints are like violets, sweetest of their kind.' + + + + +LIST OF STORIES + + + PAGE + + SAINT URSULA, 1 + SAINT BENEDICT, 16 + SAINT CHRISTOPHER, 29 + SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, 41 + SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO, 54 + SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY, 62 + SAINT CECILIA, 71 + SAINT GILES, 79 + SAINT NICHOLAS, 84 + SAINT FAITH, 97 + SAINT COSMO AND SAINT DAMIAN, 102 + SAINT MARTIN, 110 + SAINT GEORGE, 119 + SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, 128 + + + + +LIST OF PICTURES + + + AT PAGE + +SAINT URSULA, + + She slept calmly and peacefully until she dreamed a dream, _Frontispiece_ + Ursula stood on the landing-place, the first to greet the Prince, 8 + + By Vittore Carpaccio at the Accademia, Venice. + + +SAINT BENEDICT, + + A little demon seized the robe of the young monk, 22 + A terrible storm began to rage, 28 + + By Lorenzo Monaco, Uffizi, Florence. + + +SAINT CHRISTOPHER, + + The child upon his shoulder seemed to grow heavier, 38 + + By Titian, Doge's Palace, Venice. + + +SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, + + The Holy Child placed a ring upon her finger, 46 + + By Benozzo Gozzali, Uffizi, Florence. + + +SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO, + + The child had digged a hole in the sand, 60 + + By Sandro Botticelli, Accademia, Florence. + + +SAINT CECILIA, + + A crown of lilies and roses in each hand, 74 + She taught them about the Lord of Heaven, 78 + + By Spinello Aretino, S. Maria del Carmine, Florence. + + +SAINT NICHOLAS, + + He showed his daughter the gold, 86 + He went to the harbour where two ships lay, 90 + + By Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Accademia, Florence. + + +SAINT COSMO AND SAINT DAMIAN, + + But Cosmo turned and walked away, 104 + An angel guided them with loving care, 108 + + By Fra Angelico, Accademia, Florence. + + +SAINT GEORGE, + + Saint George rode straight at the monster, 124 + + By Vittore Carpaccio, S. Georgio Maggiore, Venice. + + +SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, + + Then the Pope took the little poor brothers under his protection, 136 + He chanted the Gospel at the first Christmas mass, 140 + + By Giotto, Accademia, Florence. + + + + +SAINT URSULA + + +Once upon a time in the land of Brittany there lived a good king, whose +name was Theonotus. He had married a princess who was as good as she was +beautiful, and they had one little daughter, whom they called Ursula. + +It was a very happy and prosperous country over which Theonotus ruled, +for he was a Christian, and governed both wisely and well, and nowhere +was happiness more certain to be found than in the royal palace where +the king and queen and little Princess Ursula lived. + +All went merrily until Ursula was fifteen years old, and then a great +trouble came, for the queen, her mother, died. The poor king was +heart-broken, and for a long time even Ursula could not comfort him. But +with patient tenderness she tried to do for him all that her mother had +done, and gradually he began to feel that he still had something to live +for. + +Her mother had taught Ursula with great care, and the little maid had +loved her lessons, and so it came to pass that there was now no princess +in all the world so learned as the Princess Ursula. It is said that she +knew all that had happened since the beginning of the world, all about +the stars and the winds, all the poetry that had ever been written, and +every science that learned men had ever known. + +But what was far better than all this learning was that the princess was +humble and good. She never thought herself wiser than other people, and +her chief pleasure was in doing kind things and helping others. Her +father called her the light of his eyes, and his one fear was that she +would some day marry and leave him alone. + +And true it was that many princes wished to marry Ursula, for the fame +of her beauty and of her learning had spread to far distant lands. + +Now on the other side of the sea, not very far from Brittany, there +was a great country called England. The people there were strong and +powerful, but they had not yet learned to be Christians. The king of +that land had an only son called Conon, who was as handsome as he was +brave. And when his father heard of the fame of the Princess Ursula he +made up his mind that she should be his son's wife. So he sent a great +company of nobles and ambassadors to the court of Brittany to ask King +Theonotus for the hand of the Princess Ursula. + +That king received the messengers most courteously, but he was very much +troubled and perplexed at the request. He did not want to part with +Ursula, and he knew she did not wish to marry and leave him. And yet he +scarcely dared offend the powerful King of England, who might be such a +dangerous enemy. + +So to gain time he told the messengers he would give them their answer +next day, and then he shut himself up in his room and sorrowfully leaned +his head upon his hand as he tried to think what was best to be done. +But as he sat there thinking the do or opened and Ursula came in. + +'Why art thou so sad, my father?' she asked, 'and what is it that +troubleth thee so greatly?' + +'I have this day received an offer for thy hand,' answered her father +sadly, 'and the messengers are even now here, and because they come from +the King of England I dare not refuse their request, and yet I know not +what answer to give them when they return in the morning.' + +'If that is all, do not trouble thyself, dear father,' answered Ursula; +'I myself will answer the messengers and all will be well.' + +Then the princess left her father and went to her own room that she +might consider what answer might be wisest to send. But the more she +thought the more troubled she became, until at last she grew so weary +that she took off her crown and placed it as usual at the foot of her +bed and prepared to go to rest. Her little dog lay guarding her, and +she slept calmly and peacefully until she dreamed a dream which seemed +almost like a vision. For she thought she saw a bright light shining +through the door and through the light an angel coming towards her, +who spoke to her and said:-- + +'Trouble not thyself, Ursula, for to-morrow thou shalt know what answer +thou shalt give. God has need of thee to save many souls, and though +this prince doth offer thee an earthly crown, God has an unfading crown +of heavenly beauty laid up for thee, which thou shalt win through much +suffering.' + +So next morning when the messengers came into the great hall to receive +their answer, they saw the Princess Ursula herself sitting on the throne +next to her father. She was so beautiful, and greeted them so graciously +that they longed more than ever that their prince might win her for his +bride. + +And as they listened for the king to speak, it was Ursula's voice that +fell on their ears. She began by sending her greeting to the King of +England and to Prince Conon, his son, and bade the messengers say that +the honour offered her was more than she deserved, but since their +choice had fallen upon her, she on her side was ready to accept the +prince as her promised husband, if he would agree to three conditions. +'And first,' went on Ursula, leaning forward and speaking very clearly +and slowly, so that the foreign ambassadors might understand every word, +'I would have the prince, your master, send to me ten of the noblest +ladies of your land to be my companions and friends, and for each +of these ladies and for myself a thousand maidens to wait upon us. +Secondly, he must give me three years before the date of my marriage so +that I and these noble ladies may have time to serve God by visiting +the shrines of the saints in distant lands. And thirdly, I ask that the +prince and all his court shall accept the true faith and be baptized +Christians. For I cannot wed even so great and perfect a prince, if he +be not as perfect a Christian.' + +Then Ursula stopped speaking, and the ambassadors bowed low before her +beauty and wisdom and went to take her answer to their king. + +Now Ursula did not make these conditions without a purpose, for in +her heart she thought that surely the prince would not agree to such +demands, and she would still be free. But even if he did all that she +had asked, it would surely fulfil the purpose of her dream, and she +would save these eleven thousand maidens and teach them to serve and +honour God. + +Ere long the ambassadors arrived safely in England, and went to +report their mission to the king. They could not say enough about the +perfections of this wonderful princess of Brittany. She was as fair and +straight as a lily, her rippling hair was golden as the sunshine, and +her eyes like shining stars. The pearls that decked her bodice were not +as fair as the whiteness of her throat, and her walk and every gesture +was so full of grace that it clearly showed she was born to be a queen. +And if the outside was so fair, words failed them when they would +describe her wisdom and learning, her good deeds and kind actions. + +The king, as he listened to his nobles, felt that no conditions could +be too hard that would secure such a princess for his son, and as for +the prince himself his only desire was to have her wishes fulfilled as +quickly as possible, so that he might set sail for Brittany and see with +his own eyes this beautiful princess who had promised to be his bride. + +So letters were sent north, south, east, and west, to France and +Scotland and Cornwall, wherever there were vassals of England to be +found, bidding all knights and nobles to send their daughters to court +with their attendant maidens, the fairest and noblest of the land. All +were to be arrayed in the finest and costliest raiment and most precious +jewels, so that they might be deemed fit companions for the Princess +Ursula, who was to wed Prince Conon, their liege lord. + +Then the knights and nobles sent all their fairest maidens, and so eager +were they to do as the king desired, that very soon ten of the noblest +maidens, each with a thousand attendants, and another thousand for the +Princess Ursula, were ready to start for the court of Brittany. + +Never before was seen such a fair sight as when all these maidens went +out to meet the Princess Ursula. But fairest of all was the princess +herself as she stood to receive her guests. For the light of love shone +in her eyes, and to each she gave a welcome as tender as if they had all +been her own sisters. It seemed a glorious thing to think they were all +to serve God together, and no longer to live the life of mere pleasure +and vanity. + +As may well be believed the fame of these fair maidens spread far and +near, and all the nobles and barons crowded to the court to see the +sight that all the world talked about. But Ursula and her maidens paid +no heed to the gay courtiers, having other matters to think upon. + +For when the soft spring weather was come, Ursula gathered all her +companions together and led them to a green meadow outside the city, +through which a clear stream flowed. The grass was starred with daisies +and buttercups, and the sweet scent of the lime blossoms hung in the +air, a fitting bower for those living flowers that gathered there that +day. + +In the midst of the meadow there was a throne, and there the princess +sat, and with words of wonderful power she told her companions the story +of God's love and of the coming of our Blessed Lord, and showed them +what the beauty of a life lived for Him might be. + +And the faces of the listening maidens shone with a glory that was more +than earthly, as they with one accord promised to follow the Princess +Ursula wherever she might lead, if only she would help them to live the +blessed life so that they too might win the heavenly crown. + +Then Ursula descended from her throne and talked with each of the +maidens, and those who had not yet been baptized she led through the +flowery meadow to the banks of the stream, and there a priest baptized +them while the birds joined in the hymn of praise sung by the whole +company. + +But all this while the Prince Conon waited with no little impatience for +news of Ursula. He had been baptized and joined the Christian faith, he +had sent the companions she desired, and now he waited for her to fulfil +her promise. + +And ere long a letter reached him, written round and fair in the +princess's own handwriting, telling him that as he had so well fulfilled +her conditions, and was now her own true knight, she gave him permission +to come to her father's court, that they might meet and learn to know +each other. + +It was but little time that Prince Conon lost before he set sail for +Brittany. The great warships made a prosperous voyage over the sea that +parted the two countries, and came sailing majestically into the harbour +of Brittany, where the people had gathered in crowds to see the young +prince who had come to woo their fair princess. + +From every window gay carpets were hung, and the town was all in +holiday, as Ursula stood on the landing-place, the first to greet the +prince as he stepped ashore, and all that Conon had heard of her seemed +as nothing compared to the reality, as she stood before him in her great +beauty and welcomed him with gentle courtesy. And he grew to love her so +truly that he was willing to do in all things as she wished, though he +longed for the three years to be over that he might carry her off to +England and make her his queen. + +But Ursula told the prince of the vision that had come to her in her +dream, when the angel had said she must first go through much suffering, +and visit the shrines of saints in distant lands. And she told him she +could not be happy unless he granted her these three years in which to +serve God, and begged him meanwhile to stay with her father and comfort +him while she was gone. + +[Illustration: URSULA STOOD ON THE LANDING PLACE, THE FIRST TO GREET +THE PRINCE.] + +So Ursula set out with her eleven thousand maidens, and the city was +left very desolate and forlorn. But the pilgrims were happy as they +sailed away over the sea, for they were doing the angel's bidding, and +they feared nothing, for they trusted that God would protect and help +them. + +At first the winds were contrary and they were driven far out of their +course, so that instead of arriving at Rome, which was the place they +had meant to go to, they were obliged to land at a city called Cologne, +where the barbarous Germans lived. Here, while they were resting for a +little, another dream was sent to Ursula, and the angel told her that in +this very place, on their return, she and all her maidens would suffer +death and win their heavenly crowns. This did not affright the princess +and her companions, but rather made them rejoice that they should be +found worthy to die for their faith. + +So they sailed on up the River Rhine till they could go no further, and +they landed at the town of Basle, determined to do the rest of their +pilgrimage on foot. + +It was a long and tedious journey over the mountains to Italy, and the +tender feet of these pilgrims might have found it impossible to climb +the rough road had not God sent six angels to help them on their way, to +smooth over the rough places, and to help them in all dangers so that no +harm could befall them. + +First they journeyed past the great lakes where the snow-capped +mountains towered in their white glory, then up the mountain-road, ever +higher and higher, where the glaciers threatened to sweep down upon them, +and the path was crossed by fierce mountain-torrents. But before long +they began to descend the further side; and the snow melted in patches +and the green grass appeared. Then followed stretches of flowery +meadow-land, where the soft southern air whispered to them of the land +of sunshine, fruit, and flowers. + +Lower down came the little sun-baked Italian villages, and the simple, +kindly people who were eager to help the company of maidens in every +way, and gazed upon them with reverence when they knew they were on a +pilgrimage to Rome. + +Thus the pilgrims went onward until at length they came to the River +Tiber and entered the city of Rome, where were the shrines of Saint +Peter and Saint Paul. + +Now the Bishop of Rome, whom men call the Pope, was much troubled when +it was told him that a company of eleven thousand fair women had entered +his city. He could not understand what it might mean, and was inclined +to fear it might be a temptation of the evil one. So he went out to meet +them, taking with him all his clergy in a great procession, chanting +their hymns as they went. + +And soon the two processions met, and what was the amazement and joy of +the Pope when a beautiful maiden came and knelt before him and asked for +his blessing, telling him why she and her companions had come to Rome. + +'Most willingly do I give thee my blessing,' answered the old man, 'and +bid thee and thy companions welcome to my city. My servants shall put +up tents for you all in some quiet spot, and ye shall have the best that +Rome can afford.' + +So the maidens rested there in quiet happiness, thankful to have come +to the end of their pilgrimage and to have reached the shrines of God's +great saints. But to Ursula an added joy was sent which made her +happiness complete. + +For the prince, whom she had left behind, grew impatient of her long +absence, and the longing for his princess grew so strong he felt that he +could not stay quietly at home not knowing where she was nor what had +befallen her. So he had set out, and, journeying by a different route, +had arrived in Rome the same day as Ursula and her maidens were received +by the good bishop. + +It is easy to picture the delight of Conon and Ursula when they met +together again, and knelt land in hand to receive the Pope's blessing. +And when Ursula told him all that had happened and of the angels whom +God had sent to guide and protect them, the only desire the prince had +was to share her pilgrimage and be near her when danger threatened. And +his purpose only became stronger when she told him of the vision she had +had in the city of Cologne. + +'How can I leave thee, my princess,' he asked, 'when I have but now +found thee? Life holds no pleasure when thou art absent. The days are +grey and sunless without the sunshine of thy presence. Bid me come with +thee and share thy dangers, and if it be, as thou sayest, that it is +God's will that thou and all these maidens shall pass through suffering +and death for His sake, then let me too win the heavenly crown that we +may praise God together in that country where sorrow and separation can +touch us no more.' + +And Ursula was glad to think that, through love of her, the prince +should be led to love God, and so granted his request and bade her +companions prepare to set out once more. + +The Pope would fain have persuaded them to stop longer in Rome, but +Ursula told him of her vision, and how it was time to return as the +dream had warned her. Then the Pope and his clergy made up their minds +to join the pilgrimage also, that they too might honour God by a +martyr's death. + +Now there were in Rome at that time two great Roman captains who were +cruel heathens, and who looked upon this pilgrimage with alarm and +anger. They commanded all the imperial troops in the northern country of +Germany; and when they heard that Ursula and her maidens were bound for +Cologne they were filled with dismay and wrath. For they said to each +other: + +'If so many good and beautiful women should reach that heathen land the +men there will be captivated by their beauty and wish to marry them. +Then, of course, they will all become Christians, and the whole nation +will be won over to this new religion.' + +'We cannot suffer this,' was the answer. 'Come, let us think of some way +to prevent so great a misfortune that would destroy all our power in +Germany.' + +So these two wicked heathen captains agreed to send a letter to the +king of the Huns, a fierce savage, who was just then besieging Cologne. +In it they told him that thousands of fair women in a great company were +on their way to help the city, and if they were allowed to enter all +chances of victory for his army would vanish. There was but one thing to +be done and that was to kill the entire band of maidens the moment they +arrived. + +Meanwhile Ursula and her companions had set sail for Cologne, and +with them were now Prince Conon and his knights and the Pope with many +bishops and cardinals. And after many days of danger and adventure the +pilgrims arrived at the city of Cologne. + +The army of barbarians who were encamped before the city was amazed to +see such a strange company landing from the ships. For first there came +the eleven thousand maidens, then a company of young unarmed knights, +then a procession of old men richly robed and bearing no weapons of any +kind. + +For a moment the savage soldiers stood still in amazement, but then, +remembering the orders they had received in the letter from the Roman +captains, they rushed upon the defenceless strangers and began to slay +them without mercy. Prince Conon was the first to fall, pierced by an +arrow, at the feet of his princess. Then the knights were slain and the +Pope with all his clergy. + +Again the savage soldiers paused, and then like a pack of wolves they +fell upon the gentle maidens, and these spotless white lambs were slain +by thousands. + +And in their midst, brave and fearless, was the Princess Ursula, +speaking cheerful words of comfort to the dying and bidding one and all +rejoice and look forward to the happy meeting in the heavenly country. +So great was her beauty and courage that even those wicked soldiers +dared not touch her, and at last, when their savage work was done, they +took her before their prince that he might decide her fate. + +Never before had Ursula's beauty shone forth more wonderfully than +it did that day when she stood among these savage men and gazed with +steadfast eyes upon the prince, as one might look upon a wild beast. + +The prince was amazed and enchanted, for he had never seen so lovely a +maid in his life before, and he motioned to the soldiers to bring Ursula +nearer to him. + +'Do not weep, fair maiden,' he said, trying to speak in his gentlest +voice, 'for though you have lost all your companions you will not be +alone. I will be your husband, and you shall be the greatest queen in +Germany.' + +Then most proudly did Ursula draw herself up, and her clear eyes shone +with scorn as she answered: + +'Does it indeed seem to thee as though I wept? And canst thou believe +that I would live when all my dear ones have been slain by thee, thou +cruel coward, slayer of defenceless women and unarmed men?' + +And when the proud prince heard these scornful words he fell into a +furious rage, and, bending the bow that was in his hand, he shot three +arrows through the heart of Princess Ursula and killed her instantly. + +So the pure soul went to join the companions of her pilgrimage and to +receive the crown of life which the angel of her dream had promised her, +and for which she had laid down her earthly crown as gladly as when in +her peaceful home she laid it aside before she went to rest. + + + + +SAINT BENEDICT + + +It was in the year of our Lord 540 that Saint Benedict was born at +Spoleto in Italy, and he was only a boy of sixteen on the night when our +story begins. + +Such a cold night it was. Piercing wind swept over the mountains, +whistling through the pine-trees and hurrying on to the great city of +Rome that lay in the plains below. It was cold enough in the city where +the people could take shelter in their house and sit warming their hands +over their little pots of fire, but out on the bare hillside it was even +worse. For the icy breath of the winter wind, which had come far over +the snow, swept into every nook and corner as if determined to search +out any summer warmth that might be lingering in a sheltered corner. + +And there in a cave high up among the rocks, a boy sat listening to the +wind, and thinking of many things, as he tried to wrap his worn old +cloak closer round him. + +He was a tall thin lad, with sad dreaming eyes and a face already +sharpened by want and suffering. The cave in which he sat had little in +it, except a heap of dried leaves which served him for a bed, and it was +difficult to imagine how any one could live in so dreary and comfortless +a place, so far from any other human being. + +But he was thinking of a very different home, as he sat shivering in +the cold that night. Only a year ago he had lived in a beautiful palace, +where everything was pleasant and warm and bright. His father was the +lord of the country around, and he, the only son of the house, had +everything that he could want. They were all proud of him, he was so +clever and brilliant, and as soon as he was old enough he was sent to +study in Rome, that he might become a great lawyer. + +There the boy's eyes saw a different scene--the great city of Rome, +where all was gaiety and pleasure, where all pleased the eye, the ear, +and the taste, but where, alas, so much wickedness dwelt as well. He had +tried to shut his eyes to things he did not wish to see, but day by day +the sights and sounds around him, the talk of his companions, and the +things they thought so pleasant had become hateful to him. And one +day he had stolen secretly away from Rome, leaving everything behind, +determined to go away into a desert place and live alone. This it seemed +to him was the only way of truly serving God, to learn to deny himself +in everything and to keep himself unspotted from the world. + +A tender smile came over the boy's face as the next picture rose before +his eyes. True he had left all and gone into the wilderness, but love +could not so easily be left behind, and his old nurse had found out a +way of following him, and would not be denied the pleasure of serving +him and caring for his wants; even begging food, from door to door, that +she might prepare a dainty meal for him. + +It had been very pleasant, but its very pleasantness had warned him that +he must deny himself still further. So he had once more stolen away, +when his old nurse was asleep and had hidden himself in the cave among +the rocks of Subiaco. Here he was indeed alone, and the only food he had +was a little bread which a kind old hermit gave him daily, and his only +drink the clear water of the mountain streams. + +And here he seemed to live with God alone, seeing no one but the kind +old hermit who brought him his daily bread. He was happy and peaceful, +never ceasing to pray for those who in the busy world might forget to +pray for themselves. + +But this night the thoughts of past days were troubling him. And as he +sat there listening to the wind he began to long for the things he had +left behind. One beautiful face especially grew clearer than the rest, +and smiling upon him beckoned him back to the pleasures and comforts and +earthly joys he had put away from him. + +With a cry he sprang to his feet and rushed out of the cave. For a moment +he felt as if his feet must carry him down the steep mountain-side, over +the plain and back to the beautiful city; and then he stood still, and +with a prayer for help to overcome this temptation of the Evil One, he +threw himself into a thicket of thorny briars that grew by the side of +the cave. There he rolled over and over until he was torn and bleeding; +then slowly returning to the cave he lay down upon his bed of leaves, +peaceful and contented. The evil thoughts had fled, the face that +tempted him had vanished, and Satan was conquered. + +So Benedict began his life of self-denial and solitary prayer. Years +passed by and in spite of the loneliness of the place and the few people +who ever passed by that way, it began to be known that one of God's +saints lived in the mountain cave. The shepherds who fed their flocks +on the lower hills would bring him little offerings of milk or cheese +and ask his blessing, or perhaps a prayer for one who was sick. And +gradually people began to call him their saint of the mountain, and +to come to him for help in all their troubles. Thus the fame of his +goodness spread wider and wider, until a company of monks who lived +some way off sent and besought him to come and live with them and be +their head. + +Benedict was grieved to think of leaving his little cell which he had +grown to love, and the simple mountain people, who so often came to him +in their need. But he thought this was a call he ought to obey, so he +sorrowfully set out and journeyed many miles till he came to the convent +of the brothers. + +It was all very strange to him after the stillness of his mountain cell, +and he could not accustom himself to hearing voices all day long and to +seeing so many faces. Still he strove to do his duty and soon made many +changes in the convent life. He told the brothers plainly that there +were many comforts they must put away, and above all that they must eat +less and work more. + +Now the brothers did not like this at all, and they began to repent that +they had asked so great a saint to come and rule over them, for he made +their rule so hard and strict, that few of them cared to keep it. + +Then one day a strange thing happened. The brothers were all dining +together, and Benedict was silently eating his portion, his thoughts +far away in the little mountain cell at Subiaco, when some one touched +his arm and offered him a cup of wine. Benedict turned and looked +searchingly into the brother's face, and then with upraised hand made +the sign of the cross over the cup. Instantly it fell broken to the +ground, and the wine was spilt upon the floor, for there had been poison +in the cup, which the holy sign had destroyed. + +Then Benedict looked round at the company of brothers, who sat with +downcast eyes, ashamed and silent, and, without a word, he rose and left +them. He returned, alone as he had come, back to his mountain home, +where instead of human voices there was the song of the birds, where the +wild flowers looked at him with pure, friendly faces, and even the wild +animals did not count him their enemy and would do him no harm. + +Here he hoped once more to live quite alone, but one by one men came and +built huts close to his cave, that they might be near so great a saint, +and before long there was a great company living around him. + +Benedict's fame had spread even to Rome, and two of the Roman nobles +sent their sons to be taught by him. One was only five years old and the +other twelve, and it seemed a hard life for such children. But Benedict +cared for them and watched over them, and they loved him as if he had +been their own father. + +And after all life was very pleasant on the mountain-side, when the +sun shone and lessons and prayers were over. They could play among the +pine-trees and chase the goats over the rocks, and when the sun grew too +hot creep back into the cave to rest. In spring there were the first +flowers to hunt for, and they would come back with eager hands filled +with violets and mountain anemones. And in autumn there were nuts and +berries to be gathered, which they laid up like young squirrels for +their winter store. + +And among the daily duties there was nothing they liked so well as to go +down to the lake to fetch water, when the mountain springs had run dry. +One day it was the little one's turn to do this, and as he was leaning +over, his foot slipped, and he fell into the lake, and before he could +utter a cry the water closed over his head. + +At that very moment Benedict, who was kneeling in prayer on the hill +above, saw a vision of the boy's danger, and hastily sent the elder lad +down to the lake to help the child. + +He never stayed to question why he was sent, but sped down the +mountain-side, and without a moment's delay threw himself into the +lake, hoping to be able to reach the little dark head that had risen +above the water for the last time. And lo! he found that the water grew +firm beneath his feet, and he walked as if he was on dry land, and +lifting the child, carried him safely ashore. + +When Benedict saw that so many other hermits had taken up their abode on +the mountain, he determined to form them into a company of brothers, and +give them a rule to live by, and by and by they built a little chapel +where they could meet for daily service. + +Now, strangely enough, every evening at the hour of prayer, one young +monk became restless and uneasy, and would steal silently out of the +chapel and disappear down the hillside. None of the brothers could think +what made him do this; but night after night the same thing happened +just when prayers were about to begin. All were troubled and disturbed, +till at last they went to Benedict, and asked him what it could mean. +Then the saint promised to watch, and that very evening he saw what no +other eyes had seen. + +Into the chapel came a little demon black as coal, and he seized the +robe of the poor young monk, and dragged him out of the door. And though +the demon was so tiny he was stronger than the monk, and easily led him +swiftly away out of sound of the chapel bell. + +Then Benedict followed, and touching the monk with his rod, bade the +demon begone and trouble him no longer. And after that the young monk +stayed in the chapel with the rest, and the demon was seen no more. + +[Illustration: A LITTLE DEMON SEIZED THE ROBE OF THE YOUNG MONK.] + +It seemed as if Benedict must always suffer from the malice of evil +brothers, who disliked his strict rule; and even in his own mountain +home the danger followed him. This time the poison was put into a loaf +of bread; but Benedict knew that it was there, and while the wicked monk +who offered it to him watched with evil eye, hoping to see him eat it, +he turned to a wood near by, where a young raven sat. 'Come hither,' +said Benedict, holding out the loaf towards the raven, 'come hither, and +take this bread and carry it where the poison that is hidden within can +do no harm.' + +And the story tells us that the raven instantly obeyed, and carried off +the loaf. And ere long Death, more powerful than the raven, carried off +that wicked monk, so that the poison which lurked in his evil heart +could no longer do harm to any one. + +It troubled Benedict greatly about this time to hear that not very +far off on Monte Cassino there was a heathen temple where the people +worshipped false gods, and were living in darkness and sin. + +It seemed terrible that such a thing should be suffered in a Christian +land, so Benedict made up his mind to go himself and force the people +to listen to him. + +It was a strange contrast to see him in his coarse, poor robe and thin +wan face standing preaching among the crowd of gay pleasure-seekers, who +cared for nothing but eating and drinking and making merry. They could +not understand why any one should choose to be poor, and suffer pain and +hunger for the sake of any god. + +But as Benedict taught them day by day, the majesty of his face and the +solemn notes in his voice forced them to listen half unwillingly. Then, +as they began to learn about the true God, they saw that the gods they +had worshipped were false, and they pulled down their temple, and built +two chapels on the place where it had stood. + +Here, too, Benedict built the first great monastery which was called +after him; and after this the brothers began to be known by his name, +and were called Benedictines. + +But the Evil One saw with great rage that Benedict was taking away his +servants, and destroying his temples, and he tried in every way to +hinder the work. Once when the workmen were trying to raise a stone +they found it impossible to move it, though they worked hard all day. +At last, in despair, they besought Benedict to come to help them. + +As soon as he came he saw at once what was the matter, for on the stone +sat a little black demon laughing at the efforts of the workmen; knowing +they could never move the stone while he chose to sit there. + +'Get you gone, messenger of Satan,' cried Benedict. + +And with a howl of rage the imp fled, and the stone was lifted easily +into its place. + +Upon a certain day, not long after the monastery was built, as Benedict +was praying in the chapel of the convent, one of the brothers came to +tell him that a great company of soldiers were coming up the hill, and +at their head was Totila, king of the Goths, who had sent a messenger +to ask the saint to receive him. + +Benedict, who cared little for earthly kings, was yet too courteous +to refuse any such request, so he went out to where the company was +gathered on the mountain-side. + +The rough soldiers stood with heads uncovered, and from their midst came +one who wore a crown and sandals of gold and a kingly robe. He knelt +before the saint, and said in a loud, clear voice: + +'I, Totila, king of the Goths, have come to crave thy blessing, father, +for thy fame hath spread even to the wild north country where I reign.' + +The brothers, crowding behind Benedict, eager to see these curious +strangers, were surprised to hear no answering words of welcome fall +from the lips of the saint. And still more surprised were they when +Benedict pointed an accusing finger at the glittering crown that shone +on the king's head, and said: + +'Why dost thou bear upon thy head the sign of royalty which belongs not +to thy station? And why have thy lips framed this deceit? Go to thy +master, and bid him come to me in truth, and think not that I could +mistake a servant for a king.' + +And to the amazement of all, the real king, who had disguised his +armour-bearer to test the power of the saint, came quickly forward, +and with no royal robe or golden crown, knelt low before the saint, +confessing all, and praying to be forgiven. He was sure now that this +was indeed a servant of God, and he listened humbly while Benedict +reproved him for his many sins, and warned him of the fate that +awaited him. + +And so the years passed on, bringing much honour and earthly renown +to him who had once lived a lonely boy upon the wild mountain-side. + +Things had changed since those early days. He could no longer live quite +alone as he had once loved to do, for the world had followed him even +into the wilderness. But his heart was as pure and his purpose as strong +as when he was a lonely boy seeking only to serve God. + +Perhaps the one great pleasure of his earthly life was the yearly visit +he paid to his sister Scholastica, who had for many years come to live +near him. She had formed a little company of nuns, who strove to live as +the brothers were living, working and praying and denying themselves all +earthly pleasures. + +And as it was a great delight to Benedict to visit his sister, so to +Scholastica the day of his coming was the happiest day of all the year. +The only thing that grieved her was that the golden hours of that bright +day seemed to fly faster than any other, while she listened to his words +of counsel and advice, and told him all her troubles. + +As it drew near the time for one of these yearly visits, Scholastica +began to long for her brother as she had never longed before. Something +told her that these bright summer days were to be the last she should +spend on earth; and the longing to see and talk to her brother grew +almost more than she could bear. + +And when he came the hours slipped past even faster than was their wont, +and before she could realise it the time had come for him to go. There +was so much still to say, and she needed his help so sorely, that she +prayed him to wait a few hours longer. But Benedict was persuaded that +it was his duty to set off, and duty to him ever came before all else. +He gently told her it could not be; that he must return to the brothers +that night. + +But while he spoke, Scholastica was not listening to his words, nor +heeding what he said. With her whole heart she was praying God that He +would grant her this one request, and prevent her brother from leaving +her so soon. + +And as she prayed the light suddenly died out of the sky, great clouds +arose and, before Benedict could set out, a terrible storm began to +rage. The thunder pealed overhead, the hail came down in a blinding +shower, and it was impossible for any one to leave the shelter of the +house. + +Thus God answered the prayer of Scholastica, filling her heart with +thankfulness. And afterwards the heart of Benedict was also filled with +gratitude, for not many days later he saw in a vision the soul of his +sister flying like a white dove up to heaven's gate, and he knew he +should see her on earth no more. + +Benedict had lived a long, hard life, eating but little, suffering cold, +and denying himself in all things. But though his spirit only grew +stronger and brighter as time went on, his body was worn out, and at last +he prepared to lay it aside, as men lay aside the worn-out robe which +has grown thread-bare. + +And as he had longed to live alone, so, when death came, he prayed to +be carried to the little chapel, and there to be left before the altar +alone with God. Thus Benedict the Blessed went home at last, leaving his +tired body in God's house, while his spirit returned to God who gave it. + +[Illustration: A TERRIBLE STORM BEGAN TO RAGE.] + + + + +SAINT CHRISTOPHER + + +Long ago in a far distant land there lived a boy called Offero. He was +taller and stronger and braver than any of his companions, and he was +called Offero, which means bearer, because he could carry the heaviest +burdens on his broad shoulders, without stooping under their weight. His +was the grandest kind of strength too, for it was not only strength of +body, but strength of heart and soul besides. + +As Offero grew into manhood he began to tire of being first only in +games and play, and he longed to use his strength for some real end, +feeling sure there was work in the world waiting for his hand. + +Sometimes as he strode across the olive-clad hills, and felt the wind in +his hair, and drew in great breaths of life and strength, he would see +before him a dim vision of some great purpose, ever beckoning him on, +and in his ear a voice would sound, that bade him use his strength only +for the highest. + +Night and day Offero thought upon the vision, and it seemed to him that +its meaning was that he should go out into the world and do a man's +work. And, since for him the highest meant strength and fearlessness, he +vowed that he would search until he found the bravest and strongest king +and would take service only with him. + +So Offero set out and, after many weary wanderings, he came to the gates +of a great city. Here, in a palace built of alabaster, lived one whom +the people called the greatest king on earth. He had more soldiers and +horsemen and chariots than any other monarch, and the banner of crimson +and gold that floated over the palace roof, had never been lowered in +the face of any foe. + +But Offero scarcely noticed all the glitter and splendour of the palace, +or the crowd of waiting men. He was only eager to see the king, whom +every one said was as brave and strong as a lion. No one stopped him as +he strode on. Even the royal guards at the palace door stood back to let +him pass. He was dusty and travel-stained, and his armour was dull and +dinted by many a hard blow, but there was that in his walk and in his +eyes, and the grasp of his great hand upon his sword, that made every +one fall back to let him pass. + +The king was seated upon his throne making wise laws for his people, +when Offero entered the audience hall. Straight to the steps of the +throne he went, and kneeling there placed his sword at the king's +feet and offered to be his true servant. For a moment the king looked +in wonder and astonishment at this giant, and the great sword that +stretched along the widest step of his ivory throne. Then with a look of +pride at the strength of the man kneeling at his feet, he bade Offero +rise and use his sword henceforth only in the king's service. + +So Offero became the king's servant, and not one of the king's enemies +could stand against him. Wherever there was danger to be met or fighting +to be done, there he was ever to be found, and he made his master's name +more feared and honoured than that of any other monarch in the world. +His work filled all his time and thoughts, and the vision he had seen +grew so dim that it had nearly faded from his memory, when one night +a minstrel came to the court. + +This minstrel had a harp of gold and his fingers woke the sweetest music +from the golden strings, but sweeter than all was his voice as he sang +of brave deeds and mighty battles, the wisdom of the wise and the +courage of the strong. + +The heart of Offero was charmed by the music as he sat idly among the +rest of the courtiers, listening in the great audience chamber. + +But as the minstrel sang, Offero noticed that the king looked disturbed +and once or twice made a strange sign with his hand when a certain evil +name was repeated in the song. It almost seemed to Offero as if at such +times a look of fear came into his eyes. + +Waiting behind the rest when the minstrel was gone, Offero looked +gravely into the king's eyes and said: + +'My liege, wilt thou tell thy servant, why thou didst make that sign +upon thy forehead and what the look that came into thine eyes may +mean--thou who fearest no man?' + +Then the king answered Offero saying: + +'That sign is the sign of the cross, and I make it upon my brow whenever +I hear the name of Satan, the Evil Spirit, because I fear him, and because +that sign alone can protect me from him.' + +And Offero bowed his head, and standing there before the king he +answered sadly: + +'Fare thee well, O my king, for I may not serve thee longer. I have +promised only to serve the greatest and one who feared nothing, so I +must e'en seek this Evil Spirit. If thou fearest him, must he not be +more powerful than thou?' + +So Offero went sorrowfully out of the king's presence, and away from the +splendid court and the fair city. And as he went the vision which of +late had faded from him grew clearer, and seemed to beckon him on and +on. And the voice that of old sounded in his ears spoke to him once +more, so that his heart became light and his purpose grew strong. + +Now after many days of toilsome wanderings, Offero came at last to +the skirt of a great dark wood. The pines were so thick that never a +sunbeam could pierce through their tops, and the trunks of the trees +could only just be seen ghostly grey in the everlasting twilight that +reigned there. + +Deeper and darker grew the wood as Offero went on, until he came to the +darkest part of all, and there he found the Evil Spirit and his court. + +Offero could see nothing clearly in the gloom, but one great shadow +stood out, bigger and stronger than any of the other shadows that +flitted about, and on its brow was the outline of a kingly crown. + +'What seekest thou here?' asked the Evil One, in a deep strong voice, +like the roar of distant thunder. + +'I seek to serve the greatest and strongest king on earth, and one who +knows no fear,' answered Offero. + +'Then is thy quest ended,' said the shadowy king, with uplifted head and +proud gesture, 'for I indeed am the greatest king of all, and I know not +what that word fear meaneth.' + +So Offero became one of the servants of the King of Evil, and his work +was heavy and his wages light. But that seemed but a small matter to +him, if only he had indeed found the highest. + +Time passed on until there came a day when the Evil One rode out with +all his servants and Offero at their head. And as they passed out of the +wood they came to a cross set up by the wayside. It was only a rough +cross of wood, standing out clear against the sky, the grass beneath +worn by those who had knelt before it, and a bunch of wild flowers laid +at its foot by some grateful hand. But when the eye of the Evil One fell +upon it, he shuddered and, turning quickly round, plunged back into the +wood, followed by all his servants. And Offero saw he was trembling from +head to foot. + +'Stop,' cried Offero, barring his way, for he was not afraid even of the +great Shadow upon the fierce black horse. 'I would fain know what this +meaneth, ere we go further. Didst thou not say thou wert stronger than +all and feared nothing? and lo! thou tremblest like a child before a +piece of crossed wood.' + +'It is not the cross I fear,' answered the Evil One, 'but Him who once +hung upon it.' + +'And who is He that you should tremble at the very thought of Him?' +asked Offero. 'Is He a greater and stronger king than thou?' + +'He is greater, and He is stronger,' answered Satan, 'and He is the only +one I fear.' + +Then Offero rode away from the dark wood and the evil company, out into +the sunshine and light. And as he looked at the blue sky, and felt the +warmth of the blessed sunshine once more, the vision seemed to rise +again before his eyes, ever beckoning him onward, and in his ear the +same voice sounded, bidding him seek on, until he should indeed find the +highest. + +Far and near did Offero wander, asking all he met if they could tell him +where he might find the Christ--this man who once hung upon a cross and +who was greater and more powerful even than Satan, the King of Evil. And +some said one thing and some another, but no one could aid him in his +quest, until at last in his wanderings he came to a little hut in the +midst of a desert. + +Here a holy man dwelt, with no living soul near him, serving God day +and night. + +Most gladly did he welcome Offero, but gladder still was he when Offero +eagerly asked him the question that had been upon his lips so long: + +'Good hermit, canst thou tell me where I may find the King called +Christ, He who once hung upon a cross, and who is stronger even than the +King of Evil?' + +'That can I,' answered the hermit, 'for He is the Master whom I serve, +and in His name thou art welcome indeed.' + +And taking Offero into his hut, the hermit gave him food and made him +rest. Then in the cool of the evening, when the red sun was sinking +behind the belt of distant palm-trees, and a mellow glow turned the +sands of the desert into grains of gold, the hermit sat without the hut +and told the wonderful Christ story to the listening ears of the giant +who lay upon the ground at his feet. + +Never had Offero heard words like these before. Even the vision had +not prepared him for this. With all his soul in his eyes he listened. +Filled with wonder was he at the thought that the King of all heaven +should have deigned to come to earth in the form of a little helpless +child. But as the hermit went on and told of His power and majesty, +His infinite compassion for the weak and helpless, His courage and +fearlessness in the face of His foes, ending with the great sacrifice +of the cross, Offero sprang to his feet, and grasping his sword in his +hand, he raised it to heaven and vowed he would be Christ's faithful +soldier and servant unto his life's end, and would fight under no other +banner but His, the King of Heaven and Earth. + +The hermit was startled as he looked at the gleaming sword, upheld by +that strong arm, and in his calm, kind voice, he said: + +'My son, the Lord Christ seeketh not to be served as an earthly king. +His soldiers fight not with earthly swords, but with the weapons of +prayer and fasting.' + +'But, father,' said Offero, 'how can I fight with weapons I know nothing +of? If He has given me this great strength, surely there must be a way +that He would have me use it in His service.' + +Then the hermit was troubled, for he saw that Offero must needs serve +Christ in some other way. + +All night he pondered, and in the morning he bade Offero come with him, +and together they journeyed forth for many days until they came to the +banks of a river. There the hermit stayed his steps. + +It was a very deep and dangerous river and, because there was no bridge +across it and the current was strong, many travellers lost their lives +in trying to ford it. + +This the hermit told Offero, and bade him stay and watch there, so that +he might help those who wished to cross, and save the lives of those who +might otherwise perish without his aid. + +'And in helping others,' said the hermit, 'thou wilt be helping Christ, +and it may be He will accept thy service, and will one day come unto +thee and take thee for His servant.' + +So Offero built a hut on the river bank, and pulling up a palm-tree that +was growing there, he used it as a staff to lean upon when he waded +through the deep water. He was so tall and strong that no matter how +high the river rose he could always wade across it. He was ever ready to +help the weary footsore travellers, and often when they were too weak to +stand against the current, even with the support of his strong arm, he +would take them up upon his broad shoulders and carry them safely across. + +For a long time did Offero live in his little hut on the river-bank, +doing his work well, in the hope that his Master might come to him as +the hermit had promised. But weeks and months went by, and still the +King did not come, and Offero began to fear that He never would pass +that way. + +Then one night a terrible storm began to rage. The wind howled round +the lonely little hut, and the waters roared as they rushed past in the +darkness. + +'I need not watch to-night,' thought Offero, 'for no one will seek to +cross the river in such a storm as this.' + +But as he sat listening to the roll of the thunder and the clashing of +the hail on the roof, he fancied he heard, above the noise of the storm, +a little voice crying outside and a faint knocking at the door. + +It sounded like the cry of a child, and Offero hastily rose up and, +unbarring the door, looked out. For a moment he could see nothing in +the thick darkness and blinding rain, but presently he heard the cry +again, sounding quite close to where he stood, and looking down he saw +something small and white, and heard the little voice sounding clear +above the storm: + +'Kind Offero, wilt thou carry me across the river to-night?' + +Then Offero saw it was a little child who was standing out there upon +the threshold--a child who looked up at him with pleading eyes, his +golden curls lying wet against his cheek, and his little white robe +drenched with the driving rain. + +Very tenderly Offero stooped down and lifted the little one in his kind, +strong arms, and asked him how it came that he was out alone on such a +stormy night. + +'I must cross the river to-night,' said the child in his soft, clear +voice, 'and the water is deep and I am afraid. I saw thy hut and thought +perchance one might dwell here who would help me.' + +'That will I gladly do,' said Offero, as he felt the little arms +clinging round his neck. 'The night is dark, and the river runs high +indeed, but thou art such a tiny child, I shall scarcely feel thy +weight. I will place thee high upon my shoulder, so that the water may +not reach even thy feet.' + +So Offero took his great staff in his hand, and placed the child upon +his shoulder and stepped down into the roaring flood. + +Higher and higher rose the water, stronger and stronger grew the +current, as Offero waded on. Never before had his strength been put to +such a test. And not only did the torrent threaten to sweep him off his +feet, but the child upon his shoulder seemed to grow heavier and heavier +with every step, until he could scarcely stagger on under the tremendous +weight. But on he went, fighting for each step. And now he was past +the worst and into the shallower water beyond. Putting forth all his +remaining strength, with one last great effort he struggled up the +farther side and with a sigh of relief he climbed upon the bank, and +gently set the little child upon the grass. + +[Illustration: THE CHILD UPON HIS SHOULDER SEEMED TO GROW HEAVIER.] + +Then Offero stood looking at him in great wonder and astonishment and +said: + +'How is it that thou, who seemest but a feather-weight, hast yet become +heavier than any burden I ever bore in all my life before?' + +And as Offero spoke, the child looked up into his face, and lo! a +strange light seemed to shine round the golden head, and his white robe +became bright and glistening as the light. And the wonderful look of +majesty in those eyes drew Offero down to his knees. And as he knelt +there, scarce daring to lift his eyes before that wonderful gaze, he +heard the sweet, clear voice of the little child again, and knew it for +the same that had guided him since the vision of his boyhood. + +'No wonder that I seemed to thee a heavy burden, for I bear upon my +shoulders the sins and sorrows of the whole world. I am Christ, whom +thou hast sought to serve. I came to thee in the form of a little +helpless child, that I might prove thee, if thou wert indeed my faithful +servant. And because thou hast been faithful in helping others, thou +shalt be counted worthy to enter my service, and I will give thee +the new name of Christopher, because thou hast borne Christ upon thy +shoulders. Take now thy staff and strike it into the earth, and thou +shalt know by a sign that I am indeed thy King.' + +Then the light faded away, and the child was gone. But where Christopher +struck his staff, behold, it took root and budded out into leaves of +tender green. + +And Christopher knelt on there in the darkness with a great joy in his +heart, for he had seen the face of his King, and had found his Master at +last. He knew that his search was ended, and that henceforth he would +serve only the highest. And all the trouble and perplexity had vanished +away, for he understood now that in ministering to others he would +always be serving his King, even if the work seemed but small and mean. + +So Christopher learned to be Christ's true soldier and servant even unto +death, and because he fought manfully under His banner unto his life's +end, he is called a saint. His old name of Offero has been long +forgotten, and we know him only by that new name which the Christ-child +gave him that stormy night, and call him Saint Christopher. + + + + +SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA + + +As the years pass by Father Time makes many changes in the busy town and +quiet country, but there are some places he seems to have forgotten or +passed over so lightly that they look very much the same to-day as they +did hundreds of years ago. + +One of these places, which Time has dealt so gently with, is in the +heart of Italy, built high upon a hill. It is a town whose towers and +palaces and steep, narrow streets are little changed from what they were +five hundred and more years ago, when Catherine, the saint of Siena, was +born there. + +To-day if you climb the steep winding road that leads up to the city, +and make your way through the gates and along the steepest of the narrow +streets, you will come to a house with a motto written over the door in +golden letters--'Sposæ Christi Katharinæ domus,' which means 'The house +of Katherine, the bride of Christ.' And if you go in you will see the +very room where Saint Catherine used to live, the bed of planks on which +she slept, her little chapel, and the rooms which her brothers and +sisters used. + +It all looks just as it did when Benincasa, the dyer of Siena, lived +there with his wife Lapa. They had more than twenty children, but each +one was welcome, and when at last Catherine and a twin sister were born, +there still did not seem one too many. The little sister lived only a +few days, and perhaps that made the parents love Catherine all the more, +and it was not only her own family who loved her. She was the favourite +of all the neighbours, and however busy they were they would always find +time to stop and talk to her as they passed. It was not that she was +very beautiful, or even very clever, but she had a way of making every +one feel happy when she was near them, and she had the sunniest smile +that ever dimpled a baby's face. It was like a sunbeam, lighting up +everything near it, and it shone in her eyes as well, so that ere long +the people found a new name for her, and called her 'Joy' instead of +Catherine. + +As soon as she could walk alone, Catherine would wander away, sure of +a welcome at every house, and though at first when the other children +cried, 'The baby is lost again!' the mother would be anxious, she soon +ceased to mind, and only said, 'She is sure to be safe somewhere.' + +And safe she always was, for every one would stop work to look after her +as she toddled along, and wherever she went Joy carried the sunshine +with her. + +It happened that one afternoon when Catherine was about six years old, +her mother sent her and an elder brother, Stephen, to carry a message to +a house some way off. It was a beautiful evening, and as the children +went hand in hand down the steep street and up the hill towards the +great church of Saint Dominic, Catherine stopped a moment to look at +the sunset. She always loved beautiful colours, and to-night the little +fleecy clouds were all touched with crimson and gold, like fairy islands +in a pale green sea, more beautiful than anything she had ever seen. + +Stephen did not care for sunsets. He was much more anxious to be home +in time for supper, so he ran on alone, calling to Catherine to follow +quickly. + +Catherine did not seem to hear his voice or to notice that he was gone, +but stood there with eyes fixed on the sunset, her face shining, and her +hair like a halo of gold round her head. + +It was not the evening sky she was looking at, but a vision of heavenly +beauty. For there among the rose-pink clouds she saw the Madonna seated +upon a throne and holding in her arms the infant Christ. It was no +longer the poor Madonna of the stable, but the Queen of Heaven, her +dazzling robe blue as the summer sky, and a jewelled crown upon her +head. Only the same sweet mother-look was there as when she bent +over the manger-bed. There are no words to tell of the beauty of the +Christ-child's face. Catherine only knew that as He looked at her He +smiled and held up His little hand as if in blessing, and that smile +drew her heart to His feet. + +Then suddenly Catherine's arm was roughly shaken and her brother asked +her impatiently at what she was gazing. + +'O Stephen,' she cried, 'did you not see it too? Look!' + +But the vision had faded, and the grey twilight closed in upon the +two little figures as they went slowly home, the boy vexed with his +loitering sister, and she sobbing with disappointment to think that the +window in heaven was shut, and that she might never again look within. + +As Catherine grew older, she never forgot the vision she had seen, or +how the hand of the Christ-child had been stretched out to bless her. +And it made her think often how she could best please Him, so that some +day He might smile on her again. + +Catherine had heard a great deal about the good men who went to live in +deserts to be alone with God,--how they lived in caves and had scarcely +anything to eat, and how God would sometimes send the ravens to bring +them food. Now she was always fond of wandering, and the idea of living +in a desert seemed a beautiful way of serving Christ. She had never gone +beyond the walls of the town, and all outside was a new world to her; so +she was sure if only she could pass through the city gates, she would +soon find her way to the desert, where there would certainly be a cave +ready for her to live in. + +So one day Catherine set out very early in the morning, carrying in her +pocket a small loaf of bread, just in case the ravens should forget to +come to a little girl-hermit. + +In those days it was not safe to live outside the city walls, and there +were no farms nor houses to be seen as Catherine slipped through the +gates and began to find her way down the hillside, among tangled briars +and over rough stones. Soon her feet grew very tired, and everything +looked so forlorn and wild that she was sure this must be the desert at +last, and there, too, was a little cave in the rocks waiting all ready +for her. + +It was very nice to creep in and out of the hot sunshine into the cool +shade, and to rest until the sun went down. But as night came on and she +knelt to say her evening prayer, she began to think of home, and the +kind mother waiting there, and she knew she had done wrong to come away, +even though she had meant to serve God. + +Very quickly she left her cave, and as she ran home her feet seemed to +fly over the ground. The desert had not been so very far away after all, +and she reached the house before her mother had begun to grow anxious, +but she never again wandered away to live a hermit's life. + +As Catherine grew older she loved to listen to the stories of the +saints, and there was one she was never tired of hearing. It was the +life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, the saint whose name she bore. + +This young queen was said to be the wisest and noblest of all the +saints, and when her courtiers wished her to marry, she said she would +only marry a prince who was perfect in every way. Such a prince was of +course impossible to find, but one night a poor old hermit had a vision +in which the Madonna came to him and told him that our Blessed Lord, the +only perfect Man, would accept the love of the young queen's heart and +the service of her hands. And when the queen knew this her joy was great, +and that very night the Virgin mother came to her in a cloud of glory +surrounded by angels bearing crowns of lilies, and in her arms was the +Holy Child, who smiled on the queen and placed a ring upon her finger, +as a sign that she belonged to Him. + +The more Catherine thought about this story the more she longed that +Christ would accept her heart and service too. And one night in a dream +He seemed to come to her, just as He had come to the other Catherine, +placing a ring upon her finger and bidding her remember that now she had +given her heart to Him. + +Thus it was a great trouble to Catherine when she was told by her +parents soon after this that she was old enough to begin to think of +marriage. She said she did not wish to marry at all. But this only made +her parents angry with her, especially when one day they found she had +cut off all her beautiful golden hair, thinking to make herself so ugly +that no one would want her for his wife. + +'Very well,' said her father, 'if thou wilt not marry as I bid thee, +then shalt thou do the house-work and be our servant.' + +He expected this would be a great punishment, but Catherine was glad +to have hard work to do, and did it so well and cheerfully that her +father began to feel his anger melt away. Then it happened one day that +in passing her room he looked in, and there he saw her kneeling with +clasped hands and upturned face, and eyes in which the peace of heaven +shone, while around her head was a bright light that took the form of +a snow-white dove resting there. + +[Illustration: THE HOLY CHILD PLACED A RING UPON HER FINGER.] + +From that moment he ceased to be angry with Catherine, and said all +should be as she wished, for surely the dove was a sign that God +accepted her prayers and approved of what she did. + +So she was allowed to have a little room which She made into a chapel +where she could be alone to think and to pray. She wanted to learn to +conquer herself before she could serve Christ in the world, and for +three years she lived almost entirely alone, praying in the little +chapel, struggling to overcome her faults and to grow strong to resist +temptation. + +But in spite of all her struggles evil thoughts would come into her +heart, and it seemed impossible to keep them out. It was easy to do +right things, but so terribly difficult to think only pure and good +thoughts. She knew that Satan sent the wicked thoughts into her heart, +but the hardest trial of all was that Christ seemed to have left her to +fight alone--He seemed so very far away. + +At last one night, as she lay sobbing in despair, suddenly the evil +thoughts left her, and instead she felt that Christ was near and that +He bent tenderly over her. + +'Why, oh why didst Thou leave me so long, dear Lord?' she cried. + +'I never left thee,' His voice said quietly. + +'But where wert Thou, Lord, when all was so dark and evil?' she humbly +asked. + +'I was in thy heart,' replied the voice; 'didst thou not hate the evil +thoughts? If I had not been there thou wouldst not have felt how black +they were, but because I was in the midst they seemed to thee most evil, +and thus I gave thee strength to cast them out.' + +So Catherine's heart was filled with peace, and she learned to love +Christ more and more, and to deny herself in every way, sleeping on bare +planks with a log for her pillow, and eating the things she cared for +least. + +It was not that she thought these things good in themselves, but she +felt she must use every means to make her heart pure and fit to serve +her Master. + +And before very long Christ spoke to her again in the stillness of the +night, and told her she had lived long enough alone, that it was time +now to go out into the world and help other people to grow good too. + +When Catherine thought of the busy, noisy life which other people led, +compared to the quiet peacefulness of her little cell and chapel, she +was very sad, and thought she had offended God that He was sending her +away from Him to mix with the world again. But His voice sounded in her +ears once more, and told her it was not to separate her from Himself +that He sent her out, but that she should learn to help others. + +'Thou knowest that love giveth two commandments--to love Me, and to love +thy neighbour. I desire that thou shouldst walk not on one but two feet, +and fly to heaven on two wings.' + +So Christ spoke to her, and Catherine with fearful heart prepared to +obey, only praying that He would give her strength to do His will. +And after that her life was spent in doing good to others. + +The smile that used to lighten her face when she was a little child +had still the power of bringing peace and gladness to all, as she went +amongst the poor, nursing the sick, helping every one in trouble, and +teaching people more by her life than her words to love God. + +And as, when she was a baby, they called her Joy, so now again they +found a new name for her, and she was known as 'the child of the +people.' In every kind of trouble they came to her, even asking her to +settle their quarrels, so that she was the peacemaker as well as the +helper of the whole town. + +There was one special reason why people loved Catherine, and that was +because she always saw the best that was in them. She knew there was +good in every one, no matter how it was dimmed or hidden by the evil +that wrapped it round. Where other eyes saw only evil temper or wicked +spite, she looked beyond until she found some good that she could love. +Every day she prayed to God that He would help her to see the beauty in +each soul, so that she might help it to get rid of the sin that dimmed +its beauty. And so, because she looked for good in every one, all showed +her what was best in themselves, and for very shame would strive to be +all that she thought them. + +Catherine had joined the Dominican sisterhood and wore the white robe +and black veil, but she did not live in a convent as other sisters did. +Every morning when the sun began to gild the towers and roofs of the +city, passers-by would see her leave her home and walk up the steep +street towards the church of Saint Dominic where she always went to +early mass. + +Strangers must have wondered when they saw the men uncover their heads +as she passed, as if she had been a queen instead of a poor sister clad +in a coarse white robe and black veil. But if they had caught sight of +her face perhaps they would have understood, for her eyes seemed as if +they were looking into heaven, and the holy peace that shone in her +smile made men feel that she lived in the very presence of God. + +One morning as she was going to church as usual in the first light of +dawn, her thoughts far away and her lips moving in prayer, she was +startled by the touch of a hand upon her robe and the sound of a voice +asking for help. She turned to look and saw a poor man leaning against +the wall, haggard and pale, and so weak that he could scarcely stand. + +'What dost thou want of me?' asked Catherine pitifully. + +'I only ask a little help for my journey,' the poor man said; 'my home +is far from here, and the fever laid its hand upon me as I worked to +provide bread for those I love. So I pray thee, lady, give me a little +money that I may buy food to strengthen me before I start.' + +'I would gladly help thee,' answered Catherine most sorrowfully, 'but +I am not a lady, only a poor sister, and I have no money of my own to +give.' + +She turned as if to go on, but the eager hand still held her cloak and +the man begged once more. + +'For Christ's sake help me, for indeed I need thy help most sorely.' + +Then Catherine stood still. She felt she could not leave him so. There +was nothing at home she could part with, for that very morning she had +given away all the food that was in the house. Her father and mother +were good and kind, but she must not give away the things they needed. +Sorrowful and perplexed, her hand felt for the rosary which hung at her +side, for in every trouble she ever turned in prayer to her dear Lord. +Then as her fingers touched the beads, she suddenly remembered that here +was at least one thing which was her very own--a small silver crucifix +which she had had since she was a child, and which she had touched so +often as she prayed that it was worn smooth and thin. + +Still it was silver and would buy the sick man a meal, and she quickly +unfastened it from the rosary and put it into his hand. The man's +blessings followed her as she went, and though she had parted with the +thing she loved best, she counted the blessings more precious than the +gift. + +And as she knelt in the dim church, after the mass was over, God sent a +heavenly vision to reward His servant. + +Catherine thought she stood in a great hall filled with things more +beautiful than words can tell, and in the midst stood our Blessed Lord, +holding in His hand the most beautiful thing of all--a cross of beaten +gold, set with jewels of every hue sparkling so brightly that it almost +dazzled Catherine's eyes as she looked. + +'Dost thou see these shining gifts,' He asked, 'and wouldst thou know +whence they came? They are the noble deeds which men have done for My +sake.' + +And Catherine kneeling there with her empty hands could only bow her +head and say: 'Lord, I am only a poor sister, as Thou knowest, and have +nought to give Thee. The service I can offer could not find a place +among these glorious gifts.' + +Then it seemed as if Christ smiled upon her, and holding out the golden +cross He asked: 'Hast thou not seen this cross before, Catherine?' + +'No, Lord,' she answered, wondering, 'never before have mine eyes beheld +anything so lovely.' + +But as she gazed upon it, her heart was filled with a sudden gladness, +for in the midst of the gold and jewels, in the heart of the glorious +light, she saw the little worn silver crucifix which she had given to +the poor man that morning for the love of Christ. + +And as the vision faded there rang in her ears the words she knew so +well: 'Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren, +ye did it unto Me.' + +As time went on the fame of Catherine spread to other towns, outside +Siena, and when there were disputes between the great cities of Italy +they would send for Catherine, and beg her to act as peacemaker, and +she helped them all just as she did her own poor people of Siena. Even +the Pope came to her for advice. + +In the midst of all this busy life Catherine fell ill. Her love for +Christ was so real, and her sorrow for His sufferings so great, that she +prayed that she might bear the pain that He had borne. We do not know +how our Lord granted her request, but in her hands and feet and side +appeared the marks of nails and spear. + +All her sufferings she bore most patiently, but her heart was glad when +the end came. + +The same vision that had smiled on her that summer evening when she was +a child, appeared in the sunset sky again, this time never to fade away, +as Catherine, the bride of Christ, was led by the white-robed angels up +to the throne of our Lord. + + + + +SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO + + +The story of the life of Saint Augustine is different from almost +every other saint story, because it is taken from his own words and +not from what has been said about him. He wrote a wonderful book called +_The Confessions of Saint Augustine_, and in it we find all that he +thought and did from the time he was a little child. + +Augustine was born in 354 in the northern part of Africa, which then +belonged to Rome, and was one of the richest countries in the world. His +mother, Monica, was a Christian, but all her prayers and loving care +could not keep her son from evil ways. He is often called the prodigal +saint, because he wandered very far astray for many years into that far +country of the youngest son in the parable; living in the midst of the +sins and evil pleasures of the world, until he learned to say, 'I will +arise and go to my father.' + +And so Augustine's story comforts and helps us when we feel how easy it +is to do wrong, and how we fail every day to do the good things we meant +to do. There are so few days we can mark with a white stone because we +have really tried to be good, and so many days we are glad to forget +because of the black cross that stands against them. And yet, who knows +but, if we fight on to the end, we too may be saints as Augustine was, +for he won his crown through many failures. + +The story, in Augustine's own words, begins from the time when he was +a very little baby, not from what he remembers, but from what he had +learned as he watched other babies in whom he saw a picture of himself. + +First of all Augustine tells of the tiny baby, who does nothing but +sleep and eat and cry. Then the baby begins to laugh a little when he is +awake, and very soon shows clearly his likes and dislikes, and kicks and +beats with his little hands when he does not get exactly what he wants. +Then comes the time of learning to speak and walk. + +After that Augustine begins really to remember things about himself. +For who could ever forget the trial of first going to school? Oh, how +Augustine hated it, and how hard it seemed to him! The lessons were so +difficult and the masters were so strict, and he loved play so much +better than work, and when he went back to school with lessons unlearned +and work undone, the result was of course that he was whipped. It did +seem so unjust to him, for he could not see the use of lessons, and the +whippings were so sore. And in his book he tells us how it made him say +his first prayer to God--'I used to ask Thee, though a very little boy, +yet with no little earnestness, that I might not be whipped at school.' + +Augustine could not see the reason why he should be forced to stay +indoors and learn dull, wearisome lessons, when he might be playing in +the sunshine and learning new games, which seemed so much more worth +knowing. How those games delighted him! He was always eager to be first, +to win the victory and to be ahead of every one else. But then followed +the whipping at school, and the little sore body crept away and sobbed +out the prayer from his little sore soul. + +He did not understand how it could all be meant for his good. We never +quite understand that till we have left school far behind. + +I wonder if we all wrote down just exactly what we felt and did when we +were little children, whether we would have as many things to confess as +Augustine had? There are some faults which no one is very much ashamed +to own because they don't seem small and mean and pitiful. But who would +like to confess to being greedy and stealing sweet things from the table +when no one was looking? Who would care to own that he cheated at games, +caring only to come out first whether he had played fairly or not? Yet +this great saint tells us he remembers doing all these mean things and +looks back upon them with great sorrow. He warns other little children +to kill these faults at the very beginning, for he knows how strong they +grow and how difficult to conquer, when the mean child grows into a man +whom no one can trust. + +As time went on and he grew to be a big boy he went further and further +astray. When he was little he stole things to eat because he was greedy +or because he wanted to bribe other little boys to sell him their toys, +but now that he was older it was out of mere pride and boastfulness that +he took what did not belong to him. He thought it grand and manly to +show off to other boys how little he cared about doing wrong. + +Augustine tells us that in a garden near his house there was a pear-tree +covered with pears neither sweet nor large. But just because it belonged +to some one else, and he thought it fun to steal, he and his companions +went out one dark night and robbed the tree of all its fruit. They did +not care to eat the pears, and after tasting one or two threw all the +rest to the pigs. There was no particular pleasure in this he allows, +and he would never have done it alone, but he wanted the other boys to +admire him and to think he was afraid of nothing. + +And so years went on and Augustine grew up into manhood, and it seemed +as if his evil ways would break his mother's heart. Through all his sin +and foolishness she loved him and prayed for him but he paid no heed to +her, and wandered further away into that far country, wasting all he had +in living wildly and forgetting the God he had prayed to when a child. + +One day when Monica was weeping over this wandering son of hers and +praying for him with all her heart, God sent a comforting dream to her +which she never forgot. She thought she saw herself standing on a narrow +wooden plank, and towards her there came a shining angel who smiled upon +her as she stood there worn out with sorrow and weeping. + +'Why art thou so sad, and wherefore dost thou weep these daily tears?' +asked the angel. + +'I weep over the ruin of my son,' answered the poor mother. + +Then the angel bade her cease from grieving and be at rest, and told her +to look and see that on the same narrow plank of salvation where she was +standing Augustine stood beside her. + +His mother told Augustine of this dream, and though he only laughed at +it, it seemed to sink into his heart and he remembered it many years +after. And to Monica it came as a breath of hope, and comforted her +through many dark days. For she was sure that God had sent this dream +to tell her that in the end she and her son would stand together in +His presence. + +But though Monica believed this she never ceased to do all that was in +her power to help Augustine. And once she went to a learned bishop and +begged him to talk to Augustine and try what he could do. But the bishop +was a wise man and knew that by speaking he would do more harm than +good, for Augustine was proud of his unbelief and had no longing in +himself for better things. But Monica did not see this and could only +implore the bishop to try, until the good man grew vexed with her and +said at last, 'I cannot help thee in this matter, but go thy way in +peace. It cannot be that a son of such tears should perish.' + +And these words comforted Monica, as the dream had done, and made her +sure that in the end all would be right. + +The good bishop spoke truly, for after many years had passed Augustine +began to be weary of his own way and to look for a higher, better life. +He longed to turn his face homeward, but now he had lost the way, and +for long he sought it with bitter tears. + +At last, one day, he felt he could bear the burden of his evil life +no longer. His sins felt like a heavy chain dragging him down in the +darkness, and there was no light to show him which way to turn. Taking +a roll of the scriptures he wandered out into the garden and there, as +he wept, he heard a voice close by chanting over and over again 'Take, +read.' He thought it must be some game that children were playing, but +he could remember none that had those words in it. And then he thought +perhaps this was a voice from heaven in answer to his prayer, telling +him what to do. + +Eagerly he took the holy writings in his hand and opened them to read, +and there he found words telling him what sort of life he should lead. +In a moment it all seemed clear to him. His Father was waiting to +receive and pardon him; so he arose and left the far country and all his +evil habits and turned his face to God. + +And then he tells how he went straight to his mother--the mother who had +loved and believed in him through all those evil days, and he told her +like a little child how sorry he was at last. + +Then, indeed, was Monica's mourning turned into joy, and so at her +life's end she and her son sat hand in hand, both looking up towards the +dawning heaven; he with eyes ashamed but full of hope, and she with tears +all washed away, and eyes that shone with more than earthly joy. + +When his mother at last died and left him alone, Augustine did not +grieve, for he knew the parting was not for long. All that was left for +him to do now was to strive to make good those years he had wasted, and +be more fit to meet her when God should call him home. + +And so it came to pass that this great sinner became one of God's saints +and did a wonderful work for Him in the world. He was made Bishop of +Hippo, and was one of the most famous bishops the world has ever known. + +There is one legend told of Augustine which has comforted many hearts +when puzzling questions have arisen and it has seemed so difficult to +understand all the Bible teaches us about our Father in heaven. + +They say that once when this great father of the Church was walking +along by the seashore, troubled and perplexed because he could not +understand many things about God, he came upon a little child playing +there alone. The child had digged a hole in the sand and was carefully +filling it with water which he brought from the sea in a spoon. The +bishop stopped and watched him for a while and then he asked: + +'What art thou doing, my child?' + +'I mean to empty the sea into my hole,' answered the child, busily going +backwards and forwards with his spoon. + +[Illustration: THE CHILD HAD DIGGED A HOLE IN THE SAND.] + +'But that is impossible,' said the bishop. + +'Not more impossible than that thy human mind should understand the mind +of God,' said the child, gazing upwards at him with grave, sweet eyes. + +And before the bishop could answer the child had vanished, and the saint +knew that God had sent him as an answer to his troubled thoughts, and as +a rebuke for his trying to understand the things that only God could +know. + + + + +SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY + + +It was market-day in the great city of Rome, and the people were busy +buying and selling and shouting, just as they do to-day with us, when +market-day comes round. But there was a great difference between this +Roman market and ours, a difference which would have seemed to us +strange and cruel. For instead of sheep and oxen, or green vegetables +from the country, they were selling men and boys, and even little +maidens. There in the great market-place, with the sun beating down on +their bare heads, they stood, looking with dull, despairing eyes, or +with frightened glances at the crowds of buyers and sellers who were +bargaining around. + +Suddenly a hush fell on the crowd, and a stately figure was seen +crossing the square. People stood aside and bent their heads in +reverence as Gregory passed by, for he was Abbot of a great monastery in +Rome, and was much beloved even by the rough Roman soldiers. He walked +swiftly as if he did not care to linger in the market-place, for it +grieved his gentle heart to see the suffering of the slaves when he +could do nothing to help them. + +But suddenly the crowd seemed to divide in front of him, and he stopped +in wonder at the sight which met his eyes. It was only a group of little +fair-haired English boys who had been captured in the wars, and carried +off to be sold as slaves in the Roman market. But Gregory had never seen +anything like them before. All around were dark-eyed, swarthy-faced +Italians, or darker-skinned slaves from Africa, and these boys with +their sunny, golden hair, fair faces, and eyes blue as the sky overhead, +seemed to him creatures from a different world. + +'Whence come these children, and what name do they bear?' asked the +bishop of a man who stood beside him. + +'From a savage island far over the sea,' he answered, 'and men call +them Angles.' + +Then the kind bishop looked with pitying eyes upon the beautiful +children, and said to himself, as he turned to go: 'They should be +called not Angles, but angels.' + +The sight of those boys, so strong and fearless and beautiful, made +Gregory think a great deal about the little island of Britain, far away +across the sea, from whence they had come. He knew the people who lived +there were a fierce, warlike race, having a strange religion of their +own, and that very few of them were Christians. But he knew, too, that +though they were hard to conquer, and difficult to teach, still they +were a people worth teaching, and he longed to win them to the side of +Christ and to show them how to serve the true God. + +In those days people in Italy knew very little about that far-away +island, and it seemed to them as difficult and dangerous to go to +England as it would seem to us if we were asked to go to the wildest +part of Africa. True there were no lions nor tigers in England, but the +tall, fair-haired giants who lived there were as savage as they were +brave, and might be even worse to deal with than the wild beasts of +other lands. + +So it may well be believed that when Saint Gregory, who was now Pope +of Rome, chose forty monks and sent them on a mission to this distant +island, they were not very anxious to go, and set out in fear and +trembling. + +But at their head was one who knew no fear and who was willing to face +any dangers in the service of his Master. This man was Augustine, a monk +of Rome, whom Gregory had chosen to lead the mission, knowing that his +courage would strengthen the others, and his wisdom would guide them +aright. + +It took many long days and nights of travel to reach the coast where +they were to find a ship to carry them across to Britain, and before +they had gone very far, the forty monks were inclined to turn back in +despair. From every side they heard such terrible tales of the savage +islanders they were going to meet, that their hearts, never very +courageous, were filled with terror, and they refused to go further. +Nothing that Augustine could say would persuade them to go on, and they +would only agree that he should go back to Rome and bear their prayers +to Saint Gregory, imploring him not to force them to face such horrible +danger. If Augustine would do this they promised to wait his return and +to do then whatever the Pope ordered. + +They had not to wait many days, for Augustine speedily brought back +the Pope's answer to their request. His dark face glowed and his eyes +shone with the light of victory, as he read to them the letter which +Saint Gregory had sent. There was to be no thought of going back. Saint +Gregory's words were few, but decisive. 'It is better not to begin +a work than to turn back as soon as danger threatens; therefore, my +beloved sons, go forward by the help of our Lord.' + +So they obeyed, and with Augustine at their head once more set out, +hardly hoping to escape the perils of the journey, and expecting, if +they did arrive, to be speedily put to death by the savage islanders. + +Perhaps the worst trial of all was when they set sail from France and +saw the land fading away in the distance. In front there was nothing +to be seen but angry waves and a cold, grey sky, and they seemed to be +drifting away from the country of sunshine and safety into the dark +region of uncertainty and danger. Nay, the island, whose very name was +terrible to them, was nowhere to be seen, and seemed all the more +horrible because it was wrapped in that mysterious grey mist. + +But though they did not know it, they had really nothing to fear from +the island people, for the queen of that part of England where they +landed was a Christian, and had taught the King Ethelbert to show mercy +and kindness. So when the company of cold, shivering monks came ashore +they were met with a kind and courteous welcome, and instead of enemies +they found friends. + +The king himself came to meet them, and he ordered the little band of +foreigners to be brought before him, that he might learn their errand. +He did not receive them in any hall or palace, but out in the open air, +for it seemed safer there, in case these strangers should be workers of +magic or witchcraft. + +It must have been a strange scene when the forty monks, with Augustine +at their head, walked in procession up from the beach to the broad +green meadow where the king and his soldiers waited for them. The tall, +fair-haired warriors who stood around, sword in hand, ready to defend +their king, must have looked with surprise at these black-robed men with +shaven heads and empty hands. They carried no weapons of any sort, and +they seemed to bear no banner to tell men whence they came. Only the +foremost monks carried on high a silver cross and the picture of a +crucified Man, and instead of shouts and war-cries there was the sound +of a melodious chant sung by many voices, yet seeming as if sung by one. + +Then Augustine stood out from among the company of monks and waited for +the king to speak. + +'Who art thou, and from whence have come these men who are with thee?' +asked the king. Methinks thou comest in peace, else wouldst thou have +carried more deadly weapons than a silver charm and a painted sign. +I fain would know the reason of thy visit to this our island.' + +Slowly Augustine began to tell the story of their pilgrimage and the +message they had brought. So long he spoke that the sun began to sink +and the twilight fell over the silent sea that lay stretched out beyond +the meadow where they sat before his story was done. + +The king bent forward, thoughtfully weighing the words he had heard, and +looking into the faces of these strange messengers of peace. At length +he spoke, and the weary monks and stalwart warriors listened eagerly to +his words. + +'Thou hast spoken well,' he said to Augustine, 'and it may be there is +truth in what thou sayest. But a man does not change his religion in an +hour. I will hear more of this. But meanwhile ye shall be well cared +for, and all who choose may listen to your message.' + +Those were indeed welcome words to the company of poor tired monks, and +when the kindly islanders, following their king's example, made them +welcome and gave them food and shelter, they could well echo the words +of Saint Gregory in the Roman market: 'These are not Angles but angels.' + +And soon King Ethelbert gave the little company a house of their own, +and allowed them to build up the ancient church at Canterbury, which had +fallen into ruins. There they lived as simply and quietly as they had +done in their convent in Italy, praying day and night for the souls of +these heathen people, and teaching them, as much by their lives as their +words, that it was good to serve the Lord Christ. + +And before very long the people began to listen eagerly to their +teaching, and the king himself was baptized with many others. The chant +which the monks had sung that first day of their landing no longer +sounded strange and mysterious in the ears of the islanders, for they +too learnt to sing the 'Alleluia' and to praise God beneath the sign of +the silver cross. + +Now Augustine was very anxious that the Ancient British Church should +join his party and that they should work together under the direction +of Pope Gregory. But the British Christians were not sure if they might +trust these strangers, and it was arranged that they should meet first, +before making any plans. + +The Ancient British Church had almost been driven out of the land, and +there were but few of her priests left. They did not know whether they +ought to join Augustine and his foreign monks, or strive to work on +alone. In their perplexity they went to a holy hermit, and asked him +what they should do. + +'If this man comes from God, then follow him,' said the hermit. + +'But how can we know if he is of God?' asked the people. + +The hermit thought a while and then said: + +'The true servant of God is ever humble and lowly of heart. Go to meet +this man. If he rises and bids you welcome, then will you know that he +bears Christ's yoke, and will lead you aright. But if he be proud and +haughty, and treat you with scorn, never rising to welcome you, then see +to it that ye have nought to do with him.' + +So the priests and bishops of the British Church arranged to meet +Augustine under a great oak-tree, which was called ever afterwards +'Augustine's oak.' They carefully planned that the foreign monks should +arrive there first, in time to be seated, so that the hermit's test +might be tried when they themselves should arrive. + +Unhappily, Augustine did not think of rising to greet the British +bishops, and they were very angry and would agree to nothing that he +proposed, though he warned them solemnly that if they would not join +their forces with his, they would sooner or later fall by the hand of +their enemies. + +Greatly disappointed Augustine returned to Canterbury and worked there +for many years without help, until all who lived in that part of England +learned to be Christians. + +And Pope Gregory hearing of his labours was pleased with the work his +missionary had done, and thought it fit that the humble monk should +be rewarded with a post of honour. So he made Augustine Archbishop of +Canterbury, the first archbishop that England had known. It was a simple +ceremony then, with only the few faithful monks kneeling around the +chair on which the archbishop was enthroned, but Augustine's keen, dark +face shone with the light of victory and humble thankfulness, for it +seemed a seal upon his work, a pledge that the island should never again +turn back from the faith of Christ. + +And could those dark eyes have looked forward and pierced the screen of +many years, Augustine would have seen a goodly succession of archbishops +following in his footsteps, each in his turn sitting in that same simple +old chair, placed now in Westminster Abbey and guarded as one of +England's treasures. + +And he would have seen, too, what would have cheered his heart more than +all--a Christian England venerating the spot where his monastery once +stood, and building upon it a college to his memory. And there he would +have seen England's sons trained to become missionaries and to go out +into all the world to preach the gospel, just as that little band of +monks, with Augustine at their head, came to our island in those dark, +far-off days. + +But though Augustine could not know all this, his heart was filled with +a great hope and a great love for the islanders who now seemed like his +own children, and he was more than content to spend his life amongst +them. + +And when his work was ended, and the faithful soul gave up his charge, +they buried him in the island which had once seemed to him a land of +exile, but which at last had come to mean even more to him than his +own sunny land of Italy. + + + + +SAINT CECILIA + + +It was in the days when cruel men killed and tortured those who loved +our Blessed Lord that, in the city of Rome, a little maid was born. +Her father and mother were amongst the richest and noblest of the +Roman people, and their little daughter, whom they called Cecilia, had +everything she could possibly want. She lived in a splendid palace, with +everything most beautiful around her, and she had a garden to play in, +where the loveliest flowers grew. Her little white dress was embroidered +with the finest gold, and her face was as fair as the flowers she loved. + +But it was not only the outside that was beautiful, for the little +maiden's heart was fairer than the fairest flowers, and whiter than her +spotless robe. + +There were not many people who loved our Lord in those dark days. +Any one who was known to be a Christian was made to suffer terrible +tortures, and was even put to death. + +But though Cecilia's father and mother knew this they still taught their +little daughter to be a servant of Christ and to love Him above all +things. For they knew that the love of Christ was better than life, and +worth all the suffering that might come. + +And as Cecilia grew into a stately maiden every one wondered at the grace +and beauty that shone out of her face. And every one loved her because +she loved every one. She was always ready and willing to help others, +and she specially cared to be kind to the poor. In the folds of her gold +embroidered dress she always carried a little book which she loved to +read. It was the book of the Gospels, and the more she read and heard +of Christ, the more she longed to grow like Him. She could not bear to +think that she wore fine dresses, while He had been so poor and suffered +so much. And so, underneath her soft, white robe she wore a harsh, +coarse garment made of hair. And when it hurt and rubbed her sorely, +the pain only made her glad, because she wore it for Christ's sake. + +Some say the meaning of her name Cecilia is 'Heaven's Lily.' And that +name certainly suited this little Roman maiden. For as God plants the +lilies in the dark earth, and presently they grow up and lift their pure +white cups to heaven, so Cecilia seemed to lift her heart above the sins +and sorrows of the world, where God had planted her, and to turn her +face ever heavenwards. + +And the poor people whom she helped and cheered with her kind sympathy +loved to look at her, for the peace of paradise shone in her eyes, and +it seemed to bring heaven nearer to the poor souls. + +As soon as Cecilia was old enough, it was arranged that she should marry +a young Roman noble called Valerian, and this made her very unhappy. She +had so hoped to belong only to Christ, and this Valerian was a pagan who +knew nothing of the Lord whom she served. But she knew that her guardian +angel would watch over her and keep her from all harm, and so she obeyed +her father's and mother's wishes, and was married to the young Roman +noble. + +When Valerian had taken Cecilia home and all the guests had gone, +and they were left alone together, she told him that, though she was +married, she belonged first of all to Christ, and that her guardian +angel, who never left her, would guard and protect her from all danger. + +'Wilt thou not show me this angel, so that I may know that what thou +sayest is true?' asked Valerian. + +'Thou canst not see the heavenly messenger until thou hast learnt to +know my Lord,' answered Cecilia. + +And as Valerian eagerly asked how he should learn to know this Christ, +Cecilia told him to go along the great Appian Way, outside the walls of +Rome, until he should meet some poor people who lived in the Campagna. +And to them he should say: + +'Cecilia bids you show me the way that I may find the old man, Urban +the Good.' + +So Valerian started off and went the way Cecilia directed. And the +people guided him as she had promised, until they came to a curious +opening in the ground, down which they told him he must go if he wished +to find Pope Urban. + +This opening was the entrance to a strange under-ground place called +the Catacombs. + +There were miles and miles of dark passages cut out of the rock, with +here and there a little dark room, and curious shelves hollowed out of +the walls. It was here that many poor Christians lived, hiding themselves +from those who would have put them to death. And the little shelves were +where they buried the bodies of poor Christians who had died for Christ. + +It was here that the old Pope, Urban the Good, lived, and he welcomed +Valerian most gladly, knowing why he had come. He began at once to teach +him all that he should know--how God was our Father, and Jesus Christ +His Son, our Saviour. And as Valerian listened to the strange, wonderful +words, the love of God shone into his heart, so that when the old man +asked: + +'Believest thou this?' + +He answered with all his heart: + +'All this I steadfastly believe.' + +Then Urban baptized Valerian, and by that sign the young Roman knew that +he was indeed a Christian, a servant of Christ. + +All the world looked different to Valerian as he walked back along the +Appian Way to Rome. The flat, low fields of the Campagna, fading away +into the ridges of the purple Apennines, seemed almost like the fields +of paradise, and the song of the birds was like the voice of angels. He +scarcely thought of the dangers and difficulties that were before him, +or if he did it was only to feel glad that he might have anything to +bear for his new Master. + +[Illustration: A CROWN OF LILIES AND ROSES IN EACH HAND.] + +And when he reached home, and went back to the room where he had left +Cecilia, he found her there waiting for him, with a glad welcome in +her eyes. And as they knelt together they heard a rustle of wings, and +looking up they saw an angel bending over them, with a crown of lilies +and roses in each hand. These he placed upon their heads, and to +Valerian he said: + +'Thou hast done well in allowing Cecilia to serve her Master, therefore +ask what thou wilt and thy request shall be granted.' + +Then Valerian asked that his brother, whom he dearly loved, might also +learn to know Christ. + +And just then the door opened, and the brother whom Valerian loved so +much came in. He, of course, only saw Valerian and Cecilia, and could +not see the angel, or even the wreaths of heavenly roses. But he looked +round in astonishment and said: + +'I see no flowers here, and yet the fragrance of roses and lilies is so +sweet and strange, that it makes my very heart glad.' + +Then Valerian answered: + +'We have two crowns here, which thou canst not see, because thou knowest +not the Lord who sent them to us. But if thou wilt listen, and learn to +know Him, then shalt thou see the heavenly flowers, whose fragrance has +filled thy heart.' + +So Valerian and Cecilia told their brother what it meant to be a +Christian. And after the good Urban had taught him also, he was baptized +and became God's knight. Then he, too, saw the heavenly crowns and the +face of the angel who guarded Heaven's Lily. + +For a while the home of Valerian and Cecilia was like a paradise on +earth. There was nothing but happiness there. Cecilia loved music above +everything. Her voice was like a bird's, and she sang her hymns of +praise and played so exquisitely, that it is said that even the angels +came down to listen. + +But before long it began to be known that Valerian and his brother +helped the poor Christians, and the wicked governor of the city ordered +them both to be seized and brought before him. He told them that there +were but two ways before them: either they must deny that they were +Christians, or they must be put to death. + +But God's knights did not fear death, and they went out to meet it +as if they were on their way to a great victory. And when the soldiers +wondered, and asked them if it was not sad that they should lose their +lives while they were still so young, they answered that what looked +like loss on earth was gain in heaven--that they were but laying down +their bodies as one puts off one's clothes to sleep at night. For the +immortal soul could never die, but would live for ever. + +So they knelt down, and the cruel blows were struck. But, looking up, +the soldiers saw a great pathway of light shining down from heaven. And +the souls of Valerian and his brother were led up by angel hands to the +throne of God, there to receive the crowns of everlasting glory which +they had won on earth. + +And so Cecilia was left alone. But she did not spend her time grieving. +Gathering the people and soldiers around her, she taught them about the +Lord of Heaven, for whose sake Valerian and his brother had so gladly +suffered death. And it was not long before she also trod the shining +pathway up to heaven and met the ones she loved. + +For the governor was not satisfied with the death of Valerian and his +brother, but ordered Cecilia to be brought before him. + +'What sort of a woman art thou, and what is thy name?' he asked. + +'I am a Roman lady,' she answered with grave dignity,' and among men +I am known by the name of Cecilia. But'--and her voice rang out proudly +as she looked fearlessly into those angry eyes--'my noblest name is +Christian.' + +Then the enraged governor ordered that she should be taken to her house, +and put to death in her bath. But the boiling water could not hurt her, +and she was as cool as if she had bathed in a fresh spring. + +This made the governor more furious than ever, and he ordered that her +head should be cut off. + +But even after she had received three strokes from the sword she did +not die, but lived for three days. And these days she spent in quietly +putting her house in order and dividing her money among the poor, ever +singing in her sweet voice the praises of God. + +And so at the end of three days God's angel came and led Cecilia home, +and all that was left of her on earth was her fair body, lying like a +tired child asleep, with hands clasped, gently resting now that her work +on earth was done. + +And in Rome to-day there is a splendid church built over the place where +Cecilia's house stood. Some day if you go there, you will see her little +room and the bath in which the boiling water could not hurt her. You +will see too, a beautiful marble figure lying under the altar, and you +will know exactly how Cecilia looked when she left her tired body lying +there, and went up the shining path to God. + +[Illustration: SHE TAUGHT THEM ABOUT THE LORD OF HEAVEN.] + + + + +SAINT GILES + + +It was in the beautiful land of Greece that Saint Giles was born, very +far away from the grey northern city, whose cathedral bears his name. +His parents were of royal blood, and were, moreover, Christians; so the +boy was brought up most carefully, and taught all that a prince should +know. + +He was a dreamy, quiet boy, and what he loved best was to wander out in +the green woods by himself, with no companions but the animals and birds +and flowers. He would lie for hours watching the birds busily build +their nests, or the rabbits as they timidly peeped at him out of their +holes. And soon all the woodland creatures began to look upon him as +their friend, and even the wildest would come gradually nearer and +nearer, almost within reach of his hand; and they seemed to listen when +he talked to them, as if they could understand what he said. One thing +they certainly did understand, and that was that he loved them and would +do them no harm. + +Saint Giles could not bear to see anything suffer, and his pity was +great for all those in pain; and often he would mend a bird's broken +wing, or bind up a little furry foot that had been torn in a trap; and +the birds and beasts always lay quiet under his hand, and seemed to know +that he would cure them, even though the touch might hurt. + +It happened that one day, when Saint Giles was kneeling in church, he +saw a poor beggar lying there on the cold, stone floor. He had scarcely +any clothes to keep him warm, and his face had a hungry, suffering look, +which filled the heart of the saint with pity. He saw that the poor man +was ill and trembling with cold, so without a moment's thought, he took +off his own warm cloak and tenderly wrapped it round the beggar. + +The warmth of the cloak seemed to bring life back to the poor chilled +body, and when Saint Giles had given him food and wine, he was able to +lift himself up, and to bless the kind youth who had helped him. + +And when the people saw what had happened they thought Saint Giles had +worked a miracle, and cured the man by his wonderful touch; for they did +not realise that all kind deeds work miracles every day. + +It did not please Saint Giles that people should think he possessed this +miraculous gift of healing, and he had no wish to be called a saint. He +only longed to lead his own quiet life and to help all God's creatures +who needed his care. But the people would not leave him alone, and they +brought to him those who were sick and lame and blind, and expected that +he would heal them. + +It is true that many needed only a little human aid, and the food and +help which Saint Giles gave them would soon make them well again; but +there were some he could not help, and it wrung his heart to see their +pleading eyes, and to watch them bring out their little store of +hard-earned money, eager to buy the aid which he so willingly would +have given had he been able. + +So at last Saint Giles determined to leave his native city, for he had +been all alone since his father and mother had died. He wished to escape +from the anxious crowds that refused to leave him in peace; but first he +sold all that he had and gave it to the poor of the city, an act which +made them surer than ever that he was one of God's saints. Then he +sailed away across the sea to a far-off country. + +There Saint Giles found a lonely cave in which an old hermit lived. +'Here at last I shall find peace and quietness,' said he to himself, +'and men will soon forget me.' + +But even here ere long his friends found him, for his fame had spread +across the seas. So once more he set out and went further and further +away, by paths that few had ever trod before, until in the depths of a +green forest he found another shelter, a cave among grey rocks overgrown +with lichens, and hidden by the sheltering boughs of the surrounding +trees. Saint Giles had always loved the woods and this was just the home +he had longed for. A clear stream flowed not far off, and his only +companions would be the birds and beasts and flowers. + +Early in the morning the birds would wake him with their song, and the +wild creatures would come stealing out of the wood to share his meal. +And his silent friends, the flowers, would cheer and help him by their +beauty, and remind him of God's garden whose gate would one day open for +him, where he would wander in the green pastures beside the still waters +of Life for evermore. + +But of all his companions the one Saint Giles loved best was a gentle +white doe, who came to him as soon as he settled in the cave. She seemed +to have no fear of him from the first, and stayed with him longer and +longer each time, until at last she took up her abode with him, and +would never leave him, lying close to him when he slept, and walking by +his side wherever he went. + +This peaceful life went on for a long time and it seemed as if nothing +could disturb its quiet happiness. But it happened that one day as Saint +Giles was praying in the cave, and his companion, the white doe, was +nibbling her morning meal of fresh grass by the banks of the stream, a +curious noise was heard afar off. It came nearer and nearer, and then +shouts of men's voices could be heard, the sound of horses galloping and +the note of the hunter's horn. Then came the deep baying of dogs, and +before the startled doe could hide, the whole hunt was upon her. With a +wild halloo they chased her across the greensward and through the trees, +and just as she disappeared into the cave, one of the huntsmen drew +his bow and sent an arrow flying after her. Then they all dismounted +and went to see what had become of the hunted doe, and soon found the +opening into the cave. But what was their surprise, when they burst in, +to find an old man kneeling there. He was sheltering the terrified doe +who had fled to him for refuge, and an arrow had pierced the kind hand +that had been raised to shield her. + +The huntsmen were ashamed of their cruel sport when they saw the wounded +hand of the old man and the trembling form of the white doe as it +crouched behind him, and they listened with reverence to the hermit's +words as he spoke to them of man's duty towards God's dumb creatures. + +The King of France, who was one of the hunting party, came often after +this to see Saint Giles, and at last offered to build him a monastery +and give him all that he could want; but the old man begged to be left +alone in his woodland cave, to serve God in peace and quietness. So +there he lived quietly and happily for many years, until God took him, +and he left his cave for the fairer fields of paradise. + +People loved the thought of this peaceful old saint who dwelt in the +woods and was the protector of all sorrowful and suffering creatures, +and so they often called their churches after Saint Giles, especially +those churches which were built in the fields or near green woods. + +The surroundings of many of these churches are to-day changed. There +are no fields now round his great cathedral church in the old town of +Edinburgh; but the poor and sick and sorrowful crowd very near to its +shelter, and the memory of the pitiful heart of the gentle old saint +still hovers like a blessing round the grey old walls. + + + + +SAINT NICHOLAS + + +Of all the saints that little children love is there any to compare with +Santa Claus? The very sound of his name has magic in it, and calls up +visions of well-filled stockings, with the presents we particularly want +peeping over the top, or hanging out at the side, too big to go into +the largest sock. Besides, there is something so mysterious and exciting +about Santa Claus, for no one seems to have ever seen him. But we picture +him to ourselves as an old man with a white beard, whose favourite way +of coming into our rooms is down the chimney, bringing gifts for the good +children and punishments for the bad. + +Yet this Santa Claus, in whose name the presents come to us at Christmas +time, is a very real saint, and we can learn a great deal about him, +only we must remember that his true name is Saint Nicholas. Perhaps the +little children, who used to talk of him long ago, found Saint Nicholas +too difficult to say, and so called him their dear Santa Claus. But we +learn, as we grow older, that Nicholas is his true name, and that he is +a real person who lived long years ago, far away in the East. + +The father and mother of Nicholas were noble and very rich, but what +they wanted most of all was to have a son. They were Christians, so +they prayed to God for many years that he would give them their heart's +desire; and when at last Nicholas was born, they were the happiest +people in the world. + +They thought there was no one like their boy; and indeed he was wiser +and better than most children, and never gave them a moment's trouble. +But alas, while he was still a child, a terrible plague swept over the +country, and his father and mother died, leaving him quite alone. + +All the great riches which his father had possessed were left to +Nicholas, and among other things he inherited three bars of gold. These +golden bars were his greatest treasure, and he thought more of them than +all the other riches he possessed. + +Now in the town where Nicholas lived there dwelt a nobleman with three +daughters. They had once been very rich, but great misfortunes had +overtaken the father, and now they were all so poor they had scarcely +enough to live upon. + +At last a day came when there was not even bread enough to eat, and the +daughters said to their father: + +'Let us go out into the streets and beg, or do anything to get a little +money, that we may not starve.' + +But the father answered: + +'Not to-night. I cannot bear to think of it. Wait at least until +to-morrow. Something may happen to save my daughters from such +disgrace.' + +Now, just as they were talking together, Nicholas happened to be +passing, and as the window was open he heard all that the poor father +said. It seemed terrible to think that a noble family should be so poor +and actually in want of bread, and Nicholas tried to plan how it would +be possible to help them. He knew they would be much too proud to take +money from him, so he had to think of some other way. Then he remembered +his golden bars, and that very night he took one of them and went +secretly to the nobleman's house, hoping to give the treasure without +letting the father or daughters know who brought it. + +To his joy Nicholas discovered that a little window had been left open, +and by standing on tiptoe he could just reach it. So he lifted the +golden bar and slipped it through the window, never waiting to hear what +became of it, in case any one should see him. (And now do you see the +reason why the visits of Santa Claus are so mysterious?) + +Inside the house the poor father sat sorrowfully watching, while his +children slept. He wondered if there was any hope for them anywhere, and +he prayed earnestly that heaven would send help. Suddenly something fell +at his feet, and to his amazement and joy, he found it was a bar of pure +gold. + +'My child,' he cried, as he showed his eldest daughter the shining gold, +'God has heard my prayer and has sent this from heaven. Now we shall +have enough and to spare. Call your sisters that we may rejoice +together, and I will go instantly and change this treasure.' + +[Illustration: HE SHOWED HIS DAUGHTER THE GOLD.] + +The precious golden bar was soon sold to a money-changer, who gave so +much for it that the family were able to live in comfort and have all +that they needed. And not only was there enough to live upon, but so +much was over that the father gave his eldest daughter a large dowry, +and very soon she was happily married. + +When Nicholas saw how much happiness his golden bar had brought to the +poor nobleman, he determined that the second daughter should have a +dowry too. So he went as before and found the little window again open, +and was able to throw in the second golden bar as he had done the first. +This time the father was dreaming happily, and did not find the treasure +until he awoke in the morning. Soon afterwards the second daughter had +her dowry and was married too. + +The father now began to think that, after all, it was not usual for +golden bars to fall from heaven, and he wondered if by any chance +human hands had placed them in his room. The more he thought of it the +stranger it seemed, and he made up his mind to keep watch every night, +in case another golden bar should be sent as a portion for his youngest +daughter. + +And so when Nicholas went the third time and dropped the last bar +through the little window, the father came quickly out, and before +Nicholas had time to hide, caught him by his cloak. + +'O Nicholas,' he cried, 'is it thou who hast helped us in our need? +Why didst thou hide thyself?' And then he fell on his knees and began +to kiss the hands that had helped him so graciously. + +But Nicholas bade him stand up and give thanks to God instead; warning +him to tell no one the story of the golden bars. + +This was only one of the many kind acts Nicholas loved to do, and it was +no wonder that he was beloved by all who knew him. + +Soon afterwards Nicholas made up his mind to enter God's service as a +priest. He longed above all things to leave the world and live as a +hermit in the desert, but God came to him in a vision and told him he +must stay in the crowded cities and do his work among the people. Still +his desire to see the deserts and the hermits who lived there was so +great that he went off on a journey to Egypt and the Holy Land. But +remembering, what God had bade him do, he did not stay there, but +returned to his own country. + +On the way home a terrific storm arose, and it seemed as if the ship +he was in must be lost. The sailors could do nothing, and great waves +dashed over the deck, filling the ship with water. But just as all +had given up hope, Nicholas knelt and prayed to God to save them, and +immediately a calm fell upon the angry sea. The winds sank to rest and +the waves ceased to lash the sides of the ship so that they sailed +smoothly on, and all danger was past. + +Thus Nicholas returned home in safety, and went to live in the city of +Myra. His ways were so quiet and humble that no one knew much about him, +until it came to pass one day that the Archbishop of Myra died. Then all +the priests met to choose another archbishop, and it was made known to +them by a sign from heaven that the first man who should enter the church +next morning should be the bishop whom God had chosen. + +Now Nicholas used to spend most of his nights in prayer and always went +very early to church, so next morning just as the sun was rising and the +bells began to ring for the early mass, he was seen coming up to the +church door and was the first to enter. As he knelt down quietly to say +his prayers as usual, what was his surprise to meet a company of priests +who hailed him as their new archbishop, chosen by God to be their leader +and guide. So Nicholas was made Archbishop of Myra to the joy of all in +the city who knew and loved him. + +Not long after this there was great trouble in the town of Myra, for the +harvests of that country had failed and a terrible famine swept over +the land. Nicholas, as a good bishop should, felt the suffering of his +people as if it were his own, and did all he could to help them. + +He knew that they must have corn or they would die, so he went to the +harbour where two ships lay filled with grain, and asked the captains +if they would sell him their cargo. They told the bishop they would +willingly do so, but it was already sold to merchants of another country +and they dared not sell it over again. + +'Take no thought of that,' said Nicholas, 'only sell me some of thy corn +for my starving people, and I promise thee that there shall be nought +wanting when thou shalt arrive at thy journey's end.' + +The captains believed in the bishop's promise and gave him as much corn +as he asked. And behold! when they came to deliver their cargo to the +owners, there was not a bag lacking. + +It is said, too, that at the time of this famine there was a cruel +innkeeper in Myra who was wicked enough to catch little children and +pickle them in a great tub, pretending they were pork. It happened one +day as Nicholas was passing the inn-door that he heard the voices of +children crying for help. He went in very quickly and made his way to +the cellar whence the cries had come. There he found the poor children, +and not only rescued those who were alive, but by his prayers he brought +to life those who had already been killed and cast into the tub. + +Another time there were two men in Myra who had been unjustly condemned +to death, and it was told the bishop how greatly they stood in need of +his help. No one ever appealed to Nicholas in vain, and he went off at +once to the place of execution. The executioner was just about to raise +his sword, when Nicholas seized his arm and wrenched the sword away. +Then he set the poor prisoners free and told the judge that, if he dared +to deal so unjustly again, the wrath of heaven and of the Bishop of Myra +would descend upon him. + +[Illustration: HE WENT TO THE HARBOUR WHERE TWO SHIPS LAY.] + +There are many other stories told about the good bishop. Like his +Master, he ever went about doing good; and when he died, there were a +great many legends told about him, for the people loved to believe that +their bishop still cared for them and would come to their aid. We do not +know if all these legends are true, but they show how much Saint Nicholas +was loved and honoured even after his death, and how every one believed +in his power to help them. + +Here is one of the stories which all children who love Saint Nicholas +will like to hear. + +There was once a nobleman who had no children and who longed for a son +above everything else in the world. Night and day he prayed to Saint +Nicholas that he would grant him his request, and at last a son was +born. He was a beautiful child, and the father was so delighted and so +grateful to the saint who had listened to his prayers that, every year +on the child's birthday, he made a great feast in honour of Saint +Nicholas and a grand service was held in the church. + +Now the Evil One grew very angry each year when this happened, for it +made many people go to church and honour the good saint, neither of +which things pleased the Evil One at all. So each year he tried to think +of some plan that would put an end to these rejoicings, and he decided +at last that if only he could do some evil to the child, the parents +would blame Saint Nicholas and all would be well. + +It happened just then to be the boy's sixth birthday, and a greater +feast than ever was being held. It was late in the afternoon, and the +gardener and porter and all the servants were away keeping holiday too. +So no one noticed a curious-looking pilgrim who came and sat close +to the great iron gates which led into the courtyard. He had on the +ordinary robe of a poor pilgrim, but the hood was drawn so far over his +face that nothing but a dark shadow could be seen inside. And indeed +that was as well, for this pilgrim was a demon in disguise, and his +wicked, black face would have frightened any one who saw it. He could +not enter the courtyard for the great gates were always kept locked, +and, as you know, the porter was away that day, feasting with all the +other servants. + +But, before very long, the little boy grew weary of his birthday feast, +and having had all he wanted, he begged to be allowed to go to play in +the garden. His parents knew that the gardener always looked after him +there, so they told him he might go. They forgot that the gardener was +not there just then. + +The child played happily alone for some time and then wandered into the +courtyard, and looking out of the gate saw a poor pilgrim resting there. + +'What are you doing here?' asked the child, 'and why do you sit so still?' + +'I am a poor pilgrim,' answered the demon, trying to make his harsh +voice sound as gentle as possible, 'and I have come all the way from +Rome. I am resting here because I am so weary and footsore and have had +nothing to eat all day.' + +'I will let you in, and take you to my father,' said the child; 'this is +my birthday, and no one must go hungry to-day.' + +But the demon pretended he was too weak to walk, and begged the boy to +bring some food out to him. + +Then the child ran back to the banquet hall in a great hurry and said to +his father: + +'O father, there is a poor pilgrim from Rome sitting outside our gate, +and he is so hungry, may I take him some of my birthday feast?' + +The father was very pleased to think that his little son should care for +the poor and wish to be kind, so he willingly gave his permission and +told one of the servants to give the child all that he wanted. + +Then as the demon sat eating the good things, he began to question the +boy and tried to find out all that he could about him. + +'Do you often play in the garden?' he asked. + +'Oh yes,' said the child, 'I play there whenever I may, for in the midst +of the lawn there is a beautiful fountain, and the gardener makes me +boats to sail on the water.' + +'Will he make you one to-day?' asked the demon quickly. + +'He is not here to-day,' answered the child, 'for this is a holiday for +every one and I am quite alone.' + +Then the demon rose to his feet slowly and said he felt so much better +after the good food, that he thought he could walk a little, and would +like very much to come in and see the beautiful garden and the fountain +he had heard about. + +So the child climbed up and with great difficulty drew back the bolts. +The great gates swung open and the demon walked in. + +As they went along together towards the fountain, the child held out his +little hand to lead the pilgrim, but even the demon shrunk from touching +anything so pure and innocent, and folded his arms under his robe, so +that the child could only hold by a fold of his cloak. + +'What strange kind of feet you have,' said the child as they walked +along; 'they look as if they belonged to an animal.' + +'Yes, they are curious,' said the demon, 'but it is just the way they +are made.' + +Then the child began to notice the demon's hands, which were even more +curious than his feet, and just like the paws of a bear. But he was too +courteous to say anything about them, when he had already mentioned the +feet. + +Just then they came to the fountain, and with a sudden movement the +demon threw back his hood and showed his dreadful face. And before the +child could scream he was seized by those hairy hands and thrown into +the water. + +But just at that moment the gardener was returning to his work and saw +from a distance what had happened. He ran as fast as he could, but he +only got to the fountain in time to see the demon vanish, while the +child's body was floating on the water. Very quickly he drew him out, +and carried him, all dripping wet, up to the castle, where they tried to +bring him back to life. But alas! it all seemed of no use, he neither +moved nor breathed; and the day that had begun with such rejoicing, +ended in the bitterest woe. The poor parents were heart-broken, but they +did not quite lose hope and prayed earnestly to Saint Nicholas who had +given them the child, that he would restore their boy to them again. + +As they prayed by the side of the little bed where the body of the child +lay, they thought something moved, and to their joy and surprise the boy +opened his eyes and sat up, and in a short time was as well as ever. + +They asked him eagerly what had happened, and he told them all about +the pilgrim with the queer feet and hands, who had gone with him to +the fountain and had then thrown back his hood and shown his terrible +face. After that he could remember nothing until he found himself in a +beautiful garden, where the loveliest flowers grew. There were lilies +like white stars, and roses far more beautiful than any he had ever seen +in his own garden, and the leaves of the trees shone like silver and +gold. It was all so beautiful that for a while he forgot about his +home, and when he did remember and tried to find his way back, he grew +bewildered and did not know in what direction to turn. As he was looking +about, an old man came down the garden path and smiled so kindly upon +him that he trusted him at once. This old man was dressed in the robes +of a bishop, and had a long white beard and the sweetest old face the +child had ever seen. + +'Art thou searching for the way home?' the old man asked. 'Dost thou +wish to leave this beautiful garden and go back to thy father and +mother?' + +'I want to go home,' said the child, with a sob in his voice, 'but +I cannot find the way, and I am, oh, so tired of searching for it!' + +Then the old man stooped down and lifted him in his arms, and the child +laid his head on the old man's shoulder, and, weary with his wandering, +fell fast asleep and remembered nothing more till he woke up in his own +little bed. + +Then the parents knew that Saint Nicholas had heard their prayers and +had gone to fetch the child from the Heavenly Garden and brought him +back to them. + +So they were more grateful to the good saint than ever, and they loved +and honoured him even more than they had done before; which was all the +reward the demon got for his wicked doings. + +That is one of the many stories told after the death of Saint Nicholas, +and it ever helped and comforted his people to think that, though they +could no longer see him, he would love and protect them still. + +Young maidens in need of help remembered the story of the golden bars +and felt sure the good saint would not let them want. Sailors tossing +on the stormy waves thought of that storm which had sunk to rest at +the prayer of Saint Nicholas. Poor prisoners with no one to take their +part were comforted by the thought of those other prisoners whom he had +saved. And little children perhaps have remembered him most of all, +for when the happy Christmas time draws near, who is so much in their +thoughts as Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, as they call him? Perhaps +they are a little inclined to think of him as some good magician who +comes to fill their stockings with gifts, but they should never forget +that he was the kind bishop who, in olden days, loved to make the little +ones happy. There are some who think that even now he watches over and +protects little children, and for that reason he is called their patron +saint. + + + + +SAINT FAITH + + +Among the many martyrs who long ago gave up their lives, rather than +deny their Master, we love to remember one little maid--a child-martyr +and saint. We do not know a great deal about her, for she lived so very +long ago, but what we know makes us love and honour her, and speak her +name with reverence. + +Faith was the name of this little maiden, and her home was in France, in +the pleasant country of Aquitaine. Her parents were rich and noble, and +she was brought up carefully, and taught to be courteous and gentle to +every one. But she did not need much teaching, for her nature was sweet +and pure, and her face was fair, with the beauty that shines from within. + +The town in which little Faith lived was called Agen, and lay at the +foot of a high rugged hill, which seemed to keep guard over it. It +was a quiet little place, and most of the people who dwelt there were +Christians, living happily together with the good bishop at their head. + +But one day a heavy cloud of dust was seen rolling along the highroad +that led over the mountains to the city gates. And messengers came +running breathlessly into the town, warning the people that a great +company of soldiers was marching towards them. It was thought they had +come from Spain, and the news spread like wildfire through the town that +Dacian, the cruellest governor of all that country, was riding at their +head. + +In fear and trembling the people waited. They stood in little knots, +talking under their breath of all the evil this man had done; or +shutting themselves into their houses, they scarcely dared to look out +at the windows. And soon the great company came sweeping in, swords +clattering and armour glittering in the sunshine, rough soldiers +laughing carelessly as they rode past the frightened faces. And at their +head a cruel, evil-looking man who glared from side to side, as if he +were a wild beast seeking his prey. + +Doubtless it pleased him to see how every one trembled before him, and +he smiled scornfully to think how easy a task it would be to teach these +Christians to deny their God and drag their faith in the dust. + +And soon the reason of his coming was known to all, for he ordered it to +be proclaimed in the market-place, that every Christian who refused to +sacrifice to the heathen gods should be tortured and put to death. And +to make his meaning quite plain, the soldiers spread out all the +terrible instruments of torture, so that men might know exactly what lay +before them if they refused to deny Christ. + +But in the night the terrified Christians stole silently out of the +town, and climbing the high hill that overlooked the city, they hid +themselves in the great caves among the rocks. + +Scarcely any one was left behind: even the good bishop was afraid to +stay and face the danger, and it seemed as if Christ would have no one +to fight on His side against the evil company. + +But when morning came, and the furious Dacian discovered that every one +had fled, he sent his soldiers to search and bring any who might remain +hidden in the city, that he might wreak his vengeance on them. + +And among the few that were left they brought to him the little maid +Faith. She was only a little child, but she did not know what fear +meant. + +'You cannot hurt me,' she said, looking at the cruel, angry faces around +her, 'because I am not yours, but God's.' + +And then she signed herself with the sign of the cross, and with bent +head prayed: + +'Lord Jesus, teach my lips to answer their questions aright, so that +I may do Thee no dishonour.' + +Then Dacian looked in anger at the child standing there with clasped +hands and steadfast eyes, and asked her roughly: + +'What is thy name?' + +'My name is Faith,' the little maid replied with gentle courtesy. + +'And what God dost thou serve?' asked the cruel governor. + +'I am a Christian, and I serve the Lord Christ,' replied the child. + +'Deny Him, and sacrifice to our gods,' thundered the governor, 'else +shalt thou endure every kind of torture, until there is no life left +in thy young body.' + +But Faith stood with head erect and hands clasped tight together. +Not even the ugly instruments of torture could frighten her. + +'I serve the Lord Christ,' she said, 'and you cannot hurt me, because +I am His.' + +Such a little maid she was, standing there among those rough, cruel men, +offering her life gladly for the faith of her Master. Such a few years +she had spent in this bright world, and so many stretched in front, +holding pleasures and promises in store. And now she must give up all, +must put aside the little white robe and golden sandals, and take +instead the robe of suffering, and go barefoot to meet the pain and +torture that awaited her. + +And though they scourged her, and made her suffer many cruel torments, +they could not bend her will, nor break her faith. Indeed it seemed as +if she did not feel the pain and anguish. + +And God stooped down, and gathered the little faithful soul into His +bosom. And when the people looked, the child was dead. + +But in the cave among the mountains that very day the bishop sat, sad +and troubled. + +He was gazing away across the plain to where the town lay half hidden in +the mist, thinking of those faithful few who had chosen to stay behind. +And suddenly the mist broke in front, and a vision stood out clear +before him. He saw the child Faith being scourged and tortured; he saw +the flames leaping around her, and then, as he looked again, lo! her +head was encircled with a golden crown set with precious stones, each +jewel sparkling with light. And from heaven a white dove came gently +flying down, and rested on the child's head, while from its wings a soft +dew fell that quenched the flames. + +And as the vision faded, the bishop bowed his head in his hands and +wept. The thought of what this child had dared to endure for her Master, +while he had shrunk from suffering aught for His sake, filled his heart +with shame. He could not stay there in safety while any of his people +might suffer as she had done. + +So that night he returned to the city to help and comfort the few +remaining Christians. Before long he too was called upon to suffer death +for his Lord, and many others gave themselves up, led by the example of +little Faith. + +Some say that even the rough soldiers were touched by the child's death, +and many became Christians. They began to think that such a religion was +worth living for, if it could teach even a child to die so bravely. + +And so, though she lived such a short time on earth, she did a very +wonderful work for God, and we call her now Saint Faith, thinking often +of her as we read these words: + +'A little child shall lead them.' + + + + +SAINT COSMO AND SAINT DAMIAN + + +It is difficult sometimes to learn a great deal about the saints who +lived a very long time ago. So few people knew how to read or write in +those old days, and the only way they had of remembering and handing on +what was interesting was to tell it to their children; then these little +ones, when they were grown up, would repeat it again to other little +children, and so the stories were not forgotten. + +But sometimes one thing would be left out and sometimes another, or +different people would add wonderful stories of their own, which would +become part of the true story. And so, when at last these histories come +to us, we find we have lost a great deal, and perhaps not gained very +much. + +The two saints, to whose story we are going to listen to-day, are of +this long-ago time, and the history of their lives has almost faded +from men's memories. But whoever happens to go to Florence, that city of +flowers, where the old Medici family has left its mark on every corner, +will see the portraits of our two saints wherever they go. For the old +painters loved to tell the saint-stories in their own beautiful way, +and to-day the little dark-eyed Italian children can read them without +books, for they are told more plainly and far more beautifully than in +any written story. + +Cosmo and Damian were brothers, and were born in Arabia three hundred +years after Christ. When they were quite little boys their father died, +and they were left alone with their mother. She was a Christian, and +taught her boys, as soon as they were old enough to understand, that +though they had no earthly father, God was their Father in heaven. +She told them that the great King of Heaven and Earth called them His +children, and he who could do a mean or cruel act, or stain his honour +by an untruthful word, was not worthy to be called a King's son. And +because they were noble she taught them that they must do noble deeds, +bravely defend and protect the weak, and help those who could not help +themselves. + +So the boys grew up straight and strong in mind and body. Their +bitterest punishment was to feel that they had done anything unworthy +of their King, and although they often made mistakes and did wrong +thoughtlessly, they never went far astray since God's honour was their +own. + +Their mother was rich, for their father had had great possessions, but +there were so many poor and suffering people around their home that it +was almost impossible to help them all. So the boys learned early to +deny themselves in many ways, and often gave up their own dinner to +the starving poor. In that land there was a great deal of sickness and +suffering, and this was a great trouble to Cosmo and Damian. They could +not bear to see people in pain, and be unable to help them. They often +thought about this, and at last determined to learn all about medicine, +and become doctors, so that they might at least soften suffering when +they could not cure it. + +After years of patient study they learned to be very clever doctors, and +their kind hearts and gentle hands soothed and comforted those who were +in pain, even when skill could do nothing for them. + +They visited rich and poor alike, and would take no money for their +services, for they said it was payment enough to know they had been able +to make the worlds suffering a little less. + +And it was not only people they cared for, but God's dumb creatures too. +If any animal was in pain, they would treat it as gently and carefully +as if it had been a human being. Indeed, they were perhaps even more +pitiful towards animals, for they said: + +'People who can speak and complain of their ills are greatly to be +pitied, but these dumb creatures, made by our King, can only suffer in +silence, and surely their suffering will be required at our hands.' + +It ever seemed strange to these great men that boys who would scorn to +ill-treat a younger child, or take mean advantage of a weak one, would +still think nothing of staining their honour by ill-treating an animal, +infinitely weaker and smaller, and less able to protect itself. It was +one of the few things that raised the wrath of these gentle doctor +saints. + +[Illustration: BUT COSMO TURNED AND WALKED AWAY.] + +Now it happened that a poor woman who had been ill for many years heard +of the fame of the two young doctors, and sent to implore them to come +to help her. She believed that though her illness seemed incurable these +good men might heal her. + +Cosmo and Damian were touched by her faith, and they went at once, and +did for her all that their skill could devise, and, moreover, prayed +that God would bless their efforts. + +To the wonder of all, the woman began to grow better, and very soon was +completely cured. In her great gratitude she offered all that she had +in payment to the two doctors, but they told her that they could take +nothing. Then she humbly offered them a little bag in which were three +eggs, praying them not to go away from her quite empty-handed. But Cosmo +turned and walked away and would not so much as even look at what she +offered, for it was a very strict rule with the brothers that they +should accept no payment or reward of any kind. Then the woman caught at +a fold of Damian's cloak as he also turned to go and begged him, for the +love of Christ, to take her little gift. + +When Damian heard the name of his Master, he paused, and then took the +present and courteously thanked the poor woman. + +But when Cosmo saw what Damian had done he was very wrathful, and that +night he refused to sleep with him, and said that henceforth they would +be no longer brothers. + +But in the stillness of the night God came to Cosmo and said: + +'My son, wherefore art thou so wrathful with thy brother?' + +'Because he hath taken reward for our services,' said Cosmo, 'and Thou +knowest, Lord, that we receive no payment but from Thee.' + +'But was it not in My name that he took the offering?' asked the voice. +'Because that poor woman gave it for love of Me, thy brother did well to +accept it.' + +Then Cosmo awoke in great joy and hurried to the bedside of his brother, +and there begged his forgiveness for having misjudged him so sorely. And +so they were happy together once more, and ate the eggs right merrily. + +In those days there were many pilgrims passing through Arabia, and +because the journey was hard and most of them were poor, they often fell +ill and came under the care of Cosmo and Damian. One night a poor man +was brought in, fainting and fever-stricken. He lay on the bed with his +thin, grey face pinched and worn with suffering, and the kind doctors +feared that he would die. + +All night they sat by his bedside doing everything that their skill +could plan to ease his pain, and they only smiled when the poor man said +in his faint, low voice: + +'Why do you take all this trouble for a poor pilgrim, who has nothing +wherewith to repay you?' + +'We would not take thy payment if thou hadst all the riches in the +world,' answered the doctors, 'for we receive payment only from our +King.' + +Then when the first pale light of dawn began to steal through the little +window, and the doctors anxiously watched the still form lying there, +they started with surprise. For the face seemed to change in an instant, +and instead of the bed of suffering they saw a cloud of glory; out of +the midst of which Christ's face, infinitely tender, looked upon them; +and His hands touched their heads in blessing as He said: + +'All the riches of the world are indeed mine though I seemed but a poor +pilgrim. I was sick and ye visited me, and surely shall ye receive +payment from your King.' + +Then Cosmo and Damian knelt in worship and thanked their Lord that they +had been counted worthy to minister to His need. + +But soon the fame of Cosmo and Damian began to be spread abroad, and the +wicked Proconsul of Arabia heard about their good deeds. As soon as he +knew they were Christians, and helped the poor and suffering, he was +filled with rage, and sent and ordered that the two brothers should be +cast alive into the sea. + +Immediately Cosmo and Damian were seized and led up to the steep cliffs, +and the guards bound them hand and foot. Not a complaint escaped their +lips, not a sign of fear, as the soldiers raised them on high and flung +them over into the cruel sea, far below. But as the crowd above watched +to see them sink, a great fear and amazement seized the soldiers, for +from the calm blue sea they beheld the brothers rise slowly and walk +towards the shore, led by an angel who guided them with loving care until +they were safe on land. + +In a greater rage than ever, the Proconsul ordered that a great fire +should be made and that the brothers should be cast into the midst of +it and burnt to death. + +But though the fire roared and blazed before Cosmo and Damian were +cast in; as soon as it touched them it died down and nothing could make +it burn again. It seemed as if God's good gifts refused to injure His +servants. + +After that they were bound to two crosses and the soldiers were ordered +to stone them. But the stones did no harm to those two patient figures, +but instead fell backwards and injured the men who threw them. + +Then every one cried out that they were enchanters, and it was ordered +that to make sure of their death they should be beheaded. + +So the work of the two saint doctors was finished on earth, but for many +years afterwards those who were ill would pray to these saints for their +protection. + +There is a legend which tells how a poor man in Rome had a leg which the +doctors feared would cause his death. So he prayed to Saint Cosmo and +Saint Damian and asked them to help him in his need. And that night when +he was asleep, he saw the doctor saints standing at his bedside in their +red robes and caps trimmed with fur. One held a knife and the other a +pot of ointment. + +'What shall we do to replace this leg when we have cut it off?' asked +Saint Cosmo. + +[Illustration: AN ANGEL GUIDED THEM WITH LOVING CARE.] + +'A black man has just died and been buried near here,' answered Saint +Damian. 'He no longer needs his legs, so let us take one of them and put +it on instead.' + +So they cut off the bad leg and fetched the leg of the black man, and +with the ointment joined it on to the living man. + +And when he awoke he believed he must have dreamt about the visit +of the saints, but when he looked at his leg, behold! it was black and +perfectly sound and well. Then they sent and searched for the black +body, and on it they found a white leg. So the man knew that the doctor +saints had heard his prayers, and had come to cure him. + +That is one of the wonderful stories which have grown up round the names +of Saint Cosmo and Saint Damian. + +While we cannot tell if these things really happened, this we do surely +know to be true, that these two brothers, who lived in an age when men +were cruel and selfish, spent their whole lives in trying to help those +who suffered pain, and then went bravely to death in the service of +their King. And though we know but little about them, they have left us +an example of patient kindliness and helpfulness; and they teach us that +as servants of their King we also are bound in honour to protect the +weak and help those who suffer, whether they are people like ourselves +or God's dumb creatures. + + + + +SAINT MARTIN + + +It was a cold winter's day in the city of Amiens, and the wind swept +along the great Roman road outside the city gates with such an icy blast +that the few people who were out of doors wrapped themselves closer in +their cloaks, and longed for their sheltering homes and warm firesides. + +But there was one poor old man who had no cloak to wrap around him, and +no fireside of which to dream. He shivered as the searching wind came +sweeping past him, and his half-blind eyes looked eagerly up and down +the road to see if any one was coming who might help him in his need. +One by one the people hurried past and paid no heed to the beggar's +outstretched hand. It was much too cold to stop or to think of giving +help, and not even a beggar could expect it on such a day as this. So +they left the poor old man hungry and cold and homeless. + +Then a young soldier came riding past, but the beggar scarcely thought +of asking alms of him, for the Roman soldiers were not the kind of men +to trouble themselves about the poor and suffering. + +The old man closed his eyes, weary and hopeless, for it seemed as if +there was none to help nor pity him. Then in a moment he felt a warm +cloak thrown around his shoulders, and in his ears sounded a kind voice +which bade him wrap it close around him to keep out the cold. + +Half bewildered the beggar looked up, and saw the young soldier bending +over him. He had dismounted from his horse and held a sword in his hand, +with which he had just cut his own cloak in half, that he might share it +with the shivering old man. + +The passers-by laughed and hurried on, but the soldier did not care if +they mocked him, for he was quite happy to think he had helped one who +needed help so sorely. + +The name of this young soldier was Martin, and he served in the Roman +army with his father, who was a famous general. Most of Martin's +fellow-soldiers were pagans, but he was a Christian, and served the +emperor well, because he served Christ first. + +The very night after Martin had divided his cloak with the beggar he +had a dream, in which he saw his Master, Christ, among the holy angels, +wearing the half cloak which Martin had given away that afternoon. +And as he looked, he heard Christ's voice speaking to the angels, and +saying: + +'Know ye who hath clothed Me with this cloak? My servant Martin, who is +yet unbaptized, hath done this.' + +Then Martin awoke, and he did not rest until Christ's seal of baptism +was set upon his brow, and he felt that he had enlisted truly in God's +service. + +Now Martin knew that to be God's servant meant doing everything day +by day as well as it could be done, and serving his earthly master as +faithfully and diligently as he tried to serve his heavenly commander. +So it came to pass that for all the fourteen years he served in the +emperor's army, he was known as the best and bravest soldier, and one +who had never failed to do his duty. + +But as he began to grow old, he longed to serve God in other ways, and +so he went to the emperor and asked for permission to leave the army. + +There was war going on just then, for Rome was ever fighting with the +barbarians who came up against her, and the emperor was very angry when +he heard Martin's request. + +'You seek to leave the army because you fear to fight,' he said +scornfully to Martin, who stood silently before him. 'A Roman soldier +should scorn to be a coward.' + +'I am no coward,' answered Martin and he met with unflinching look the +angry gaze of the emperor. 'Place me alone in the front of the battle, +with no weapon but the cross alone, and I shall not fear to meet the +enemy single-handed and unarmed.' + +'Well said,' answered the emperor quickly; 'we will take thee at thy +word. To-morrow thou shalt stand defenceless before the enemy, and so +shall we judge of thy boasted courage.' + +Then the emperor ordered his guards to watch Martin that night lest he +should try to escape before the trial could be made. But Martin had +no thought of escape, and was ready and eager to do as he had said. + +Meanwhile, however, the enemy began to fear that they had no chance +against the Roman army; and very early in the morning, they sent +messengers to ask for peace, offering to give themselves up to the +mercy of the emperor. + +So Martin was set at liberty, and no one doubted his courage and +faithfulness; since they believed that his faith in God had brought +peace, and given them the victory over their enemies. + +Soon after this Martin was allowed to leave the army, and he journeyed +from place to place telling those who had never heard it before the good +news of Jesus Christ. + +In those days it was dangerous to go among the mountains unarmed, for +robbers and brigands made their home there, and would swoop down on +unsuspecting travellers and rob or murder them. + +But Martin took no companions with him, and with no weapon but the +cross, he climbed the mountain roads defenceless and alone. + +One day, as he journeyed, a company of brigands appeared suddenly, as +if they had started out of the rocks. They seized him roughly, and one +of them aimed a blow at his head with an axe. But before the blow could +fall, another robber turned the axe aside and claimed Martin as his +prisoner. Then they tied his hands behind him and bound him fast, while +they made up their minds which would be the best way to kill him. + +But Martin sat calm and untroubled, and seemed to have no fear of these +terrible men. + +'What is thy name, and who art thou?' asked the brigand who had claimed +Martin as his prisoner. + +'I am a Christian,' answered Martin simply. + +'And art thou not afraid of the tortures which await thee, that thou +dost seem so calm and fearless?' asked the robber, wondering at the +peaceful look upon the prisoner's face. + +'I fear nothing that thou canst do to me,' answered Martin, 'for I am a +servant of the great King, and He will defend His own. But I do indeed +grieve for thee, because thou livest by robbery and violence, and art +therefore unworthy of the mercy of my Lord.' + +The astonished robber asked him what he meant, and who this great King +was whom he served; so Martin told him the whole story of God's love, +and of the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. + +No words so wonderful had ever been spoken to this brigand before, and +as he listened he believed that what Martin said was true. The first +thing he did was to cut the rope which bound his prisoner's hands and to +set him free; and after that he led him in safety through the mountain +passes, until he reached a road that led to the plains below. + +Here they parted, and the brigand knelt and asked Martin to pray for +him that he might lead a new life. So there was one less robber on that +lonely road, and one more Christian fighting the battles of the Lord. + +Although Martin loved to dwell in lonely places, he was always ready to +go where he was most needed, and so a great part of his life was spent +in busy towns. When he was made Bishop of Tours and could no longer live +in the solitude he loved, still he strove to be the best bishop it was +possible to become, just as when he was a soldier he tried to be as good +a soldier as he knew how to be. + +Now Martin was growing an old man, yet he was very little changed since +that long ago day when he divided his cloak with the poor beggar outside +the gates of Amiens. It is said that one day when he was serving at +the altar, in all his beautiful bishop's robes, he saw a ragged beggar +standing near shivering with cold. At first he bade his deacon give +him clothing, but the deacon was too slow to please the kind heart of +the bishop, and so he went himself and took off his gold-embroidered +vestment and put it tenderly round the shoulders of the beggar. Then +as the service went on, and the bishop held up the holy chalice, the +kneeling crowd saw with wonder that angels were hovering round and were +hanging chains of gold upon the upraised arms to cover them, because the +robe Martin had given to the beggar had left them bare. + +Now the Evil One looked with great mistrust and disfavour upon Martin, +for the good bishop won more souls by his love and gentleness than the +Evil One cared to lose. All the preaching and sternness of other good +men were not half so dangerous to the plans of the Evil One as the pity +and kindness of Martin. So one day the Evil One met Martin and began to +mock at him. + +'Thy faith is beautiful indeed,' he said scornfully; 'but how long do +thy sinners remain saints? They have but to pretend a little sorrow for +their sins, and lo! in thy eyes they are immediately saved.' + +'Oh, poor, miserable Spirit that thou art!' answered Martin. 'Dost thou +not know that our Saviour refuses none who turn to Him? Even thou, if +thou wouldst but repent, might find mercy with my Lord.' + +The Evil One did not stop to answer the bishop, but disappeared with +great swiftness. Later on he returned, as we shall see. + +The fame of Martin's life spread far and near, and the rich as well as +the poor did him honour. The emperor and empress invited him over and +over again to come to their court, but Martin steadily refused, for he +loved best to work among the poor. + +A time came, however, when he saw that he might do great good if he +could persuade the emperor to cease from persecuting the Christians; and +so at last he agreed to attend a banquet at the palace and to be the +emperor's guest. + +Everything was as gorgeous and splendid as possible, for the emperor +wished to do honour to the bishop, who was the one man who dared to +speak truly to him and not to flatter him with mere words. + +But Martin scarcely seemed to notice all the grandeur and brilliance +of the entertainment. And when, at the banquet, the emperor took the +wine-cup and passed it to his guest, expecting him to bless it and +respectfully hand it back, Martin turned quietly round instead, and +passed the jewelled cup to a poor priest who stood behind. This he did +to show the astonished emperor that in his eyes the poorest of God's +servants was to be considered before the greatest ruler upon earth. + +It was not long after this that the Evil One again visited Martin. +But this time he disguised himself that he might not be known. + +It was evening and Martin was praying in his cell, when a bright light +filled the place, and in the midst of the light he saw a figure clad in +royal robes and with a crown of gold and jewels upon his head. His face +was shining and beautiful, so that no one could have guessed he was the +Evil One. Martin could only gaze upon him in dazzled silence, for his +shining beauty was beyond all words. + +Then the Evil One spoke, and the sound of his voice was like music. + +'Martin,' he said, 'dost thou not see that I am Christ? I have come +again upon earth, and it is to thee that I have first showed myself.' + +But Martin still gazed silently at him and answered nothing. + +'Martin,' said the Evil One again, 'why dost thou not believe? Canst +thou not see that I am Christ?' + +Then Martin answered slowly: + +'It seemeth strange to me that my Lord should come in glittering +clothing and a golden crown. Unless thou canst show the marks of the +nails and spear, I cannot believe that thou art He.' + +At these words, with a horrible thunder-clap, the Evil One disappeared, +and Martin saw him no more. + +Years passed, and Martin lived a long and useful life; but he was +growing weary now, and when God's call came, he gladly prepared to enter +into his rest, and to leave the world where he had laboured so long and +faithfully. + +The night that Martin died he was seen in a vision by one of his friends +who loved him more than all the rest. The saint's robe was shining white +and his eyes were like stars and, as the friend knelt and worshipped, he +felt a soft touch upon his head and heard a voice that blessed him ere +the vision faded. + +And so Martin finished his earthly work, and went to hear from his +Master's lips the gracious words: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' + + + + +SAINT GEORGE + + +Every nation has its own patron saint whom the people love to honour, +and who is looked upon not only as their protector in war and peace, but +as a model of all that is best and highest and most worthy to be copied +in their own lives. + +Ever since the days of the Crusades, when our lion-hearted King Richard +went to fight the infidels in the Holy Land, the special saint whom +England has delighted to honour has been Saint George. 'For Saint George +and Merrie England' rang out the old battle-cry; and the greatest honour +which our kings can bestow--the Order of the Garter--is really the Order +of Saint George, and bears upon it the picture of his great adventure. +And when you have heard the story of Saint George you will not wonder +that England took him for her special saint, and as an example for all +her sons to follow. + +Saint George was born far away in Cappadocia, in the year 303 A.D. His +father and mother were nobles of that country and were also Christians, +although they lived under the rule of the heathen Emperor Diocletian. + +Saint George's father, who was a soldier, was often away in the service +of the emperor. So it was the mother who had most to do with the care +and training of their only son. It must have been, then, from her that +the boy learned that gentle reverence towards all women, which made him +their protector and champion all his life. + +When he was seventeen, he too became a soldier like his father, and +the shining sword, which he then buckled on, was kept all his life as +stainless as his honour. He never drew it in a wrong cause, but held it +as a trust given to him to defend the right and protect the weak and +helpless. + +Now in the same country there was a city called Selem, whose people had +once been as happy and prosperous as any in the land, but which was now +the most miserable spot in all the world. + +The city itself was beautiful with splendid palaces and gay gardens, +and the king who ruled there was wise and good. But outside the city +wall stretched a grey, sullen-looking lake, half marsh and half stagnant +water, and in this gloomy bog there lived a dreadful monster called a +dragon. No one knew exactly what he was like, for those who were so +unfortunate as to have been near enough to see him plainly had been +killed by his fiery breath, which came rolling out from his great +yawning throat. He did not seem to walk nor to fly, although he had +what looked like wings and huge flat feet, but always moved along with +a crawling motion most horribly swift. + +Nothing was safe from this terrible monster. One by one the sheep and +oxen belonging to the city were devoured by him, and when the people +had no more food to give him, he crawled towards the city, and his +dreadful fiery breath warned them that he was coming closer and that +they would soon be carried off, one by one, and devoured. + +In their despair and terror, the king and all the people agreed to cast +lots each day; and it was settled that the one on whom the lot fell +should be put outside the gates to feed the monster, so that the rest +might live in safety. This was done for many days, and the grief and +suffering in that city was terrible to behold. But the darkest day of +all was when the lot fell upon Cleodolinda, the king's only daughter. +She was very beautiful, and the king loved her more than all else +beside, so in his anguish he called his people together, and in a +trembling voice, his grey head bowed with grief, he spoke to them: + +'She is my only child--I cannot give her up. Take rather all my gold and +jewels, even the half of my kingdom; only spare my daughter, the one +treasure of my heart.' + +But the people were very angry, and would not listen to the king, for +they too had lost their children, and it made them savage and cruel. + +'We will not spare the princess,' they growled in low threatening tones; +'we have given up our own children, and why shouldst thou withhold +thine? Didst thou not agree with us to cast the lots? Why shouldst thou +make one law for us and another for thyself?' + +And they threatened to burn down the palace and kill both the king and +Cleodolinda if she was not given up to them at once. + +Then the king saw there was no hope of deliverance, and he promised that +in eight days the princess should be ready for the sacrifice. Those +were eight sad days at the palace, for all was dark and hopeless there, +and the only person who did not give way to despair was the Princess +Cleodolinda herself. She spent her time trying to comfort her father, +and told him she had no fear, but rather that she was glad to think she +was to die to save his people. + +So the fatal day arrived when the monster was to be fed, and the +princess came out to meet the crowd stately and calm, dressed in her +royal robes as befitted a king's daughter. And when she bade farewell to +her father, she went forth alone, and the gates of the city were shut +behind her. + +Now it happened that at the very time that Cleodolinda went out to meet +the dragon, and just as she heard the city gates clang heavily behind +her, Saint George came riding past on his way to join his soldiers. +His shining armour and great spear were the only bright things in +that gloomy place; but the princess did not see him, for her eyes were +blinded with tears, and even when he galloped up close to her she did +not hear him, for the ground was soft and marshy, and his horse's hoofs +made scarcely a sound as he rode past. + +Slowly the princess walked along the desolate way towards the sullen +grey lake, where the monster was waiting for his meal. The path was +strewn with bones, and no grass grew for miles around, for the fiery +blast of the dragon's breath withered everything it passed over. +Cleodolinda never dreamed that help was near, and started in amazement +when she heard a kind voice speaking to her, and looking up, saw through +her tears a young knight on horseback, gazing at her with pitying eyes. +She thought that he had the handsomest, kindest face she had ever seen, +and the gentlest and most courteous manner, as he leaned towards her, +and asked her why she wept, and wherefore she was wandering alone in +this dismal place. + +Cleodolinda told him in a few words the whole sad story, and pointed +with trembling hand towards the distant marsh, where already a dark form +might be seen crawling slowly out of the grey water. + +'See, there he comes!' she cried, in sudden terror. 'Ride fast, kind +knight, and escape while there is time, for if the monster finds thee +here, he will kill thee.' + +'And dost thou think I would ride off in safety, and leave thee to +perish?' asked Saint George. + +'Thou canst do nothing,' answered the princess, wringing her hands; 'for +nought can prevail against this terrible dragon. Thou wilt but perish +needlessly in trying to save me, so, I pray thee, fly while there is +time.' + +'God forbid that I should act in so cowardly a manner,' answered Saint +George. 'I will fight this hideous creature, and, by God's help and the +strength of my good sword, I will conquer him and deliver thee.' + +And while he was still speaking, the air was filled with a horrible +choking smoke, and the dragon came swiftly towards them, half-crawling +and half-flying, his eyes gleaming, and his mouth opened wide to devour +them. + +With a swift prayer for help, Saint George made the sign of the cross, +and grasping his great spear firmly, spurred his horse and rode straight +at the monster. The combat was a long and terrible one, and the princess, +as she watched from behind a sheltering tree, trembled for the safety +of the brave knight, and gave up all for lost. + +But at last Saint George made a swift forward rush, and drove his spear +right down the great throat of the monster, and out at the back of his +head, pinning him securely to the ground. Then he called to the princess +to give him her girdle, and this he tied to each end of the spear, so +that it seemed like a great bridle, and with it Cleodolinda led the +vanquished dragon back towards the city. + +Inside the city gates all the people had been weeping and wailing over +the fate of the princess, which they feared might any day be their own, +and they dared not look out or open the gates until the monster had +had time to carry off his victim. So their terror and dismay was great +indeed when the news spread like wildfire that some one had seen the +great monster come crawling towards the town, instead of returning to +his home in the dismal swamp. + +[Illustration: S. GEORGE RODE STRAIGHT AT THE MONSTER.] + +They all crowded, trembling with fear, around the watch-tower upon the +walls, to see if the dragon was really on his way to attack the city; +and when they saw the great dark mass moving slowly towards them they +thought that the end was come, for they could not see Saint George nor +the princess, and did not know that she was leading the dragon a +vanquished prisoner. + +So it was all in vain for a long time that Saint George thundered at +the city gates, and demanded that they should be opened. Even when the +people saw that the princess was safe and that a knight was with her, +while the monster lay quiet at their feet as if half-dead, they still +hesitated to open the gates, so great was their terror and astonishment. + +But when they were quite sure that the dragon was bound and could do +them no harm, they threw open the gates, and every one crowded to see +the wonderful sight, still half-doubting if it could be true, and +looking with fear upon the great beast which the princess led by her +girdle fastened to the spear of Saint George. + +Then the king came in haste from his palace to meet his daughter, and +never was a morning of sorrow turned into such a day of joy. + +Saint George and the Princess Cleodolinda led the dragon into the +market-place, followed by the wondering crowd; and there Saint George +drew his sword and cut off the head of the hideous monster. Then were +the people sure that they were indeed delivered from their great enemy +for ever, and they burst forth into wild rejoicings. They would have +given all they possessed to Saint George in their joy and gratitude; +but he told them that the only reward he desired was that they should +believe in the true God, and be baptized Christians. It was not difficult +to believe in the God who had helped Saint George to do this great deed, +and very soon the king and the princess and all the people were baptized +as Saint George desired. + +Then the king presented the brave knight with great treasures of gold +and jewels, but all these Saint George gave to the poor and went his +way; keeping nought for himself but his own good sword and spear, ready +to defend the right and protect the weak as he had served the princess +in her need. + +But when he returned to his own city he found that the emperor had +written a proclamation against the Christians, and it was put up in all +the market-places and upon the doors of the temples, and all who were +Christians were hiding in terror, and dared not show themselves openly. + +Then Saint George was filled with righteous anger, and tore down the +proclamations in all the public places, and trampled them under foot. He +was seized immediately by the guards and carried before the proconsul, +who ordered him to be tortured and then put to death. + +But nothing could shake the courage of this brave knight, and through +all the tortures he bore himself as a gallant Christian should, and met +his death with such bravery and calm joy that even his enemies were +amazed at his courage. + +And so through the many dark ages that followed, when the weak were +oppressed and women needed a knight's strong arm to protect them, men +remembered Saint George, and the very thought of him nerved their arms +and made their courage firm. And boys learned from him that it was a +knightly thing to protect the weak, and to guard all maidens from harm; +and that a pure heart, a firm trust in good and true courage could meet +and overcome any monster, however terrible and strong. + +And of all nations it befits us most that our men and boys should be +brave and courteous; for Saint George is our own patron saint, the model +of all that an English knight should be. + + + + +SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI + + +In the sunny land of Italy, high upon hills covered with olive-trees, +nestles the little town of Assisi. Such a strange little town it is, +with its tall city walls and great gateways, its narrow, steep streets, +and houses with wide, overhanging eaves. The road that leads up from +the plain below is so steep, as it winds upwards among the silver +olive-trees, that even the big white oxen find it a toil to drag the +carts up to the city gates, and the people think it quite a journey +to go down to the level land below. + +Now, it was in this same little hill-town, many years ago, that Saint +Francis was born. + +They did not know that he was going to be a great saint--this little, +dark-eyed Italian baby, who came to gladden his mother's heart one +autumn day in the long ago year of 1182, when his father, Pietro +Bernardone, was away in France. He seemed just like any other baby, and +only his mother, perhaps, thought him the most wonderful baby that ever +was born. (But mothers always think that, even if their babies do not +grow up to be real saints.) She called him Giovanni at first, but when +his father came home he named the little son Francesco, which means +'the Frenchman,' because he was so pleased with all the money he had +made in France. So the child from that day was always called Francesco, +which is his real Italian name, although we in England call him Francis. + +Soon he grew into a happy, daring boy, the leader in all the games and +every kind of fun. He was the pride of his father and mother, and the +favourite of the whole town; for although he was never out of mischief, +he never did a cruel or unkind thing, and was ever ready to give away +all he had to those who needed help. + +And when he grew older he was still the gayest of all the young men +of Assisi, and wore the costliest and most beautiful clothes, for his +father had a great deal of money and grudged him nothing. + +Then came a sad day when Francis fell sick, and for a while they feared +that he must die. But, although he grew slowly better, he was never +quite the same Francis again. He did not care about his gay companions, +or the old happy life. There was real work to be done in the world, he +was sure. Perhaps some special work was waiting for his hand, and with +wistful eyes he was ever looking for a sign that would show him what +that work was to be. + +Walking one day along the winding road, dreaming dreams as he gazed far +across the misty plains, catching glimpses of far-away blue mountains +through the silver screen of the olive-trees, he was stopped by a poor +old beggar, who asked him for the love of God to help him. + +Francis started from his day-dreams, and recognised the man as an old +soldier who had fought for his country with courage and honour. + +Without stopping to think for a moment, Francis took off his gay cloak +and tenderly wrapped it round the shoulders of the shivering old man. + +He never thought that any reward would be given him for his kind action, +but that very night Christ came to him in a glorious vision, and, +leading him by the hand, showed him a great palace full of shining +weapons and flags of victory, each one marked with the sign of the +cross. Then, as Francis stood gazing at these wonderful things, he heard +the voice of Christ telling him that these were the rewards laid up for +those who should be Christ's faithful soldiers, fighting manfully under +His banner. + +With a great joy in his heart Francis awoke, and hurriedly left home to +join the army, thinking only of earthly service, and longing to win the +heavenly reward. + +But in the quiet night he heard again the voice of Christ telling him +that the service he was seeking was not what Christ required of his +soldiers. + +Troubled and sad, Francis went back to Assisi and, when he was once more +inside the city walls, turned aside to pray in the little ruined church +of Saint Damiano. And as he prayed once more he heard the voice speaking +to him, and saying, 'Francis, repair my church.' + +Now, Francis thought this meant that he was to build up the ruined walls +of the little church in which he prayed. He did not understand that the +command was that he should teach the people, who make up Christ's Church +on earth, to be pure and good and strong. + +Francis was only too glad to find that here at last was some real work +to be done, and never stopping to think if he was doing right, he went +joyfully home and took some of the richest stuffs which his father had +for sale. These he carried off to the market, and sold them for quite a +large sum of money. Then, returning to the little church, he gave the +money to the old priest, telling him to rebuild the walls and to make +the whole place beautiful. + +But the priest refused to accept the money, for he was afraid that +Francis had done wrong in taking the stuffs, and that his father would +be angry. + +This was a great disappointment to Francis, and made him think that +perhaps he had been too hasty. He was afraid to go home and tell what +he had done, so he hid himself for some days. But at last, tired and +hungry, with his gay clothes stained with dust, he slowly walked back +to his father's house. + +And very angry, indeed, was Pietro Bernardone when he found out what his +son had done. He did not mind giving Francis money for fine clothes or +pleasures of any kind, and he had allowed him to be as extravagant as he +liked. But to want money to build up an old church, or to spend in doing +good, that was not to be thought of for a moment. + +Out he came in a furious rage and drove Francis indoors, and there shut +him up in a dark cellar, bound hand and foot, so that he could not escape. + +But though his father was so angry, his mother could not bear to see her +son suffer, whether he deserved it or not. So she stole down when no +one was there, and, unlocking the cellar door, she spoke gently to poor +Francis, and listened to all his story. Then she took off his chains and +set him free, telling him to go quickly before any one should see him. + +Francis had no place to shelter in but the little ruined church, and no +friend who would receive him but the poor old priest, so back he went to +Saint Damiano, leaving parents and home and comforts behind him. + +His father, of course, was terribly angry when he found that Francis had +escaped, and he went at once to complain to the bishop, and demand that +Francis should be punished and made to give back the money he had taken. + +The bishop spoke kindly to Francis, who promised gladly to give back +the money which had brought him so much trouble. And there, in the +market-place, with all the people looking on, he took off his costly +clothes, now all stained and worn, and standing pale and thin, wearing +only a hair shirt, he gave clothes and money back to his angry father, +saying-- + +'Listen, all of you. Until this time I have called Pietro Bernardone +father, but from this moment I will say no more "my father Pietro +Bernardone," but only "my Father which art in Heaven."' + +Then the good bishop came quickly up and wrapped his mantle round the +poor shivering lad, and gave him his blessing, bidding him henceforth +be a true servant of God. A poor labourer gave Francis his rough brown +tunic, and the people were moved with pity and would have helped him, +for they thought he had been treated very harshly. + +But Francis wandered away alone into the world, seeking to do all the +things he had most disliked doing, even at one time nursing the poor +lepers, and begging his bread from door to door. + +Soon, however, he made his way back to Assisi, and to the little ruined +church; and began building up the walls with his own hands, carrying the +stones on his shoulders, happy and contented to be doing work for God. + +And the more he thought of his past life and the wasteful splendour in +which he had lived, the more he came to see that to be poor for Christ's +sake was best of all. + +'If Christ chose to become poor for our sakes,' thought he, 'surely it +is but right that we should choose to become poor for His dear sake.' + +It seemed to Francis that no one had really loved poverty since the days +when our blessed Lord had lived amongst the poor on earth. And he began +to think of poverty as a beautiful lady who had been despised and +ill-treated all these long years, with no one to take her part or see +any charm in her fair face. + +For himself he made up his mind to love her with all his heart, to be as +poor as his Master had been, and to possess nothing here on earth. + +Even his coarse brown habit had been given to him in charity, and instead +of a belt he tied round his waist a piece of rope which he found by the +wayside. He wore no shoes nor stockings, but went barefoot, and had no +covering for his head. And being so truly poor was the greatest joy to +him. He thought the Lady Poverty was a fairer bride than any on earth, +though her clothes were ragged and her pathway lined with thorns. For +along that thorny path she led him closer to his Master, and taught him +to tread more nearly in His footsteps than most of His servants have +ever trod. + +One day when Francis was reading the gospel, Christ's call seemed to +sound in his ears just as it did to Saint Matthew of old. He had often +read the words before, but that day they had a new message for him: 'As +ye go, preach, saying the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Provide neither +gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, neither two coats, neither +shoes nor yet staves.' + +Then he knew that Christ did not want him only to be good, but to teach +others how to be good, and to look after Christ's poor and sick, always +remaining poor and lowly himself. And as soon as he heard the call he +rose up, left all, and followed his Master to his life's end. + +Very soon other men joined Francis, eager to serve Christ as he did. +They all dressed just as Francis dressed, and became quite as poor as he +was. Their home was in the plain below Assisi, by the little chapel of +Saint Mary of the Angels, which had been given to the brothers. But it +was not often that they were there all together, for Francis sent them +out to preach to all the world just as the gospel commanded. + +In spite of their poverty the 'Little Poor Brothers,' as they were +called, were a happy, cheerful little company. Francis had just the same +gay nature and ready smile as when he was a boy in Assisi, and though he +might have to go long solitary journeys on foot, sleeping in caves or in +woods, hungry and footsore, he was never sad nor lonely. He seemed to +love everything that God had made, and all the animals and birds were +his special friends. They were never frightened of him, and when he +walked in the woods the birds would come and perch on his shoulder and +sing their good-morning to him. + +And sometimes Francis would stand still and let them all come round him, +and would preach a little sermon to them, telling them how they ought to +praise God for His goodness. + +'Little sisters' he always called them, and it is said they would listen +quietly while he spoke, and then when he gave them his blessing, they +would rise up to heaven singing their hymn of praise, just as if they +had really understood their little service. + +Once when Francis and some of the brothers were returning home, they +heard a great number of birds singing among the bushes. And when Francis +saw them he said to his companions-- + +'Our sisters, the birds, are praising their Maker. Let us go into their +midst and sing our service too.' + +The birds were not in the least disturbed, but continued their chirping +and twittering, so that the brothers could not hear their own voices. +Then Francis turned to the birds and said-- + +'Little sisters, cease your song until we have given God our praise.' +And they at once were quiet, and did not begin to sing again until the +service was over. + +And it was not only the birds that loved him, but every kind of creature +came to him for comfort and shelter. + +Now this is a story which was told about Francis after he was dead, when +people tried to remember all the wonderful things that he had done, and +perhaps made them a little more wonderful, out of love of Saint Francis. + +Once when the saint was living in the city of Agolio a terribly fierce +wolf began to prowl about the town. He carried off everything eatable he +could find, and grew so bold that he even seized the children and made +off to his mountain den with them. The whole town was terrified, and +people scarcely dared go out of doors for fear of meeting the terrible +wolf. And though the men hunted him, he always escaped and came prowling +down at nightfall again. + +When Saint Francis heard this he said-- + +'I will go out and meet this wolf, and ask him what he means.' + +'He will kill you,' cried all the people, and they tried to persuade him +not to go. + +But Saint Francis set out, taking some of the brothers with him. They +went bravely along for a short way, and then the brothers turned back +afraid and ran home, leaving Saint Francis alone. And presently he heard +a deep growling and the sound of a terrible rush, and the great wolf, +with blazing eyes and open mouth, came bounding towards him. But as he +came nearer Saint Francis went forward to meet him, and making the sign +of the cross, he said: 'Come hither, brother wolf. I command thee in the +name of Christ that thou do no more harm to me nor to any one.' + +[Illustration: THEN THE POPE TOOK THE LITTLE POOR BROTHERS UNDER HIS +PROTECTION.] + +And then a wonderful thing happened; for, as soon as the wolf heard the +saint's voice, he stopped, and then came gently forward, and lay like +a lamb at St. Francis's feet. Then Saint Francis talked quietly to him, +and told him he deserved to be punished for all the evil he had done, +but if he would promise to kill and plunder no more, the people of +Agolio would promise on their side to give him food every day. And the +wolf rubbed his head against Saint Francis's habit and gently laid his +paw in the saint's hand. And always after that the good people of Agolio +used to put out food for the wolf, and he grew so good and tame that he +went quietly from door to door, and never did harm to any one again. + +Whether all this really happened we do not know; but one thing we are +certain of, and that is, that Francis loved all living creatures, and +they seemed to know it and to love him too. + +It was not long before the little band of brothers grew into quite a +large company, and Francis went to Rome to ask the Pope, the head of the +Church, to give them his blessing, and his permission to live together +under their rule of poverty. All the world was astonished at this +strange man, in his coarse brown robe, who preached to them that riches +were not worth having, and that the greatest happiness was to be good +and pure. + +At first the Pope would have nothing to do with him. But one night he +had a dream, and in his dream he saw a church leaning on one side, and +almost falling. And the only thing that kept it from falling quite over +was a poor man, barefooted and dressed in a coarse brown robe, who had +his shoulder against it and was holding it up. + +Then the Pope knew that God had sent the dream to him, and that Francis +was going to be a great helper in the Church. So next day he called for +Francis and granted him all that he asked, and took the Little Poor +Brothers under his protection. + +Soon the company grew larger and larger, and Francis sent them all over +the country, preaching and teaching men that they should deny themselves +and love poverty rather than riches. + +Still they always kept the little home at Saint Mary of the Angels, and +the brothers returned there after their preaching was ended. + +The convent was built close to a wood, and this wood was the place +Francis loved best. For he could be quite alone there, to pray and +meditate, with no one to disturb his thoughts. And often, when all the +other brothers were asleep, he would steal quietly out and kneel for +hours under the silent trees, alone with God. + +Now there was a little boy at the convent who loved Francis very much, +and wanted to know all that he did, that he might learn to grow like +him. Especially he wondered why Francis went alone into the dark wood, +but he was too sleepy to keep awake to see. It was a very poor convent, +and all the brothers slept on mats on the floor, for they had not +separate cells. At last one night the boy crept close to the side of +Francis, and spread his mat quite close to his master's, and in case he +should not wake he tied his little cord to the cord which Francis wore +round his waist. Then he lay down happily and went to sleep. + +By and by when every one was asleep, Francis got up as usual to pray. +But he noticed the cord and gently untied it, so that the boy slept on +undisturbed. Presently, however, the child awoke, and finding his cord +loose and his master gone, he got up and followed him into the wood, +treading very softly with his bare feet that he might disturb nobody. + +It was very dark, and he had to feel his way among the trees; but +presently a bright light shone out, and as he stole nearer he saw a +wonderful sight. His master was kneeling there, and with him was the +Blessed Virgin, holding our dear Lord in her arms, and many saints were +there as well. And over all was a great cloud of the holy angels. The +vision and the glorious brightness almost blinded the child, and he fell +down as if he were dead. + +Now when Francis was returning home he stumbled over the little body +lying there, and guessing what had happened he stooped down and tenderly +lifted him up, and carried him in his arms, as the Good Shepherd carries +His lambs. Then the child felt his master's arms round him, and was +comforted, and told him of the vision and how it had frightened him. +In return Francis bade him tell no one what he had seen as long as his +master was alive. So the old story tells us that the child grew up to +be a good man and was one of the holiest of the Little Poor Brothers, +because he always tried to grow like his master. Only after Francis died +did he tell the story of the glorious vision which he had seen that +night in the dark wood, at the time when no one knew what a great saint +his master was. + +As time went on, Francis grew anxious to do more than preach at home; +for Christ's message to him had been 'Go ye into all the world.' He had +set out many times, but always something had prevented him from getting +far, until at last he succeeded in reaching the land of the Saracens +where the Crusaders were fighting. His great hope was that he might see +the Sultan and teach him about Christ, so that all his people might +become Christians. He had no fear at all, and when every one warned him +that he would certainly be put to death, he said that would be a small +matter if only he could teach the heathen about God. + +But although the Sultan received Francis, and listened to all he had to +say, he only shook his head and refused to believe without a sign. + +Then Francis grew more and more eager to convince him, and asked that a +great fire should be made, and that he and the heathen priests should +pass through it, saying that whoever came out unharmed should be held to +be the servant of the true God. But the heathen priests all refused to +do this, and so poor Francis had to return home, having, he feared, done +no good, but hoping the good might follow afterwards. + +These weary journeys and all the toil and hardship of his daily life +began to make Francis weak and ill. Many things troubled him too; for +the brothers did not love poverty as he did, and they began to make new +rules and to forget what he had taught them. But in the midst of all +trouble, he remained the same humble servant of Christ, always thinking +of new ways to serve his Master. + +[Illustration: HE CHANTED THE GOSPEL AT THE FIRST CHRISTMAS MASS.] + +There was no time Francis loved so much as Christmas. He loved to feel +that all living things were happy on that day. He used to say that he +wished that all governors and lords of the town and country might be +obliged to scatter corn over the roads and fields, so that 'our sisters +the larks,' and all the birds might feast as well. And because the ox +and the ass shared the stable with the Holy Child, he thought they +should be provided with more than ordinary food each Christmas Eve. + +He wished every one to remember how poor and lowly our Lord was on that +night when He came as a little child; and so on Christmas Eve he made a +stable in the chapel, and brought in an ox and an ass and a tiny crib +and manger. In the manger he placed the figure of a baby to represent +the infant Christ, and there in the early hours of the Christmas +morning, he chanted the gospel at the first Christmas Mass. + +It was in the spring of the year that Francis first went to the +hermitage among the mountains, which he loved better than any other +place. It was a small hut high among the Apennines, among crags and +rocks far away from any other place. Here he could wander about the +woods, which were carpeted with spring flowers, and hear his little +sisters the birds singing all day long. + +And here one day, as he knelt thinking of all his dear Lord had +suffered, a wonderful thing happened. The thought of all that trouble +and pain seemed more than he could bear, and he prayed that he might be +allowed to suffer as his Master had done. And as he prayed, seeing only +before him the crucified Christ with nail-pierced hands and wounded +side, God sent the answer to his prayer, and in his hands and feet deep +marks appeared, as though there had been nails driven through them, and +in his side a wound as if from the cruel thrust of a spear. + +And so Francis learned to suffer as his Master had suffered, and through +all the pain he only gave God thanks that he had been thought worthy to +bear the marks that Jesus bore. + +Francis did not live very long after this for he grew weaker and weaker, +and they carried him back to the old house at Saint Mary of the Angels. +There the Little Poor Brothers gathered round him, and he spoke his last +words to them, bidding them live always as he had taught them to live, +in poverty and lowliness. And when evening came, and the birds he loved +so much were singing their vesper hymns, his voice joined in their +praise until his soul passed away to the Lord whom he had tried to serve +so humbly, and in whose footsteps he had sought to place his own. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In God's Garden, by Amy Steedman + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN GOD'S GARDEN *** + +***** This file should be named 36674-8.txt or 36674-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/6/7/36674/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In God's Garden + Stories of the Saints for Little Children + +Author: Amy Steedman + +Release Date: July 9, 2011 [EBook #36674] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN GOD'S GARDEN *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div style="height: 6em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0000"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/cover-f.jpg"><img src="images/cover-s.jpg" width="400" height="590" +alt="(front cover)" /></a> +</div> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pagei" name="pagei"></a>[i]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 2em;"><br /><br /></div> + +<p><!--[Blank Page]--><br /></p> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pageii" name="pageii"></a>[ii]</span></p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0001"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-01-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-01-s.jpg" width="400" height="550" +alt="SHE SLEPT CALMLY AND PEACEFULLY UNTIL SHE DREAMED A DREAM." /></a> +<br /> +SHE SLEPT CALMLY AND PEACEFULLY UNTIL SHE DREAMED A DREAM. +</div> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pageiii" name="pageiii"></a>[iii]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h1> + IN GOD'S GARDEN +<br /> +<small> + STORIES OF THE SAINTS<br /> FOR LITTLE CHILDREN +</small> +</h1> + +<p class="center"> +<big><b> +BY AMY STEEDMAN +</b></big> +</p> + +<p class="center"> +<small> +WITH SIXTEEN REPRODUCTIONS<br /> FROM ITALIAN MASTERPIECES +</small> +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0002"><!--IMG--></a> +<img src="images/i-02.png" width="200" height="290" +alt="(child kneeling in prayer)" /> +</div> + +<p class="center"> + LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK, <span class="sc">Ltd.</span><br /> + 35 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C., & EDINBURGH +</p> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pageiv" name="pageiv"></a>[iv]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 2em;"><br /><br /></div> + +<p><!--[Blank Page]--><br /></p> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pagev" name="pagev"></a>[v]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 2em;"><br /><br /></div> + +<p class="center"> +TO MY MOTHER +</p> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pagevi" name="pagevi"></a>[vi]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 2em;"><br /><br /></div> + +<p><!--[Blank Page]--><br /></p> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pagevii" name="pagevii"></a>[vii]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + ABOUT THIS BOOK +</h2> + +<p> +There is a garden which God has planted for Himself, more beautiful than +any earthly garden. The flowers that bloom there are the white souls of +His saints, who have kept themselves pure and unspotted from the world. +</p> +<p> +In God's garden there is every kind of flower, each differing from the +other in beauty. Some are tall and stately like the lilies, growing +where all may see them in their dress of white and gold; some are half +concealed like the violets, and known only by the fragrance of kind +deeds and gentle words which have helped to sweeten the lives of others; +while some, again, are hidden from all earthly eyes, and only God knows +their loveliness and beholds the secret places where they grow. But +known or unknown, all have risen above the dark earth, looking ever +upward; and, although often bent and beaten down by many a cruel storm +of temptation and sin, they have ever raised their heads again, turning +their faces towards God; until at last they have been crowned with the + +<span class="pagenum" style="display:none!important;"> +<a id="pageviii" name="pageviii"></a>[viii]</span> + + perfect flower of holiness, and now blossom for ever in the Heavenly +Garden. +</p> +<p> +In this book you will not find the stories of all God's saints. I have +gathered a few together, just as one gathers a little posy from a garden +full of roses. But the stories I have chosen to tell are those that I +hope children will love best to hear. +</p> +<p> +Let us remember that God has given to all of us, little children as well +as grown-up people, a place in His garden here on earth, and He would +have us take these white flowers, the lives of His saints, as a pattern +for our own. We may not be set where all can see us; our place in God's +garden may be a very humble and sheltered spot; but, like the saints, we +may keep our faces ever turned upward, and learn to grow, as they grew, +like their Master, pure and straight and strong—fit flowers to blossom +in the Garden of God. +</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i2"> 'Saints are like roses when they flush rarest, </p> +<p class="i2"> Saints are like lilies when they bloom fairest, </p> +<p class="i2"> Saints are like violets, sweetest of their kind.' </p> +</div> +</div> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pageix" name="pageix"></a>[ix]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + LIST OF STORIES +</h2> +<table summary="List of Stories"> +<tr><td colspan="2" align="right"> <small>PAGE</small></td></tr> + +<tr><td> SAINT URSULA, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page1">1</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT BENEDICT, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page16">16</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT CHRISTOPHER, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page29">29</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page41">41</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page54">54</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page62">62</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT CECILIA, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page71">71</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT GILES, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page79">79</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT NICHOLAS, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page84">84</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT FAITH, </td><td align="right"> <a href="#page97">97</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT COSMO AND SAINT DAMIAN, </td><td align="right"><a href="#page102">102</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT MARTIN, </td><td align="right"><a href="#page110">110</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT GEORGE, </td><td align="right"><a href="#page119">119</a> </td></tr> +<tr><td> SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, </td><td align="right"><a href="#page128">128</a> </td></tr> +</table> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pagex" name="pagex"></a>[x]</span></p> + +<p><!--[Blank Page]--><br /></p> + +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pagexi" name="pagexi"></a>[xi]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + LIST OF PICTURES +</h2> + +<table summary="List of Pictures"> +<tr><td colspan="3">SAINT URSULA,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>She slept calmly and peacefully until she dreamed a dream,</td> +<td align="right"><i>Frontispiece</i></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3" align="right"><small>AT PAGE</small></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td><td> +Ursula stood on the landing-place, the first to greet the Prince,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page8">8</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Vittore Carpaccio at the Accademia, Venice. </p></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3">SAINT BENEDICT,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>A little demon seized the robe of the young monk,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page22">22</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>A terrible storm began to rage,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page28">28</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Lorenzo Monaco, Uffizi, Florence. </p></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3">SAINT CHRISTOPHER,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>The child upon his shoulder seemed to grow heavier,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page38">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Titian, Doge's Palace, Venice. </p></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3">SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>The Holy Child placed a ring upon her finger,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page46">46</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Benozzo Gozzali, Uffizi, Florence. </p></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3">SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>The child had digged a hole in the sand,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page60">60</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Sandro Botticelli, Accademia, Florence. </p></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3">SAINT CECILIA,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>A crown of lilies and roses in each hand,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page74">74</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>She taught them about the Lord of Heaven,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page78">78</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Spinello Aretino, S. Maria del Carmine, Florence. </p></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3"> +<p style="display:none!important;"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pagexii" name="pagexii"></a>[xii]</span></p> + +SAINT NICHOLAS,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>He showed his daughter the gold,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page86">86</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>He went to the harbour where two ships lay,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page90">90</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Accademia, Florence. </p></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3">SAINT COSMO AND SAINT DAMIAN,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>But Cosmo turned and walked away,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page104">104</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>An angel guided them with loving care,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page108">108</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Fra Angelico, Accademia, Florence. </p></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3">SAINT GEORGE,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>Saint George rode straight at the monster,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page124">124</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Vittore Carpaccio, S. Georgio Maggiore, Venice. </p></td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="3">SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI,</td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>Then the Pope took the little poor brothers under his protection,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page136">136</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td>He chanted the Gospel at the first Christmas mass,</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#page140">140</a></td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td><p class="quote"> By Giotto, Accademia, Florence. </p></td></tr> + +</table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page1" name="page1"></a>[1]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT URSULA +</h2> + +<p> +Once upon a time in the land of Brittany there lived a good king, whose +name was Theonotus. He had married a princess who was as good as she was +beautiful, and they had one little daughter, whom they called Ursula. +</p> +<p> +It was a very happy and prosperous country over which Theonotus ruled, +for he was a Christian, and governed both wisely and well, and nowhere +was happiness more certain to be found than in the royal palace where +the king and queen and little Princess Ursula lived. +</p> +<p> +All went merrily until Ursula was fifteen years old, and then a great +trouble came, for the queen, her mother, died. The poor king was +heart-broken, and for a long time even Ursula could not comfort him. But +with patient tenderness she tried to do for him all that her mother had +done, and gradually he began to feel that he still had something to live +for. +</p> +<p> +Her mother had taught Ursula with great care, and the little maid had +loved her lessons, and so it came to pass that there was now no princess +in all the world so learned as the Princess Ursula. It is said that she +knew all that had happened since the beginning of the world, all about +the stars and the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page2" name="page2"></a>[2]</span> + + winds, all the poetry that had ever been written, and +every science that learned men had ever known. +</p> +<p> +But what was far better than all this learning was that the princess was +humble and good. She never thought herself wiser than other people, and +her chief pleasure was in doing kind things and helping others. Her +father called her the light of his eyes, and his one fear was that she +would some day marry and leave him alone. +</p> +<p> +And true it was that many princes wished to marry Ursula, for the fame +of her beauty and of her learning had spread to far distant lands. +</p> +<p> +Now on the other side of the sea, not very far from Brittany, there +was a great country called England. The people there were strong and +powerful, but they had not yet learned to be Christians. The king of +that land had an only son called Conon, who was as handsome as he was +brave. And when his father heard of the fame of the Princess Ursula he +made up his mind that she should be his son's wife. So he sent a great +company of nobles and ambassadors to the court of Brittany to ask King +Theonotus for the hand of the Princess Ursula. +</p> +<p> +That king received the messengers most courteously, but he was very much +troubled and perplexed at the request. He did not want to part with +Ursula, and he knew she did not wish to marry and leave him. And yet he +scarcely dared offend the powerful King of England, who might be such a +dangerous enemy. +</p> +<p> +So to gain time he told the messengers he would + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page3" name="page3"></a>[3]</span> + + give them their answer +next day, and then he shut himself up in his room and sorrowfully leaned +his head upon his hand as he tried to think what was best to be done. +But as he sat there thinking the do or opened and Ursula came in. +</p> +<p> +'Why art thou so sad, my father?' she asked, 'and what is it that +troubleth thee so greatly?' +</p> +<p> +'I have this day received an offer for thy hand,' answered her father +sadly, 'and the messengers are even now here, and because they come from +the King of England I dare not refuse their request, and yet I know not +what answer to give them when they return in the morning.' +</p> +<p> +'If that is all, do not trouble thyself, dear father,' answered Ursula; +'I myself will answer the messengers and all will be well.' +</p> +<p> +Then the princess left her father and went to her own room that she +might consider what answer might be wisest to send. But the more she +thought the more troubled she became, until at last she grew so weary +that she took off her crown and placed it as usual at the foot of her +bed and prepared to go to rest. Her little dog lay guarding her, and +she slept calmly and peacefully until she dreamed a dream which seemed +almost like a vision. For she thought she saw a bright light shining +through the door and through the light an angel coming towards her, +who spoke to her and said:— +</p> +<p> +'Trouble not thyself, Ursula, for to-morrow thou shalt know what answer +thou shalt give. God has need of thee to save many souls, and though +this prince doth offer thee an earthly crown, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page4" name="page4"></a>[4]</span> + + God has an unfading crown +of heavenly beauty laid up for thee, which thou shalt win through much +suffering.' +</p> +<p> +So next morning when the messengers came into the great hall to receive +their answer, they saw the Princess Ursula herself sitting on the throne +next to her father. She was so beautiful, and greeted them so graciously +that they longed more than ever that their prince might win her for his +bride. +</p> +<p> +And as they listened for the king to speak, it was Ursula's voice that +fell on their ears. She began by sending her greeting to the King of +England and to Prince Conon, his son, and bade the messengers say that +the honour offered her was more than she deserved, but since their +choice had fallen upon her, she on her side was ready to accept the +prince as her promised husband, if he would agree to three conditions. +'And first,' went on Ursula, leaning forward and speaking very clearly +and slowly, so that the foreign ambassadors might understand every word, +'I would have the prince, your master, send to me ten of the noblest +ladies of your land to be my companions and friends, and for each +of these ladies and for myself a thousand maidens to wait upon us. +Secondly, he must give me three years before the date of my marriage so +that I and these noble ladies may have time to serve God by visiting +the shrines of the saints in distant lands. And thirdly, I ask that the +prince and all his court shall accept the true faith and be baptized +Christians. For I cannot wed even so great and perfect a prince, if he +be not as perfect a Christian.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page5" name="page5"></a>[5]</span></p> + +<p> +Then Ursula stopped speaking, and the ambassadors bowed low before her +beauty and wisdom and went to take her answer to their king. +</p> +<p> +Now Ursula did not make these conditions without a purpose, for in +her heart she thought that surely the prince would not agree to such +demands, and she would still be free. But even if he did all that she +had asked, it would surely fulfil the purpose of her dream, and she +would save these eleven thousand maidens and teach them to serve and +honour God. +</p> +<p> +Ere long the ambassadors arrived safely in England, and went to +report their mission to the king. They could not say enough about the +perfections of this wonderful princess of Brittany. She was as fair and +straight as a lily, her rippling hair was golden as the sunshine, and +her eyes like shining stars. The pearls that decked her bodice were not +as fair as the whiteness of her throat, and her walk and every gesture +was so full of grace that it clearly showed she was born to be a queen. +And if the outside was so fair, words failed them when they would +describe her wisdom and learning, her good deeds and kind actions. +</p> +<p> +The king, as he listened to his nobles, felt that no conditions could +be too hard that would secure such a princess for his son, and as for +the prince himself his only desire was to have her wishes fulfilled as +quickly as possible, so that he might set sail for Brittany and see with +his own eyes this beautiful princess who had promised to be his bride. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page6" name="page6"></a>[6]</span></p> + +<p> +So letters were sent north, south, east, and west, to France and +Scotland and Cornwall, wherever there were vassals of England to be +found, bidding all knights and nobles to send their daughters to court +with their attendant maidens, the fairest and noblest of the land. All +were to be arrayed in the finest and costliest raiment and most precious +jewels, so that they might be deemed fit companions for the Princess +Ursula, who was to wed Prince Conon, their liege lord. +</p> +<p> +Then the knights and nobles sent all their fairest maidens, and so eager +were they to do as the king desired, that very soon ten of the noblest +maidens, each with a thousand attendants, and another thousand for the +Princess Ursula, were ready to start for the court of Brittany. +</p> +<p> +Never before was seen such a fair sight as when all these maidens went +out to meet the Princess Ursula. But fairest of all was the princess +herself as she stood to receive her guests. For the light of love shone +in her eyes, and to each she gave a welcome as tender as if they had all +been her own sisters. It seemed a glorious thing to think they were all +to serve God together, and no longer to live the life of mere pleasure +and vanity. +</p> +<p> +As may well be believed the fame of these fair maidens spread far and +near, and all the nobles and barons crowded to the court to see the +sight that all the world talked about. But Ursula and her maidens paid +no heed to the gay courtiers, having other matters to think upon. +</p> +<p> +For when the soft spring weather was come, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page7" name="page7"></a>[7]</span> + + Ursula gathered all her +companions together and led them to a green meadow outside the city, +through which a clear stream flowed. The grass was starred with daisies +and buttercups, and the sweet scent of the lime blossoms hung in the +air, a fitting bower for those living flowers that gathered there that +day. +</p> +<p> +In the midst of the meadow there was a throne, and there the princess +sat, and with words of wonderful power she told her companions the story +of God's love and of the coming of our Blessed Lord, and showed them +what the beauty of a life lived for Him might be. +</p> +<p> +And the faces of the listening maidens shone with a glory that was more +than earthly, as they with one accord promised to follow the Princess +Ursula wherever she might lead, if only she would help them to live the +blessed life so that they too might win the heavenly crown. +</p> +<p> +Then Ursula descended from her throne and talked with each of the +maidens, and those who had not yet been baptized she led through the +flowery meadow to the banks of the stream, and there a priest baptized +them while the birds joined in the hymn of praise sung by the whole +company. +</p> +<p> +But all this while the Prince Conon waited with no little impatience for +news of Ursula. He had been baptized and joined the Christian faith, he +had sent the companions she desired, and now he waited for her to fulfil +her promise. +</p> +<p> +And ere long a letter reached him, written round and fair in the +princess's own handwriting, telling + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page8" name="page8"></a>[8]</span> + + him that as he had so well fulfilled +her conditions, and was now her own true knight, she gave him permission +to come to her father's court, that they might meet and learn to know +each other. +</p> +<p> +It was but little time that Prince Conon lost before he set sail for +Brittany. The great warships made a prosperous voyage over the sea that +parted the two countries, and came sailing majestically into the harbour +of Brittany, where the people had gathered in crowds to see the young +prince who had come to woo their fair princess. +</p> +<p> +From every window gay carpets were hung, and the town was all in +holiday, as Ursula stood on the landing-place, the first to greet the +prince as he stepped ashore, and all that Conon had heard of her seemed +as nothing compared to the reality, as she stood before him in her great +beauty and welcomed him with gentle courtesy. And he grew to love her so +truly that he was willing to do in all things as she wished, though he +longed for the three years to be over that he might carry her off to +England and make her his queen. +</p> +<p> +But Ursula told the prince of the vision that had come to her in her +dream, when the angel had said she must first go through much suffering, +and visit the shrines of saints in distant lands. And she told him she +could not be happy unless he granted her these three years in which to +serve God, and begged him meanwhile to stay with her father and comfort +him while she was gone. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0003"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-03-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-03-s.jpg" width="555" height="400" +alt="URSULA STOOD ON THE LANDING PLACE, THE FIRST TO GREET THE PRINCE." /></a> +<br /> +URSULA STOOD ON THE LANDING PLACE, THE FIRST TO GREET THE PRINCE. +</div> + +<p> +So Ursula set out with her eleven thousand maidens, and the city was +left very desolate and + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page9" name="page9"></a>[9]</span> + + forlorn. But the pilgrims were happy as they +sailed away over the sea, for they were doing the angel's bidding, and +they feared nothing, for they trusted that God would protect and help +them. +</p> +<p> +At first the winds were contrary and they were driven far out of their +course, so that instead of arriving at Rome, which was the place they +had meant to go to, they were obliged to land at a city called Cologne, +where the barbarous Germans lived. Here, while they were resting for a +little, another dream was sent to Ursula, and the angel told her that in +this very place, on their return, she and all her maidens would suffer +death and win their heavenly crowns. This did not affright the princess +and her companions, but rather made them rejoice that they should be +found worthy to die for their faith. +</p> +<p> +So they sailed on up the River Rhine till they could go no further, and +they landed at the town of Basle, determined to do the rest of their +pilgrimage on foot. +</p> +<p> +It was a long and tedious journey over the mountains to Italy, and the +tender feet of these pilgrims might have found it impossible to climb +the rough road had not God sent six angels to help them on their way, to +smooth over the rough places, and to help them in all dangers so that no +harm could befall them. +</p> +<p> +First they journeyed past the great lakes where the snow-capped +mountains towered in their white glory, then up the mountain-road, ever +higher and higher, where the glaciers threatened to sweep down + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page10" name="page10"></a>[10]</span> + + upon them, +and the path was crossed by fierce mountain-torrents. But before long +they began to descend the further side; and the snow melted in patches +and the green grass appeared. Then followed stretches of flowery +meadow-land, where the soft southern air whispered to them of the land +of sunshine, fruit, and flowers. +</p> +<p> +Lower down came the little sun-baked Italian villages, and the simple, +kindly people who were eager to help the company of maidens in every +way, and gazed upon them with reverence when they knew they were on a +pilgrimage to Rome. +</p> +<p> +Thus the pilgrims went onward until at length they came to the River +Tiber and entered the city of Rome, where were the shrines of Saint +Peter and Saint Paul. +</p> +<p> +Now the Bishop of Rome, whom men call the Pope, was much troubled when +it was told him that a company of eleven thousand fair women had entered +his city. He could not understand what it might mean, and was inclined +to fear it might be a temptation of the evil one. So he went out to meet +them, taking with him all his clergy in a great procession, chanting +their hymns as they went. +</p> +<p> +And soon the two processions met, and what was the amazement and joy of +the Pope when a beautiful maiden came and knelt before him and asked for +his blessing, telling him why she and her companions had come to Rome. +</p> +<p> +'Most willingly do I give thee my blessing,' answered the old man, 'and +bid thee and thy companions welcome to my city. My servants shall put + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page11" name="page11"></a>[11]</span> + + up tents for you all in some quiet spot, and ye shall have the best that +Rome can afford.' +</p> +<p> +So the maidens rested there in quiet happiness, thankful to have come +to the end of their pilgrimage and to have reached the shrines of God's +great saints. But to Ursula an added joy was sent which made her +happiness complete. +</p> +<p> +For the prince, whom she had left behind, grew impatient of her long +absence, and the longing for his princess grew so strong he felt that he +could not stay quietly at home not knowing where she was nor what had +befallen her. So he had set out, and, journeying by a different route, +had arrived in Rome the same day as Ursula and her maidens were received +by the good bishop. +</p> +<p> +It is easy to picture the delight of Conon and Ursula when they met +together again, and knelt land in hand to receive the Pope's blessing. +And when Ursula told him all that had happened and of the angels whom +God had sent to guide and protect them, the only desire the prince had +was to share her pilgrimage and be near her when danger threatened. And +his purpose only became stronger when she told him of the vision she had +had in the city of Cologne. +</p> +<p> +'How can I leave thee, my princess,' he asked, 'when I have but now +found thee? Life holds no pleasure when thou art absent. The days are +grey and sunless without the sunshine of thy presence. Bid me come with +thee and share thy dangers, and if it be, as thou sayest, that it is +God's will that thou and all these maidens shall pass through + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page12" name="page12"></a>[12]</span> + + suffering +and death for His sake, then let me too win the heavenly crown that we +may praise God together in that country where sorrow and separation can +touch us no more.' +</p> +<p> +And Ursula was glad to think that, through love of her, the prince +should be led to love God, and so granted his request and bade her +companions prepare to set out once more. +</p> +<p> +The Pope would fain have persuaded them to stop longer in Rome, but +Ursula told him of her vision, and how it was time to return as the +dream had warned her. Then the Pope and his clergy made up their minds +to join the pilgrimage also, that they too might honour God by a +martyr's death. +</p> +<p> +Now there were in Rome at that time two great Roman captains who were +cruel heathens, and who looked upon this pilgrimage with alarm and +anger. They commanded all the imperial troops in the northern country of +Germany; and when they heard that Ursula and her maidens were bound for +Cologne they were filled with dismay and wrath. For they said to each +other: +</p> +<p> +'If so many good and beautiful women should reach that heathen land the +men there will be captivated by their beauty and wish to marry them. +Then, of course, they will all become Christians, and the whole nation +will be won over to this new religion.' +</p> +<p> +'We cannot suffer this,' was the answer. 'Come, let us think of some way +to prevent so great a misfortune that would destroy all our power in +Germany.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page13" name="page13"></a>[13]</span></p> + +<p> +So these two wicked heathen captains agreed to send a letter to the +king of the Huns, a fierce savage, who was just then besieging Cologne. +In it they told him that thousands of fair women in a great company were +on their way to help the city, and if they were allowed to enter all +chances of victory for his army would vanish. There was but one thing to +be done and that was to kill the entire band of maidens the moment they +arrived. +</p> +<p> +Meanwhile Ursula and her companions had set sail for Cologne, and +with them were now Prince Conon and his knights and the Pope with many +bishops and cardinals. And after many days of danger and adventure the +pilgrims arrived at the city of Cologne. +</p> +<p> +The army of barbarians who were encamped before the city was amazed to +see such a strange company landing from the ships. For first there came +the eleven thousand maidens, then a company of young unarmed knights, +then a procession of old men richly robed and bearing no weapons of any +kind. +</p> +<p> +For a moment the savage soldiers stood still in amazement, but then, +remembering the orders they had received in the letter from the Roman +captains, they rushed upon the defenceless strangers and began to slay +them without mercy. Prince Conon was the first to fall, pierced by an +arrow, at the feet of his princess. Then the knights were slain and the +Pope with all his clergy. +</p> +<p> +Again the savage soldiers paused, and then like a pack of wolves they +fell upon the gentle maidens, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page14" name="page14"></a>[14]</span> + + and these spotless white lambs were slain +by thousands. +</p> +<p> +And in their midst, brave and fearless, was the Princess Ursula, +speaking cheerful words of comfort to the dying and bidding one and all +rejoice and look forward to the happy meeting in the heavenly country. +So great was her beauty and courage that even those wicked soldiers +dared not touch her, and at last, when their savage work was done, they +took her before their prince that he might decide her fate. +</p> +<p> +Never before had Ursula's beauty shone forth more wonderfully than +it did that day when she stood among these savage men and gazed with +steadfast eyes upon the prince, as one might look upon a wild beast. +</p> +<p> +The prince was amazed and enchanted, for he had never seen so lovely a +maid in his life before, and he motioned to the soldiers to bring Ursula +nearer to him. +</p> +<p> +'Do not weep, fair maiden,' he said, trying to speak in his gentlest +voice, 'for though you have lost all your companions you will not be +alone. I will be your husband, and you shall be the greatest queen in +Germany.' +</p> +<p> +Then most proudly did Ursula draw herself up, and her clear eyes shone +with scorn as she answered: +</p> +<p> +'Does it indeed seem to thee as though I wept? And canst thou believe +that I would live when all my dear ones have been slain by thee, thou +cruel coward, slayer of defenceless women and unarmed men?' +</p> +<p> +And when the proud prince heard these scornful + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page15" name="page15"></a>[15]</span> + + words he fell into a +furious rage, and, bending the bow that was in his hand, he shot three +arrows through the heart of Princess Ursula and killed her instantly. +</p> +<p> +So the pure soul went to join the companions of her pilgrimage and to +receive the crown of life which the angel of her dream had promised her, +and for which she had laid down her earthly crown as gladly as when in +her peaceful home she laid it aside before she went to rest. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page16" name="page16"></a>[16]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT BENEDICT +</h2> + +<p> +It was in the year of our Lord 540 that Saint Benedict was born at +Spoleto in Italy, and he was only a boy of sixteen on the night when our +story begins. +</p> +<p> +Such a cold night it was. Piercing wind swept over the mountains, +whistling through the pine-trees and hurrying on to the great city of +Rome that lay in the plains below. It was cold enough in the city where +the people could take shelter in their house and sit warming their hands +over their little pots of fire, but out on the bare hillside it was even +worse. For the icy breath of the winter wind, which had come far over +the snow, swept into every nook and corner as if determined to search +out any summer warmth that might be lingering in a sheltered corner. +</p> +<p> +And there in a cave high up among the rocks, a boy sat listening to the +wind, and thinking of many things, as he tried to wrap his worn old +cloak closer round him. +</p> +<p> +He was a tall thin lad, with sad dreaming eyes and a face already +sharpened by want and suffering. The cave in which he sat had little in +it, except a heap of dried leaves which served him for a bed, and it was +difficult to imagine how any one could live in + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page17" name="page17"></a>[17]</span> + + so dreary and comfortless +a place, so far from any other human being. +</p> +<p> +But he was thinking of a very different home, as he sat shivering in +the cold that night. Only a year ago he had lived in a beautiful palace, +where everything was pleasant and warm and bright. His father was the +lord of the country around, and he, the only son of the house, had +everything that he could want. They were all proud of him, he was so +clever and brilliant, and as soon as he was old enough he was sent to +study in Rome, that he might become a great lawyer. +</p> +<p> +There the boy's eyes saw a different scene—the great city of Rome, +where all was gaiety and pleasure, where all pleased the eye, the ear, +and the taste, but where, alas, so much wickedness dwelt as well. He had +tried to shut his eyes to things he did not wish to see, but day by day +the sights and sounds around him, the talk of his companions, and the +things they thought so pleasant had become hateful to him. And one +day he had stolen secretly away from Rome, leaving everything behind, +determined to go away into a desert place and live alone. This it seemed +to him was the only way of truly serving God, to learn to deny himself +in everything and to keep himself unspotted from the world. +</p> +<p> +A tender smile came over the boy's face as the next picture rose before +his eyes. True he had left all and gone into the wilderness, but love +could not so easily be left behind, and his old nurse had found out a +way of following him, and would not be denied + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page18" name="page18"></a>[18]</span> + + the pleasure of serving +him and caring for his wants; even begging food, from door to door, that +she might prepare a dainty meal for him. +</p> +<p> +It had been very pleasant, but its very pleasantness had warned him that +he must deny himself still further. So he had once more stolen away, +when his old nurse was asleep and had hidden himself in the cave among +the rocks of Subiaco. Here he was indeed alone, and the only food he had +was a little bread which a kind old hermit gave him daily, and his only +drink the clear water of the mountain streams. +</p> +<p> +And here he seemed to live with God alone, seeing no one but the kind +old hermit who brought him his daily bread. He was happy and peaceful, +never ceasing to pray for those who in the busy world might forget to +pray for themselves. +</p> +<p> +But this night the thoughts of past days were troubling him. And as he +sat there listening to the wind he began to long for the things he had +left behind. One beautiful face especially grew clearer than the rest, +and smiling upon him beckoned him back to the pleasures and comforts and +earthly joys he had put away from him. +</p> +<p> +With a cry he sprang to his feet and rushed out of the cave. For a moment +he felt as if his feet must carry him down the steep mountain-side, over +the plain and back to the beautiful city; and then he stood still, and +with a prayer for help to overcome this temptation of the Evil One, he +threw himself into a thicket of thorny briars that grew by the side of +the cave. There he rolled over and over until he was + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page19" name="page19"></a>[19]</span> + + torn and bleeding; +then slowly returning to the cave he lay down upon his bed of leaves, +peaceful and contented. The evil thoughts had fled, the face that +tempted him had vanished, and Satan was conquered. +</p> +<p> +So Benedict began his life of self-denial and solitary prayer. Years +passed by and in spite of the loneliness of the place and the few people +who ever passed by that way, it began to be known that one of God's +saints lived in the mountain cave. The shepherds who fed their flocks +on the lower hills would bring him little offerings of milk or cheese +and ask his blessing, or perhaps a prayer for one who was sick. And +gradually people began to call him their saint of the mountain, and +to come to him for help in all their troubles. Thus the fame of his +goodness spread wider and wider, until a company of monks who lived +some way off sent and besought him to come and live with them and be +their head. +</p> +<p> +Benedict was grieved to think of leaving his little cell which he had +grown to love, and the simple mountain people, who so often came to him +in their need. But he thought this was a call he ought to obey, so he +sorrowfully set out and journeyed many miles till he came to the convent +of the brothers. +</p> +<p> +It was all very strange to him after the stillness of his mountain cell, +and he could not accustom himself to hearing voices all day long and to +seeing so many faces. Still he strove to do his duty and soon made many +changes in the convent life. He told the brothers plainly that there +were many comforts + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page20" name="page20"></a>[20]</span> + + they must put away, and above all that they must eat +less and work more. +</p> +<p> +Now the brothers did not like this at all, and they began to repent that +they had asked so great a saint to come and rule over them, for he made +their rule so hard and strict, that few of them cared to keep it. +</p> +<p> +Then one day a strange thing happened. The brothers were all dining +together, and Benedict was silently eating his portion, his thoughts +far away in the little mountain cell at Subiaco, when some one touched +his arm and offered him a cup of wine. Benedict turned and looked +searchingly into the brother's face, and then with upraised hand made +the sign of the cross over the cup. Instantly it fell broken to the +ground, and the wine was spilt upon the floor, for there had been poison +in the cup, which the holy sign had destroyed. +</p> +<p> +Then Benedict looked round at the company of brothers, who sat with +downcast eyes, ashamed and silent, and, without a word, he rose and left +them. He returned, alone as he had come, back to his mountain home, +where instead of human voices there was the song of the birds, where the +wild flowers looked at him with pure, friendly faces, and even the wild +animals did not count him their enemy and would do him no harm. +</p> +<p> +Here he hoped once more to live quite alone, but one by one men came and +built huts close to his cave, that they might be near so great a saint, +and before long there was a great company living around him. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page21" name="page21"></a>[21]</span></p> + +<p> +Benedict's fame had spread even to Rome, and two of the Roman nobles +sent their sons to be taught by him. One was only five years old and the +other twelve, and it seemed a hard life for such children. But Benedict +cared for them and watched over them, and they loved him as if he had +been their own father. +</p> +<p> +And after all life was very pleasant on the mountain-side, when the +sun shone and lessons and prayers were over. They could play among the +pine-trees and chase the goats over the rocks, and when the sun grew too +hot creep back into the cave to rest. In spring there were the first +flowers to hunt for, and they would come back with eager hands filled +with violets and mountain anemones. And in autumn there were nuts and +berries to be gathered, which they laid up like young squirrels for +their winter store. +</p> +<p> +And among the daily duties there was nothing they liked so well as to go +down to the lake to fetch water, when the mountain springs had run dry. +One day it was the little one's turn to do this, and as he was leaning +over, his foot slipped, and he fell into the lake, and before he could +utter a cry the water closed over his head. +</p> +<p> +At that very moment Benedict, who was kneeling in prayer on the hill +above, saw a vision of the boy's danger, and hastily sent the elder lad +down to the lake to help the child. +</p> +<p> +He never stayed to question why he was sent, but sped down the +mountain-side, and without a moment's delay threw himself into the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page22" name="page22"></a>[22]</span> + + lake, hoping to be able to reach the little dark head that had risen +above the water for the last time. And lo! he found that the water grew +firm beneath his feet, and he walked as if he was on dry land, and +lifting the child, carried him safely ashore. +</p> +<p> +When Benedict saw that so many other hermits had taken up their abode on +the mountain, he determined to form them into a company of brothers, and +give them a rule to live by, and by and by they built a little chapel +where they could meet for daily service. +</p> +<p> +Now, strangely enough, every evening at the hour of prayer, one young +monk became restless and uneasy, and would steal silently out of the +chapel and disappear down the hillside. None of the brothers could think +what made him do this; but night after night the same thing happened +just when prayers were about to begin. All were troubled and disturbed, +till at last they went to Benedict, and asked him what it could mean. +Then the saint promised to watch, and that very evening he saw what no +other eyes had seen. +</p> +<p> +Into the chapel came a little demon black as coal, and he seized the +robe of the poor young monk, and dragged him out of the door. And though +the demon was so tiny he was stronger than the monk, and easily led him +swiftly away out of sound of the chapel bell. +</p> +<p> +Then Benedict followed, and touching the monk with his rod, bade the +demon begone and trouble him no longer. And after that the young monk + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page23" name="page23"></a>[23]</span> + + stayed in the chapel with the rest, and the demon was seen no more. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0004"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-04-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-04-s.jpg" width="535" height="400" +alt="A LITTLE DEMON SEIZED THE ROBE OF THE YOUNG MONK." /></a> +<br /> +A LITTLE DEMON SEIZED THE ROBE OF THE YOUNG MONK. +</div> + +<p> +It seemed as if Benedict must always suffer from the malice of evil +brothers, who disliked his strict rule; and even in his own mountain +home the danger followed him. This time the poison was put into a loaf +of bread; but Benedict knew that it was there, and while the wicked monk +who offered it to him watched with evil eye, hoping to see him eat it, +he turned to a wood near by, where a young raven sat. 'Come hither,' +said Benedict, holding out the loaf towards the raven, 'come hither, and +take this bread and carry it where the poison that is hidden within can +do no harm.' +</p> +<p> +And the story tells us that the raven instantly obeyed, and carried off +the loaf. And ere long Death, more powerful than the raven, carried off +that wicked monk, so that the poison which lurked in his evil heart +could no longer do harm to any one. +</p> +<p> +It troubled Benedict greatly about this time to hear that not very +far off on Monte Cassino there was a heathen temple where the people +worshipped false gods, and were living in darkness and sin. +</p> +<p> +It seemed terrible that such a thing should be suffered in a Christian +land, so Benedict made up his mind to go himself and force the people +to listen to him. +</p> +<p> +It was a strange contrast to see him in his coarse, poor robe and thin +wan face standing preaching among the crowd of gay pleasure-seekers, who +cared for nothing but eating and drinking and making merry. They could +not understand why any one + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page24" name="page24"></a>[24]</span> + + should choose to be poor, and suffer pain and +hunger for the sake of any god. +</p> +<p> +But as Benedict taught them day by day, the majesty of his face and the +solemn notes in his voice forced them to listen half unwillingly. Then, +as they began to learn about the true God, they saw that the gods they +had worshipped were false, and they pulled down their temple, and built +two chapels on the place where it had stood. +</p> +<p> +Here, too, Benedict built the first great monastery which was called +after him; and after this the brothers began to be known by his name, +and were called Benedictines. +</p> +<p> +But the Evil One saw with great rage that Benedict was taking away his +servants, and destroying his temples, and he tried in every way to +hinder the work. Once when the workmen were trying to raise a stone +they found it impossible to move it, though they worked hard all day. +At last, in despair, they besought Benedict to come to help them. +</p> +<p> +As soon as he came he saw at once what was the matter, for on the stone +sat a little black demon laughing at the efforts of the workmen; knowing +they could never move the stone while he chose to sit there. +</p> +<p> +'Get you gone, messenger of Satan,' cried Benedict. +</p> +<p> +And with a howl of rage the imp fled, and the stone was lifted easily +into its place. +</p> +<p> +Upon a certain day, not long after the monastery was built, as Benedict +was praying in the chapel of + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page25" name="page25"></a>[25]</span> + + the convent, one of the brothers came to +tell him that a great company of soldiers were coming up the hill, and +at their head was Totila, king of the Goths, who had sent a messenger +to ask the saint to receive him. +</p> +<p> +Benedict, who cared little for earthly kings, was yet too courteous +to refuse any such request, so he went out to where the company was +gathered on the mountain-side. +</p> +<p> +The rough soldiers stood with heads uncovered, and from their midst came +one who wore a crown and sandals of gold and a kingly robe. He knelt +before the saint, and said in a loud, clear voice: +</p> +<p> +'I, Totila, king of the Goths, have come to crave thy blessing, father, +for thy fame hath spread even to the wild north country where I reign.' +</p> +<p> +The brothers, crowding behind Benedict, eager to see these curious +strangers, were surprised to hear no answering words of welcome fall +from the lips of the saint. And still more surprised were they when +Benedict pointed an accusing finger at the glittering crown that shone +on the king's head, and said: +</p> +<p> +'Why dost thou bear upon thy head the sign of royalty which belongs not +to thy station? And why have thy lips framed this deceit? Go to thy +master, and bid him come to me in truth, and think not that I could +mistake a servant for a king.' +</p> +<p> +And to the amazement of all, the real king, who had disguised his +armour-bearer to test the power of the saint, came quickly forward, +and with no royal robe or golden crown, knelt low before the saint, +confessing all, and praying to be forgiven. He was + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page26" name="page26"></a>[26]</span> + + sure now that this +was indeed a servant of God, and he listened humbly while Benedict +reproved him for his many sins, and warned him of the fate that +awaited him. +</p> +<p> +And so the years passed on, bringing much honour and earthly renown +to him who had once lived a lonely boy upon the wild mountain-side. +</p> +<p> +Things had changed since those early days. He could no longer live quite +alone as he had once loved to do, for the world had followed him even +into the wilderness. But his heart was as pure and his purpose as strong +as when he was a lonely boy seeking only to serve God. +</p> +<p> +Perhaps the one great pleasure of his earthly life was the yearly visit +he paid to his sister Scholastica, who had for many years come to live +near him. She had formed a little company of nuns, who strove to live as +the brothers were living, working and praying and denying themselves all +earthly pleasures. +</p> +<p> +And as it was a great delight to Benedict to visit his sister, so to +Scholastica the day of his coming was the happiest day of all the year. +The only thing that grieved her was that the golden hours of that bright +day seemed to fly faster than any other, while she listened to his words +of counsel and advice, and told him all her troubles. +</p> +<p> +As it drew near the time for one of these yearly visits, Scholastica +began to long for her brother as she had never longed before. Something +told her that these bright summer days were to be the last she should +spend on earth; and the longing to see + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page27" name="page27"></a>[27]</span> + + and talk to her brother grew +almost more than she could bear. +</p> +<p> +And when he came the hours slipped past even faster than was their wont, +and before she could realise it the time had come for him to go. There +was so much still to say, and she needed his help so sorely, that she +prayed him to wait a few hours longer. But Benedict was persuaded that +it was his duty to set off, and duty to him ever came before all else. +He gently told her it could not be; that he must return to the brothers +that night. +</p> +<p> +But while he spoke, Scholastica was not listening to his words, nor +heeding what he said. With her whole heart she was praying God that He +would grant her this one request, and prevent her brother from leaving +her so soon. +</p> +<p> +And as she prayed the light suddenly died out of the sky, great clouds +arose and, before Benedict could set out, a terrible storm began to +rage. The thunder pealed overhead, the hail came down in a blinding +shower, and it was impossible for any one to leave the shelter of the +house. +</p> +<p> +Thus God answered the prayer of Scholastica, filling her heart with +thankfulness. And afterwards the heart of Benedict was also filled with +gratitude, for not many days later he saw in a vision the soul of his +sister flying like a white dove up to heaven's gate, and he knew he +should see her on earth no more. +</p> +<p> +Benedict had lived a long, hard life, eating but little, suffering cold, +and denying himself in all things. But though his spirit only grew +stronger + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page28" name="page28"></a>[28]</span> + + and brighter as time went on, his body was worn out, and at last +he prepared to lay it aside, as men lay aside the worn-out robe which +has grown thread-bare. +</p> +<p> +And as he had longed to live alone, so, when death came, he prayed to +be carried to the little chapel, and there to be left before the altar +alone with God. Thus Benedict the Blessed went home at last, leaving his +tired body in God's house, while his spirit returned to God who gave it. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0005"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-05-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-05-s.jpg" width="555" height="400" +alt="A TERRIBLE STORM BEGAN TO RAGE." /></a> +<br /> +A TERRIBLE STORM BEGAN TO RAGE. +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page29" name="page29"></a>[29]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT CHRISTOPHER +</h2> + +<p> +Long ago in a far distant land there lived a boy called Offero. He was +taller and stronger and braver than any of his companions, and he was +called Offero, which means bearer, because he could carry the heaviest +burdens on his broad shoulders, without stooping under their weight. His +was the grandest kind of strength too, for it was not only strength of +body, but strength of heart and soul besides. +</p> +<p> +As Offero grew into manhood he began to tire of being first only in +games and play, and he longed to use his strength for some real end, +feeling sure there was work in the world waiting for his hand. +</p> +<p> +Sometimes as he strode across the olive-clad hills, and felt the wind in +his hair, and drew in great breaths of life and strength, he would see +before him a dim vision of some great purpose, ever beckoning him on, +and in his ear a voice would sound, that bade him use his strength only +for the highest. +</p> +<p> +Night and day Offero thought upon the vision, and it seemed to him that +its meaning was that he should go out into the world and do a man's +work. And, since for him the highest meant strength and fearlessness, he +vowed that he would search until + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page30" name="page30"></a>[30]</span> + + he found the bravest and strongest king +and would take service only with him. +</p> +<p> +So Offero set out and, after many weary wanderings, he came to the gates +of a great city. Here, in a palace built of alabaster, lived one whom +the people called the greatest king on earth. He had more soldiers and +horsemen and chariots than any other monarch, and the banner of crimson +and gold that floated over the palace roof, had never been lowered in +the face of any foe. +</p> +<p> +But Offero scarcely noticed all the glitter and splendour of the palace, +or the crowd of waiting men. He was only eager to see the king, whom +every one said was as brave and strong as a lion. No one stopped him as +he strode on. Even the royal guards at the palace door stood back to let +him pass. He was dusty and travel-stained, and his armour was dull and +dinted by many a hard blow, but there was that in his walk and in his +eyes, and the grasp of his great hand upon his sword, that made every +one fall back to let him pass. +</p> +<p> +The king was seated upon his throne making wise laws for his people, +when Offero entered the audience hall. Straight to the steps of the +throne he went, and kneeling there placed his sword at the king's +feet and offered to be his true servant. For a moment the king looked +in wonder and astonishment at this giant, and the great sword that +stretched along the widest step of his ivory throne. Then with a look of +pride at the strength of the man kneeling at his feet, he bade Offero +rise and use his sword henceforth only in the king's service. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page31" name="page31"></a>[31]</span></p> + +<p> +So Offero became the king's servant, and not one of the king's enemies +could stand against him. Wherever there was danger to be met or fighting +to be done, there he was ever to be found, and he made his master's name +more feared and honoured than that of any other monarch in the world. +His work filled all his time and thoughts, and the vision he had seen +grew so dim that it had nearly faded from his memory, when one night +a minstrel came to the court. +</p> +<p> +This minstrel had a harp of gold and his fingers woke the sweetest music +from the golden strings, but sweeter than all was his voice as he sang +of brave deeds and mighty battles, the wisdom of the wise and the +courage of the strong. +</p> +<p> +The heart of Offero was charmed by the music as he sat idly among the +rest of the courtiers, listening in the great audience chamber. +</p> +<p> +But as the minstrel sang, Offero noticed that the king looked disturbed +and once or twice made a strange sign with his hand when a certain evil +name was repeated in the song. It almost seemed to Offero as if at such +times a look of fear came into his eyes. +</p> +<p> +Waiting behind the rest when the minstrel was gone, Offero looked +gravely into the king's eyes and said: +</p> +<p> +'My liege, wilt thou tell thy servant, why thou didst make that sign +upon thy forehead and what the look that came into thine eyes may +mean—thou who fearest no man?' +</p> +<p> +Then the king answered Offero saying: +</p> +<p> +'That sign is the sign of the cross, and I make + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page32" name="page32"></a>[32]</span> + + it upon my brow whenever +I hear the name of Satan, the Evil Spirit, because I fear him, and because +that sign alone can protect me from him.' +</p> +<p> +And Offero bowed his head, and standing there before the king he +answered sadly: +</p> +<p> +'Fare thee well, O my king, for I may not serve thee longer. I have +promised only to serve the greatest and one who feared nothing, so I +must e'en seek this Evil Spirit. If thou fearest him, must he not be +more powerful than thou?' +</p> +<p> +So Offero went sorrowfully out of the king's presence, and away from the +splendid court and the fair city. And as he went the vision which of +late had faded from him grew clearer, and seemed to beckon him on and +on. And the voice that of old sounded in his ears spoke to him once +more, so that his heart became light and his purpose grew strong. +</p> +<p> +Now after many days of toilsome wanderings, Offero came at last to +the skirt of a great dark wood. The pines were so thick that never a +sunbeam could pierce through their tops, and the trunks of the trees +could only just be seen ghostly grey in the everlasting twilight that +reigned there. +</p> +<p> +Deeper and darker grew the wood as Offero went on, until he came to the +darkest part of all, and there he found the Evil Spirit and his court. +</p> +<p> +Offero could see nothing clearly in the gloom, but one great shadow +stood out, bigger and stronger than any of the other shadows that +flitted about, and on its brow was the outline of a kingly crown. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page33" name="page33"></a>[33]</span></p> + +<p> +'What seekest thou here?' asked the Evil One, in a deep strong voice, +like the roar of distant thunder. +</p> +<p> +'I seek to serve the greatest and strongest king on earth, and one who +knows no fear,' answered Offero. +</p> +<p> +'Then is thy quest ended,' said the shadowy king, with uplifted head and +proud gesture, 'for I indeed am the greatest king of all, and I know not +what that word fear meaneth.' +</p> +<p> +So Offero became one of the servants of the King of Evil, and his work +was heavy and his wages light. But that seemed but a small matter to +him, if only he had indeed found the highest. +</p> +<p> +Time passed on until there came a day when the Evil One rode out with +all his servants and Offero at their head. And as they passed out of the +wood they came to a cross set up by the wayside. It was only a rough +cross of wood, standing out clear against the sky, the grass beneath +worn by those who had knelt before it, and a bunch of wild flowers laid +at its foot by some grateful hand. But when the eye of the Evil One fell +upon it, he shuddered and, turning quickly round, plunged back into the +wood, followed by all his servants. And Offero saw he was trembling from +head to foot. +</p> +<p> +'Stop,' cried Offero, barring his way, for he was not afraid even of the +great Shadow upon the fierce black horse. 'I would fain know what this +meaneth, ere we go further. Didst thou not say thou wert stronger than +all and feared nothing? and lo! thou tremblest like a child before a +piece of crossed wood.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page34" name="page34"></a>[34]</span></p> + +<p> +'It is not the cross I fear,' answered the Evil One, 'but Him who once +hung upon it.' +</p> +<p> +'And who is He that you should tremble at the very thought of Him?' +asked Offero. 'Is He a greater and stronger king than thou?' +</p> +<p> +'He is greater, and He is stronger,' answered Satan, 'and He is the only +one I fear.' +</p> +<p> +Then Offero rode away from the dark wood and the evil company, out into +the sunshine and light. And as he looked at the blue sky, and felt the +warmth of the blessed sunshine once more, the vision seemed to rise +again before his eyes, ever beckoning him onward, and in his ear the +same voice sounded, bidding him seek on, until he should indeed find the +highest. +</p> +<p> +Far and near did Offero wander, asking all he met if they could tell him +where he might find the Christ—this man who once hung upon a cross and +who was greater and more powerful even than Satan, the King of Evil. And +some said one thing and some another, but no one could aid him in his +quest, until at last in his wanderings he came to a little hut in the +midst of a desert. +</p> +<p> +Here a holy man dwelt, with no living soul near him, serving God day +and night. +</p> +<p> +Most gladly did he welcome Offero, but gladder still was he when Offero +eagerly asked him the question that had been upon his lips so long: +</p> +<p> +'Good hermit, canst thou tell me where I may find the King called +Christ, He who once hung upon a cross, and who is stronger even than the +King of Evil?' +</p> +<p> +'That can I,' answered the hermit, 'for He is the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page35" name="page35"></a>[35]</span> + + Master whom I serve, +and in His name thou art welcome indeed.' +</p> +<p> +And taking Offero into his hut, the hermit gave him food and made him +rest. Then in the cool of the evening, when the red sun was sinking +behind the belt of distant palm-trees, and a mellow glow turned the +sands of the desert into grains of gold, the hermit sat without the hut +and told the wonderful Christ story to the listening ears of the giant +who lay upon the ground at his feet. +</p> +<p> +Never had Offero heard words like these before. Even the vision had +not prepared him for this. With all his soul in his eyes he listened. +Filled with wonder was he at the thought that the King of all heaven +should have deigned to come to earth in the form of a little helpless +child. But as the hermit went on and told of His power and majesty, +His infinite compassion for the weak and helpless, His courage and +fearlessness in the face of His foes, ending with the great sacrifice +of the cross, Offero sprang to his feet, and grasping his sword in his +hand, he raised it to heaven and vowed he would be Christ's faithful +soldier and servant unto his life's end, and would fight under no other +banner but His, the King of Heaven and Earth. +</p> +<p> +The hermit was startled as he looked at the gleaming sword, upheld by +that strong arm, and in his calm, kind voice, he said: +</p> +<p> +'My son, the Lord Christ seeketh not to be served as an earthly king. +His soldiers fight not with earthly swords, but with the weapons of +prayer and fasting.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page36" name="page36"></a>[36]</span></p> + +<p> +'But, father,' said Offero, 'how can I fight with weapons I know nothing +of? If He has given me this great strength, surely there must be a way +that He would have me use it in His service.' +</p> +<p> +Then the hermit was troubled, for he saw that Offero must needs serve +Christ in some other way. +</p> +<p> +All night he pondered, and in the morning he bade Offero come with him, +and together they journeyed forth for many days until they came to the +banks of a river. There the hermit stayed his steps. +</p> +<p> +It was a very deep and dangerous river and, because there was no bridge +across it and the current was strong, many travellers lost their lives +in trying to ford it. +</p> +<p> +This the hermit told Offero, and bade him stay and watch there, so that +he might help those who wished to cross, and save the lives of those who +might otherwise perish without his aid. +</p> +<p> +'And in helping others,' said the hermit, 'thou wilt be helping Christ, +and it may be He will accept thy service, and will one day come unto +thee and take thee for His servant.' +</p> +<p> +So Offero built a hut on the river bank, and pulling up a palm-tree that +was growing there, he used it as a staff to lean upon when he waded +through the deep water. He was so tall and strong that no matter how +high the river rose he could always wade across it. He was ever ready to +help the weary footsore travellers, and often when they were too weak to +stand against the current, even with the support of his strong arm, he +would + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page37" name="page37"></a>[37]</span> + + take them up upon his broad shoulders and carry them safely across. +</p> +<p> +For a long time did Offero live in his little hut on the river-bank, +doing his work well, in the hope that his Master might come to him as +the hermit had promised. But weeks and months went by, and still the +King did not come, and Offero began to fear that He never would pass +that way. +</p> +<p> +Then one night a terrible storm began to rage. The wind howled round +the lonely little hut, and the waters roared as they rushed past in the +darkness. +</p> +<p> +'I need not watch to-night,' thought Offero, 'for no one will seek to +cross the river in such a storm as this.' +</p> +<p> +But as he sat listening to the roll of the thunder and the clashing of +the hail on the roof, he fancied he heard, above the noise of the storm, +a little voice crying outside and a faint knocking at the door. +</p> +<p> +It sounded like the cry of a child, and Offero hastily rose up and, +unbarring the door, looked out. For a moment he could see nothing in +the thick darkness and blinding rain, but presently he heard the cry +again, sounding quite close to where he stood, and looking down he saw +something small and white, and heard the little voice sounding clear +above the storm: +</p> +<p> +'Kind Offero, wilt thou carry me across the river to-night?' +</p> +<p> +Then Offero saw it was a little child who was standing out there upon +the threshold—a child + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page38" name="page38"></a>[38]</span> + + who looked up at him with pleading eyes, his +golden curls lying wet against his cheek, and his little white robe +drenched with the driving rain. +</p> +<p> +Very tenderly Offero stooped down and lifted the little one in his kind, +strong arms, and asked him how it came that he was out alone on such a +stormy night. +</p> +<p> +'I must cross the river to-night,' said the child in his soft, clear +voice, 'and the water is deep and I am afraid. I saw thy hut and thought +perchance one might dwell here who would help me.' +</p> +<p> +'That will I gladly do,' said Offero, as he felt the little arms +clinging round his neck. 'The night is dark, and the river runs high +indeed, but thou art such a tiny child, I shall scarcely feel thy +weight. I will place thee high upon my shoulder, so that the water may +not reach even thy feet.' +</p> +<p> +So Offero took his great staff in his hand, and placed the child upon +his shoulder and stepped down into the roaring flood. +</p> +<p> +Higher and higher rose the water, stronger and stronger grew the +current, as Offero waded on. Never before had his strength been put to +such a test. And not only did the torrent threaten to sweep him off his +feet, but the child upon his shoulder seemed to grow heavier and heavier +with every step, until he could scarcely stagger on under the tremendous +weight. But on he went, fighting for each step. And now he was past +the worst and into the shallower water beyond. Putting forth all his +remaining strength, with one last great effort he struggled up the +farther side and with a sigh of + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page39" name="page39"></a>[39]</span> + + relief he climbed upon the bank, and +gently set the little child upon the grass. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0006"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-06-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-06-s.jpg" width="400" height="560" +alt="THE CHILD UPON HIS SHOULDER SEEMED TO GROW HEAVIER." /></a> +<br /> +THE CHILD UPON HIS SHOULDER SEEMED TO GROW HEAVIER. +</div> + +<p> +Then Offero stood looking at him in great wonder and astonishment and +said: +</p> +<p> +'How is it that thou, who seemest but a feather-weight, hast yet become +heavier than any burden I ever bore in all my life before?' +</p> +<p> +And as Offero spoke, the child looked up into his face, and lo! a +strange light seemed to shine round the golden head, and his white robe +became bright and glistening as the light. And the wonderful look of +majesty in those eyes drew Offero down to his knees. And as he knelt +there, scarce daring to lift his eyes before that wonderful gaze, he +heard the sweet, clear voice of the little child again, and knew it for +the same that had guided him since the vision of his boyhood. +</p> +<p> +'No wonder that I seemed to thee a heavy burden, for I bear upon my +shoulders the sins and sorrows of the whole world. I am Christ, whom +thou hast sought to serve. I came to thee in the form of a little +helpless child, that I might prove thee, if thou wert indeed my faithful +servant. And because thou hast been faithful in helping others, thou +shalt be counted worthy to enter my service, and I will give thee +the new name of Christopher, because thou hast borne Christ upon thy +shoulders. Take now thy staff and strike it into the earth, and thou +shalt know by a sign that I am indeed thy King.' +</p> +<p> +Then the light faded away, and the child was gone. But where Christopher +struck his staff, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page40" name="page40"></a>[40]</span> + + behold, it took root and budded out into leaves of +tender green. +</p> +<p> +And Christopher knelt on there in the darkness with a great joy in his +heart, for he had seen the face of his King, and had found his Master at +last. He knew that his search was ended, and that henceforth he would +serve only the highest. And all the trouble and perplexity had vanished +away, for he understood now that in ministering to others he would +always be serving his King, even if the work seemed but small and mean. +</p> +<p> +So Christopher learned to be Christ's true soldier and servant even unto +death, and because he fought manfully under His banner unto his life's +end, he is called a saint. His old name of Offero has been long +forgotten, and we know him only by that new name which the Christ-child +gave him that stormy night, and call him Saint Christopher. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page41" name="page41"></a>[41]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA +</h2> + +<p> +As the years pass by Father Time makes many changes in the busy town and +quiet country, but there are some places he seems to have forgotten or +passed over so lightly that they look very much the same to-day as they +did hundreds of years ago. +</p> +<p> +One of these places, which Time has dealt so gently with, is in the +heart of Italy, built high upon a hill. It is a town whose towers and +palaces and steep, narrow streets are little changed from what they were +five hundred and more years ago, when Catherine, the saint of Siena, was +born there. +</p> +<p> +To-day if you climb the steep winding road that leads up to the city, +and make your way through the gates and along the steepest of the narrow +streets, you will come to a house with a motto written over the door in +golden letters—'Sposæ Christi Katharinæ domus,' which means 'The house +of Katherine, the bride of Christ.' And if you go in you will see the +very room where Saint Catherine used to live, the bed of planks on which +she slept, her little chapel, and the rooms which her brothers and +sisters used. +</p> +<p> +It all looks just as it did when Benincasa, the dyer of Siena, lived +there with his wife Lapa. They had more than twenty children, but each +one was + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page42" name="page42"></a>[42]</span> + + welcome, and when at last Catherine and a twin sister were born, +there still did not seem one too many. The little sister lived only a +few days, and perhaps that made the parents love Catherine all the more, +and it was not only her own family who loved her. She was the favourite +of all the neighbours, and however busy they were they would always find +time to stop and talk to her as they passed. It was not that she was +very beautiful, or even very clever, but she had a way of making every +one feel happy when she was near them, and she had the sunniest smile +that ever dimpled a baby's face. It was like a sunbeam, lighting up +everything near it, and it shone in her eyes as well, so that ere long +the people found a new name for her, and called her 'Joy' instead of +Catherine. +</p> +<p> +As soon as she could walk alone, Catherine would wander away, sure of +a welcome at every house, and though at first when the other children +cried, 'The baby is lost again!' the mother would be anxious, she soon +ceased to mind, and only said, 'She is sure to be safe somewhere.' +</p> +<p> +And safe she always was, for every one would stop work to look after her +as she toddled along, and wherever she went Joy carried the sunshine +with her. +</p> +<p> +It happened that one afternoon when Catherine was about six years old, +her mother sent her and an elder brother, Stephen, to carry a message to +a house some way off. It was a beautiful evening, and as the children +went hand in hand down the steep street and up the hill towards the +great church of Saint Dominic, Catherine stopped a moment to look at the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page43" name="page43"></a>[43]</span> + + sunset. She always loved beautiful colours, and to-night the little +fleecy clouds were all touched with crimson and gold, like fairy islands +in a pale green sea, more beautiful than anything she had ever seen. +</p> +<p> +Stephen did not care for sunsets. He was much more anxious to be home +in time for supper, so he ran on alone, calling to Catherine to follow +quickly. +</p> +<p> +Catherine did not seem to hear his voice or to notice that he was gone, +but stood there with eyes fixed on the sunset, her face shining, and her +hair like a halo of gold round her head. +</p> +<p> +It was not the evening sky she was looking at, but a vision of heavenly +beauty. For there among the rose-pink clouds she saw the Madonna seated +upon a throne and holding in her arms the infant Christ. It was no +longer the poor Madonna of the stable, but the Queen of Heaven, her +dazzling robe blue as the summer sky, and a jewelled crown upon her +head. Only the same sweet mother-look was there as when she bent +over the manger-bed. There are no words to tell of the beauty of the +Christ-child's face. Catherine only knew that as He looked at her He +smiled and held up His little hand as if in blessing, and that smile +drew her heart to His feet. +</p> +<p> +Then suddenly Catherine's arm was roughly shaken and her brother asked +her impatiently at what she was gazing. +</p> +<p> +'O Stephen,' she cried, 'did you not see it too? Look!' +</p> +<p> +But the vision had faded, and the grey twilight + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page44" name="page44"></a>[44]</span> + + closed in upon the +two little figures as they went slowly home, the boy vexed with his +loitering sister, and she sobbing with disappointment to think that the +window in heaven was shut, and that she might never again look within. +</p> +<p> +As Catherine grew older, she never forgot the vision she had seen, or +how the hand of the Christ-child had been stretched out to bless her. +And it made her think often how she could best please Him, so that some +day He might smile on her again. +</p> +<p> +Catherine had heard a great deal about the good men who went to live in +deserts to be alone with God,—how they lived in caves and had scarcely +anything to eat, and how God would sometimes send the ravens to bring +them food. Now she was always fond of wandering, and the idea of living +in a desert seemed a beautiful way of serving Christ. She had never gone +beyond the walls of the town, and all outside was a new world to her; so +she was sure if only she could pass through the city gates, she would +soon find her way to the desert, where there would certainly be a cave +ready for her to live in. +</p> +<p> +So one day Catherine set out very early in the morning, carrying in her +pocket a small loaf of bread, just in case the ravens should forget to +come to a little girl-hermit. +</p> +<p> +In those days it was not safe to live outside the city walls, and there +were no farms nor houses to be seen as Catherine slipped through the +gates and began to find her way down the hillside, among tangled briars +and over rough stones. Soon her + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page45" name="page45"></a>[45]</span> + + feet grew very tired, and everything +looked so forlorn and wild that she was sure this must be the desert at +last, and there, too, was a little cave in the rocks waiting all ready +for her. +</p> +<p> +It was very nice to creep in and out of the hot sunshine into the cool +shade, and to rest until the sun went down. But as night came on and she +knelt to say her evening prayer, she began to think of home, and the +kind mother waiting there, and she knew she had done wrong to come away, +even though she had meant to serve God. +</p> +<p> +Very quickly she left her cave, and as she ran home her feet seemed to +fly over the ground. The desert had not been so very far away after all, +and she reached the house before her mother had begun to grow anxious, +but she never again wandered away to live a hermit's life. +</p> +<p> +As Catherine grew older she loved to listen to the stories of the +saints, and there was one she was never tired of hearing. It was the +life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, the saint whose name she bore. +</p> +<p> +This young queen was said to be the wisest and noblest of all the +saints, and when her courtiers wished her to marry, she said she would +only marry a prince who was perfect in every way. Such a prince was of +course impossible to find, but one night a poor old hermit had a vision +in which the Madonna came to him and told him that our Blessed Lord, the +only perfect Man, would accept the love of the young queen's heart and +the service of her hands. And when the queen knew this her + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page46" name="page46"></a>[46]</span> + + joy was great, +and that very night the Virgin mother came to her in a cloud of glory +surrounded by angels bearing crowns of lilies, and in her arms was the +Holy Child, who smiled on the queen and placed a ring upon her finger, +as a sign that she belonged to Him. +</p> +<p> +The more Catherine thought about this story the more she longed that +Christ would accept her heart and service too. And one night in a dream +He seemed to come to her, just as He had come to the other Catherine, +placing a ring upon her finger and bidding her remember that now she had +given her heart to Him. +</p> +<p> +Thus it was a great trouble to Catherine when she was told by her +parents soon after this that she was old enough to begin to think of +marriage. She said she did not wish to marry at all. But this only made +her parents angry with her, especially when one day they found she had +cut off all her beautiful golden hair, thinking to make herself so ugly +that no one would want her for his wife. +</p> +<p> +'Very well,' said her father, 'if thou wilt not marry as I bid thee, +then shalt thou do the house-work and be our servant.' +</p> +<p> +He expected this would be a great punishment, but Catherine was glad +to have hard work to do, and did it so well and cheerfully that her +father began to feel his anger melt away. Then it happened one day that +in passing her room he looked in, and there he saw her kneeling with +clasped hands and upturned face, and eyes in which the peace of heaven +shone, while around her head was + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page47" name="page47"></a>[47]</span> + + a bright light that took the form of +a snow-white dove resting there. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0007"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-07-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-07-s.jpg" width="565" height="400" +alt="THE HOLY CHILD PLACED A RING UPON HER FINGER." /></a> +<br /> +THE HOLY CHILD PLACED A RING UPON HER FINGER. +</div> + +<p> +From that moment he ceased to be angry with Catherine, and said all +should be as she wished, for surely the dove was a sign that God +accepted her prayers and approved of what she did. +</p> +<p> +So she was allowed to have a little room which She made into a chapel +where she could be alone to think and to pray. She wanted to learn to +conquer herself before she could serve Christ in the world, and for +three years she lived almost entirely alone, praying in the little +chapel, struggling to overcome her faults and to grow strong to resist +temptation. +</p> +<p> +But in spite of all her struggles evil thoughts would come into her +heart, and it seemed impossible to keep them out. It was easy to do +right things, but so terribly difficult to think only pure and good +thoughts. She knew that Satan sent the wicked thoughts into her heart, +but the hardest trial of all was that Christ seemed to have left her to +fight alone—He seemed so very far away. +</p> +<p> +At last one night, as she lay sobbing in despair, suddenly the evil +thoughts left her, and instead she felt that Christ was near and that +He bent tenderly over her. +</p> +<p> +'Why, oh why didst Thou leave me so long, dear Lord?' she cried. +</p> +<p> +'I never left thee,' His voice said quietly. +</p> +<p> +'But where wert Thou, Lord, when all was so dark and evil?' she humbly +asked. +</p> +<p> +'I was in thy heart,' replied the voice; 'didst + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page48" name="page48"></a>[48]</span> + + thou not hate the evil +thoughts? If I had not been there thou wouldst not have felt how black +they were, but because I was in the midst they seemed to thee most evil, +and thus I gave thee strength to cast them out.' +</p> +<p> +So Catherine's heart was filled with peace, and she learned to love +Christ more and more, and to deny herself in every way, sleeping on bare +planks with a log for her pillow, and eating the things she cared for +least. +</p> +<p> +It was not that she thought these things good in themselves, but she +felt she must use every means to make her heart pure and fit to serve +her Master. +</p> +<p> +And before very long Christ spoke to her again in the stillness of the +night, and told her she had lived long enough alone, that it was time +now to go out into the world and help other people to grow good too. +</p> +<p> +When Catherine thought of the busy, noisy life which other people led, +compared to the quiet peacefulness of her little cell and chapel, she +was very sad, and thought she had offended God that He was sending her +away from Him to mix with the world again. But His voice sounded in her +ears once more, and told her it was not to separate her from Himself +that He sent her out, but that she should learn to help others. +</p> +<p> +'Thou knowest that love giveth two commandments—to love Me, and to love +thy neighbour. I desire that thou shouldst walk not on one but two feet, +and fly to heaven on two wings.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page49" name="page49"></a>[49]</span></p> + +<p> +So Christ spoke to her, and Catherine with fearful heart prepared to +obey, only praying that He would give her strength to do His will. +And after that her life was spent in doing good to others. +</p> +<p> +The smile that used to lighten her face when she was a little child +had still the power of bringing peace and gladness to all, as she went +amongst the poor, nursing the sick, helping every one in trouble, and +teaching people more by her life than her words to love God. +</p> +<p> +And as, when she was a baby, they called her Joy, so now again they +found a new name for her, and she was known as 'the child of the +people.' In every kind of trouble they came to her, even asking her to +settle their quarrels, so that she was the peacemaker as well as the +helper of the whole town. +</p> +<p> +There was one special reason why people loved Catherine, and that was +because she always saw the best that was in them. She knew there was +good in every one, no matter how it was dimmed or hidden by the evil +that wrapped it round. Where other eyes saw only evil temper or wicked +spite, she looked beyond until she found some good that she could love. +Every day she prayed to God that He would help her to see the beauty in +each soul, so that she might help it to get rid of the sin that dimmed +its beauty. And so, because she looked for good in every one, all showed +her what was best in themselves, and for very shame would strive to be +all that she thought them. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page50" name="page50"></a>[50]</span></p> + +<p> +Catherine had joined the Dominican sisterhood and wore the white robe +and black veil, but she did not live in a convent as other sisters did. +Every morning when the sun began to gild the towers and roofs of the +city, passers-by would see her leave her home and walk up the steep +street towards the church of Saint Dominic where she always went to +early mass. +</p> +<p> +Strangers must have wondered when they saw the men uncover their heads +as she passed, as if she had been a queen instead of a poor sister clad +in a coarse white robe and black veil. But if they had caught sight of +her face perhaps they would have understood, for her eyes seemed as if +they were looking into heaven, and the holy peace that shone in her +smile made men feel that she lived in the very presence of God. +</p> +<p> +One morning as she was going to church as usual in the first light of +dawn, her thoughts far away and her lips moving in prayer, she was +startled by the touch of a hand upon her robe and the sound of a voice +asking for help. She turned to look and saw a poor man leaning against +the wall, haggard and pale, and so weak that he could scarcely stand. +</p> +<p> +'What dost thou want of me?' asked Catherine pitifully. +</p> +<p> +'I only ask a little help for my journey,' the poor man said; 'my home +is far from here, and the fever laid its hand upon me as I worked to +provide bread for those I love. So I pray thee, lady, give me a little +money that I may buy food to strengthen me before I start.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page51" name="page51"></a>[51]</span></p> + +<p> +'I would gladly help thee,' answered Catherine most sorrowfully, 'but +I am not a lady, only a poor sister, and I have no money of my own to +give.' +</p> +<p> +She turned as if to go on, but the eager hand still held her cloak and +the man begged once more. +</p> +<p> +'For Christ's sake help me, for indeed I need thy help most sorely.' +</p> +<p> +Then Catherine stood still. She felt she could not leave him so. There +was nothing at home she could part with, for that very morning she had +given away all the food that was in the house. Her father and mother +were good and kind, but she must not give away the things they needed. +Sorrowful and perplexed, her hand felt for the rosary which hung at her +side, for in every trouble she ever turned in prayer to her dear Lord. +Then as her fingers touched the beads, she suddenly remembered that here +was at least one thing which was her very own—a small silver crucifix +which she had had since she was a child, and which she had touched so +often as she prayed that it was worn smooth and thin. +</p> +<p> +Still it was silver and would buy the sick man a meal, and she quickly +unfastened it from the rosary and put it into his hand. The man's +blessings followed her as she went, and though she had parted with the +thing she loved best, she counted the blessings more precious than the +gift. +</p> +<p> +And as she knelt in the dim church, after the mass was over, God sent a +heavenly vision to reward His servant. +</p> +<p> +Catherine thought she stood in a great hall filled with things more +beautiful than words can tell, and + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page52" name="page52"></a>[52]</span> + + in the midst stood our Blessed Lord, +holding in His hand the most beautiful thing of all—a cross of beaten +gold, set with jewels of every hue sparkling so brightly that it almost +dazzled Catherine's eyes as she looked. +</p> +<p> +'Dost thou see these shining gifts,' He asked, 'and wouldst thou know +whence they came? They are the noble deeds which men have done for My +sake.' +</p> +<p> +And Catherine kneeling there with her empty hands could only bow her +head and say: 'Lord, I am only a poor sister, as Thou knowest, and have +nought to give Thee. The service I can offer could not find a place +among these glorious gifts.' +</p> +<p> +Then it seemed as if Christ smiled upon her, and holding out the golden +cross He asked: 'Hast thou not seen this cross before, Catherine?' +</p> +<p> +'No, Lord,' she answered, wondering, 'never before have mine eyes beheld +anything so lovely.' +</p> +<p> +But as she gazed upon it, her heart was filled with a sudden gladness, +for in the midst of the gold and jewels, in the heart of the glorious +light, she saw the little worn silver crucifix which she had given to +the poor man that morning for the love of Christ. +</p> +<p> +And as the vision faded there rang in her ears the words she knew so +well: 'Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren, +ye did it unto Me.' +</p> +<p> +As time went on the fame of Catherine spread to other towns, outside +Siena, and when there were disputes between the great cities of Italy +they would + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page53" name="page53"></a>[53]</span> + + send for Catherine, and beg her to act as peacemaker, and +she helped them all just as she did her own poor people of Siena. Even +the Pope came to her for advice. +</p> +<p> +In the midst of all this busy life Catherine fell ill. Her love for +Christ was so real, and her sorrow for His sufferings so great, that she +prayed that she might bear the pain that He had borne. We do not know +how our Lord granted her request, but in her hands and feet and side +appeared the marks of nails and spear. +</p> +<p> +All her sufferings she bore most patiently, but her heart was glad when +the end came. +</p> +<p> +The same vision that had smiled on her that summer evening when she was +a child, appeared in the sunset sky again, this time never to fade away, +as Catherine, the bride of Christ, was led by the white-robed angels up +to the throne of our Lord. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page54" name="page54"></a>[54]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO +</h2> + +<p> +The story of the life of Saint Augustine is different from almost +every other saint story, because it is taken from his own words and +not from what has been said about him. He wrote a wonderful book called +<i>The Confessions of Saint Augustine</i>, and in it we find all that he +thought and did from the time he was a little child. +</p> +<p> +Augustine was born in 354 in the northern part of Africa, which then +belonged to Rome, and was one of the richest countries in the world. His +mother, Monica, was a Christian, but all her prayers and loving care +could not keep her son from evil ways. He is often called the prodigal +saint, because he wandered very far astray for many years into that far +country of the youngest son in the parable; living in the midst of the +sins and evil pleasures of the world, until he learned to say, 'I will +arise and go to my father.' +</p> +<p> +And so Augustine's story comforts and helps us when we feel how easy it +is to do wrong, and how we fail every day to do the good things we meant +to do. There are so few days we can mark with a white stone because we +have really tried to be good, and so many days we are glad to forget +because of the black cross that stands against them. And yet, + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page55" name="page55"></a>[55]</span> + + who knows +but, if we fight on to the end, we too may be saints as Augustine was, +for he won his crown through many failures. +</p> +<p> +The story, in Augustine's own words, begins from the time when he was +a very little baby, not from what he remembers, but from what he had +learned as he watched other babies in whom he saw a picture of himself. +</p> +<p> +First of all Augustine tells of the tiny baby, who does nothing but +sleep and eat and cry. Then the baby begins to laugh a little when he is +awake, and very soon shows clearly his likes and dislikes, and kicks and +beats with his little hands when he does not get exactly what he wants. +Then comes the time of learning to speak and walk. +</p> +<p> +After that Augustine begins really to remember things about himself. +For who could ever forget the trial of first going to school? Oh, how +Augustine hated it, and how hard it seemed to him! The lessons were so +difficult and the masters were so strict, and he loved play so much +better than work, and when he went back to school with lessons unlearned +and work undone, the result was of course that he was whipped. It did +seem so unjust to him, for he could not see the use of lessons, and the +whippings were so sore. And in his book he tells us how it made him say +his first prayer to God—'I used to ask Thee, though a very little boy, +yet with no little earnestness, that I might not be whipped at school.' +</p> +<p> +Augustine could not see the reason why he should be forced to stay +indoors and learn dull, wearisome + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page56" name="page56"></a>[56]</span> + + lessons, when he might be playing in +the sunshine and learning new games, which seemed so much more worth +knowing. How those games delighted him! He was always eager to be first, +to win the victory and to be ahead of every one else. But then followed +the whipping at school, and the little sore body crept away and sobbed +out the prayer from his little sore soul. +</p> +<p> +He did not understand how it could all be meant for his good. We never +quite understand that till we have left school far behind. +</p> +<p> +I wonder if we all wrote down just exactly what we felt and did when we +were little children, whether we would have as many things to confess as +Augustine had? There are some faults which no one is very much ashamed +to own because they don't seem small and mean and pitiful. But who would +like to confess to being greedy and stealing sweet things from the table +when no one was looking? Who would care to own that he cheated at games, +caring only to come out first whether he had played fairly or not? Yet +this great saint tells us he remembers doing all these mean things and +looks back upon them with great sorrow. He warns other little children +to kill these faults at the very beginning, for he knows how strong they +grow and how difficult to conquer, when the mean child grows into a man +whom no one can trust. +</p> +<p> +As time went on and he grew to be a big boy he went further and further +astray. When he was little he stole things to eat because he was greedy +or because he wanted to bribe other little boys to sell + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page57" name="page57"></a>[57]</span> + + him their toys, +but now that he was older it was out of mere pride and boastfulness that +he took what did not belong to him. He thought it grand and manly to +show off to other boys how little he cared about doing wrong. +</p> +<p> +Augustine tells us that in a garden near his house there was a pear-tree +covered with pears neither sweet nor large. But just because it belonged +to some one else, and he thought it fun to steal, he and his companions +went out one dark night and robbed the tree of all its fruit. They did +not care to eat the pears, and after tasting one or two threw all the +rest to the pigs. There was no particular pleasure in this he allows, +and he would never have done it alone, but he wanted the other boys to +admire him and to think he was afraid of nothing. +</p> +<p> +And so years went on and Augustine grew up into manhood, and it seemed +as if his evil ways would break his mother's heart. Through all his sin +and foolishness she loved him and prayed for him but he paid no heed to +her, and wandered further away into that far country, wasting all he had +in living wildly and forgetting the God he had prayed to when a child. +</p> +<p> +One day when Monica was weeping over this wandering son of hers and +praying for him with all her heart, God sent a comforting dream to her +which she never forgot. She thought she saw herself standing on a narrow +wooden plank, and towards her there came a shining angel who smiled upon +her as she stood there worn out with sorrow and weeping. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page58" name="page58"></a>[58]</span></p> + +<p> +'Why art thou so sad, and wherefore dost thou weep these daily tears?' +asked the angel. +</p> +<p> +'I weep over the ruin of my son,' answered the poor mother. +</p> +<p> +Then the angel bade her cease from grieving and be at rest, and told her +to look and see that on the same narrow plank of salvation where she was +standing Augustine stood beside her. +</p> +<p> +His mother told Augustine of this dream, and though he only laughed at +it, it seemed to sink into his heart and he remembered it many years +after. And to Monica it came as a breath of hope, and comforted her +through many dark days. For she was sure that God had sent this dream +to tell her that in the end she and her son would stand together in +His presence. +</p> +<p> +But though Monica believed this she never ceased to do all that was in +her power to help Augustine. And once she went to a learned bishop and +begged him to talk to Augustine and try what he could do. But the bishop +was a wise man and knew that by speaking he would do more harm than +good, for Augustine was proud of his unbelief and had no longing in +himself for better things. But Monica did not see this and could only +implore the bishop to try, until the good man grew vexed with her and +said at last, 'I cannot help thee in this matter, but go thy way in +peace. It cannot be that a son of such tears should perish.' +</p> +<p> +And these words comforted Monica, as the dream had done, and made her +sure that in the end all would be right. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page59" name="page59"></a>[59]</span></p> + +<p> +The good bishop spoke truly, for after many years had passed Augustine +began to be weary of his own way and to look for a higher, better life. +He longed to turn his face homeward, but now he had lost the way, and +for long he sought it with bitter tears. +</p> +<p> +At last, one day, he felt he could bear the burden of his evil life +no longer. His sins felt like a heavy chain dragging him down in the +darkness, and there was no light to show him which way to turn. Taking +a roll of the scriptures he wandered out into the garden and there, as +he wept, he heard a voice close by chanting over and over again 'Take, +read.' He thought it must be some game that children were playing, but +he could remember none that had those words in it. And then he thought +perhaps this was a voice from heaven in answer to his prayer, telling +him what to do. +</p> +<p> +Eagerly he took the holy writings in his hand and opened them to read, +and there he found words telling him what sort of life he should lead. +In a moment it all seemed clear to him. His Father was waiting to +receive and pardon him; so he arose and left the far country and all his +evil habits and turned his face to God. +</p> +<p> +And then he tells how he went straight to his mother—the mother who had +loved and believed in him through all those evil days, and he told her +like a little child how sorry he was at last. +</p> +<p> +Then, indeed, was Monica's mourning turned into joy, and so at her +life's end she and her son sat hand in hand, both looking up towards the +dawning + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page60" name="page60"></a>[60]</span> + + heaven; he with eyes ashamed but full of hope, and she with tears +all washed away, and eyes that shone with more than earthly joy. +</p> +<p> +When his mother at last died and left him alone, Augustine did not +grieve, for he knew the parting was not for long. All that was left for +him to do now was to strive to make good those years he had wasted, and +be more fit to meet her when God should call him home. +</p> +<p> +And so it came to pass that this great sinner became one of God's saints +and did a wonderful work for Him in the world. He was made Bishop of +Hippo, and was one of the most famous bishops the world has ever known. +</p> +<p> +There is one legend told of Augustine which has comforted many hearts +when puzzling questions have arisen and it has seemed so difficult to +understand all the Bible teaches us about our Father in heaven. +</p> +<p> +They say that once when this great father of the Church was walking +along by the seashore, troubled and perplexed because he could not +understand many things about God, he came upon a little child playing +there alone. The child had digged a hole in the sand and was carefully +filling it with water which he brought from the sea in a spoon. The +bishop stopped and watched him for a while and then he asked: +</p> +<p> +'What art thou doing, my child?' +</p> +<p> +'I mean to empty the sea into my hole,' answered the child, busily going +backwards and forwards with his spoon. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0008"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-08-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-08-s.jpg" width="550" height="400" +alt="THE CHILD HAD DIGGED A HOLE IN THE SAND." /></a> +<br /> +THE CHILD HAD DIGGED A HOLE IN THE SAND. +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page61" name="page61"></a>[61]</span></p> + +<p> +'But that is impossible,' said the bishop. +</p> +<p> +'Not more impossible than that thy human mind should understand the mind +of God,' said the child, gazing upwards at him with grave, sweet eyes. +</p> +<p> +And before the bishop could answer the child had vanished, and the saint +knew that God had sent him as an answer to his troubled thoughts, and as +a rebuke for his trying to understand the things that only God could +know. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page62" name="page62"></a>[62]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY +</h2> + +<p> +It was market-day in the great city of Rome, and the people were busy +buying and selling and shouting, just as they do to-day with us, when +market-day comes round. But there was a great difference between this +Roman market and ours, a difference which would have seemed to us +strange and cruel. For instead of sheep and oxen, or green vegetables +from the country, they were selling men and boys, and even little +maidens. There in the great market-place, with the sun beating down on +their bare heads, they stood, looking with dull, despairing eyes, or +with frightened glances at the crowds of buyers and sellers who were +bargaining around. +</p> +<p> +Suddenly a hush fell on the crowd, and a stately figure was seen +crossing the square. People stood aside and bent their heads in +reverence as Gregory passed by, for he was Abbot of a great monastery in +Rome, and was much beloved even by the rough Roman soldiers. He walked +swiftly as if he did not care to linger in the market-place, for it +grieved his gentle heart to see the suffering of the slaves when he +could do nothing to help them. +</p> +<p> +But suddenly the crowd seemed to divide in front of him, and he stopped +in wonder at the sight which + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page63" name="page63"></a>[63]</span> + + met his eyes. It was only a group of little +fair-haired English boys who had been captured in the wars, and carried +off to be sold as slaves in the Roman market. But Gregory had never seen +anything like them before. All around were dark-eyed, swarthy-faced +Italians, or darker-skinned slaves from Africa, and these boys with +their sunny, golden hair, fair faces, and eyes blue as the sky overhead, +seemed to him creatures from a different world. +</p> +<p> +'Whence come these children, and what name do they bear?' asked the +bishop of a man who stood beside him. +</p> +<p> +'From a savage island far over the sea,' he answered, 'and men call +them Angles.' +</p> +<p> +Then the kind bishop looked with pitying eyes upon the beautiful +children, and said to himself, as he turned to go: 'They should be +called not Angles, but angels.' +</p> +<p> +The sight of those boys, so strong and fearless and beautiful, made +Gregory think a great deal about the little island of Britain, far away +across the sea, from whence they had come. He knew the people who lived +there were a fierce, warlike race, having a strange religion of their +own, and that very few of them were Christians. But he knew, too, that +though they were hard to conquer, and difficult to teach, still they +were a people worth teaching, and he longed to win them to the side of +Christ and to show them how to serve the true God. +</p> +<p> +In those days people in Italy knew very little about that far-away +island, and it seemed to them as difficult and dangerous to go to +England as it would + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page64" name="page64"></a>[64]</span> + + seem to us if we were asked to go to the wildest +part of Africa. True there were no lions nor tigers in England, but the +tall, fair-haired giants who lived there were as savage as they were +brave, and might be even worse to deal with than the wild beasts of +other lands. +</p> +<p> +So it may well be believed that when Saint Gregory, who was now Pope +of Rome, chose forty monks and sent them on a mission to this distant +island, they were not very anxious to go, and set out in fear and +trembling. +</p> +<p> +But at their head was one who knew no fear and who was willing to face +any dangers in the service of his Master. This man was Augustine, a monk +of Rome, whom Gregory had chosen to lead the mission, knowing that his +courage would strengthen the others, and his wisdom would guide them +aright. +</p> +<p> +It took many long days and nights of travel to reach the coast where +they were to find a ship to carry them across to Britain, and before +they had gone very far, the forty monks were inclined to turn back in +despair. From every side they heard such terrible tales of the savage +islanders they were going to meet, that their hearts, never very +courageous, were filled with terror, and they refused to go further. +Nothing that Augustine could say would persuade them to go on, and they +would only agree that he should go back to Rome and bear their prayers +to Saint Gregory, imploring him not to force them to face such horrible +danger. If Augustine would do this they promised to wait his return and +to do then whatever the Pope ordered. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page65" name="page65"></a>[65]</span></p> + +<p> +They had not to wait many days, for Augustine speedily brought back +the Pope's answer to their request. His dark face glowed and his eyes +shone with the light of victory, as he read to them the letter which +Saint Gregory had sent. There was to be no thought of going back. Saint +Gregory's words were few, but decisive. 'It is better not to begin +a work than to turn back as soon as danger threatens; therefore, my +beloved sons, go forward by the help of our Lord.' +</p> +<p> +So they obeyed, and with Augustine at their head once more set out, +hardly hoping to escape the perils of the journey, and expecting, if +they did arrive, to be speedily put to death by the savage islanders. +</p> +<p> +Perhaps the worst trial of all was when they set sail from France and +saw the land fading away in the distance. In front there was nothing +to be seen but angry waves and a cold, grey sky, and they seemed to be +drifting away from the country of sunshine and safety into the dark +region of uncertainty and danger. Nay, the island, whose very name was +terrible to them, was nowhere to be seen, and seemed all the more +horrible because it was wrapped in that mysterious grey mist. +</p> +<p> +But though they did not know it, they had really nothing to fear from +the island people, for the queen of that part of England where they +landed was a Christian, and had taught the King Ethelbert to show mercy +and kindness. So when the company of cold, shivering monks came ashore +they were met with a kind and courteous welcome, and instead of enemies +they found friends. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page66" name="page66"></a>[66]</span></p> + +<p> +The king himself came to meet them, and he ordered the little band of +foreigners to be brought before him, that he might learn their errand. +He did not receive them in any hall or palace, but out in the open air, +for it seemed safer there, in case these strangers should be workers of +magic or witchcraft. +</p> +<p> +It must have been a strange scene when the forty monks, with Augustine +at their head, walked in procession up from the beach to the broad +green meadow where the king and his soldiers waited for them. The tall, +fair-haired warriors who stood around, sword in hand, ready to defend +their king, must have looked with surprise at these black-robed men with +shaven heads and empty hands. They carried no weapons of any sort, and +they seemed to bear no banner to tell men whence they came. Only the +foremost monks carried on high a silver cross and the picture of a +crucified Man, and instead of shouts and war-cries there was the sound +of a melodious chant sung by many voices, yet seeming as if sung by one. +</p> +<p> +Then Augustine stood out from among the company of monks and waited for +the king to speak. +</p> +<p> +'Who art thou, and from whence have come these men who are with thee?' +asked the king. Methinks thou comest in peace, else wouldst thou have +carried more deadly weapons than a silver charm and a painted sign. +I fain would know the reason of thy visit to this our island.' +</p> +<p> +Slowly Augustine began to tell the story of their pilgrimage and the +message they had brought. So + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page67" name="page67"></a>[67]</span> + + long he spoke that the sun began to sink +and the twilight fell over the silent sea that lay stretched out beyond +the meadow where they sat before his story was done. +</p> +<p> +The king bent forward, thoughtfully weighing the words he had heard, and +looking into the faces of these strange messengers of peace. At length +he spoke, and the weary monks and stalwart warriors listened eagerly to +his words. +</p> +<p> +'Thou hast spoken well,' he said to Augustine, 'and it may be there is +truth in what thou sayest. But a man does not change his religion in an +hour. I will hear more of this. But meanwhile ye shall be well cared +for, and all who choose may listen to your message.' +</p> +<p> +Those were indeed welcome words to the company of poor tired monks, and +when the kindly islanders, following their king's example, made them +welcome and gave them food and shelter, they could well echo the words +of Saint Gregory in the Roman market: 'These are not Angles but angels.' +</p> +<p> +And soon King Ethelbert gave the little company a house of their own, +and allowed them to build up the ancient church at Canterbury, which had +fallen into ruins. There they lived as simply and quietly as they had +done in their convent in Italy, praying day and night for the souls of +these heathen people, and teaching them, as much by their lives as their +words, that it was good to serve the Lord Christ. +</p> +<p> +And before very long the people began to listen eagerly to their +teaching, and the king himself was baptized with many others. The chant +which the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page68" name="page68"></a>[68]</span> + + monks had sung that first day of their landing no longer +sounded strange and mysterious in the ears of the islanders, for they +too learnt to sing the 'Alleluia' and to praise God beneath the sign of +the silver cross. +</p> +<p> +Now Augustine was very anxious that the Ancient British Church should +join his party and that they should work together under the direction +of Pope Gregory. But the British Christians were not sure if they might +trust these strangers, and it was arranged that they should meet first, +before making any plans. +</p> +<p> +The Ancient British Church had almost been driven out of the land, and +there were but few of her priests left. They did not know whether they +ought to join Augustine and his foreign monks, or strive to work on +alone. In their perplexity they went to a holy hermit, and asked him +what they should do. +</p> +<p> +'If this man comes from God, then follow him,' said the hermit. +</p> +<p> +'But how can we know if he is of God?' asked the people. +</p> +<p> +The hermit thought a while and then said: +</p> +<p> +'The true servant of God is ever humble and lowly of heart. Go to meet +this man. If he rises and bids you welcome, then will you know that he +bears Christ's yoke, and will lead you aright. But if he be proud and +haughty, and treat you with scorn, never rising to welcome you, then see +to it that ye have nought to do with him.' +</p> +<p> +So the priests and bishops of the British Church + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page69" name="page69"></a>[69]</span> + + arranged to meet +Augustine under a great oak-tree, which was called ever afterwards +'Augustine's oak.' They carefully planned that the foreign monks should +arrive there first, in time to be seated, so that the hermit's test +might be tried when they themselves should arrive. +</p> +<p> +Unhappily, Augustine did not think of rising to greet the British +bishops, and they were very angry and would agree to nothing that he +proposed, though he warned them solemnly that if they would not join +their forces with his, they would sooner or later fall by the hand of +their enemies. +</p> +<p> +Greatly disappointed Augustine returned to Canterbury and worked there +for many years without help, until all who lived in that part of England +learned to be Christians. +</p> +<p> +And Pope Gregory hearing of his labours was pleased with the work his +missionary had done, and thought it fit that the humble monk should +be rewarded with a post of honour. So he made Augustine Archbishop of +Canterbury, the first archbishop that England had known. It was a simple +ceremony then, with only the few faithful monks kneeling around the +chair on which the archbishop was enthroned, but Augustine's keen, dark +face shone with the light of victory and humble thankfulness, for it +seemed a seal upon his work, a pledge that the island should never again +turn back from the faith of Christ. +</p> +<p> +And could those dark eyes have looked forward and pierced the screen of +many years, Augustine would have seen a goodly succession of archbishops + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page70" name="page70"></a>[70]</span> + + following in his footsteps, each in his turn sitting in that same simple +old chair, placed now in Westminster Abbey and guarded as one of +England's treasures. +</p> +<p> +And he would have seen, too, what would have cheered his heart more than +all—a Christian England venerating the spot where his monastery once +stood, and building upon it a college to his memory. And there he would +have seen England's sons trained to become missionaries and to go out +into all the world to preach the gospel, just as that little band of +monks, with Augustine at their head, came to our island in those dark, +far-off days. +</p> +<p> +But though Augustine could not know all this, his heart was filled with +a great hope and a great love for the islanders who now seemed like his +own children, and he was more than content to spend his life amongst +them. +</p> +<p> +And when his work was ended, and the faithful soul gave up his charge, +they buried him in the island which had once seemed to him a land of +exile, but which at last had come to mean even more to him than his +own sunny land of Italy. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page71" name="page71"></a>[71]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT CECILIA +</h2> + +<p> +It was in the days when cruel men killed and tortured those who loved +our Blessed Lord that, in the city of Rome, a little maid was born. +Her father and mother were amongst the richest and noblest of the +Roman people, and their little daughter, whom they called Cecilia, had +everything she could possibly want. She lived in a splendid palace, with +everything most beautiful around her, and she had a garden to play in, +where the loveliest flowers grew. Her little white dress was embroidered +with the finest gold, and her face was as fair as the flowers she loved. +</p> +<p> +But it was not only the outside that was beautiful, for the little +maiden's heart was fairer than the fairest flowers, and whiter than her +spotless robe. +</p> +<p> +There were not many people who loved our Lord in those dark days. +Any one who was known to be a Christian was made to suffer terrible +tortures, and was even put to death. +</p> +<p> +But though Cecilia's father and mother knew this they still taught their +little daughter to be a servant of Christ and to love Him above all +things. For they knew that the love of Christ was better than life, and +worth all the suffering that might come. +</p> +<p> +And as Cecilia grew into a stately maiden every + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page72" name="page72"></a>[72]</span> + + one wondered at the grace +and beauty that shone out of her face. And every one loved her because +she loved every one. She was always ready and willing to help others, +and she specially cared to be kind to the poor. In the folds of her gold +embroidered dress she always carried a little book which she loved to +read. It was the book of the Gospels, and the more she read and heard +of Christ, the more she longed to grow like Him. She could not bear to +think that she wore fine dresses, while He had been so poor and suffered +so much. And so, underneath her soft, white robe she wore a harsh, +coarse garment made of hair. And when it hurt and rubbed her sorely, +the pain only made her glad, because she wore it for Christ's sake. +</p> +<p> +Some say the meaning of her name Cecilia is 'Heaven's Lily.' And that +name certainly suited this little Roman maiden. For as God plants the +lilies in the dark earth, and presently they grow up and lift their pure +white cups to heaven, so Cecilia seemed to lift her heart above the sins +and sorrows of the world, where God had planted her, and to turn her +face ever heavenwards. +</p> +<p> +And the poor people whom she helped and cheered with her kind sympathy +loved to look at her, for the peace of paradise shone in her eyes, and +it seemed to bring heaven nearer to the poor souls. +</p> +<p> +As soon as Cecilia was old enough, it was arranged that she should marry +a young Roman noble called Valerian, and this made her very unhappy. She +had so hoped to belong only to Christ, and this Valerian was a pagan who +knew nothing of the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page73" name="page73"></a>[73]</span> + + Lord whom she served. But she knew that her guardian +angel would watch over her and keep her from all harm, and so she obeyed +her father's and mother's wishes, and was married to the young Roman +noble. +</p> +<p> +When Valerian had taken Cecilia home and all the guests had gone, +and they were left alone together, she told him that, though she was +married, she belonged first of all to Christ, and that her guardian +angel, who never left her, would guard and protect her from all danger. +</p> +<p> +'Wilt thou not show me this angel, so that I may know that what thou +sayest is true?' asked Valerian. +</p> +<p> +'Thou canst not see the heavenly messenger until thou hast learnt to +know my Lord,' answered Cecilia. +</p> +<p> +And as Valerian eagerly asked how he should learn to know this Christ, +Cecilia told him to go along the great Appian Way, outside the walls of +Rome, until he should meet some poor people who lived in the Campagna. +And to them he should say: +</p> +<p> +'Cecilia bids you show me the way that I may find the old man, Urban +the Good.' +</p> +<p> +So Valerian started off and went the way Cecilia directed. And the +people guided him as she had promised, until they came to a curious +opening in the ground, down which they told him he must go if he wished +to find Pope Urban. +</p> +<p> +This opening was the entrance to a strange under-ground place called +the Catacombs. +</p> +<p> +There were miles and miles of dark passages cut out of the rock, with +here and there a little dark room, and curious shelves hollowed out of +the walls. + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page74" name="page74"></a>[74]</span> + + It was here that many poor Christians lived, hiding themselves +from those who would have put them to death. And the little shelves were +where they buried the bodies of poor Christians who had died for Christ. +</p> +<p> +It was here that the old Pope, Urban the Good, lived, and he welcomed +Valerian most gladly, knowing why he had come. He began at once to teach +him all that he should know—how God was our Father, and Jesus Christ +His Son, our Saviour. And as Valerian listened to the strange, wonderful +words, the love of God shone into his heart, so that when the old man +asked: +</p> +<p> +'Believest thou this?' +</p> +<p> +He answered with all his heart: +</p> +<p> +'All this I steadfastly believe.' +</p> +<p> +Then Urban baptized Valerian, and by that sign the young Roman knew that +he was indeed a Christian, a servant of Christ. +</p> +<p> +All the world looked different to Valerian as he walked back along the +Appian Way to Rome. The flat, low fields of the Campagna, fading away +into the ridges of the purple Apennines, seemed almost like the fields +of paradise, and the song of the birds was like the voice of angels. He +scarcely thought of the dangers and difficulties that were before him, +or if he did it was only to feel glad that he might have anything to +bear for his new Master. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0009"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-09-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-09-s.jpg" width="400" height="545" +alt="A CROWN OF LILIES AND ROSES IN EACH HAND." /></a> +<br /> +A CROWN OF LILIES AND ROSES IN EACH HAND. +</div> + +<p> +And when he reached home, and went back to the room where he had left +Cecilia, he found her there waiting for him, with a glad welcome in her +eyes. And as they knelt together they heard a + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page75" name="page75"></a>[75]</span> + + rustle of wings, and +looking up they saw an angel bending over them, with a crown of lilies +and roses in each hand. These he placed upon their heads, and to +Valerian he said: +</p> +<p> +'Thou hast done well in allowing Cecilia to serve her Master, therefore +ask what thou wilt and thy request shall be granted.' +</p> +<p> +Then Valerian asked that his brother, whom he dearly loved, might also +learn to know Christ. +</p> +<p> +And just then the door opened, and the brother whom Valerian loved so +much came in. He, of course, only saw Valerian and Cecilia, and could +not see the angel, or even the wreaths of heavenly roses. But he looked +round in astonishment and said: +</p> +<p> +'I see no flowers here, and yet the fragrance of roses and lilies is so +sweet and strange, that it makes my very heart glad.' +</p> +<p> +Then Valerian answered: +</p> +<p> +'We have two crowns here, which thou canst not see, because thou knowest +not the Lord who sent them to us. But if thou wilt listen, and learn to +know Him, then shalt thou see the heavenly flowers, whose fragrance has +filled thy heart.' +</p> +<p> +So Valerian and Cecilia told their brother what it meant to be a +Christian. And after the good Urban had taught him also, he was baptized +and became God's knight. Then he, too, saw the heavenly crowns and the +face of the angel who guarded Heaven's Lily. +</p> +<p> +For a while the home of Valerian and Cecilia was like a paradise on +earth. There was nothing but + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page76" name="page76"></a>[76]</span> + + happiness there. Cecilia loved music above +everything. Her voice was like a bird's, and she sang her hymns of +praise and played so exquisitely, that it is said that even the angels +came down to listen. +</p> +<p> +But before long it began to be known that Valerian and his brother +helped the poor Christians, and the wicked governor of the city ordered +them both to be seized and brought before him. He told them that there +were but two ways before them: either they must deny that they were +Christians, or they must be put to death. +</p> +<p> +But God's knights did not fear death, and they went out to meet it +as if they were on their way to a great victory. And when the soldiers +wondered, and asked them if it was not sad that they should lose their +lives while they were still so young, they answered that what looked +like loss on earth was gain in heaven—that they were but laying down +their bodies as one puts off one's clothes to sleep at night. For the +immortal soul could never die, but would live for ever. +</p> +<p> +So they knelt down, and the cruel blows were struck. But, looking up, +the soldiers saw a great pathway of light shining down from heaven. And +the souls of Valerian and his brother were led up by angel hands to the +throne of God, there to receive the crowns of everlasting glory which +they had won on earth. +</p> +<p> +And so Cecilia was left alone. But she did not spend her time grieving. +Gathering the people and soldiers around her, she taught them about the +Lord of Heaven, for whose sake Valerian and his brother + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page77" name="page77"></a>[77]</span> + + had so gladly +suffered death. And it was not long before she also trod the shining +pathway up to heaven and met the ones she loved. +</p> +<p> +For the governor was not satisfied with the death of Valerian and his +brother, but ordered Cecilia to be brought before him. +</p> +<p> +'What sort of a woman art thou, and what is thy name?' he asked. +</p> +<p> +'I am a Roman lady,' she answered with grave dignity,' and among men +I am known by the name of Cecilia. But'—and her voice rang out proudly +as she looked fearlessly into those angry eyes—'my noblest name is +Christian.' +</p> +<p> +Then the enraged governor ordered that she should be taken to her house, +and put to death in her bath. But the boiling water could not hurt her, +and she was as cool as if she had bathed in a fresh spring. +</p> +<p> +This made the governor more furious than ever, and he ordered that her +head should be cut off. +</p> +<p> +But even after she had received three strokes from the sword she did +not die, but lived for three days. And these days she spent in quietly +putting her house in order and dividing her money among the poor, ever +singing in her sweet voice the praises of God. +</p> +<p> +And so at the end of three days God's angel came and led Cecilia home, +and all that was left of her on earth was her fair body, lying like a +tired child asleep, with hands clasped, gently resting now that her work +on earth was done. +</p> +<p> +And in Rome to-day there is a splendid church + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page78" name="page78"></a>[78]</span> + + built over the place where +Cecilia's house stood. Some day if you go there, you will see her little +room and the bath in which the boiling water could not hurt her. You +will see too, a beautiful marble figure lying under the altar, and you +will know exactly how Cecilia looked when she left her tired body lying +there, and went up the shining path to God. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0010"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-10-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-10-s.jpg" width="400" height="545" +alt="SHE TAUGHT THEM ABOUT THE LORD OF HEAVEN." /></a> +<br /> +SHE TAUGHT THEM ABOUT THE LORD OF HEAVEN. +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page79" name="page79"></a>[79]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT GILES +</h2> + +<p> +It was in the beautiful land of Greece that Saint Giles was born, very +far away from the grey northern city, whose cathedral bears his name. +His parents were of royal blood, and were, moreover, Christians; so the +boy was brought up most carefully, and taught all that a prince should +know. +</p> +<p> +He was a dreamy, quiet boy, and what he loved best was to wander out in +the green woods by himself, with no companions but the animals and birds +and flowers. He would lie for hours watching the birds busily build +their nests, or the rabbits as they timidly peeped at him out of their +holes. And soon all the woodland creatures began to look upon him as +their friend, and even the wildest would come gradually nearer and +nearer, almost within reach of his hand; and they seemed to listen when +he talked to them, as if they could understand what he said. One thing +they certainly did understand, and that was that he loved them and would +do them no harm. +</p> +<p> +Saint Giles could not bear to see anything suffer, and his pity was +great for all those in pain; and often he would mend a bird's broken +wing, or bind up a little furry foot that had been torn in a trap; and +the birds and beasts always lay quiet under his + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page80" name="page80"></a>[80]</span> + + hand, and seemed to know +that he would cure them, even though the touch might hurt. +</p> +<p> +It happened that one day, when Saint Giles was kneeling in church, he +saw a poor beggar lying there on the cold, stone floor. He had scarcely +any clothes to keep him warm, and his face had a hungry, suffering look, +which filled the heart of the saint with pity. He saw that the poor man +was ill and trembling with cold, so without a moment's thought, he took +off his own warm cloak and tenderly wrapped it round the beggar. +</p> +<p> +The warmth of the cloak seemed to bring life back to the poor chilled +body, and when Saint Giles had given him food and wine, he was able to +lift himself up, and to bless the kind youth who had helped him. +</p> +<p> +And when the people saw what had happened they thought Saint Giles had +worked a miracle, and cured the man by his wonderful touch; for they did +not realise that all kind deeds work miracles every day. +</p> +<p> +It did not please Saint Giles that people should think he possessed this +miraculous gift of healing, and he had no wish to be called a saint. He +only longed to lead his own quiet life and to help all God's creatures +who needed his care. But the people would not leave him alone, and they +brought to him those who were sick and lame and blind, and expected that +he would heal them. +</p> +<p> +It is true that many needed only a little human aid, and the food and +help which Saint Giles gave them would soon make them well again; but +there + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page81" name="page81"></a>[81]</span> + + were some he could not help, and it wrung his heart to see their +pleading eyes, and to watch them bring out their little store of +hard-earned money, eager to buy the aid which he so willingly would +have given had he been able. +</p> +<p> +So at last Saint Giles determined to leave his native city, for he had +been all alone since his father and mother had died. He wished to escape +from the anxious crowds that refused to leave him in peace; but first he +sold all that he had and gave it to the poor of the city, an act which +made them surer than ever that he was one of God's saints. Then he +sailed away across the sea to a far-off country. +</p> +<p> +There Saint Giles found a lonely cave in which an old hermit lived. +'Here at last I shall find peace and quietness,' said he to himself, +'and men will soon forget me.' +</p> +<p> +But even here ere long his friends found him, for his fame had spread +across the seas. So once more he set out and went further and further +away, by paths that few had ever trod before, until in the depths of a +green forest he found another shelter, a cave among grey rocks overgrown +with lichens, and hidden by the sheltering boughs of the surrounding +trees. Saint Giles had always loved the woods and this was just the home +he had longed for. A clear stream flowed not far off, and his only +companions would be the birds and beasts and flowers. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning the birds would wake him with their song, and the +wild creatures would come stealing out of the wood to share his meal. +And his silent friends, the flowers, would cheer and help him + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page82" name="page82"></a>[82]</span> + + by their +beauty, and remind him of God's garden whose gate would one day open for +him, where he would wander in the green pastures beside the still waters +of Life for evermore. +</p> +<p> +But of all his companions the one Saint Giles loved best was a gentle +white doe, who came to him as soon as he settled in the cave. She seemed +to have no fear of him from the first, and stayed with him longer and +longer each time, until at last she took up her abode with him, and +would never leave him, lying close to him when he slept, and walking by +his side wherever he went. +</p> +<p> +This peaceful life went on for a long time and it seemed as if nothing +could disturb its quiet happiness. But it happened that one day as Saint +Giles was praying in the cave, and his companion, the white doe, was +nibbling her morning meal of fresh grass by the banks of the stream, a +curious noise was heard afar off. It came nearer and nearer, and then +shouts of men's voices could be heard, the sound of horses galloping and +the note of the hunter's horn. Then came the deep baying of dogs, and +before the startled doe could hide, the whole hunt was upon her. With a +wild halloo they chased her across the greensward and through the trees, +and just as she disappeared into the cave, one of the huntsmen drew +his bow and sent an arrow flying after her. Then they all dismounted +and went to see what had become of the hunted doe, and soon found the +opening into the cave. But what was their surprise, when they burst in, +to find an old man kneeling there. He was sheltering the terrified doe + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page83" name="page83"></a>[83]</span> + + who had fled to him for refuge, and an arrow had pierced the kind hand +that had been raised to shield her. +</p> +<p> +The huntsmen were ashamed of their cruel sport when they saw the wounded +hand of the old man and the trembling form of the white doe as it +crouched behind him, and they listened with reverence to the hermit's +words as he spoke to them of man's duty towards God's dumb creatures. +</p> +<p> +The King of France, who was one of the hunting party, came often after +this to see Saint Giles, and at last offered to build him a monastery +and give him all that he could want; but the old man begged to be left +alone in his woodland cave, to serve God in peace and quietness. So +there he lived quietly and happily for many years, until God took him, +and he left his cave for the fairer fields of paradise. +</p> +<p> +People loved the thought of this peaceful old saint who dwelt in the +woods and was the protector of all sorrowful and suffering creatures, +and so they often called their churches after Saint Giles, especially +those churches which were built in the fields or near green woods. +</p> +<p> +The surroundings of many of these churches are to-day changed. There +are no fields now round his great cathedral church in the old town of +Edinburgh; but the poor and sick and sorrowful crowd very near to its +shelter, and the memory of the pitiful heart of the gentle old saint +still hovers like a blessing round the grey old walls. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page84" name="page84"></a>[84]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT NICHOLAS +</h2> + +<p> +Of all the saints that little children love is there any to compare with +Santa Claus? The very sound of his name has magic in it, and calls up +visions of well-filled stockings, with the presents we particularly want +peeping over the top, or hanging out at the side, too big to go into +the largest sock. Besides, there is something so mysterious and exciting +about Santa Claus, for no one seems to have ever seen him. But we picture +him to ourselves as an old man with a white beard, whose favourite way +of coming into our rooms is down the chimney, bringing gifts for the good +children and punishments for the bad. +</p> +<p> +Yet this Santa Claus, in whose name the presents come to us at Christmas +time, is a very real saint, and we can learn a great deal about him, +only we must remember that his true name is Saint Nicholas. Perhaps the +little children, who used to talk of him long ago, found Saint Nicholas +too difficult to say, and so called him their dear Santa Claus. But we +learn, as we grow older, that Nicholas is his true name, and that he is +a real person who lived long years ago, far away in the East. +</p> +<p> +The father and mother of Nicholas were noble and very rich, but what +they wanted most of all + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page85" name="page85"></a>[85]</span> + + was to have a son. They were Christians, so +they prayed to God for many years that he would give them their heart's +desire; and when at last Nicholas was born, they were the happiest +people in the world. +</p> +<p> +They thought there was no one like their boy; and indeed he was wiser +and better than most children, and never gave them a moment's trouble. +But alas, while he was still a child, a terrible plague swept over the +country, and his father and mother died, leaving him quite alone. +</p> +<p> +All the great riches which his father had possessed were left to +Nicholas, and among other things he inherited three bars of gold. These +golden bars were his greatest treasure, and he thought more of them than +all the other riches he possessed. +</p> +<p> +Now in the town where Nicholas lived there dwelt a nobleman with three +daughters. They had once been very rich, but great misfortunes had +overtaken the father, and now they were all so poor they had scarcely +enough to live upon. +</p> +<p> +At last a day came when there was not even bread enough to eat, and the +daughters said to their father: +</p> +<p> +'Let us go out into the streets and beg, or do anything to get a little +money, that we may not starve.' +</p> +<p> +But the father answered: +</p> +<p> +'Not to-night. I cannot bear to think of it. Wait at least until +to-morrow. Something may happen to save my daughters from such +disgrace.' +</p> +<p> +Now, just as they were talking together, Nicholas happened to be +passing, and as the window was open he heard all that the poor father +said. It + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page86" name="page86"></a>[86]</span> + + seemed terrible to think that a noble family should be so poor +and actually in want of bread, and Nicholas tried to plan how it would +be possible to help them. He knew they would be much too proud to take +money from him, so he had to think of some other way. Then he remembered +his golden bars, and that very night he took one of them and went +secretly to the nobleman's house, hoping to give the treasure without +letting the father or daughters know who brought it. +</p> +<p> +To his joy Nicholas discovered that a little window had been left open, +and by standing on tiptoe he could just reach it. So he lifted the +golden bar and slipped it through the window, never waiting to hear what +became of it, in case any one should see him. (And now do you see the +reason why the visits of Santa Claus are so mysterious?) +</p> +<p> +Inside the house the poor father sat sorrowfully watching, while his +children slept. He wondered if there was any hope for them anywhere, and +he prayed earnestly that heaven would send help. Suddenly something fell +at his feet, and to his amazement and joy, he found it was a bar of pure +gold. +</p> +<p> +'My child,' he cried, as he showed his eldest daughter the shining gold, +'God has heard my prayer and has sent this from heaven. Now we shall +have enough and to spare. Call your sisters that we may rejoice +together, and I will go instantly and change this treasure.' +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0011"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-11-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-11-s.jpg" width="400" height="545" +alt="HE SHOWED HIS DAUGHTER THE GOLD." /></a> +<br /> +HE SHOWED HIS DAUGHTER THE GOLD. +</div> + +<p> +The precious golden bar was soon sold to a money-changer, who gave so +much for it that the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page87" name="page87"></a>[87]</span> + + family were able to live in comfort and have all +that they needed. And not only was there enough to live upon, but so +much was over that the father gave his eldest daughter a large dowry, +and very soon she was happily married. +</p> +<p> +When Nicholas saw how much happiness his golden bar had brought to the +poor nobleman, he determined that the second daughter should have a +dowry too. So he went as before and found the little window again open, +and was able to throw in the second golden bar as he had done the first. +This time the father was dreaming happily, and did not find the treasure +until he awoke in the morning. Soon afterwards the second daughter had +her dowry and was married too. +</p> +<p> +The father now began to think that, after all, it was not usual for +golden bars to fall from heaven, and he wondered if by any chance +human hands had placed them in his room. The more he thought of it the +stranger it seemed, and he made up his mind to keep watch every night, +in case another golden bar should be sent as a portion for his youngest +daughter. +</p> +<p> +And so when Nicholas went the third time and dropped the last bar +through the little window, the father came quickly out, and before +Nicholas had time to hide, caught him by his cloak. +</p> +<p> +'O Nicholas,' he cried, 'is it thou who hast helped us in our need? +Why didst thou hide thyself?' And then he fell on his knees and began +to kiss the hands that had helped him so graciously. +</p> +<p> +But Nicholas bade him stand up and give thanks + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page88" name="page88"></a>[88]</span> + + to God instead; warning +him to tell no one the story of the golden bars. +</p> +<p> +This was only one of the many kind acts Nicholas loved to do, and it was +no wonder that he was beloved by all who knew him. +</p> +<p> +Soon afterwards Nicholas made up his mind to enter God's service as a +priest. He longed above all things to leave the world and live as a +hermit in the desert, but God came to him in a vision and told him he +must stay in the crowded cities and do his work among the people. Still +his desire to see the deserts and the hermits who lived there was so +great that he went off on a journey to Egypt and the Holy Land. But +remembering, what God had bade him do, he did not stay there, but +returned to his own country. +</p> +<p> +On the way home a terrific storm arose, and it seemed as if the ship +he was in must be lost. The sailors could do nothing, and great waves +dashed over the deck, filling the ship with water. But just as all +had given up hope, Nicholas knelt and prayed to God to save them, and +immediately a calm fell upon the angry sea. The winds sank to rest and +the waves ceased to lash the sides of the ship so that they sailed +smoothly on, and all danger was past. +</p> +<p> +Thus Nicholas returned home in safety, and went to live in the city of +Myra. His ways were so quiet and humble that no one knew much about him, +until it came to pass one day that the Archbishop of Myra died. Then all +the priests met to choose another archbishop, and it was made known to +them by a sign from heaven that the first man + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page89" name="page89"></a>[89]</span> + + who should enter the church +next morning should be the bishop whom God had chosen. +</p> +<p> +Now Nicholas used to spend most of his nights in prayer and always went +very early to church, so next morning just as the sun was rising and the +bells began to ring for the early mass, he was seen coming up to the +church door and was the first to enter. As he knelt down quietly to say +his prayers as usual, what was his surprise to meet a company of priests +who hailed him as their new archbishop, chosen by God to be their leader +and guide. So Nicholas was made Archbishop of Myra to the joy of all in +the city who knew and loved him. +</p> +<p> +Not long after this there was great trouble in the town of Myra, for the +harvests of that country had failed and a terrible famine swept over +the land. Nicholas, as a good bishop should, felt the suffering of his +people as if it were his own, and did all he could to help them. +</p> +<p> +He knew that they must have corn or they would die, so he went to the +harbour where two ships lay filled with grain, and asked the captains +if they would sell him their cargo. They told the bishop they would +willingly do so, but it was already sold to merchants of another country +and they dared not sell it over again. +</p> +<p> +'Take no thought of that,' said Nicholas, 'only sell me some of thy corn +for my starving people, and I promise thee that there shall be nought +wanting when thou shalt arrive at thy journey's end.' +</p> +<p> +The captains believed in the bishop's promise and + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page90" name="page90"></a>[90]</span> + + gave him as much corn +as he asked. And behold! when they came to deliver their cargo to the +owners, there was not a bag lacking. +</p> +<p> +It is said, too, that at the time of this famine there was a cruel +innkeeper in Myra who was wicked enough to catch little children and +pickle them in a great tub, pretending they were pork. It happened one +day as Nicholas was passing the inn-door that he heard the voices of +children crying for help. He went in very quickly and made his way to +the cellar whence the cries had come. There he found the poor children, +and not only rescued those who were alive, but by his prayers he brought +to life those who had already been killed and cast into the tub. +</p> +<p> +Another time there were two men in Myra who had been unjustly condemned +to death, and it was told the bishop how greatly they stood in need of +his help. No one ever appealed to Nicholas in vain, and he went off at +once to the place of execution. The executioner was just about to raise +his sword, when Nicholas seized his arm and wrenched the sword away. +Then he set the poor prisoners free and told the judge that, if he dared +to deal so unjustly again, the wrath of heaven and of the Bishop of Myra +would descend upon him. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0012"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-12-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-12-s.jpg" width="400" height="550" +alt="HE WENT TO THE HARBOUR WHERE TWO SHIPS LAY." /></a> +<br /> +HE WENT TO THE HARBOUR WHERE TWO SHIPS LAY. +</div> + +<p> +There are many other stories told about the good bishop. Like his +Master, he ever went about doing good; and when he died, there were a +great many legends told about him, for the people loved to believe that +their bishop still cared for them and would come to their aid. We do not +know if all + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page91" name="page91"></a>[91]</span> + + these legends are true, but they show how much Saint Nicholas +was loved and honoured even after his death, and how every one believed +in his power to help them. +</p> +<p> +Here is one of the stories which all children who love Saint Nicholas +will like to hear. +</p> +<p> +There was once a nobleman who had no children and who longed for a son +above everything else in the world. Night and day he prayed to Saint +Nicholas that he would grant him his request, and at last a son was +born. He was a beautiful child, and the father was so delighted and so +grateful to the saint who had listened to his prayers that, every year +on the child's birthday, he made a great feast in honour of Saint +Nicholas and a grand service was held in the church. +</p> +<p> +Now the Evil One grew very angry each year when this happened, for it +made many people go to church and honour the good saint, neither of +which things pleased the Evil One at all. So each year he tried to think +of some plan that would put an end to these rejoicings, and he decided +at last that if only he could do some evil to the child, the parents +would blame Saint Nicholas and all would be well. +</p> +<p> +It happened just then to be the boy's sixth birthday, and a greater +feast than ever was being held. It was late in the afternoon, and the +gardener and porter and all the servants were away keeping holiday too. +So no one noticed a curious-looking pilgrim who came and sat close to +the great iron gates which led into the courtyard. He had on the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page92" name="page92"></a>[92]</span> + + ordinary robe of a poor pilgrim, but the hood was drawn so far over his +face that nothing but a dark shadow could be seen inside. And indeed +that was as well, for this pilgrim was a demon in disguise, and his +wicked, black face would have frightened any one who saw it. He could +not enter the courtyard for the great gates were always kept locked, +and, as you know, the porter was away that day, feasting with all the +other servants. +</p> +<p> +But, before very long, the little boy grew weary of his birthday feast, +and having had all he wanted, he begged to be allowed to go to play in +the garden. His parents knew that the gardener always looked after him +there, so they told him he might go. They forgot that the gardener was +not there just then. +</p> +<p> +The child played happily alone for some time and then wandered into the +courtyard, and looking out of the gate saw a poor pilgrim resting there. +</p> +<p> +'What are you doing here?' asked the child, 'and why do you sit so still?' +</p> +<p> +'I am a poor pilgrim,' answered the demon, trying to make his harsh +voice sound as gentle as possible, 'and I have come all the way from +Rome. I am resting here because I am so weary and footsore and have had +nothing to eat all day.' +</p> +<p> +'I will let you in, and take you to my father,' said the child; 'this is +my birthday, and no one must go hungry to-day.' +</p> +<p> +But the demon pretended he was too weak to walk, and begged the boy to +bring some food out to him. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page93" name="page93"></a>[93]</span></p> + +<p> +Then the child ran back to the banquet hall in a great hurry and said to +his father: +</p> +<p> +'O father, there is a poor pilgrim from Rome sitting outside our gate, +and he is so hungry, may I take him some of my birthday feast?' +</p> +<p> +The father was very pleased to think that his little son should care for +the poor and wish to be kind, so he willingly gave his permission and +told one of the servants to give the child all that he wanted. +</p> +<p> +Then as the demon sat eating the good things, he began to question the +boy and tried to find out all that he could about him. +</p> +<p> +'Do you often play in the garden?' he asked. +</p> +<p> +'Oh yes,' said the child, 'I play there whenever I may, for in the midst +of the lawn there is a beautiful fountain, and the gardener makes me +boats to sail on the water.' +</p> +<p> +'Will he make you one to-day?' asked the demon quickly. +</p> +<p> +'He is not here to-day,' answered the child, 'for this is a holiday for +every one and I am quite alone.' +</p> +<p> +Then the demon rose to his feet slowly and said he felt so much better +after the good food, that he thought he could walk a little, and would +like very much to come in and see the beautiful garden and the fountain +he had heard about. +</p> +<p> +So the child climbed up and with great difficulty drew back the bolts. +The great gates swung open and the demon walked in. +</p> +<p> +As they went along together towards the fountain, the child held out his +little hand to lead the pilgrim, but even the demon shrunk from touching + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page94" name="page94"></a>[94]</span> + + anything so pure and innocent, and folded his arms under his robe, so +that the child could only hold by a fold of his cloak. +</p> +<p> +'What strange kind of feet you have,' said the child as they walked +along; 'they look as if they belonged to an animal.' +</p> +<p> +'Yes, they are curious,' said the demon, 'but it is just the way they +are made.' +</p> +<p> +Then the child began to notice the demon's hands, which were even more +curious than his feet, and just like the paws of a bear. But he was too +courteous to say anything about them, when he had already mentioned the +feet. +</p> +<p> +Just then they came to the fountain, and with a sudden movement the +demon threw back his hood and showed his dreadful face. And before the +child could scream he was seized by those hairy hands and thrown into +the water. +</p> +<p> +But just at that moment the gardener was returning to his work and saw +from a distance what had happened. He ran as fast as he could, but he +only got to the fountain in time to see the demon vanish, while the +child's body was floating on the water. Very quickly he drew him out, +and carried him, all dripping wet, up to the castle, where they tried to +bring him back to life. But alas! it all seemed of no use, he neither +moved nor breathed; and the day that had begun with such rejoicing, +ended in the bitterest woe. The poor parents were heart-broken, but they +did not quite lose hope and prayed earnestly to Saint Nicholas who had +given them the child, that he would restore their boy to them again. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page95" name="page95"></a>[95]</span></p> + +<p> +As they prayed by the side of the little bed where the body of the child +lay, they thought something moved, and to their joy and surprise the boy +opened his eyes and sat up, and in a short time was as well as ever. +</p> +<p> +They asked him eagerly what had happened, and he told them all about +the pilgrim with the queer feet and hands, who had gone with him to +the fountain and had then thrown back his hood and shown his terrible +face. After that he could remember nothing until he found himself in a +beautiful garden, where the loveliest flowers grew. There were lilies +like white stars, and roses far more beautiful than any he had ever seen +in his own garden, and the leaves of the trees shone like silver and +gold. It was all so beautiful that for a while he forgot about his +home, and when he did remember and tried to find his way back, he grew +bewildered and did not know in what direction to turn. As he was looking +about, an old man came down the garden path and smiled so kindly upon +him that he trusted him at once. This old man was dressed in the robes +of a bishop, and had a long white beard and the sweetest old face the +child had ever seen. +</p> +<p> +'Art thou searching for the way home?' the old man asked. 'Dost thou +wish to leave this beautiful garden and go back to thy father and +mother?' +</p> +<p> +'I want to go home,' said the child, with a sob in his voice, 'but +I cannot find the way, and I am, oh, so tired of searching for it!' +</p> +<p> +Then the old man stooped down and lifted him in his arms, and the child +laid his head on the old man's shoulder, and, weary with his wandering, +fell + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page96" name="page96"></a>[96]</span> + + fast asleep and remembered nothing more till he woke up in his own +little bed. +</p> +<p> +Then the parents knew that Saint Nicholas had heard their prayers and +had gone to fetch the child from the Heavenly Garden and brought him +back to them. +</p> +<p> +So they were more grateful to the good saint than ever, and they loved +and honoured him even more than they had done before; which was all the +reward the demon got for his wicked doings. +</p> +<p> +That is one of the many stories told after the death of Saint Nicholas, +and it ever helped and comforted his people to think that, though they +could no longer see him, he would love and protect them still. +</p> +<p> +Young maidens in need of help remembered the story of the golden bars +and felt sure the good saint would not let them want. Sailors tossing +on the stormy waves thought of that storm which had sunk to rest at +the prayer of Saint Nicholas. Poor prisoners with no one to take their +part were comforted by the thought of those other prisoners whom he had +saved. And little children perhaps have remembered him most of all, +for when the happy Christmas time draws near, who is so much in their +thoughts as Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, as they call him? Perhaps +they are a little inclined to think of him as some good magician who +comes to fill their stockings with gifts, but they should never forget +that he was the kind bishop who, in olden days, loved to make the little +ones happy. There are some who think that even now he watches over and +protects little children, and for that reason he is called their patron +saint. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page97" name="page97"></a>[97]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT FAITH +</h2> + +<p> +Among the many martyrs who long ago gave up their lives, rather than +deny their Master, we love to remember one little maid—a child-martyr +and saint. We do not know a great deal about her, for she lived so very +long ago, but what we know makes us love and honour her, and speak her +name with reverence. +</p> +<p> +Faith was the name of this little maiden, and her home was in France, in +the pleasant country of Aquitaine. Her parents were rich and noble, and +she was brought up carefully, and taught to be courteous and gentle to +every one. But she did not need much teaching, for her nature was sweet +and pure, and her face was fair, with the beauty that shines from within. +</p> +<p> +The town in which little Faith lived was called Agen, and lay at the +foot of a high rugged hill, which seemed to keep guard over it. It +was a quiet little place, and most of the people who dwelt there were +Christians, living happily together with the good bishop at their head. +</p> +<p> +But one day a heavy cloud of dust was seen rolling along the highroad +that led over the mountains to the city gates. And messengers came +running breathlessly into the town, warning the people that a great +company of soldiers was marching towards + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page98" name="page98"></a>[98]</span> + + them. It was thought they had +come from Spain, and the news spread like wildfire through the town that +Dacian, the cruellest governor of all that country, was riding at their +head. +</p> +<p> +In fear and trembling the people waited. They stood in little knots, +talking under their breath of all the evil this man had done; or +shutting themselves into their houses, they scarcely dared to look out +at the windows. And soon the great company came sweeping in, swords +clattering and armour glittering in the sunshine, rough soldiers +laughing carelessly as they rode past the frightened faces. And at their +head a cruel, evil-looking man who glared from side to side, as if he +were a wild beast seeking his prey. +</p> +<p> +Doubtless it pleased him to see how every one trembled before him, and +he smiled scornfully to think how easy a task it would be to teach these +Christians to deny their God and drag their faith in the dust. +</p> +<p> +And soon the reason of his coming was known to all, for he ordered it to +be proclaimed in the market-place, that every Christian who refused to +sacrifice to the heathen gods should be tortured and put to death. And +to make his meaning quite plain, the soldiers spread out all the +terrible instruments of torture, so that men might know exactly what lay +before them if they refused to deny Christ. +</p> +<p> +But in the night the terrified Christians stole silently out of the +town, and climbing the high hill that overlooked the city, they hid +themselves in the great caves among the rocks. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page99" name="page99"></a>[99]</span></p> + +<p> +Scarcely any one was left behind: even the good bishop was afraid to +stay and face the danger, and it seemed as if Christ would have no one +to fight on His side against the evil company. +</p> +<p> +But when morning came, and the furious Dacian discovered that every one +had fled, he sent his soldiers to search and bring any who might remain +hidden in the city, that he might wreak his vengeance on them. +</p> +<p> +And among the few that were left they brought to him the little maid +Faith. She was only a little child, but she did not know what fear +meant. +</p> +<p> +'You cannot hurt me,' she said, looking at the cruel, angry faces around +her, 'because I am not yours, but God's.' +</p> +<p> +And then she signed herself with the sign of the cross, and with bent +head prayed: +</p> +<p> +'Lord Jesus, teach my lips to answer their questions aright, so that +I may do Thee no dishonour.' +</p> +<p> +Then Dacian looked in anger at the child standing there with clasped +hands and steadfast eyes, and asked her roughly: +</p> +<p> +'What is thy name?' +</p> +<p> +'My name is Faith,' the little maid replied with gentle courtesy. +</p> +<p> +'And what God dost thou serve?' asked the cruel governor. +</p> +<p> +'I am a Christian, and I serve the Lord Christ,' replied the child. +</p> +<p> +'Deny Him, and sacrifice to our gods,' thundered the governor, 'else +shalt thou endure every kind of torture, until there is no life left +in thy young body.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page100" name="page100"></a>[100]</span></p> + +<p> +But Faith stood with head erect and hands clasped tight together. +Not even the ugly instruments of torture could frighten her. +</p> +<p> +'I serve the Lord Christ,' she said, 'and you cannot hurt me, because +I am His.' +</p> +<p> +Such a little maid she was, standing there among those rough, cruel men, +offering her life gladly for the faith of her Master. Such a few years +she had spent in this bright world, and so many stretched in front, +holding pleasures and promises in store. And now she must give up all, +must put aside the little white robe and golden sandals, and take +instead the robe of suffering, and go barefoot to meet the pain and +torture that awaited her. +</p> +<p> +And though they scourged her, and made her suffer many cruel torments, +they could not bend her will, nor break her faith. Indeed it seemed as +if she did not feel the pain and anguish. +</p> +<p> +And God stooped down, and gathered the little faithful soul into His +bosom. And when the people looked, the child was dead. +</p> +<p> +But in the cave among the mountains that very day the bishop sat, sad +and troubled. +</p> +<p> +He was gazing away across the plain to where the town lay half hidden in +the mist, thinking of those faithful few who had chosen to stay behind. +And suddenly the mist broke in front, and a vision stood out clear +before him. He saw the child Faith being scourged and tortured; he saw +the flames leaping around her, and then, as he looked again, lo! her +head was encircled with a golden crown set with precious stones, each +jewel sparkling with light. + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page101" name="page101"></a>[101]</span> + + And from heaven a white dove came gently +flying down, and rested on the child's head, while from its wings a soft +dew fell that quenched the flames. +</p> +<p> +And as the vision faded, the bishop bowed his head in his hands and +wept. The thought of what this child had dared to endure for her Master, +while he had shrunk from suffering aught for His sake, filled his heart +with shame. He could not stay there in safety while any of his people +might suffer as she had done. +</p> +<p> +So that night he returned to the city to help and comfort the few +remaining Christians. Before long he too was called upon to suffer death +for his Lord, and many others gave themselves up, led by the example of +little Faith. +</p> +<p> +Some say that even the rough soldiers were touched by the child's death, +and many became Christians. They began to think that such a religion was +worth living for, if it could teach even a child to die so bravely. +</p> +<p> +And so, though she lived such a short time on earth, she did a very +wonderful work for God, and we call her now Saint Faith, thinking often +of her as we read these words: +</p> +<p> +'A little child shall lead them.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page102" name="page102"></a>[102]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT COSMO AND SAINT DAMIAN +</h2> + +<p> +It is difficult sometimes to learn a great deal about the saints who +lived a very long time ago. So few people knew how to read or write in +those old days, and the only way they had of remembering and handing on +what was interesting was to tell it to their children; then these little +ones, when they were grown up, would repeat it again to other little +children, and so the stories were not forgotten. +</p> +<p> +But sometimes one thing would be left out and sometimes another, or +different people would add wonderful stories of their own, which would +become part of the true story. And so, when at last these histories come +to us, we find we have lost a great deal, and perhaps not gained very +much. +</p> +<p> +The two saints, to whose story we are going to listen to-day, are of +this long-ago time, and the history of their lives has almost faded +from men's memories. But whoever happens to go to Florence, that city of +flowers, where the old Medici family has left its mark on every corner, +will see the portraits of our two saints wherever they go. For the old +painters loved to tell the saint-stories in their own beautiful way, +and to-day the little dark-eyed Italian children can read them without +books, for they are + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page103" name="page103"></a>[103]</span> + + told more plainly and far more beautifully than in +any written story. +</p> +<p> +Cosmo and Damian were brothers, and were born in Arabia three hundred +years after Christ. When they were quite little boys their father died, +and they were left alone with their mother. She was a Christian, and +taught her boys, as soon as they were old enough to understand, that +though they had no earthly father, God was their Father in heaven. +She told them that the great King of Heaven and Earth called them His +children, and he who could do a mean or cruel act, or stain his honour +by an untruthful word, was not worthy to be called a King's son. And +because they were noble she taught them that they must do noble deeds, +bravely defend and protect the weak, and help those who could not help +themselves. +</p> +<p> +So the boys grew up straight and strong in mind and body. Their +bitterest punishment was to feel that they had done anything unworthy +of their King, and although they often made mistakes and did wrong +thoughtlessly, they never went far astray since God's honour was their +own. +</p> +<p> +Their mother was rich, for their father had had great possessions, but +there were so many poor and suffering people around their home that it +was almost impossible to help them all. So the boys learned early to +deny themselves in many ways, and often gave up their own dinner to +the starving poor. In that land there was a great deal of sickness and +suffering, and this was a great trouble to Cosmo and Damian. They could +not bear to see + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page104" name="page104"></a>[104]</span> + + people in pain, and be unable to help them. They often +thought about this, and at last determined to learn all about medicine, +and become doctors, so that they might at least soften suffering when +they could not cure it. +</p> +<p> +After years of patient study they learned to be very clever doctors, and +their kind hearts and gentle hands soothed and comforted those who were +in pain, even when skill could do nothing for them. +</p> +<p> +They visited rich and poor alike, and would take no money for their +services, for they said it was payment enough to know they had been able +to make the worlds suffering a little less. +</p> +<p> +And it was not only people they cared for, but God's dumb creatures too. +If any animal was in pain, they would treat it as gently and carefully +as if it had been a human being. Indeed, they were perhaps even more +pitiful towards animals, for they said: +</p> +<p> +'People who can speak and complain of their ills are greatly to be +pitied, but these dumb creatures, made by our King, can only suffer in +silence, and surely their suffering will be required at our hands.' +</p> +<p> +It ever seemed strange to these great men that boys who would scorn to +ill-treat a younger child, or take mean advantage of a weak one, would +still think nothing of staining their honour by ill-treating an animal, +infinitely weaker and smaller, and less able to protect itself. It was +one of the few things that raised the wrath of these gentle doctor +saints. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0013"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-13-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-13-s.jpg" width="555" height="400" +alt="BUT COSMO TURNED AND WALKED AWAY." /></a> +<br /> +BUT COSMO TURNED AND WALKED AWAY. +</div> + +<p> +Now it happened that a poor woman who had + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page105" name="page105"></a>[105]</span> + + been ill for many years heard +of the fame of the two young doctors, and sent to implore them to come +to help her. She believed that though her illness seemed incurable these +good men might heal her. +</p> +<p> +Cosmo and Damian were touched by her faith, and they went at once, and +did for her all that their skill could devise, and, moreover, prayed +that God would bless their efforts. +</p> +<p> +To the wonder of all, the woman began to grow better, and very soon was +completely cured. In her great gratitude she offered all that she had +in payment to the two doctors, but they told her that they could take +nothing. Then she humbly offered them a little bag in which were three +eggs, praying them not to go away from her quite empty-handed. But Cosmo +turned and walked away and would not so much as even look at what she +offered, for it was a very strict rule with the brothers that they +should accept no payment or reward of any kind. Then the woman caught at +a fold of Damian's cloak as he also turned to go and begged him, for the +love of Christ, to take her little gift. +</p> +<p> +When Damian heard the name of his Master, he paused, and then took the +present and courteously thanked the poor woman. +</p> +<p> +But when Cosmo saw what Damian had done he was very wrathful, and that +night he refused to sleep with him, and said that henceforth they would +be no longer brothers. +</p> +<p> +But in the stillness of the night God came to Cosmo and said: +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page106" name="page106"></a>[106]</span></p> + +<p> +'My son, wherefore art thou so wrathful with thy brother?' +</p> +<p> +'Because he hath taken reward for our services,' said Cosmo, 'and Thou +knowest, Lord, that we receive no payment but from Thee.' +</p> +<p> +'But was it not in My name that he took the offering?' asked the voice. +'Because that poor woman gave it for love of Me, thy brother did well to +accept it.' +</p> +<p> +Then Cosmo awoke in great joy and hurried to the bedside of his brother, +and there begged his forgiveness for having misjudged him so sorely. And +so they were happy together once more, and ate the eggs right merrily. +</p> +<p> +In those days there were many pilgrims passing through Arabia, and +because the journey was hard and most of them were poor, they often fell +ill and came under the care of Cosmo and Damian. One night a poor man +was brought in, fainting and fever-stricken. He lay on the bed with his +thin, grey face pinched and worn with suffering, and the kind doctors +feared that he would die. +</p> +<p> +All night they sat by his bedside doing everything that their skill +could plan to ease his pain, and they only smiled when the poor man said +in his faint, low voice: +</p> +<p> +'Why do you take all this trouble for a poor pilgrim, who has nothing +wherewith to repay you?' +</p> +<p> +'We would not take thy payment if thou hadst all the riches in the +world,' answered the doctors, 'for we receive payment only from our +King.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page107" name="page107"></a>[107]</span></p> + +<p> +Then when the first pale light of dawn began to steal through the little +window, and the doctors anxiously watched the still form lying there, +they started with surprise. For the face seemed to change in an instant, +and instead of the bed of suffering they saw a cloud of glory; out of +the midst of which Christ's face, infinitely tender, looked upon them; +and His hands touched their heads in blessing as He said: +</p> +<p> +'All the riches of the world are indeed mine though I seemed but a poor +pilgrim. I was sick and ye visited me, and surely shall ye receive +payment from your King.' +</p> +<p> +Then Cosmo and Damian knelt in worship and thanked their Lord that they +had been counted worthy to minister to His need. +</p> +<p> +But soon the fame of Cosmo and Damian began to be spread abroad, and the +wicked Proconsul of Arabia heard about their good deeds. As soon as he +knew they were Christians, and helped the poor and suffering, he was +filled with rage, and sent and ordered that the two brothers should be +cast alive into the sea. +</p> +<p> +Immediately Cosmo and Damian were seized and led up to the steep cliffs, +and the guards bound them hand and foot. Not a complaint escaped their +lips, not a sign of fear, as the soldiers raised them on high and flung +them over into the cruel sea, far below. But as the crowd above watched +to see them sink, a great fear and amazement seized the soldiers, for +from the calm blue sea they beheld the brothers rise slowly and walk +towards the shore, led + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page108" name="page108"></a>[108]</span> + + by an angel who guided them with loving care until +they were safe on land. +</p> +<p> +In a greater rage than ever, the Proconsul ordered that a great fire +should be made and that the brothers should be cast into the midst of +it and burnt to death. +</p> +<p> +But though the fire roared and blazed before Cosmo and Damian were +cast in; as soon as it touched them it died down and nothing could make +it burn again. It seemed as if God's good gifts refused to injure His +servants. +</p> +<p> +After that they were bound to two crosses and the soldiers were ordered +to stone them. But the stones did no harm to those two patient figures, +but instead fell backwards and injured the men who threw them. +</p> +<p> +Then every one cried out that they were enchanters, and it was ordered +that to make sure of their death they should be beheaded. +</p> +<p> +So the work of the two saint doctors was finished on earth, but for many +years afterwards those who were ill would pray to these saints for their +protection. +</p> +<p> +There is a legend which tells how a poor man in Rome had a leg which the +doctors feared would cause his death. So he prayed to Saint Cosmo and +Saint Damian and asked them to help him in his need. And that night when +he was asleep, he saw the doctor saints standing at his bedside in their +red robes and caps trimmed with fur. One held a knife and the other a +pot of ointment. +</p> +<p> +'What shall we do to replace this leg when we have cut it off?' asked +Saint Cosmo. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0014"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-14-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-14-s.jpg" width="550" height="400" +alt="AN ANGEL GUIDED THEM WITH LOVING CARE." /></a> +<br /> +AN ANGEL GUIDED THEM WITH LOVING CARE. +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page109" name="page109"></a>[109]</span></p> + +<p> +'A black man has just died and been buried near here,' answered Saint +Damian. 'He no longer needs his legs, so let us take one of them and put +it on instead.' +</p> +<p> +So they cut off the bad leg and fetched the leg of the black man, and +with the ointment joined it on to the living man. +</p> +<p> +And when he awoke he believed he must have dreamt about the visit +of the saints, but when he looked at his leg, behold! it was black and +perfectly sound and well. Then they sent and searched for the black +body, and on it they found a white leg. So the man knew that the doctor +saints had heard his prayers, and had come to cure him. +</p> +<p> +That is one of the wonderful stories which have grown up round the names +of Saint Cosmo and Saint Damian. +</p> +<p> +While we cannot tell if these things really happened, this we do surely +know to be true, that these two brothers, who lived in an age when men +were cruel and selfish, spent their whole lives in trying to help those +who suffered pain, and then went bravely to death in the service of +their King. And though we know but little about them, they have left us +an example of patient kindliness and helpfulness; and they teach us that +as servants of their King we also are bound in honour to protect the +weak and help those who suffer, whether they are people like ourselves +or God's dumb creatures. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page110" name="page110"></a>[110]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT MARTIN +</h2> + +<p> +It was a cold winter's day in the city of Amiens, and the wind swept +along the great Roman road outside the city gates with such an icy blast +that the few people who were out of doors wrapped themselves closer in +their cloaks, and longed for their sheltering homes and warm firesides. +</p> +<p> +But there was one poor old man who had no cloak to wrap around him, and +no fireside of which to dream. He shivered as the searching wind came +sweeping past him, and his half-blind eyes looked eagerly up and down +the road to see if any one was coming who might help him in his need. +One by one the people hurried past and paid no heed to the beggar's +outstretched hand. It was much too cold to stop or to think of giving +help, and not even a beggar could expect it on such a day as this. So +they left the poor old man hungry and cold and homeless. +</p> +<p> +Then a young soldier came riding past, but the beggar scarcely thought +of asking alms of him, for the Roman soldiers were not the kind of men +to trouble themselves about the poor and suffering. +</p> +<p> +The old man closed his eyes, weary and hopeless, for it seemed as if +there was none to help nor pity him. Then in a moment he felt a warm +cloak + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page111" name="page111"></a>[111]</span> + + thrown around his shoulders, and in his ears sounded a kind voice +which bade him wrap it close around him to keep out the cold. +</p> +<p> +Half bewildered the beggar looked up, and saw the young soldier bending +over him. He had dismounted from his horse and held a sword in his hand, +with which he had just cut his own cloak in half, that he might share it +with the shivering old man. +</p> +<p> +The passers-by laughed and hurried on, but the soldier did not care if +they mocked him, for he was quite happy to think he had helped one who +needed help so sorely. +</p> +<p> +The name of this young soldier was Martin, and he served in the Roman +army with his father, who was a famous general. Most of Martin's +fellow-soldiers were pagans, but he was a Christian, and served the +emperor well, because he served Christ first. +</p> +<p> +The very night after Martin had divided his cloak with the beggar he +had a dream, in which he saw his Master, Christ, among the holy angels, +wearing the half cloak which Martin had given away that afternoon. +And as he looked, he heard Christ's voice speaking to the angels, and +saying: +</p> +<p> +'Know ye who hath clothed Me with this cloak? My servant Martin, who is +yet unbaptized, hath done this.' +</p> +<p> +Then Martin awoke, and he did not rest until Christ's seal of baptism +was set upon his brow, and he felt that he had enlisted truly in God's +service. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page112" name="page112"></a>[112]</span></p> + +<p> +Now Martin knew that to be God's servant meant doing everything day +by day as well as it could be done, and serving his earthly master as +faithfully and diligently as he tried to serve his heavenly commander. +So it came to pass that for all the fourteen years he served in the +emperor's army, he was known as the best and bravest soldier, and one +who had never failed to do his duty. +</p> +<p> +But as he began to grow old, he longed to serve God in other ways, and +so he went to the emperor and asked for permission to leave the army. +</p> +<p> +There was war going on just then, for Rome was ever fighting with the +barbarians who came up against her, and the emperor was very angry when +he heard Martin's request. +</p> +<p> +'You seek to leave the army because you fear to fight,' he said +scornfully to Martin, who stood silently before him. 'A Roman soldier +should scorn to be a coward.' +</p> +<p> +'I am no coward,' answered Martin and he met with unflinching look the +angry gaze of the emperor. 'Place me alone in the front of the battle, +with no weapon but the cross alone, and I shall not fear to meet the +enemy single-handed and unarmed.' +</p> +<p> +'Well said,' answered the emperor quickly; 'we will take thee at thy +word. To-morrow thou shalt stand defenceless before the enemy, and so +shall we judge of thy boasted courage.' +</p> +<p> +Then the emperor ordered his guards to watch Martin that night lest he +should try to escape before the trial could be made. But Martin had + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page113" name="page113"></a>[113]</span> + + no thought of escape, and was ready and eager to do as he had said. +</p> +<p> +Meanwhile, however, the enemy began to fear that they had no chance +against the Roman army; and very early in the morning, they sent +messengers to ask for peace, offering to give themselves up to the +mercy of the emperor. +</p> +<p> +So Martin was set at liberty, and no one doubted his courage and +faithfulness; since they believed that his faith in God had brought +peace, and given them the victory over their enemies. +</p> +<p> +Soon after this Martin was allowed to leave the army, and he journeyed +from place to place telling those who had never heard it before the good +news of Jesus Christ. +</p> +<p> +In those days it was dangerous to go among the mountains unarmed, for +robbers and brigands made their home there, and would swoop down on +unsuspecting travellers and rob or murder them. +</p> +<p> +But Martin took no companions with him, and with no weapon but the +cross, he climbed the mountain roads defenceless and alone. +</p> +<p> +One day, as he journeyed, a company of brigands appeared suddenly, as +if they had started out of the rocks. They seized him roughly, and one +of them aimed a blow at his head with an axe. But before the blow could +fall, another robber turned the axe aside and claimed Martin as his +prisoner. Then they tied his hands behind him and bound him fast, while +they made up their minds which would be the best way to kill him. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page114" name="page114"></a>[114]</span></p> + +<p> +But Martin sat calm and untroubled, and seemed to have no fear of these +terrible men. +</p> +<p> +'What is thy name, and who art thou?' asked the brigand who had claimed +Martin as his prisoner. +</p> +<p> +'I am a Christian,' answered Martin simply. +</p> +<p> +'And art thou not afraid of the tortures which await thee, that thou +dost seem so calm and fearless?' asked the robber, wondering at the +peaceful look upon the prisoner's face. +</p> +<p> +'I fear nothing that thou canst do to me,' answered Martin, 'for I am a +servant of the great King, and He will defend His own. But I do indeed +grieve for thee, because thou livest by robbery and violence, and art +therefore unworthy of the mercy of my Lord.' +</p> +<p> +The astonished robber asked him what he meant, and who this great King +was whom he served; so Martin told him the whole story of God's love, +and of the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. +</p> +<p> +No words so wonderful had ever been spoken to this brigand before, and +as he listened he believed that what Martin said was true. The first +thing he did was to cut the rope which bound his prisoner's hands and to +set him free; and after that he led him in safety through the mountain +passes, until he reached a road that led to the plains below. +</p> +<p> +Here they parted, and the brigand knelt and asked Martin to pray for +him that he might lead a new life. So there was one less robber on that +lonely road, and one more Christian fighting the battles of the Lord. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page115" name="page115"></a>[115]</span></p> + +<p> +Although Martin loved to dwell in lonely places, he was always ready to +go where he was most needed, and so a great part of his life was spent +in busy towns. When he was made Bishop of Tours and could no longer live +in the solitude he loved, still he strove to be the best bishop it was +possible to become, just as when he was a soldier he tried to be as good +a soldier as he knew how to be. +</p> +<p> +Now Martin was growing an old man, yet he was very little changed since +that long ago day when he divided his cloak with the poor beggar outside +the gates of Amiens. It is said that one day when he was serving at +the altar, in all his beautiful bishop's robes, he saw a ragged beggar +standing near shivering with cold. At first he bade his deacon give +him clothing, but the deacon was too slow to please the kind heart of +the bishop, and so he went himself and took off his gold-embroidered +vestment and put it tenderly round the shoulders of the beggar. Then +as the service went on, and the bishop held up the holy chalice, the +kneeling crowd saw with wonder that angels were hovering round and were +hanging chains of gold upon the upraised arms to cover them, because the +robe Martin had given to the beggar had left them bare. +</p> +<p> +Now the Evil One looked with great mistrust and disfavour upon Martin, +for the good bishop won more souls by his love and gentleness than the +Evil One cared to lose. All the preaching and sternness of other good +men were not half so dangerous to the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page116" name="page116"></a>[116]</span> + + plans of the Evil One as the pity +and kindness of Martin. So one day the Evil One met Martin and began to +mock at him. +</p> +<p> +'Thy faith is beautiful indeed,' he said scornfully; 'but how long do +thy sinners remain saints? They have but to pretend a little sorrow for +their sins, and lo! in thy eyes they are immediately saved.' +</p> +<p> +'Oh, poor, miserable Spirit that thou art!' answered Martin. 'Dost thou +not know that our Saviour refuses none who turn to Him? Even thou, if +thou wouldst but repent, might find mercy with my Lord.' +</p> +<p> +The Evil One did not stop to answer the bishop, but disappeared with +great swiftness. Later on he returned, as we shall see. +</p> +<p> +The fame of Martin's life spread far and near, and the rich as well as +the poor did him honour. The emperor and empress invited him over and +over again to come to their court, but Martin steadily refused, for he +loved best to work among the poor. +</p> +<p> +A time came, however, when he saw that he might do great good if he +could persuade the emperor to cease from persecuting the Christians; and +so at last he agreed to attend a banquet at the palace and to be the +emperor's guest. +</p> +<p> +Everything was as gorgeous and splendid as possible, for the emperor +wished to do honour to the bishop, who was the one man who dared to +speak truly to him and not to flatter him with mere words. +</p> +<p> +But Martin scarcely seemed to notice all the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page117" name="page117"></a>[117]</span> + + grandeur and brilliance of +the entertainment. And when, at the banquet, the emperor took the +wine-cup and passed it to his guest, expecting him to bless it and +respectfully hand it back, Martin turned quietly round instead, and +passed the jewelled cup to a poor priest who stood behind. This he did +to show the astonished emperor that in his eyes the poorest of God's +servants was to be considered before the greatest ruler upon earth. +</p> +<p> +It was not long after this that the Evil One again visited Martin. +But this time he disguised himself that he might not be known. +</p> +<p> +It was evening and Martin was praying in his cell, when a bright light +filled the place, and in the midst of the light he saw a figure clad in +royal robes and with a crown of gold and jewels upon his head. His face +was shining and beautiful, so that no one could have guessed he was the +Evil One. Martin could only gaze upon him in dazzled silence, for his +shining beauty was beyond all words. +</p> +<p> +Then the Evil One spoke, and the sound of his voice was like music. +</p> +<p> +'Martin,' he said, 'dost thou not see that I am Christ? I have come +again upon earth, and it is to thee that I have first showed myself.' +</p> +<p> +But Martin still gazed silently at him and answered nothing. +</p> +<p> +'Martin,' said the Evil One again, 'why dost thou not believe? Canst +thou not see that I am Christ?' +</p> +<p> +Then Martin answered slowly: +</p> +<p> +'It seemeth strange to me that my Lord should come in glittering +clothing and a golden crown. + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page118" name="page118"></a>[118]</span> + + Unless thou canst show the marks of the +nails and spear, I cannot believe that thou art He.' +</p> +<p> +At these words, with a horrible thunder-clap, the Evil One disappeared, +and Martin saw him no more. +</p> +<p> +Years passed, and Martin lived a long and useful life; but he was +growing weary now, and when God's call came, he gladly prepared to enter +into his rest, and to leave the world where he had laboured so long and +faithfully. +</p> +<p> +The night that Martin died he was seen in a vision by one of his friends +who loved him more than all the rest. The saint's robe was shining white +and his eyes were like stars and, as the friend knelt and worshipped, he +felt a soft touch upon his head and heard a voice that blessed him ere +the vision faded. +</p> +<p> +And so Martin finished his earthly work, and went to hear from his +Master's lips the gracious words: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page119" name="page119"></a>[119]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT GEORGE +</h2> + +<p> +Every nation has its own patron saint whom the people love to honour, +and who is looked upon not only as their protector in war and peace, but +as a model of all that is best and highest and most worthy to be copied +in their own lives. +</p> +<p> +Ever since the days of the Crusades, when our lion-hearted King Richard +went to fight the infidels in the Holy Land, the special saint whom +England has delighted to honour has been Saint George. 'For Saint George +and Merrie England' rang out the old battle-cry; and the greatest honour +which our kings can bestow—the Order of the Garter—is really the Order +of Saint George, and bears upon it the picture of his great adventure. +And when you have heard the story of Saint George you will not wonder +that England took him for her special saint, and as an example for all +her sons to follow. +</p> +<p> +Saint George was born far away in Cappadocia, in the year 303 A.D. His +father and mother were nobles of that country and were also Christians, +although they lived under the rule of the heathen Emperor Diocletian. +</p> +<p> +Saint George's father, who was a soldier, was often away in the service +of the emperor. So it + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page120" name="page120"></a>[120]</span> + + was the mother who had most to do with the care +and training of their only son. It must have been, then, from her that +the boy learned that gentle reverence towards all women, which made him +their protector and champion all his life. +</p> +<p> +When he was seventeen, he too became a soldier like his father, and +the shining sword, which he then buckled on, was kept all his life as +stainless as his honour. He never drew it in a wrong cause, but held it +as a trust given to him to defend the right and protect the weak and +helpless. +</p> +<p> +Now in the same country there was a city called Selem, whose people had +once been as happy and prosperous as any in the land, but which was now +the most miserable spot in all the world. +</p> +<p> +The city itself was beautiful with splendid palaces and gay gardens, +and the king who ruled there was wise and good. But outside the city +wall stretched a grey, sullen-looking lake, half marsh and half stagnant +water, and in this gloomy bog there lived a dreadful monster called a +dragon. No one knew exactly what he was like, for those who were so +unfortunate as to have been near enough to see him plainly had been +killed by his fiery breath, which came rolling out from his great +yawning throat. He did not seem to walk nor to fly, although he had +what looked like wings and huge flat feet, but always moved along with +a crawling motion most horribly swift. +</p> +<p> +Nothing was safe from this terrible monster. One by one the sheep and +oxen belonging to the city were devoured by him, and when the people + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page121" name="page121"></a>[121]</span> + + had no more food to give him, he crawled towards the city, and his +dreadful fiery breath warned them that he was coming closer and that +they would soon be carried off, one by one, and devoured. +</p> +<p> +In their despair and terror, the king and all the people agreed to cast +lots each day; and it was settled that the one on whom the lot fell +should be put outside the gates to feed the monster, so that the rest +might live in safety. This was done for many days, and the grief and +suffering in that city was terrible to behold. But the darkest day of +all was when the lot fell upon Cleodolinda, the king's only daughter. +She was very beautiful, and the king loved her more than all else +beside, so in his anguish he called his people together, and in a +trembling voice, his grey head bowed with grief, he spoke to them: +</p> +<p> +'She is my only child—I cannot give her up. Take rather all my gold and +jewels, even the half of my kingdom; only spare my daughter, the one +treasure of my heart.' +</p> +<p> +But the people were very angry, and would not listen to the king, for +they too had lost their children, and it made them savage and cruel. +</p> +<p> +'We will not spare the princess,' they growled in low threatening tones; +'we have given up our own children, and why shouldst thou withhold +thine? Didst thou not agree with us to cast the lots? Why shouldst thou +make one law for us and another for thyself?' +</p> +<p> +And they threatened to burn down the palace and + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page122" name="page122"></a>[122]</span> + + kill both the king and +Cleodolinda if she was not given up to them at once. +</p> +<p> +Then the king saw there was no hope of deliverance, and he promised that +in eight days the princess should be ready for the sacrifice. Those +were eight sad days at the palace, for all was dark and hopeless there, +and the only person who did not give way to despair was the Princess +Cleodolinda herself. She spent her time trying to comfort her father, +and told him she had no fear, but rather that she was glad to think she +was to die to save his people. +</p> +<p> +So the fatal day arrived when the monster was to be fed, and the +princess came out to meet the crowd stately and calm, dressed in her +royal robes as befitted a king's daughter. And when she bade farewell to +her father, she went forth alone, and the gates of the city were shut +behind her. +</p> +<p> +Now it happened that at the very time that Cleodolinda went out to meet +the dragon, and just as she heard the city gates clang heavily behind +her, Saint George came riding past on his way to join his soldiers. +His shining armour and great spear were the only bright things in +that gloomy place; but the princess did not see him, for her eyes were +blinded with tears, and even when he galloped up close to her she did +not hear him, for the ground was soft and marshy, and his horse's hoofs +made scarcely a sound as he rode past. +</p> +<p> +Slowly the princess walked along the desolate way towards the sullen +grey lake, where the monster was waiting for his meal. The path was +strewn with bones, and no grass grew for miles around, for + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page123" name="page123"></a>[123]</span> + + the fiery +blast of the dragon's breath withered everything it passed over. +Cleodolinda never dreamed that help was near, and started in amazement +when she heard a kind voice speaking to her, and looking up, saw through +her tears a young knight on horseback, gazing at her with pitying eyes. +She thought that he had the handsomest, kindest face she had ever seen, +and the gentlest and most courteous manner, as he leaned towards her, +and asked her why she wept, and wherefore she was wandering alone in +this dismal place. +</p> +<p> +Cleodolinda told him in a few words the whole sad story, and pointed +with trembling hand towards the distant marsh, where already a dark form +might be seen crawling slowly out of the grey water. +</p> +<p> +'See, there he comes!' she cried, in sudden terror. 'Ride fast, kind +knight, and escape while there is time, for if the monster finds thee +here, he will kill thee.' +</p> +<p> +'And dost thou think I would ride off in safety, and leave thee to +perish?' asked Saint George. +</p> +<p> +'Thou canst do nothing,' answered the princess, wringing her hands; 'for +nought can prevail against this terrible dragon. Thou wilt but perish +needlessly in trying to save me, so, I pray thee, fly while there is +time.' +</p> +<p> +'God forbid that I should act in so cowardly a manner,' answered Saint +George. 'I will fight this hideous creature, and, by God's help and the +strength of my good sword, I will conquer him and deliver thee.' +</p> +<p> +And while he was still speaking, the air was filled + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page124" name="page124"></a>[124]</span> + + with a horrible +choking smoke, and the dragon came swiftly towards them, half-crawling +and half-flying, his eyes gleaming, and his mouth opened wide to devour +them. +</p> +<p> +With a swift prayer for help, Saint George made the sign of the cross, +and grasping his great spear firmly, spurred his horse and rode straight +at the monster. The combat was a long and terrible one, and the princess, +as she watched from behind a sheltering tree, trembled for the safety +of the brave knight, and gave up all for lost. +</p> +<p> +But at last Saint George made a swift forward rush, and drove his spear +right down the great throat of the monster, and out at the back of his +head, pinning him securely to the ground. Then he called to the princess +to give him her girdle, and this he tied to each end of the spear, so +that it seemed like a great bridle, and with it Cleodolinda led the +vanquished dragon back towards the city. +</p> +<p> +Inside the city gates all the people had been weeping and wailing over +the fate of the princess, which they feared might any day be their own, +and they dared not look out or open the gates until the monster had +had time to carry off his victim. So their terror and dismay was great +indeed when the news spread like wildfire that some one had seen the +great monster come crawling towards the town, instead of returning to +his home in the dismal swamp. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0015"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-15-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-15-s.jpg" width="550" height="400" +alt="S. GEORGE RODE STRAIGHT AT THE MONSTER." /></a> +<br /> +S. GEORGE RODE STRAIGHT AT THE MONSTER. +</div> + +<p> +They all crowded, trembling with fear, around the watch-tower upon the +walls, to see if the dragon was really on his way to attack the city; +and when they saw the great dark mass moving slowly towards + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page125" name="page125"></a>[125]</span> + + them they +thought that the end was come, for they could not see Saint George nor +the princess, and did not know that she was leading the dragon a +vanquished prisoner. +</p> +<p> +So it was all in vain for a long time that Saint George thundered at +the city gates, and demanded that they should be opened. Even when the +people saw that the princess was safe and that a knight was with her, +while the monster lay quiet at their feet as if half-dead, they still +hesitated to open the gates, so great was their terror and astonishment. +</p> +<p> +But when they were quite sure that the dragon was bound and could do +them no harm, they threw open the gates, and every one crowded to see +the wonderful sight, still half-doubting if it could be true, and +looking with fear upon the great beast which the princess led by her +girdle fastened to the spear of Saint George. +</p> +<p> +Then the king came in haste from his palace to meet his daughter, and +never was a morning of sorrow turned into such a day of joy. +</p> +<p> +Saint George and the Princess Cleodolinda led the dragon into the +market-place, followed by the wondering crowd; and there Saint George +drew his sword and cut off the head of the hideous monster. Then were +the people sure that they were indeed delivered from their great enemy +for ever, and they burst forth into wild rejoicings. They would have +given all they possessed to Saint George in their joy and gratitude; +but he told them that the only reward he desired was that they should +believe in the true God, and be baptized Christians. It was + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page126" name="page126"></a>[126]</span> + + not difficult +to believe in the God who had helped Saint George to do this great deed, +and very soon the king and the princess and all the people were baptized +as Saint George desired. +</p> +<p> +Then the king presented the brave knight with great treasures of gold +and jewels, but all these Saint George gave to the poor and went his +way; keeping nought for himself but his own good sword and spear, ready +to defend the right and protect the weak as he had served the princess +in her need. +</p> +<p> +But when he returned to his own city he found that the emperor had +written a proclamation against the Christians, and it was put up in all +the market-places and upon the doors of the temples, and all who were +Christians were hiding in terror, and dared not show themselves openly. +</p> +<p> +Then Saint George was filled with righteous anger, and tore down the +proclamations in all the public places, and trampled them under foot. He +was seized immediately by the guards and carried before the proconsul, +who ordered him to be tortured and then put to death. +</p> +<p> +But nothing could shake the courage of this brave knight, and through +all the tortures he bore himself as a gallant Christian should, and met +his death with such bravery and calm joy that even his enemies were +amazed at his courage. +</p> +<p> +And so through the many dark ages that followed, when the weak were +oppressed and women needed a knight's strong arm to protect them, men +remembered Saint George, and the very thought of him nerved their arms +and made their courage firm. And + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page127" name="page127"></a>[127]</span> + + boys learned from him that it was a +knightly thing to protect the weak, and to guard all maidens from harm; +and that a pure heart, a firm trust in good and true courage could meet +and overcome any monster, however terrible and strong. +</p> +<p> +And of all nations it befits us most that our men and boys should be +brave and courteous; for Saint George is our own patron saint, the model +of all that an English knight should be. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page128" name="page128"></a>[128]</span></p> + +<div style="height: 4em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + +<h2> + SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI +</h2> + +<p> +In the sunny land of Italy, high upon hills covered with olive-trees, +nestles the little town of Assisi. Such a strange little town it is, +with its tall city walls and great gateways, its narrow, steep streets, +and houses with wide, overhanging eaves. The road that leads up from +the plain below is so steep, as it winds upwards among the silver +olive-trees, that even the big white oxen find it a toil to drag the +carts up to the city gates, and the people think it quite a journey +to go down to the level land below. +</p> +<p> +Now, it was in this same little hill-town, many years ago, that Saint +Francis was born. +</p> +<p> +They did not know that he was going to be a great saint—this little, +dark-eyed Italian baby, who came to gladden his mother's heart one +autumn day in the long ago year of 1182, when his father, Pietro +Bernardone, was away in France. He seemed just like any other baby, and +only his mother, perhaps, thought him the most wonderful baby that ever +was born. (But mothers always think that, even if their babies do not +grow up to be real saints.) She called him Giovanni at first, but when +his father came home he named the little son Francesco, which means +'the Frenchman,' because he was so pleased with all the money he had +made in France. So + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page129" name="page129"></a>[129]</span> + + the child from that day was always called Francesco, +which is his real Italian name, although we in England call him Francis. +</p> +<p> +Soon he grew into a happy, daring boy, the leader in all the games and +every kind of fun. He was the pride of his father and mother, and the +favourite of the whole town; for although he was never out of mischief, +he never did a cruel or unkind thing, and was ever ready to give away +all he had to those who needed help. +</p> +<p> +And when he grew older he was still the gayest of all the young men +of Assisi, and wore the costliest and most beautiful clothes, for his +father had a great deal of money and grudged him nothing. +</p> +<p> +Then came a sad day when Francis fell sick, and for a while they feared +that he must die. But, although he grew slowly better, he was never +quite the same Francis again. He did not care about his gay companions, +or the old happy life. There was real work to be done in the world, he +was sure. Perhaps some special work was waiting for his hand, and with +wistful eyes he was ever looking for a sign that would show him what +that work was to be. +</p> +<p> +Walking one day along the winding road, dreaming dreams as he gazed far +across the misty plains, catching glimpses of far-away blue mountains +through the silver screen of the olive-trees, he was stopped by a poor +old beggar, who asked him for the love of God to help him. +</p> +<p> +Francis started from his day-dreams, and recognised the man as an old +soldier who had fought for his country with courage and honour. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page130" name="page130"></a>[130]</span></p> + +<p> +Without stopping to think for a moment, Francis took off his gay cloak +and tenderly wrapped it round the shoulders of the shivering old man. +</p> +<p> +He never thought that any reward would be given him for his kind action, +but that very night Christ came to him in a glorious vision, and, +leading him by the hand, showed him a great palace full of shining +weapons and flags of victory, each one marked with the sign of the +cross. Then, as Francis stood gazing at these wonderful things, he heard +the voice of Christ telling him that these were the rewards laid up for +those who should be Christ's faithful soldiers, fighting manfully under +His banner. +</p> +<p> +With a great joy in his heart Francis awoke, and hurriedly left home to +join the army, thinking only of earthly service, and longing to win the +heavenly reward. +</p> +<p> +But in the quiet night he heard again the voice of Christ telling him +that the service he was seeking was not what Christ required of his +soldiers. +</p> +<p> +Troubled and sad, Francis went back to Assisi and, when he was once more +inside the city walls, turned aside to pray in the little ruined church +of Saint Damiano. And as he prayed once more he heard the voice speaking +to him, and saying, 'Francis, repair my church.' +</p> +<p> +Now, Francis thought this meant that he was to build up the ruined walls +of the little church in which he prayed. He did not understand that the +command was that he should teach the people, who make up Christ's Church +on earth, to be pure and good and strong. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page131" name="page131"></a>[131]</span></p> + +<p> +Francis was only too glad to find that here at last was some real work +to be done, and never stopping to think if he was doing right, he went +joyfully home and took some of the richest stuffs which his father had +for sale. These he carried off to the market, and sold them for quite a +large sum of money. Then, returning to the little church, he gave the +money to the old priest, telling him to rebuild the walls and to make +the whole place beautiful. +</p> +<p> +But the priest refused to accept the money, for he was afraid that +Francis had done wrong in taking the stuffs, and that his father would +be angry. +</p> +<p> +This was a great disappointment to Francis, and made him think that +perhaps he had been too hasty. He was afraid to go home and tell what +he had done, so he hid himself for some days. But at last, tired and +hungry, with his gay clothes stained with dust, he slowly walked back +to his father's house. +</p> +<p> +And very angry, indeed, was Pietro Bernardone when he found out what his +son had done. He did not mind giving Francis money for fine clothes or +pleasures of any kind, and he had allowed him to be as extravagant as he +liked. But to want money to build up an old church, or to spend in doing +good, that was not to be thought of for a moment. +</p> +<p> +Out he came in a furious rage and drove Francis indoors, and there shut +him up in a dark cellar, bound hand and foot, so that he could not escape. +</p> +<p> +But though his father was so angry, his mother could not bear to see her +son suffer, whether he deserved it or not. So she stole down when no one +was there, and, unlocking the cellar door, she spoke + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page132" name="page132"></a>[132]</span> + + gently to poor +Francis, and listened to all his story. Then she took off his chains and +set him free, telling him to go quickly before any one should see him. +</p> +<p> +Francis had no place to shelter in but the little ruined church, and no +friend who would receive him but the poor old priest, so back he went to +Saint Damiano, leaving parents and home and comforts behind him. +</p> +<p> +His father, of course, was terribly angry when he found that Francis had +escaped, and he went at once to complain to the bishop, and demand that +Francis should be punished and made to give back the money he had taken. +</p> +<p> +The bishop spoke kindly to Francis, who promised gladly to give back +the money which had brought him so much trouble. And there, in the +market-place, with all the people looking on, he took off his costly +clothes, now all stained and worn, and standing pale and thin, wearing +only a hair shirt, he gave clothes and money back to his angry father, +saying— +</p> +<p> +'Listen, all of you. Until this time I have called Pietro Bernardone +father, but from this moment I will say no more "my father Pietro +Bernardone," but only "my Father which art in Heaven."' +</p> +<p> +Then the good bishop came quickly up and wrapped his mantle round the +poor shivering lad, and gave him his blessing, bidding him henceforth +be a true servant of God. A poor labourer gave Francis his rough brown +tunic, and the people were moved with pity and would have helped him, +for they thought he had been treated very harshly. +</p> +<p> +But Francis wandered away alone into the world, seeking to do all the +things he had most disliked + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page133" name="page133"></a>[133]</span> + + doing, even at one time nursing the poor +lepers, and begging his bread from door to door. +</p> +<p> +Soon, however, he made his way back to Assisi, and to the little ruined +church; and began building up the walls with his own hands, carrying the +stones on his shoulders, happy and contented to be doing work for God. +</p> +<p> +And the more he thought of his past life and the wasteful splendour in +which he had lived, the more he came to see that to be poor for Christ's +sake was best of all. +</p> +<p> +'If Christ chose to become poor for our sakes,' thought he, 'surely it +is but right that we should choose to become poor for His dear sake.' +</p> +<p> +It seemed to Francis that no one had really loved poverty since the days +when our blessed Lord had lived amongst the poor on earth. And he began +to think of poverty as a beautiful lady who had been despised and +ill-treated all these long years, with no one to take her part or see +any charm in her fair face. +</p> +<p> +For himself he made up his mind to love her with all his heart, to be as +poor as his Master had been, and to possess nothing here on earth. +</p> +<p> +Even his coarse brown habit had been given to him in charity, and instead +of a belt he tied round his waist a piece of rope which he found by the +wayside. He wore no shoes nor stockings, but went barefoot, and had no +covering for his head. And being so truly poor was the greatest joy to +him. He thought the Lady Poverty was a fairer bride than any on earth, +though her clothes were ragged and her pathway lined with thorns. For +along that + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page134" name="page134"></a>[134]</span> + + thorny path she led him closer to his Master, and taught him +to tread more nearly in His footsteps than most of His servants have +ever trod. +</p> +<p> +One day when Francis was reading the gospel, Christ's call seemed to +sound in his ears just as it did to Saint Matthew of old. He had often +read the words before, but that day they had a new message for him: 'As +ye go, preach, saying the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Provide neither +gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, neither two coats, neither +shoes nor yet staves.' +</p> +<p> +Then he knew that Christ did not want him only to be good, but to teach +others how to be good, and to look after Christ's poor and sick, always +remaining poor and lowly himself. And as soon as he heard the call he +rose up, left all, and followed his Master to his life's end. +</p> +<p> +Very soon other men joined Francis, eager to serve Christ as he did. +They all dressed just as Francis dressed, and became quite as poor as he +was. Their home was in the plain below Assisi, by the little chapel of +Saint Mary of the Angels, which had been given to the brothers. But it +was not often that they were there all together, for Francis sent them +out to preach to all the world just as the gospel commanded. +</p> +<p> +In spite of their poverty the 'Little Poor Brothers,' as they were +called, were a happy, cheerful little company. Francis had just the same +gay nature and ready smile as when he was a boy in Assisi, and though he +might have to go long solitary journeys on foot, sleeping in caves or in +woods, hungry and + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page135" name="page135"></a>[135]</span> + + footsore, he was never sad nor lonely. He seemed to +love everything that God had made, and all the animals and birds were +his special friends. They were never frightened of him, and when he +walked in the woods the birds would come and perch on his shoulder and +sing their good-morning to him. +</p> +<p> +And sometimes Francis would stand still and let them all come round him, +and would preach a little sermon to them, telling them how they ought to +praise God for His goodness. +</p> +<p> +'Little sisters' he always called them, and it is said they would listen +quietly while he spoke, and then when he gave them his blessing, they +would rise up to heaven singing their hymn of praise, just as if they +had really understood their little service. +</p> +<p> +Once when Francis and some of the brothers were returning home, they +heard a great number of birds singing among the bushes. And when Francis +saw them he said to his companions— +</p> +<p> +'Our sisters, the birds, are praising their Maker. Let us go into their +midst and sing our service too.' +</p> +<p> +The birds were not in the least disturbed, but continued their chirping +and twittering, so that the brothers could not hear their own voices. +Then Francis turned to the birds and said— +</p> +<p> +'Little sisters, cease your song until we have given God our praise.' +And they at once were quiet, and did not begin to sing again until the +service was over. +</p> +<p> +And it was not only the birds that loved him, but every kind of creature +came to him for comfort and shelter. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page136" name="page136"></a>[136]</span></p> + +<p> +Now this is a story which was told about Francis after he was dead, when +people tried to remember all the wonderful things that he had done, and +perhaps made them a little more wonderful, out of love of Saint Francis. +</p> +<p> +Once when the saint was living in the city of Agolio a terribly fierce +wolf began to prowl about the town. He carried off everything eatable he +could find, and grew so bold that he even seized the children and made +off to his mountain den with them. The whole town was terrified, and +people scarcely dared go out of doors for fear of meeting the terrible +wolf. And though the men hunted him, he always escaped and came prowling +down at nightfall again. +</p> +<p> +When Saint Francis heard this he said— +</p> +<p> +'I will go out and meet this wolf, and ask him what he means.' +</p> +<p> +'He will kill you,' cried all the people, and they tried to persuade him +not to go. +</p> +<p> +But Saint Francis set out, taking some of the brothers with him. They +went bravely along for a short way, and then the brothers turned back +afraid and ran home, leaving Saint Francis alone. And presently he heard +a deep growling and the sound of a terrible rush, and the great wolf, +with blazing eyes and open mouth, came bounding towards him. But as he +came nearer Saint Francis went forward to meet him, and making the sign +of the cross, he said: 'Come hither, brother wolf. I command thee in the +name of Christ that thou do no more harm to me nor to any one.' +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0016"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-16-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-16-s.jpg" width="400" height="540" +alt="THEN THE POPE TOOK THE LITTLE POOR BROTHERS UNDER HIS PROTECTION." /></a> +<br /> +THEN THE POPE TOOK THE LITTLE POOR BROTHERS UNDER HIS PROTECTION. +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page137" name="page137"></a>[137]</span></p> + +<p> +And then a wonderful thing happened; for, as soon as the wolf heard the +saint's voice, he stopped, and then came gently forward, and lay like +a lamb at St. Francis's feet. Then Saint Francis talked quietly to him, +and told him he deserved to be punished for all the evil he had done, +but if he would promise to kill and plunder no more, the people of +Agolio would promise on their side to give him food every day. And the +wolf rubbed his head against Saint Francis's habit and gently laid his +paw in the saint's hand. And always after that the good people of Agolio +used to put out food for the wolf, and he grew so good and tame that he +went quietly from door to door, and never did harm to any one again. +</p> +<p> +Whether all this really happened we do not know; but one thing we are +certain of, and that is, that Francis loved all living creatures, and +they seemed to know it and to love him too. +</p> +<p> +It was not long before the little band of brothers grew into quite a +large company, and Francis went to Rome to ask the Pope, the head of the +Church, to give them his blessing, and his permission to live together +under their rule of poverty. All the world was astonished at this +strange man, in his coarse brown robe, who preached to them that riches +were not worth having, and that the greatest happiness was to be good +and pure. +</p> +<p> +At first the Pope would have nothing to do with him. But one night he +had a dream, and in his dream he saw a church leaning on one side, and +almost falling. And the only thing that kept it from falling quite over +was a poor man, barefooted and dressed + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page138" name="page138"></a>[138]</span> + + in a coarse brown robe, who had +his shoulder against it and was holding it up. +</p> +<p> +Then the Pope knew that God had sent the dream to him, and that Francis +was going to be a great helper in the Church. So next day he called for +Francis and granted him all that he asked, and took the Little Poor +Brothers under his protection. +</p> +<p> +Soon the company grew larger and larger, and Francis sent them all over +the country, preaching and teaching men that they should deny themselves +and love poverty rather than riches. +</p> +<p> +Still they always kept the little home at Saint Mary of the Angels, and +the brothers returned there after their preaching was ended. +</p> +<p> +The convent was built close to a wood, and this wood was the place +Francis loved best. For he could be quite alone there, to pray and +meditate, with no one to disturb his thoughts. And often, when all the +other brothers were asleep, he would steal quietly out and kneel for +hours under the silent trees, alone with God. +</p> +<p> +Now there was a little boy at the convent who loved Francis very much, +and wanted to know all that he did, that he might learn to grow like +him. Especially he wondered why Francis went alone into the dark wood, +but he was too sleepy to keep awake to see. It was a very poor convent, +and all the brothers slept on mats on the floor, for they had not +separate cells. At last one night the boy crept close to the side of +Francis, and spread his mat quite close to his master's, and in case he +should not wake he tied his little cord to the cord which + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page139" name="page139"></a>[139]</span> + + Francis wore +round his waist. Then he lay down happily and went to sleep. +</p> +<p> +By and by when every one was asleep, Francis got up as usual to pray. +But he noticed the cord and gently untied it, so that the boy slept on +undisturbed. Presently, however, the child awoke, and finding his cord +loose and his master gone, he got up and followed him into the wood, +treading very softly with his bare feet that he might disturb nobody. +</p> +<p> +It was very dark, and he had to feel his way among the trees; but +presently a bright light shone out, and as he stole nearer he saw a +wonderful sight. His master was kneeling there, and with him was the +Blessed Virgin, holding our dear Lord in her arms, and many saints were +there as well. And over all was a great cloud of the holy angels. The +vision and the glorious brightness almost blinded the child, and he fell +down as if he were dead. +</p> +<p> +Now when Francis was returning home he stumbled over the little body +lying there, and guessing what had happened he stooped down and tenderly +lifted him up, and carried him in his arms, as the Good Shepherd carries +His lambs. Then the child felt his master's arms round him, and was +comforted, and told him of the vision and how it had frightened him. +In return Francis bade him tell no one what he had seen as long as his +master was alive. So the old story tells us that the child grew up to +be a good man and was one of the holiest of the Little Poor Brothers, +because he always tried to grow like his + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page140" name="page140"></a>[140]</span> + + master. Only after Francis died +did he tell the story of the glorious vision which he had seen that +night in the dark wood, at the time when no one knew what a great saint +his master was. +</p> +<p> +As time went on, Francis grew anxious to do more than preach at home; +for Christ's message to him had been 'Go ye into all the world.' He had +set out many times, but always something had prevented him from getting +far, until at last he succeeded in reaching the land of the Saracens +where the Crusaders were fighting. His great hope was that he might see +the Sultan and teach him about Christ, so that all his people might +become Christians. He had no fear at all, and when every one warned him +that he would certainly be put to death, he said that would be a small +matter if only he could teach the heathen about God. +</p> +<p> +But although the Sultan received Francis, and listened to all he had to +say, he only shook his head and refused to believe without a sign. +</p> +<p> +Then Francis grew more and more eager to convince him, and asked that a +great fire should be made, and that he and the heathen priests should +pass through it, saying that whoever came out unharmed should be held to +be the servant of the true God. But the heathen priests all refused to +do this, and so poor Francis had to return home, having, he feared, done +no good, but hoping the good might follow afterwards. +</p> +<p> +These weary journeys and all the toil and hardship of his daily life +began to make Francis weak and ill. Many things troubled him too; for +the + +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page141" name="page141"></a>[141]</span> + + brothers did not love poverty as he did, and they began to make new +rules and to forget what he had taught them. But in the midst of all +trouble, he remained the same humble servant of Christ, always thinking +of new ways to serve his Master. +</p> + +<div class="figure"> +<a name="image-0017"><!--IMG--></a> +<a href="images/i-17-f.jpg"><img src="images/i-17-s.jpg" width="400" height="550" +alt="HE CHANTED THE GOSPEL AT THE FIRST CHRISTMAS MASS." /></a> +<br /> +HE CHANTED THE GOSPEL AT THE FIRST CHRISTMAS MASS. +</div> + +<p> +There was no time Francis loved so much as Christmas. He loved to feel +that all living things were happy on that day. He used to say that he +wished that all governors and lords of the town and country might be +obliged to scatter corn over the roads and fields, so that 'our sisters +the larks,' and all the birds might feast as well. And because the ox +and the ass shared the stable with the Holy Child, he thought they +should be provided with more than ordinary food each Christmas Eve. +</p> +<p> +He wished every one to remember how poor and lowly our Lord was on that +night when He came as a little child; and so on Christmas Eve he made a +stable in the chapel, and brought in an ox and an ass and a tiny crib +and manger. In the manger he placed the figure of a baby to represent +the infant Christ, and there in the early hours of the Christmas +morning, he chanted the gospel at the first Christmas Mass. +</p> +<p> +It was in the spring of the year that Francis first went to the +hermitage among the mountains, which he loved better than any other +place. It was a small hut high among the Apennines, among crags and +rocks far away from any other place. Here he could wander about the +woods, which were carpeted with spring flowers, and hear his little +sisters the birds singing all day long. +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page142" name="page142"></a>[142]</span></p> + +<p> +And here one day, as he knelt thinking of all his dear Lord had +suffered, a wonderful thing happened. The thought of all that trouble +and pain seemed more than he could bear, and he prayed that he might be +allowed to suffer as his Master had done. And as he prayed, seeing only +before him the crucified Christ with nail-pierced hands and wounded +side, God sent the answer to his prayer, and in his hands and feet deep +marks appeared, as though there had been nails driven through them, and +in his side a wound as if from the cruel thrust of a spear. +</p> +<p> +And so Francis learned to suffer as his Master had suffered, and through +all the pain he only gave God thanks that he had been thought worthy to +bear the marks that Jesus bore. +</p> +<p> +Francis did not live very long after this for he grew weaker and weaker, +and they carried him back to the old house at Saint Mary of the Angels. +There the Little Poor Brothers gathered round him, and he spoke his last +words to them, bidding them live always as he had taught them to live, +in poverty and lowliness. And when evening came, and the birds he loved +so much were singing their vesper hymns, his voice joined in their +praise until his soul passed away to the Lord whom he had tried to serve +so humbly, and in whose footsteps he had sought to place his own. +</p> + + +<div style="height: 6em;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In God's Garden, by Amy Steedman + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN GOD'S GARDEN *** + +***** This file should be named 36674-h.htm or 36674-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/6/7/36674/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In God's Garden + Stories of the Saints for Little Children + +Author: Amy Steedman + +Release Date: July 9, 2011 [EBook #36674] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN GOD'S GARDEN *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Illustration: (front cover)] + +[Illustration: SHE SLEPT CALMLY AND PEACEFULLY UNTIL SHE DREAMED A DREAM.] + + + + + + +IN GOD'S GARDEN + +STORIES OF THE SAINTS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN + +BY AMY STEEDMAN + +WITH SIXTEEN REPRODUCTIONS FROM ITALIAN MASTERPIECES + +[Illustration] + + LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK, Ltd. + 35 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C., & EDINBURGH + + + + +TO MY MOTHER + + + + +ABOUT THIS BOOK + + +There is a garden which God has planted for Himself, more beautiful than +any earthly garden. The flowers that bloom there are the white souls of +His saints, who have kept themselves pure and unspotted from the world. + +In God's garden there is every kind of flower, each differing from the +other in beauty. Some are tall and stately like the lilies, growing +where all may see them in their dress of white and gold; some are half +concealed like the violets, and known only by the fragrance of kind +deeds and gentle words which have helped to sweeten the lives of others; +while some, again, are hidden from all earthly eyes, and only God knows +their loveliness and beholds the secret places where they grow. But +known or unknown, all have risen above the dark earth, looking ever +upward; and, although often bent and beaten down by many a cruel storm +of temptation and sin, they have ever raised their heads again, turning +their faces towards God; until at last they have been crowned with the +perfect flower of holiness, and now blossom for ever in the Heavenly +Garden. + +In this book you will not find the stories of all God's saints. I have +gathered a few together, just as one gathers a little posy from a garden +full of roses. But the stories I have chosen to tell are those that I +hope children will love best to hear. + +Let us remember that God has given to all of us, little children as well +as grown-up people, a place in His garden here on earth, and He would +have us take these white flowers, the lives of His saints, as a pattern +for our own. We may not be set where all can see us; our place in God's +garden may be a very humble and sheltered spot; but, like the saints, we +may keep our faces ever turned upward, and learn to grow, as they grew, +like their Master, pure and straight and strong--fit flowers to blossom +in the Garden of God. + + 'Saints are like roses when they flush rarest, + Saints are like lilies when they bloom fairest, + Saints are like violets, sweetest of their kind.' + + + + +LIST OF STORIES + + + PAGE + + SAINT URSULA, 1 + SAINT BENEDICT, 16 + SAINT CHRISTOPHER, 29 + SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, 41 + SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO, 54 + SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY, 62 + SAINT CECILIA, 71 + SAINT GILES, 79 + SAINT NICHOLAS, 84 + SAINT FAITH, 97 + SAINT COSMO AND SAINT DAMIAN, 102 + SAINT MARTIN, 110 + SAINT GEORGE, 119 + SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, 128 + + + + +LIST OF PICTURES + + + AT PAGE + +SAINT URSULA, + + She slept calmly and peacefully until she dreamed a dream, _Frontispiece_ + Ursula stood on the landing-place, the first to greet the Prince, 8 + + By Vittore Carpaccio at the Accademia, Venice. + + +SAINT BENEDICT, + + A little demon seized the robe of the young monk, 22 + A terrible storm began to rage, 28 + + By Lorenzo Monaco, Uffizi, Florence. + + +SAINT CHRISTOPHER, + + The child upon his shoulder seemed to grow heavier, 38 + + By Titian, Doge's Palace, Venice. + + +SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, + + The Holy Child placed a ring upon her finger, 46 + + By Benozzo Gozzali, Uffizi, Florence. + + +SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO, + + The child had digged a hole in the sand, 60 + + By Sandro Botticelli, Accademia, Florence. + + +SAINT CECILIA, + + A crown of lilies and roses in each hand, 74 + She taught them about the Lord of Heaven, 78 + + By Spinello Aretino, S. Maria del Carmine, Florence. + + +SAINT NICHOLAS, + + He showed his daughter the gold, 86 + He went to the harbour where two ships lay, 90 + + By Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Accademia, Florence. + + +SAINT COSMO AND SAINT DAMIAN, + + But Cosmo turned and walked away, 104 + An angel guided them with loving care, 108 + + By Fra Angelico, Accademia, Florence. + + +SAINT GEORGE, + + Saint George rode straight at the monster, 124 + + By Vittore Carpaccio, S. Georgio Maggiore, Venice. + + +SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, + + Then the Pope took the little poor brothers under his protection, 136 + He chanted the Gospel at the first Christmas mass, 140 + + By Giotto, Accademia, Florence. + + + + +SAINT URSULA + + +Once upon a time in the land of Brittany there lived a good king, whose +name was Theonotus. He had married a princess who was as good as she was +beautiful, and they had one little daughter, whom they called Ursula. + +It was a very happy and prosperous country over which Theonotus ruled, +for he was a Christian, and governed both wisely and well, and nowhere +was happiness more certain to be found than in the royal palace where +the king and queen and little Princess Ursula lived. + +All went merrily until Ursula was fifteen years old, and then a great +trouble came, for the queen, her mother, died. The poor king was +heart-broken, and for a long time even Ursula could not comfort him. But +with patient tenderness she tried to do for him all that her mother had +done, and gradually he began to feel that he still had something to live +for. + +Her mother had taught Ursula with great care, and the little maid had +loved her lessons, and so it came to pass that there was now no princess +in all the world so learned as the Princess Ursula. It is said that she +knew all that had happened since the beginning of the world, all about +the stars and the winds, all the poetry that had ever been written, and +every science that learned men had ever known. + +But what was far better than all this learning was that the princess was +humble and good. She never thought herself wiser than other people, and +her chief pleasure was in doing kind things and helping others. Her +father called her the light of his eyes, and his one fear was that she +would some day marry and leave him alone. + +And true it was that many princes wished to marry Ursula, for the fame +of her beauty and of her learning had spread to far distant lands. + +Now on the other side of the sea, not very far from Brittany, there +was a great country called England. The people there were strong and +powerful, but they had not yet learned to be Christians. The king of +that land had an only son called Conon, who was as handsome as he was +brave. And when his father heard of the fame of the Princess Ursula he +made up his mind that she should be his son's wife. So he sent a great +company of nobles and ambassadors to the court of Brittany to ask King +Theonotus for the hand of the Princess Ursula. + +That king received the messengers most courteously, but he was very much +troubled and perplexed at the request. He did not want to part with +Ursula, and he knew she did not wish to marry and leave him. And yet he +scarcely dared offend the powerful King of England, who might be such a +dangerous enemy. + +So to gain time he told the messengers he would give them their answer +next day, and then he shut himself up in his room and sorrowfully leaned +his head upon his hand as he tried to think what was best to be done. +But as he sat there thinking the do or opened and Ursula came in. + +'Why art thou so sad, my father?' she asked, 'and what is it that +troubleth thee so greatly?' + +'I have this day received an offer for thy hand,' answered her father +sadly, 'and the messengers are even now here, and because they come from +the King of England I dare not refuse their request, and yet I know not +what answer to give them when they return in the morning.' + +'If that is all, do not trouble thyself, dear father,' answered Ursula; +'I myself will answer the messengers and all will be well.' + +Then the princess left her father and went to her own room that she +might consider what answer might be wisest to send. But the more she +thought the more troubled she became, until at last she grew so weary +that she took off her crown and placed it as usual at the foot of her +bed and prepared to go to rest. Her little dog lay guarding her, and +she slept calmly and peacefully until she dreamed a dream which seemed +almost like a vision. For she thought she saw a bright light shining +through the door and through the light an angel coming towards her, +who spoke to her and said:-- + +'Trouble not thyself, Ursula, for to-morrow thou shalt know what answer +thou shalt give. God has need of thee to save many souls, and though +this prince doth offer thee an earthly crown, God has an unfading crown +of heavenly beauty laid up for thee, which thou shalt win through much +suffering.' + +So next morning when the messengers came into the great hall to receive +their answer, they saw the Princess Ursula herself sitting on the throne +next to her father. She was so beautiful, and greeted them so graciously +that they longed more than ever that their prince might win her for his +bride. + +And as they listened for the king to speak, it was Ursula's voice that +fell on their ears. She began by sending her greeting to the King of +England and to Prince Conon, his son, and bade the messengers say that +the honour offered her was more than she deserved, but since their +choice had fallen upon her, she on her side was ready to accept the +prince as her promised husband, if he would agree to three conditions. +'And first,' went on Ursula, leaning forward and speaking very clearly +and slowly, so that the foreign ambassadors might understand every word, +'I would have the prince, your master, send to me ten of the noblest +ladies of your land to be my companions and friends, and for each +of these ladies and for myself a thousand maidens to wait upon us. +Secondly, he must give me three years before the date of my marriage so +that I and these noble ladies may have time to serve God by visiting +the shrines of the saints in distant lands. And thirdly, I ask that the +prince and all his court shall accept the true faith and be baptized +Christians. For I cannot wed even so great and perfect a prince, if he +be not as perfect a Christian.' + +Then Ursula stopped speaking, and the ambassadors bowed low before her +beauty and wisdom and went to take her answer to their king. + +Now Ursula did not make these conditions without a purpose, for in +her heart she thought that surely the prince would not agree to such +demands, and she would still be free. But even if he did all that she +had asked, it would surely fulfil the purpose of her dream, and she +would save these eleven thousand maidens and teach them to serve and +honour God. + +Ere long the ambassadors arrived safely in England, and went to +report their mission to the king. They could not say enough about the +perfections of this wonderful princess of Brittany. She was as fair and +straight as a lily, her rippling hair was golden as the sunshine, and +her eyes like shining stars. The pearls that decked her bodice were not +as fair as the whiteness of her throat, and her walk and every gesture +was so full of grace that it clearly showed she was born to be a queen. +And if the outside was so fair, words failed them when they would +describe her wisdom and learning, her good deeds and kind actions. + +The king, as he listened to his nobles, felt that no conditions could +be too hard that would secure such a princess for his son, and as for +the prince himself his only desire was to have her wishes fulfilled as +quickly as possible, so that he might set sail for Brittany and see with +his own eyes this beautiful princess who had promised to be his bride. + +So letters were sent north, south, east, and west, to France and +Scotland and Cornwall, wherever there were vassals of England to be +found, bidding all knights and nobles to send their daughters to court +with their attendant maidens, the fairest and noblest of the land. All +were to be arrayed in the finest and costliest raiment and most precious +jewels, so that they might be deemed fit companions for the Princess +Ursula, who was to wed Prince Conon, their liege lord. + +Then the knights and nobles sent all their fairest maidens, and so eager +were they to do as the king desired, that very soon ten of the noblest +maidens, each with a thousand attendants, and another thousand for the +Princess Ursula, were ready to start for the court of Brittany. + +Never before was seen such a fair sight as when all these maidens went +out to meet the Princess Ursula. But fairest of all was the princess +herself as she stood to receive her guests. For the light of love shone +in her eyes, and to each she gave a welcome as tender as if they had all +been her own sisters. It seemed a glorious thing to think they were all +to serve God together, and no longer to live the life of mere pleasure +and vanity. + +As may well be believed the fame of these fair maidens spread far and +near, and all the nobles and barons crowded to the court to see the +sight that all the world talked about. But Ursula and her maidens paid +no heed to the gay courtiers, having other matters to think upon. + +For when the soft spring weather was come, Ursula gathered all her +companions together and led them to a green meadow outside the city, +through which a clear stream flowed. The grass was starred with daisies +and buttercups, and the sweet scent of the lime blossoms hung in the +air, a fitting bower for those living flowers that gathered there that +day. + +In the midst of the meadow there was a throne, and there the princess +sat, and with words of wonderful power she told her companions the story +of God's love and of the coming of our Blessed Lord, and showed them +what the beauty of a life lived for Him might be. + +And the faces of the listening maidens shone with a glory that was more +than earthly, as they with one accord promised to follow the Princess +Ursula wherever she might lead, if only she would help them to live the +blessed life so that they too might win the heavenly crown. + +Then Ursula descended from her throne and talked with each of the +maidens, and those who had not yet been baptized she led through the +flowery meadow to the banks of the stream, and there a priest baptized +them while the birds joined in the hymn of praise sung by the whole +company. + +But all this while the Prince Conon waited with no little impatience for +news of Ursula. He had been baptized and joined the Christian faith, he +had sent the companions she desired, and now he waited for her to fulfil +her promise. + +And ere long a letter reached him, written round and fair in the +princess's own handwriting, telling him that as he had so well fulfilled +her conditions, and was now her own true knight, she gave him permission +to come to her father's court, that they might meet and learn to know +each other. + +It was but little time that Prince Conon lost before he set sail for +Brittany. The great warships made a prosperous voyage over the sea that +parted the two countries, and came sailing majestically into the harbour +of Brittany, where the people had gathered in crowds to see the young +prince who had come to woo their fair princess. + +From every window gay carpets were hung, and the town was all in +holiday, as Ursula stood on the landing-place, the first to greet the +prince as he stepped ashore, and all that Conon had heard of her seemed +as nothing compared to the reality, as she stood before him in her great +beauty and welcomed him with gentle courtesy. And he grew to love her so +truly that he was willing to do in all things as she wished, though he +longed for the three years to be over that he might carry her off to +England and make her his queen. + +But Ursula told the prince of the vision that had come to her in her +dream, when the angel had said she must first go through much suffering, +and visit the shrines of saints in distant lands. And she told him she +could not be happy unless he granted her these three years in which to +serve God, and begged him meanwhile to stay with her father and comfort +him while she was gone. + +[Illustration: URSULA STOOD ON THE LANDING PLACE, THE FIRST TO GREET +THE PRINCE.] + +So Ursula set out with her eleven thousand maidens, and the city was +left very desolate and forlorn. But the pilgrims were happy as they +sailed away over the sea, for they were doing the angel's bidding, and +they feared nothing, for they trusted that God would protect and help +them. + +At first the winds were contrary and they were driven far out of their +course, so that instead of arriving at Rome, which was the place they +had meant to go to, they were obliged to land at a city called Cologne, +where the barbarous Germans lived. Here, while they were resting for a +little, another dream was sent to Ursula, and the angel told her that in +this very place, on their return, she and all her maidens would suffer +death and win their heavenly crowns. This did not affright the princess +and her companions, but rather made them rejoice that they should be +found worthy to die for their faith. + +So they sailed on up the River Rhine till they could go no further, and +they landed at the town of Basle, determined to do the rest of their +pilgrimage on foot. + +It was a long and tedious journey over the mountains to Italy, and the +tender feet of these pilgrims might have found it impossible to climb +the rough road had not God sent six angels to help them on their way, to +smooth over the rough places, and to help them in all dangers so that no +harm could befall them. + +First they journeyed past the great lakes where the snow-capped +mountains towered in their white glory, then up the mountain-road, ever +higher and higher, where the glaciers threatened to sweep down upon them, +and the path was crossed by fierce mountain-torrents. But before long +they began to descend the further side; and the snow melted in patches +and the green grass appeared. Then followed stretches of flowery +meadow-land, where the soft southern air whispered to them of the land +of sunshine, fruit, and flowers. + +Lower down came the little sun-baked Italian villages, and the simple, +kindly people who were eager to help the company of maidens in every +way, and gazed upon them with reverence when they knew they were on a +pilgrimage to Rome. + +Thus the pilgrims went onward until at length they came to the River +Tiber and entered the city of Rome, where were the shrines of Saint +Peter and Saint Paul. + +Now the Bishop of Rome, whom men call the Pope, was much troubled when +it was told him that a company of eleven thousand fair women had entered +his city. He could not understand what it might mean, and was inclined +to fear it might be a temptation of the evil one. So he went out to meet +them, taking with him all his clergy in a great procession, chanting +their hymns as they went. + +And soon the two processions met, and what was the amazement and joy of +the Pope when a beautiful maiden came and knelt before him and asked for +his blessing, telling him why she and her companions had come to Rome. + +'Most willingly do I give thee my blessing,' answered the old man, 'and +bid thee and thy companions welcome to my city. My servants shall put +up tents for you all in some quiet spot, and ye shall have the best that +Rome can afford.' + +So the maidens rested there in quiet happiness, thankful to have come +to the end of their pilgrimage and to have reached the shrines of God's +great saints. But to Ursula an added joy was sent which made her +happiness complete. + +For the prince, whom she had left behind, grew impatient of her long +absence, and the longing for his princess grew so strong he felt that he +could not stay quietly at home not knowing where she was nor what had +befallen her. So he had set out, and, journeying by a different route, +had arrived in Rome the same day as Ursula and her maidens were received +by the good bishop. + +It is easy to picture the delight of Conon and Ursula when they met +together again, and knelt land in hand to receive the Pope's blessing. +And when Ursula told him all that had happened and of the angels whom +God had sent to guide and protect them, the only desire the prince had +was to share her pilgrimage and be near her when danger threatened. And +his purpose only became stronger when she told him of the vision she had +had in the city of Cologne. + +'How can I leave thee, my princess,' he asked, 'when I have but now +found thee? Life holds no pleasure when thou art absent. The days are +grey and sunless without the sunshine of thy presence. Bid me come with +thee and share thy dangers, and if it be, as thou sayest, that it is +God's will that thou and all these maidens shall pass through suffering +and death for His sake, then let me too win the heavenly crown that we +may praise God together in that country where sorrow and separation can +touch us no more.' + +And Ursula was glad to think that, through love of her, the prince +should be led to love God, and so granted his request and bade her +companions prepare to set out once more. + +The Pope would fain have persuaded them to stop longer in Rome, but +Ursula told him of her vision, and how it was time to return as the +dream had warned her. Then the Pope and his clergy made up their minds +to join the pilgrimage also, that they too might honour God by a +martyr's death. + +Now there were in Rome at that time two great Roman captains who were +cruel heathens, and who looked upon this pilgrimage with alarm and +anger. They commanded all the imperial troops in the northern country of +Germany; and when they heard that Ursula and her maidens were bound for +Cologne they were filled with dismay and wrath. For they said to each +other: + +'If so many good and beautiful women should reach that heathen land the +men there will be captivated by their beauty and wish to marry them. +Then, of course, they will all become Christians, and the whole nation +will be won over to this new religion.' + +'We cannot suffer this,' was the answer. 'Come, let us think of some way +to prevent so great a misfortune that would destroy all our power in +Germany.' + +So these two wicked heathen captains agreed to send a letter to the +king of the Huns, a fierce savage, who was just then besieging Cologne. +In it they told him that thousands of fair women in a great company were +on their way to help the city, and if they were allowed to enter all +chances of victory for his army would vanish. There was but one thing to +be done and that was to kill the entire band of maidens the moment they +arrived. + +Meanwhile Ursula and her companions had set sail for Cologne, and +with them were now Prince Conon and his knights and the Pope with many +bishops and cardinals. And after many days of danger and adventure the +pilgrims arrived at the city of Cologne. + +The army of barbarians who were encamped before the city was amazed to +see such a strange company landing from the ships. For first there came +the eleven thousand maidens, then a company of young unarmed knights, +then a procession of old men richly robed and bearing no weapons of any +kind. + +For a moment the savage soldiers stood still in amazement, but then, +remembering the orders they had received in the letter from the Roman +captains, they rushed upon the defenceless strangers and began to slay +them without mercy. Prince Conon was the first to fall, pierced by an +arrow, at the feet of his princess. Then the knights were slain and the +Pope with all his clergy. + +Again the savage soldiers paused, and then like a pack of wolves they +fell upon the gentle maidens, and these spotless white lambs were slain +by thousands. + +And in their midst, brave and fearless, was the Princess Ursula, +speaking cheerful words of comfort to the dying and bidding one and all +rejoice and look forward to the happy meeting in the heavenly country. +So great was her beauty and courage that even those wicked soldiers +dared not touch her, and at last, when their savage work was done, they +took her before their prince that he might decide her fate. + +Never before had Ursula's beauty shone forth more wonderfully than +it did that day when she stood among these savage men and gazed with +steadfast eyes upon the prince, as one might look upon a wild beast. + +The prince was amazed and enchanted, for he had never seen so lovely a +maid in his life before, and he motioned to the soldiers to bring Ursula +nearer to him. + +'Do not weep, fair maiden,' he said, trying to speak in his gentlest +voice, 'for though you have lost all your companions you will not be +alone. I will be your husband, and you shall be the greatest queen in +Germany.' + +Then most proudly did Ursula draw herself up, and her clear eyes shone +with scorn as she answered: + +'Does it indeed seem to thee as though I wept? And canst thou believe +that I would live when all my dear ones have been slain by thee, thou +cruel coward, slayer of defenceless women and unarmed men?' + +And when the proud prince heard these scornful words he fell into a +furious rage, and, bending the bow that was in his hand, he shot three +arrows through the heart of Princess Ursula and killed her instantly. + +So the pure soul went to join the companions of her pilgrimage and to +receive the crown of life which the angel of her dream had promised her, +and for which she had laid down her earthly crown as gladly as when in +her peaceful home she laid it aside before she went to rest. + + + + +SAINT BENEDICT + + +It was in the year of our Lord 540 that Saint Benedict was born at +Spoleto in Italy, and he was only a boy of sixteen on the night when our +story begins. + +Such a cold night it was. Piercing wind swept over the mountains, +whistling through the pine-trees and hurrying on to the great city of +Rome that lay in the plains below. It was cold enough in the city where +the people could take shelter in their house and sit warming their hands +over their little pots of fire, but out on the bare hillside it was even +worse. For the icy breath of the winter wind, which had come far over +the snow, swept into every nook and corner as if determined to search +out any summer warmth that might be lingering in a sheltered corner. + +And there in a cave high up among the rocks, a boy sat listening to the +wind, and thinking of many things, as he tried to wrap his worn old +cloak closer round him. + +He was a tall thin lad, with sad dreaming eyes and a face already +sharpened by want and suffering. The cave in which he sat had little in +it, except a heap of dried leaves which served him for a bed, and it was +difficult to imagine how any one could live in so dreary and comfortless +a place, so far from any other human being. + +But he was thinking of a very different home, as he sat shivering in +the cold that night. Only a year ago he had lived in a beautiful palace, +where everything was pleasant and warm and bright. His father was the +lord of the country around, and he, the only son of the house, had +everything that he could want. They were all proud of him, he was so +clever and brilliant, and as soon as he was old enough he was sent to +study in Rome, that he might become a great lawyer. + +There the boy's eyes saw a different scene--the great city of Rome, +where all was gaiety and pleasure, where all pleased the eye, the ear, +and the taste, but where, alas, so much wickedness dwelt as well. He had +tried to shut his eyes to things he did not wish to see, but day by day +the sights and sounds around him, the talk of his companions, and the +things they thought so pleasant had become hateful to him. And one +day he had stolen secretly away from Rome, leaving everything behind, +determined to go away into a desert place and live alone. This it seemed +to him was the only way of truly serving God, to learn to deny himself +in everything and to keep himself unspotted from the world. + +A tender smile came over the boy's face as the next picture rose before +his eyes. True he had left all and gone into the wilderness, but love +could not so easily be left behind, and his old nurse had found out a +way of following him, and would not be denied the pleasure of serving +him and caring for his wants; even begging food, from door to door, that +she might prepare a dainty meal for him. + +It had been very pleasant, but its very pleasantness had warned him that +he must deny himself still further. So he had once more stolen away, +when his old nurse was asleep and had hidden himself in the cave among +the rocks of Subiaco. Here he was indeed alone, and the only food he had +was a little bread which a kind old hermit gave him daily, and his only +drink the clear water of the mountain streams. + +And here he seemed to live with God alone, seeing no one but the kind +old hermit who brought him his daily bread. He was happy and peaceful, +never ceasing to pray for those who in the busy world might forget to +pray for themselves. + +But this night the thoughts of past days were troubling him. And as he +sat there listening to the wind he began to long for the things he had +left behind. One beautiful face especially grew clearer than the rest, +and smiling upon him beckoned him back to the pleasures and comforts and +earthly joys he had put away from him. + +With a cry he sprang to his feet and rushed out of the cave. For a moment +he felt as if his feet must carry him down the steep mountain-side, over +the plain and back to the beautiful city; and then he stood still, and +with a prayer for help to overcome this temptation of the Evil One, he +threw himself into a thicket of thorny briars that grew by the side of +the cave. There he rolled over and over until he was torn and bleeding; +then slowly returning to the cave he lay down upon his bed of leaves, +peaceful and contented. The evil thoughts had fled, the face that +tempted him had vanished, and Satan was conquered. + +So Benedict began his life of self-denial and solitary prayer. Years +passed by and in spite of the loneliness of the place and the few people +who ever passed by that way, it began to be known that one of God's +saints lived in the mountain cave. The shepherds who fed their flocks +on the lower hills would bring him little offerings of milk or cheese +and ask his blessing, or perhaps a prayer for one who was sick. And +gradually people began to call him their saint of the mountain, and +to come to him for help in all their troubles. Thus the fame of his +goodness spread wider and wider, until a company of monks who lived +some way off sent and besought him to come and live with them and be +their head. + +Benedict was grieved to think of leaving his little cell which he had +grown to love, and the simple mountain people, who so often came to him +in their need. But he thought this was a call he ought to obey, so he +sorrowfully set out and journeyed many miles till he came to the convent +of the brothers. + +It was all very strange to him after the stillness of his mountain cell, +and he could not accustom himself to hearing voices all day long and to +seeing so many faces. Still he strove to do his duty and soon made many +changes in the convent life. He told the brothers plainly that there +were many comforts they must put away, and above all that they must eat +less and work more. + +Now the brothers did not like this at all, and they began to repent that +they had asked so great a saint to come and rule over them, for he made +their rule so hard and strict, that few of them cared to keep it. + +Then one day a strange thing happened. The brothers were all dining +together, and Benedict was silently eating his portion, his thoughts +far away in the little mountain cell at Subiaco, when some one touched +his arm and offered him a cup of wine. Benedict turned and looked +searchingly into the brother's face, and then with upraised hand made +the sign of the cross over the cup. Instantly it fell broken to the +ground, and the wine was spilt upon the floor, for there had been poison +in the cup, which the holy sign had destroyed. + +Then Benedict looked round at the company of brothers, who sat with +downcast eyes, ashamed and silent, and, without a word, he rose and left +them. He returned, alone as he had come, back to his mountain home, +where instead of human voices there was the song of the birds, where the +wild flowers looked at him with pure, friendly faces, and even the wild +animals did not count him their enemy and would do him no harm. + +Here he hoped once more to live quite alone, but one by one men came and +built huts close to his cave, that they might be near so great a saint, +and before long there was a great company living around him. + +Benedict's fame had spread even to Rome, and two of the Roman nobles +sent their sons to be taught by him. One was only five years old and the +other twelve, and it seemed a hard life for such children. But Benedict +cared for them and watched over them, and they loved him as if he had +been their own father. + +And after all life was very pleasant on the mountain-side, when the +sun shone and lessons and prayers were over. They could play among the +pine-trees and chase the goats over the rocks, and when the sun grew too +hot creep back into the cave to rest. In spring there were the first +flowers to hunt for, and they would come back with eager hands filled +with violets and mountain anemones. And in autumn there were nuts and +berries to be gathered, which they laid up like young squirrels for +their winter store. + +And among the daily duties there was nothing they liked so well as to go +down to the lake to fetch water, when the mountain springs had run dry. +One day it was the little one's turn to do this, and as he was leaning +over, his foot slipped, and he fell into the lake, and before he could +utter a cry the water closed over his head. + +At that very moment Benedict, who was kneeling in prayer on the hill +above, saw a vision of the boy's danger, and hastily sent the elder lad +down to the lake to help the child. + +He never stayed to question why he was sent, but sped down the +mountain-side, and without a moment's delay threw himself into the +lake, hoping to be able to reach the little dark head that had risen +above the water for the last time. And lo! he found that the water grew +firm beneath his feet, and he walked as if he was on dry land, and +lifting the child, carried him safely ashore. + +When Benedict saw that so many other hermits had taken up their abode on +the mountain, he determined to form them into a company of brothers, and +give them a rule to live by, and by and by they built a little chapel +where they could meet for daily service. + +Now, strangely enough, every evening at the hour of prayer, one young +monk became restless and uneasy, and would steal silently out of the +chapel and disappear down the hillside. None of the brothers could think +what made him do this; but night after night the same thing happened +just when prayers were about to begin. All were troubled and disturbed, +till at last they went to Benedict, and asked him what it could mean. +Then the saint promised to watch, and that very evening he saw what no +other eyes had seen. + +Into the chapel came a little demon black as coal, and he seized the +robe of the poor young monk, and dragged him out of the door. And though +the demon was so tiny he was stronger than the monk, and easily led him +swiftly away out of sound of the chapel bell. + +Then Benedict followed, and touching the monk with his rod, bade the +demon begone and trouble him no longer. And after that the young monk +stayed in the chapel with the rest, and the demon was seen no more. + +[Illustration: A LITTLE DEMON SEIZED THE ROBE OF THE YOUNG MONK.] + +It seemed as if Benedict must always suffer from the malice of evil +brothers, who disliked his strict rule; and even in his own mountain +home the danger followed him. This time the poison was put into a loaf +of bread; but Benedict knew that it was there, and while the wicked monk +who offered it to him watched with evil eye, hoping to see him eat it, +he turned to a wood near by, where a young raven sat. 'Come hither,' +said Benedict, holding out the loaf towards the raven, 'come hither, and +take this bread and carry it where the poison that is hidden within can +do no harm.' + +And the story tells us that the raven instantly obeyed, and carried off +the loaf. And ere long Death, more powerful than the raven, carried off +that wicked monk, so that the poison which lurked in his evil heart +could no longer do harm to any one. + +It troubled Benedict greatly about this time to hear that not very +far off on Monte Cassino there was a heathen temple where the people +worshipped false gods, and were living in darkness and sin. + +It seemed terrible that such a thing should be suffered in a Christian +land, so Benedict made up his mind to go himself and force the people +to listen to him. + +It was a strange contrast to see him in his coarse, poor robe and thin +wan face standing preaching among the crowd of gay pleasure-seekers, who +cared for nothing but eating and drinking and making merry. They could +not understand why any one should choose to be poor, and suffer pain and +hunger for the sake of any god. + +But as Benedict taught them day by day, the majesty of his face and the +solemn notes in his voice forced them to listen half unwillingly. Then, +as they began to learn about the true God, they saw that the gods they +had worshipped were false, and they pulled down their temple, and built +two chapels on the place where it had stood. + +Here, too, Benedict built the first great monastery which was called +after him; and after this the brothers began to be known by his name, +and were called Benedictines. + +But the Evil One saw with great rage that Benedict was taking away his +servants, and destroying his temples, and he tried in every way to +hinder the work. Once when the workmen were trying to raise a stone +they found it impossible to move it, though they worked hard all day. +At last, in despair, they besought Benedict to come to help them. + +As soon as he came he saw at once what was the matter, for on the stone +sat a little black demon laughing at the efforts of the workmen; knowing +they could never move the stone while he chose to sit there. + +'Get you gone, messenger of Satan,' cried Benedict. + +And with a howl of rage the imp fled, and the stone was lifted easily +into its place. + +Upon a certain day, not long after the monastery was built, as Benedict +was praying in the chapel of the convent, one of the brothers came to +tell him that a great company of soldiers were coming up the hill, and +at their head was Totila, king of the Goths, who had sent a messenger +to ask the saint to receive him. + +Benedict, who cared little for earthly kings, was yet too courteous +to refuse any such request, so he went out to where the company was +gathered on the mountain-side. + +The rough soldiers stood with heads uncovered, and from their midst came +one who wore a crown and sandals of gold and a kingly robe. He knelt +before the saint, and said in a loud, clear voice: + +'I, Totila, king of the Goths, have come to crave thy blessing, father, +for thy fame hath spread even to the wild north country where I reign.' + +The brothers, crowding behind Benedict, eager to see these curious +strangers, were surprised to hear no answering words of welcome fall +from the lips of the saint. And still more surprised were they when +Benedict pointed an accusing finger at the glittering crown that shone +on the king's head, and said: + +'Why dost thou bear upon thy head the sign of royalty which belongs not +to thy station? And why have thy lips framed this deceit? Go to thy +master, and bid him come to me in truth, and think not that I could +mistake a servant for a king.' + +And to the amazement of all, the real king, who had disguised his +armour-bearer to test the power of the saint, came quickly forward, +and with no royal robe or golden crown, knelt low before the saint, +confessing all, and praying to be forgiven. He was sure now that this +was indeed a servant of God, and he listened humbly while Benedict +reproved him for his many sins, and warned him of the fate that +awaited him. + +And so the years passed on, bringing much honour and earthly renown +to him who had once lived a lonely boy upon the wild mountain-side. + +Things had changed since those early days. He could no longer live quite +alone as he had once loved to do, for the world had followed him even +into the wilderness. But his heart was as pure and his purpose as strong +as when he was a lonely boy seeking only to serve God. + +Perhaps the one great pleasure of his earthly life was the yearly visit +he paid to his sister Scholastica, who had for many years come to live +near him. She had formed a little company of nuns, who strove to live as +the brothers were living, working and praying and denying themselves all +earthly pleasures. + +And as it was a great delight to Benedict to visit his sister, so to +Scholastica the day of his coming was the happiest day of all the year. +The only thing that grieved her was that the golden hours of that bright +day seemed to fly faster than any other, while she listened to his words +of counsel and advice, and told him all her troubles. + +As it drew near the time for one of these yearly visits, Scholastica +began to long for her brother as she had never longed before. Something +told her that these bright summer days were to be the last she should +spend on earth; and the longing to see and talk to her brother grew +almost more than she could bear. + +And when he came the hours slipped past even faster than was their wont, +and before she could realise it the time had come for him to go. There +was so much still to say, and she needed his help so sorely, that she +prayed him to wait a few hours longer. But Benedict was persuaded that +it was his duty to set off, and duty to him ever came before all else. +He gently told her it could not be; that he must return to the brothers +that night. + +But while he spoke, Scholastica was not listening to his words, nor +heeding what he said. With her whole heart she was praying God that He +would grant her this one request, and prevent her brother from leaving +her so soon. + +And as she prayed the light suddenly died out of the sky, great clouds +arose and, before Benedict could set out, a terrible storm began to +rage. The thunder pealed overhead, the hail came down in a blinding +shower, and it was impossible for any one to leave the shelter of the +house. + +Thus God answered the prayer of Scholastica, filling her heart with +thankfulness. And afterwards the heart of Benedict was also filled with +gratitude, for not many days later he saw in a vision the soul of his +sister flying like a white dove up to heaven's gate, and he knew he +should see her on earth no more. + +Benedict had lived a long, hard life, eating but little, suffering cold, +and denying himself in all things. But though his spirit only grew +stronger and brighter as time went on, his body was worn out, and at last +he prepared to lay it aside, as men lay aside the worn-out robe which +has grown thread-bare. + +And as he had longed to live alone, so, when death came, he prayed to +be carried to the little chapel, and there to be left before the altar +alone with God. Thus Benedict the Blessed went home at last, leaving his +tired body in God's house, while his spirit returned to God who gave it. + +[Illustration: A TERRIBLE STORM BEGAN TO RAGE.] + + + + +SAINT CHRISTOPHER + + +Long ago in a far distant land there lived a boy called Offero. He was +taller and stronger and braver than any of his companions, and he was +called Offero, which means bearer, because he could carry the heaviest +burdens on his broad shoulders, without stooping under their weight. His +was the grandest kind of strength too, for it was not only strength of +body, but strength of heart and soul besides. + +As Offero grew into manhood he began to tire of being first only in +games and play, and he longed to use his strength for some real end, +feeling sure there was work in the world waiting for his hand. + +Sometimes as he strode across the olive-clad hills, and felt the wind in +his hair, and drew in great breaths of life and strength, he would see +before him a dim vision of some great purpose, ever beckoning him on, +and in his ear a voice would sound, that bade him use his strength only +for the highest. + +Night and day Offero thought upon the vision, and it seemed to him that +its meaning was that he should go out into the world and do a man's +work. And, since for him the highest meant strength and fearlessness, he +vowed that he would search until he found the bravest and strongest king +and would take service only with him. + +So Offero set out and, after many weary wanderings, he came to the gates +of a great city. Here, in a palace built of alabaster, lived one whom +the people called the greatest king on earth. He had more soldiers and +horsemen and chariots than any other monarch, and the banner of crimson +and gold that floated over the palace roof, had never been lowered in +the face of any foe. + +But Offero scarcely noticed all the glitter and splendour of the palace, +or the crowd of waiting men. He was only eager to see the king, whom +every one said was as brave and strong as a lion. No one stopped him as +he strode on. Even the royal guards at the palace door stood back to let +him pass. He was dusty and travel-stained, and his armour was dull and +dinted by many a hard blow, but there was that in his walk and in his +eyes, and the grasp of his great hand upon his sword, that made every +one fall back to let him pass. + +The king was seated upon his throne making wise laws for his people, +when Offero entered the audience hall. Straight to the steps of the +throne he went, and kneeling there placed his sword at the king's +feet and offered to be his true servant. For a moment the king looked +in wonder and astonishment at this giant, and the great sword that +stretched along the widest step of his ivory throne. Then with a look of +pride at the strength of the man kneeling at his feet, he bade Offero +rise and use his sword henceforth only in the king's service. + +So Offero became the king's servant, and not one of the king's enemies +could stand against him. Wherever there was danger to be met or fighting +to be done, there he was ever to be found, and he made his master's name +more feared and honoured than that of any other monarch in the world. +His work filled all his time and thoughts, and the vision he had seen +grew so dim that it had nearly faded from his memory, when one night +a minstrel came to the court. + +This minstrel had a harp of gold and his fingers woke the sweetest music +from the golden strings, but sweeter than all was his voice as he sang +of brave deeds and mighty battles, the wisdom of the wise and the +courage of the strong. + +The heart of Offero was charmed by the music as he sat idly among the +rest of the courtiers, listening in the great audience chamber. + +But as the minstrel sang, Offero noticed that the king looked disturbed +and once or twice made a strange sign with his hand when a certain evil +name was repeated in the song. It almost seemed to Offero as if at such +times a look of fear came into his eyes. + +Waiting behind the rest when the minstrel was gone, Offero looked +gravely into the king's eyes and said: + +'My liege, wilt thou tell thy servant, why thou didst make that sign +upon thy forehead and what the look that came into thine eyes may +mean--thou who fearest no man?' + +Then the king answered Offero saying: + +'That sign is the sign of the cross, and I make it upon my brow whenever +I hear the name of Satan, the Evil Spirit, because I fear him, and because +that sign alone can protect me from him.' + +And Offero bowed his head, and standing there before the king he +answered sadly: + +'Fare thee well, O my king, for I may not serve thee longer. I have +promised only to serve the greatest and one who feared nothing, so I +must e'en seek this Evil Spirit. If thou fearest him, must he not be +more powerful than thou?' + +So Offero went sorrowfully out of the king's presence, and away from the +splendid court and the fair city. And as he went the vision which of +late had faded from him grew clearer, and seemed to beckon him on and +on. And the voice that of old sounded in his ears spoke to him once +more, so that his heart became light and his purpose grew strong. + +Now after many days of toilsome wanderings, Offero came at last to +the skirt of a great dark wood. The pines were so thick that never a +sunbeam could pierce through their tops, and the trunks of the trees +could only just be seen ghostly grey in the everlasting twilight that +reigned there. + +Deeper and darker grew the wood as Offero went on, until he came to the +darkest part of all, and there he found the Evil Spirit and his court. + +Offero could see nothing clearly in the gloom, but one great shadow +stood out, bigger and stronger than any of the other shadows that +flitted about, and on its brow was the outline of a kingly crown. + +'What seekest thou here?' asked the Evil One, in a deep strong voice, +like the roar of distant thunder. + +'I seek to serve the greatest and strongest king on earth, and one who +knows no fear,' answered Offero. + +'Then is thy quest ended,' said the shadowy king, with uplifted head and +proud gesture, 'for I indeed am the greatest king of all, and I know not +what that word fear meaneth.' + +So Offero became one of the servants of the King of Evil, and his work +was heavy and his wages light. But that seemed but a small matter to +him, if only he had indeed found the highest. + +Time passed on until there came a day when the Evil One rode out with +all his servants and Offero at their head. And as they passed out of the +wood they came to a cross set up by the wayside. It was only a rough +cross of wood, standing out clear against the sky, the grass beneath +worn by those who had knelt before it, and a bunch of wild flowers laid +at its foot by some grateful hand. But when the eye of the Evil One fell +upon it, he shuddered and, turning quickly round, plunged back into the +wood, followed by all his servants. And Offero saw he was trembling from +head to foot. + +'Stop,' cried Offero, barring his way, for he was not afraid even of the +great Shadow upon the fierce black horse. 'I would fain know what this +meaneth, ere we go further. Didst thou not say thou wert stronger than +all and feared nothing? and lo! thou tremblest like a child before a +piece of crossed wood.' + +'It is not the cross I fear,' answered the Evil One, 'but Him who once +hung upon it.' + +'And who is He that you should tremble at the very thought of Him?' +asked Offero. 'Is He a greater and stronger king than thou?' + +'He is greater, and He is stronger,' answered Satan, 'and He is the only +one I fear.' + +Then Offero rode away from the dark wood and the evil company, out into +the sunshine and light. And as he looked at the blue sky, and felt the +warmth of the blessed sunshine once more, the vision seemed to rise +again before his eyes, ever beckoning him onward, and in his ear the +same voice sounded, bidding him seek on, until he should indeed find the +highest. + +Far and near did Offero wander, asking all he met if they could tell him +where he might find the Christ--this man who once hung upon a cross and +who was greater and more powerful even than Satan, the King of Evil. And +some said one thing and some another, but no one could aid him in his +quest, until at last in his wanderings he came to a little hut in the +midst of a desert. + +Here a holy man dwelt, with no living soul near him, serving God day +and night. + +Most gladly did he welcome Offero, but gladder still was he when Offero +eagerly asked him the question that had been upon his lips so long: + +'Good hermit, canst thou tell me where I may find the King called +Christ, He who once hung upon a cross, and who is stronger even than the +King of Evil?' + +'That can I,' answered the hermit, 'for He is the Master whom I serve, +and in His name thou art welcome indeed.' + +And taking Offero into his hut, the hermit gave him food and made him +rest. Then in the cool of the evening, when the red sun was sinking +behind the belt of distant palm-trees, and a mellow glow turned the +sands of the desert into grains of gold, the hermit sat without the hut +and told the wonderful Christ story to the listening ears of the giant +who lay upon the ground at his feet. + +Never had Offero heard words like these before. Even the vision had +not prepared him for this. With all his soul in his eyes he listened. +Filled with wonder was he at the thought that the King of all heaven +should have deigned to come to earth in the form of a little helpless +child. But as the hermit went on and told of His power and majesty, +His infinite compassion for the weak and helpless, His courage and +fearlessness in the face of His foes, ending with the great sacrifice +of the cross, Offero sprang to his feet, and grasping his sword in his +hand, he raised it to heaven and vowed he would be Christ's faithful +soldier and servant unto his life's end, and would fight under no other +banner but His, the King of Heaven and Earth. + +The hermit was startled as he looked at the gleaming sword, upheld by +that strong arm, and in his calm, kind voice, he said: + +'My son, the Lord Christ seeketh not to be served as an earthly king. +His soldiers fight not with earthly swords, but with the weapons of +prayer and fasting.' + +'But, father,' said Offero, 'how can I fight with weapons I know nothing +of? If He has given me this great strength, surely there must be a way +that He would have me use it in His service.' + +Then the hermit was troubled, for he saw that Offero must needs serve +Christ in some other way. + +All night he pondered, and in the morning he bade Offero come with him, +and together they journeyed forth for many days until they came to the +banks of a river. There the hermit stayed his steps. + +It was a very deep and dangerous river and, because there was no bridge +across it and the current was strong, many travellers lost their lives +in trying to ford it. + +This the hermit told Offero, and bade him stay and watch there, so that +he might help those who wished to cross, and save the lives of those who +might otherwise perish without his aid. + +'And in helping others,' said the hermit, 'thou wilt be helping Christ, +and it may be He will accept thy service, and will one day come unto +thee and take thee for His servant.' + +So Offero built a hut on the river bank, and pulling up a palm-tree that +was growing there, he used it as a staff to lean upon when he waded +through the deep water. He was so tall and strong that no matter how +high the river rose he could always wade across it. He was ever ready to +help the weary footsore travellers, and often when they were too weak to +stand against the current, even with the support of his strong arm, he +would take them up upon his broad shoulders and carry them safely across. + +For a long time did Offero live in his little hut on the river-bank, +doing his work well, in the hope that his Master might come to him as +the hermit had promised. But weeks and months went by, and still the +King did not come, and Offero began to fear that He never would pass +that way. + +Then one night a terrible storm began to rage. The wind howled round +the lonely little hut, and the waters roared as they rushed past in the +darkness. + +'I need not watch to-night,' thought Offero, 'for no one will seek to +cross the river in such a storm as this.' + +But as he sat listening to the roll of the thunder and the clashing of +the hail on the roof, he fancied he heard, above the noise of the storm, +a little voice crying outside and a faint knocking at the door. + +It sounded like the cry of a child, and Offero hastily rose up and, +unbarring the door, looked out. For a moment he could see nothing in +the thick darkness and blinding rain, but presently he heard the cry +again, sounding quite close to where he stood, and looking down he saw +something small and white, and heard the little voice sounding clear +above the storm: + +'Kind Offero, wilt thou carry me across the river to-night?' + +Then Offero saw it was a little child who was standing out there upon +the threshold--a child who looked up at him with pleading eyes, his +golden curls lying wet against his cheek, and his little white robe +drenched with the driving rain. + +Very tenderly Offero stooped down and lifted the little one in his kind, +strong arms, and asked him how it came that he was out alone on such a +stormy night. + +'I must cross the river to-night,' said the child in his soft, clear +voice, 'and the water is deep and I am afraid. I saw thy hut and thought +perchance one might dwell here who would help me.' + +'That will I gladly do,' said Offero, as he felt the little arms +clinging round his neck. 'The night is dark, and the river runs high +indeed, but thou art such a tiny child, I shall scarcely feel thy +weight. I will place thee high upon my shoulder, so that the water may +not reach even thy feet.' + +So Offero took his great staff in his hand, and placed the child upon +his shoulder and stepped down into the roaring flood. + +Higher and higher rose the water, stronger and stronger grew the +current, as Offero waded on. Never before had his strength been put to +such a test. And not only did the torrent threaten to sweep him off his +feet, but the child upon his shoulder seemed to grow heavier and heavier +with every step, until he could scarcely stagger on under the tremendous +weight. But on he went, fighting for each step. And now he was past +the worst and into the shallower water beyond. Putting forth all his +remaining strength, with one last great effort he struggled up the +farther side and with a sigh of relief he climbed upon the bank, and +gently set the little child upon the grass. + +[Illustration: THE CHILD UPON HIS SHOULDER SEEMED TO GROW HEAVIER.] + +Then Offero stood looking at him in great wonder and astonishment and +said: + +'How is it that thou, who seemest but a feather-weight, hast yet become +heavier than any burden I ever bore in all my life before?' + +And as Offero spoke, the child looked up into his face, and lo! a +strange light seemed to shine round the golden head, and his white robe +became bright and glistening as the light. And the wonderful look of +majesty in those eyes drew Offero down to his knees. And as he knelt +there, scarce daring to lift his eyes before that wonderful gaze, he +heard the sweet, clear voice of the little child again, and knew it for +the same that had guided him since the vision of his boyhood. + +'No wonder that I seemed to thee a heavy burden, for I bear upon my +shoulders the sins and sorrows of the whole world. I am Christ, whom +thou hast sought to serve. I came to thee in the form of a little +helpless child, that I might prove thee, if thou wert indeed my faithful +servant. And because thou hast been faithful in helping others, thou +shalt be counted worthy to enter my service, and I will give thee +the new name of Christopher, because thou hast borne Christ upon thy +shoulders. Take now thy staff and strike it into the earth, and thou +shalt know by a sign that I am indeed thy King.' + +Then the light faded away, and the child was gone. But where Christopher +struck his staff, behold, it took root and budded out into leaves of +tender green. + +And Christopher knelt on there in the darkness with a great joy in his +heart, for he had seen the face of his King, and had found his Master at +last. He knew that his search was ended, and that henceforth he would +serve only the highest. And all the trouble and perplexity had vanished +away, for he understood now that in ministering to others he would +always be serving his King, even if the work seemed but small and mean. + +So Christopher learned to be Christ's true soldier and servant even unto +death, and because he fought manfully under His banner unto his life's +end, he is called a saint. His old name of Offero has been long +forgotten, and we know him only by that new name which the Christ-child +gave him that stormy night, and call him Saint Christopher. + + + + +SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA + + +As the years pass by Father Time makes many changes in the busy town and +quiet country, but there are some places he seems to have forgotten or +passed over so lightly that they look very much the same to-day as they +did hundreds of years ago. + +One of these places, which Time has dealt so gently with, is in the +heart of Italy, built high upon a hill. It is a town whose towers and +palaces and steep, narrow streets are little changed from what they were +five hundred and more years ago, when Catherine, the saint of Siena, was +born there. + +To-day if you climb the steep winding road that leads up to the city, +and make your way through the gates and along the steepest of the narrow +streets, you will come to a house with a motto written over the door in +golden letters--'Sposae Christi Katharinae domus,' which means 'The house +of Katherine, the bride of Christ.' And if you go in you will see the +very room where Saint Catherine used to live, the bed of planks on which +she slept, her little chapel, and the rooms which her brothers and +sisters used. + +It all looks just as it did when Benincasa, the dyer of Siena, lived +there with his wife Lapa. They had more than twenty children, but each +one was welcome, and when at last Catherine and a twin sister were born, +there still did not seem one too many. The little sister lived only a +few days, and perhaps that made the parents love Catherine all the more, +and it was not only her own family who loved her. She was the favourite +of all the neighbours, and however busy they were they would always find +time to stop and talk to her as they passed. It was not that she was +very beautiful, or even very clever, but she had a way of making every +one feel happy when she was near them, and she had the sunniest smile +that ever dimpled a baby's face. It was like a sunbeam, lighting up +everything near it, and it shone in her eyes as well, so that ere long +the people found a new name for her, and called her 'Joy' instead of +Catherine. + +As soon as she could walk alone, Catherine would wander away, sure of +a welcome at every house, and though at first when the other children +cried, 'The baby is lost again!' the mother would be anxious, she soon +ceased to mind, and only said, 'She is sure to be safe somewhere.' + +And safe she always was, for every one would stop work to look after her +as she toddled along, and wherever she went Joy carried the sunshine +with her. + +It happened that one afternoon when Catherine was about six years old, +her mother sent her and an elder brother, Stephen, to carry a message to +a house some way off. It was a beautiful evening, and as the children +went hand in hand down the steep street and up the hill towards the +great church of Saint Dominic, Catherine stopped a moment to look at +the sunset. She always loved beautiful colours, and to-night the little +fleecy clouds were all touched with crimson and gold, like fairy islands +in a pale green sea, more beautiful than anything she had ever seen. + +Stephen did not care for sunsets. He was much more anxious to be home +in time for supper, so he ran on alone, calling to Catherine to follow +quickly. + +Catherine did not seem to hear his voice or to notice that he was gone, +but stood there with eyes fixed on the sunset, her face shining, and her +hair like a halo of gold round her head. + +It was not the evening sky she was looking at, but a vision of heavenly +beauty. For there among the rose-pink clouds she saw the Madonna seated +upon a throne and holding in her arms the infant Christ. It was no +longer the poor Madonna of the stable, but the Queen of Heaven, her +dazzling robe blue as the summer sky, and a jewelled crown upon her +head. Only the same sweet mother-look was there as when she bent +over the manger-bed. There are no words to tell of the beauty of the +Christ-child's face. Catherine only knew that as He looked at her He +smiled and held up His little hand as if in blessing, and that smile +drew her heart to His feet. + +Then suddenly Catherine's arm was roughly shaken and her brother asked +her impatiently at what she was gazing. + +'O Stephen,' she cried, 'did you not see it too? Look!' + +But the vision had faded, and the grey twilight closed in upon the +two little figures as they went slowly home, the boy vexed with his +loitering sister, and she sobbing with disappointment to think that the +window in heaven was shut, and that she might never again look within. + +As Catherine grew older, she never forgot the vision she had seen, or +how the hand of the Christ-child had been stretched out to bless her. +And it made her think often how she could best please Him, so that some +day He might smile on her again. + +Catherine had heard a great deal about the good men who went to live in +deserts to be alone with God,--how they lived in caves and had scarcely +anything to eat, and how God would sometimes send the ravens to bring +them food. Now she was always fond of wandering, and the idea of living +in a desert seemed a beautiful way of serving Christ. She had never gone +beyond the walls of the town, and all outside was a new world to her; so +she was sure if only she could pass through the city gates, she would +soon find her way to the desert, where there would certainly be a cave +ready for her to live in. + +So one day Catherine set out very early in the morning, carrying in her +pocket a small loaf of bread, just in case the ravens should forget to +come to a little girl-hermit. + +In those days it was not safe to live outside the city walls, and there +were no farms nor houses to be seen as Catherine slipped through the +gates and began to find her way down the hillside, among tangled briars +and over rough stones. Soon her feet grew very tired, and everything +looked so forlorn and wild that she was sure this must be the desert at +last, and there, too, was a little cave in the rocks waiting all ready +for her. + +It was very nice to creep in and out of the hot sunshine into the cool +shade, and to rest until the sun went down. But as night came on and she +knelt to say her evening prayer, she began to think of home, and the +kind mother waiting there, and she knew she had done wrong to come away, +even though she had meant to serve God. + +Very quickly she left her cave, and as she ran home her feet seemed to +fly over the ground. The desert had not been so very far away after all, +and she reached the house before her mother had begun to grow anxious, +but she never again wandered away to live a hermit's life. + +As Catherine grew older she loved to listen to the stories of the +saints, and there was one she was never tired of hearing. It was the +life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, the saint whose name she bore. + +This young queen was said to be the wisest and noblest of all the +saints, and when her courtiers wished her to marry, she said she would +only marry a prince who was perfect in every way. Such a prince was of +course impossible to find, but one night a poor old hermit had a vision +in which the Madonna came to him and told him that our Blessed Lord, the +only perfect Man, would accept the love of the young queen's heart and +the service of her hands. And when the queen knew this her joy was great, +and that very night the Virgin mother came to her in a cloud of glory +surrounded by angels bearing crowns of lilies, and in her arms was the +Holy Child, who smiled on the queen and placed a ring upon her finger, +as a sign that she belonged to Him. + +The more Catherine thought about this story the more she longed that +Christ would accept her heart and service too. And one night in a dream +He seemed to come to her, just as He had come to the other Catherine, +placing a ring upon her finger and bidding her remember that now she had +given her heart to Him. + +Thus it was a great trouble to Catherine when she was told by her +parents soon after this that she was old enough to begin to think of +marriage. She said she did not wish to marry at all. But this only made +her parents angry with her, especially when one day they found she had +cut off all her beautiful golden hair, thinking to make herself so ugly +that no one would want her for his wife. + +'Very well,' said her father, 'if thou wilt not marry as I bid thee, +then shalt thou do the house-work and be our servant.' + +He expected this would be a great punishment, but Catherine was glad +to have hard work to do, and did it so well and cheerfully that her +father began to feel his anger melt away. Then it happened one day that +in passing her room he looked in, and there he saw her kneeling with +clasped hands and upturned face, and eyes in which the peace of heaven +shone, while around her head was a bright light that took the form of +a snow-white dove resting there. + +[Illustration: THE HOLY CHILD PLACED A RING UPON HER FINGER.] + +From that moment he ceased to be angry with Catherine, and said all +should be as she wished, for surely the dove was a sign that God +accepted her prayers and approved of what she did. + +So she was allowed to have a little room which She made into a chapel +where she could be alone to think and to pray. She wanted to learn to +conquer herself before she could serve Christ in the world, and for +three years she lived almost entirely alone, praying in the little +chapel, struggling to overcome her faults and to grow strong to resist +temptation. + +But in spite of all her struggles evil thoughts would come into her +heart, and it seemed impossible to keep them out. It was easy to do +right things, but so terribly difficult to think only pure and good +thoughts. She knew that Satan sent the wicked thoughts into her heart, +but the hardest trial of all was that Christ seemed to have left her to +fight alone--He seemed so very far away. + +At last one night, as she lay sobbing in despair, suddenly the evil +thoughts left her, and instead she felt that Christ was near and that +He bent tenderly over her. + +'Why, oh why didst Thou leave me so long, dear Lord?' she cried. + +'I never left thee,' His voice said quietly. + +'But where wert Thou, Lord, when all was so dark and evil?' she humbly +asked. + +'I was in thy heart,' replied the voice; 'didst thou not hate the evil +thoughts? If I had not been there thou wouldst not have felt how black +they were, but because I was in the midst they seemed to thee most evil, +and thus I gave thee strength to cast them out.' + +So Catherine's heart was filled with peace, and she learned to love +Christ more and more, and to deny herself in every way, sleeping on bare +planks with a log for her pillow, and eating the things she cared for +least. + +It was not that she thought these things good in themselves, but she +felt she must use every means to make her heart pure and fit to serve +her Master. + +And before very long Christ spoke to her again in the stillness of the +night, and told her she had lived long enough alone, that it was time +now to go out into the world and help other people to grow good too. + +When Catherine thought of the busy, noisy life which other people led, +compared to the quiet peacefulness of her little cell and chapel, she +was very sad, and thought she had offended God that He was sending her +away from Him to mix with the world again. But His voice sounded in her +ears once more, and told her it was not to separate her from Himself +that He sent her out, but that she should learn to help others. + +'Thou knowest that love giveth two commandments--to love Me, and to love +thy neighbour. I desire that thou shouldst walk not on one but two feet, +and fly to heaven on two wings.' + +So Christ spoke to her, and Catherine with fearful heart prepared to +obey, only praying that He would give her strength to do His will. +And after that her life was spent in doing good to others. + +The smile that used to lighten her face when she was a little child +had still the power of bringing peace and gladness to all, as she went +amongst the poor, nursing the sick, helping every one in trouble, and +teaching people more by her life than her words to love God. + +And as, when she was a baby, they called her Joy, so now again they +found a new name for her, and she was known as 'the child of the +people.' In every kind of trouble they came to her, even asking her to +settle their quarrels, so that she was the peacemaker as well as the +helper of the whole town. + +There was one special reason why people loved Catherine, and that was +because she always saw the best that was in them. She knew there was +good in every one, no matter how it was dimmed or hidden by the evil +that wrapped it round. Where other eyes saw only evil temper or wicked +spite, she looked beyond until she found some good that she could love. +Every day she prayed to God that He would help her to see the beauty in +each soul, so that she might help it to get rid of the sin that dimmed +its beauty. And so, because she looked for good in every one, all showed +her what was best in themselves, and for very shame would strive to be +all that she thought them. + +Catherine had joined the Dominican sisterhood and wore the white robe +and black veil, but she did not live in a convent as other sisters did. +Every morning when the sun began to gild the towers and roofs of the +city, passers-by would see her leave her home and walk up the steep +street towards the church of Saint Dominic where she always went to +early mass. + +Strangers must have wondered when they saw the men uncover their heads +as she passed, as if she had been a queen instead of a poor sister clad +in a coarse white robe and black veil. But if they had caught sight of +her face perhaps they would have understood, for her eyes seemed as if +they were looking into heaven, and the holy peace that shone in her +smile made men feel that she lived in the very presence of God. + +One morning as she was going to church as usual in the first light of +dawn, her thoughts far away and her lips moving in prayer, she was +startled by the touch of a hand upon her robe and the sound of a voice +asking for help. She turned to look and saw a poor man leaning against +the wall, haggard and pale, and so weak that he could scarcely stand. + +'What dost thou want of me?' asked Catherine pitifully. + +'I only ask a little help for my journey,' the poor man said; 'my home +is far from here, and the fever laid its hand upon me as I worked to +provide bread for those I love. So I pray thee, lady, give me a little +money that I may buy food to strengthen me before I start.' + +'I would gladly help thee,' answered Catherine most sorrowfully, 'but +I am not a lady, only a poor sister, and I have no money of my own to +give.' + +She turned as if to go on, but the eager hand still held her cloak and +the man begged once more. + +'For Christ's sake help me, for indeed I need thy help most sorely.' + +Then Catherine stood still. She felt she could not leave him so. There +was nothing at home she could part with, for that very morning she had +given away all the food that was in the house. Her father and mother +were good and kind, but she must not give away the things they needed. +Sorrowful and perplexed, her hand felt for the rosary which hung at her +side, for in every trouble she ever turned in prayer to her dear Lord. +Then as her fingers touched the beads, she suddenly remembered that here +was at least one thing which was her very own--a small silver crucifix +which she had had since she was a child, and which she had touched so +often as she prayed that it was worn smooth and thin. + +Still it was silver and would buy the sick man a meal, and she quickly +unfastened it from the rosary and put it into his hand. The man's +blessings followed her as she went, and though she had parted with the +thing she loved best, she counted the blessings more precious than the +gift. + +And as she knelt in the dim church, after the mass was over, God sent a +heavenly vision to reward His servant. + +Catherine thought she stood in a great hall filled with things more +beautiful than words can tell, and in the midst stood our Blessed Lord, +holding in His hand the most beautiful thing of all--a cross of beaten +gold, set with jewels of every hue sparkling so brightly that it almost +dazzled Catherine's eyes as she looked. + +'Dost thou see these shining gifts,' He asked, 'and wouldst thou know +whence they came? They are the noble deeds which men have done for My +sake.' + +And Catherine kneeling there with her empty hands could only bow her +head and say: 'Lord, I am only a poor sister, as Thou knowest, and have +nought to give Thee. The service I can offer could not find a place +among these glorious gifts.' + +Then it seemed as if Christ smiled upon her, and holding out the golden +cross He asked: 'Hast thou not seen this cross before, Catherine?' + +'No, Lord,' she answered, wondering, 'never before have mine eyes beheld +anything so lovely.' + +But as she gazed upon it, her heart was filled with a sudden gladness, +for in the midst of the gold and jewels, in the heart of the glorious +light, she saw the little worn silver crucifix which she had given to +the poor man that morning for the love of Christ. + +And as the vision faded there rang in her ears the words she knew so +well: 'Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren, +ye did it unto Me.' + +As time went on the fame of Catherine spread to other towns, outside +Siena, and when there were disputes between the great cities of Italy +they would send for Catherine, and beg her to act as peacemaker, and +she helped them all just as she did her own poor people of Siena. Even +the Pope came to her for advice. + +In the midst of all this busy life Catherine fell ill. Her love for +Christ was so real, and her sorrow for His sufferings so great, that she +prayed that she might bear the pain that He had borne. We do not know +how our Lord granted her request, but in her hands and feet and side +appeared the marks of nails and spear. + +All her sufferings she bore most patiently, but her heart was glad when +the end came. + +The same vision that had smiled on her that summer evening when she was +a child, appeared in the sunset sky again, this time never to fade away, +as Catherine, the bride of Christ, was led by the white-robed angels up +to the throne of our Lord. + + + + +SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO + + +The story of the life of Saint Augustine is different from almost +every other saint story, because it is taken from his own words and +not from what has been said about him. He wrote a wonderful book called +_The Confessions of Saint Augustine_, and in it we find all that he +thought and did from the time he was a little child. + +Augustine was born in 354 in the northern part of Africa, which then +belonged to Rome, and was one of the richest countries in the world. His +mother, Monica, was a Christian, but all her prayers and loving care +could not keep her son from evil ways. He is often called the prodigal +saint, because he wandered very far astray for many years into that far +country of the youngest son in the parable; living in the midst of the +sins and evil pleasures of the world, until he learned to say, 'I will +arise and go to my father.' + +And so Augustine's story comforts and helps us when we feel how easy it +is to do wrong, and how we fail every day to do the good things we meant +to do. There are so few days we can mark with a white stone because we +have really tried to be good, and so many days we are glad to forget +because of the black cross that stands against them. And yet, who knows +but, if we fight on to the end, we too may be saints as Augustine was, +for he won his crown through many failures. + +The story, in Augustine's own words, begins from the time when he was +a very little baby, not from what he remembers, but from what he had +learned as he watched other babies in whom he saw a picture of himself. + +First of all Augustine tells of the tiny baby, who does nothing but +sleep and eat and cry. Then the baby begins to laugh a little when he is +awake, and very soon shows clearly his likes and dislikes, and kicks and +beats with his little hands when he does not get exactly what he wants. +Then comes the time of learning to speak and walk. + +After that Augustine begins really to remember things about himself. +For who could ever forget the trial of first going to school? Oh, how +Augustine hated it, and how hard it seemed to him! The lessons were so +difficult and the masters were so strict, and he loved play so much +better than work, and when he went back to school with lessons unlearned +and work undone, the result was of course that he was whipped. It did +seem so unjust to him, for he could not see the use of lessons, and the +whippings were so sore. And in his book he tells us how it made him say +his first prayer to God--'I used to ask Thee, though a very little boy, +yet with no little earnestness, that I might not be whipped at school.' + +Augustine could not see the reason why he should be forced to stay +indoors and learn dull, wearisome lessons, when he might be playing in +the sunshine and learning new games, which seemed so much more worth +knowing. How those games delighted him! He was always eager to be first, +to win the victory and to be ahead of every one else. But then followed +the whipping at school, and the little sore body crept away and sobbed +out the prayer from his little sore soul. + +He did not understand how it could all be meant for his good. We never +quite understand that till we have left school far behind. + +I wonder if we all wrote down just exactly what we felt and did when we +were little children, whether we would have as many things to confess as +Augustine had? There are some faults which no one is very much ashamed +to own because they don't seem small and mean and pitiful. But who would +like to confess to being greedy and stealing sweet things from the table +when no one was looking? Who would care to own that he cheated at games, +caring only to come out first whether he had played fairly or not? Yet +this great saint tells us he remembers doing all these mean things and +looks back upon them with great sorrow. He warns other little children +to kill these faults at the very beginning, for he knows how strong they +grow and how difficult to conquer, when the mean child grows into a man +whom no one can trust. + +As time went on and he grew to be a big boy he went further and further +astray. When he was little he stole things to eat because he was greedy +or because he wanted to bribe other little boys to sell him their toys, +but now that he was older it was out of mere pride and boastfulness that +he took what did not belong to him. He thought it grand and manly to +show off to other boys how little he cared about doing wrong. + +Augustine tells us that in a garden near his house there was a pear-tree +covered with pears neither sweet nor large. But just because it belonged +to some one else, and he thought it fun to steal, he and his companions +went out one dark night and robbed the tree of all its fruit. They did +not care to eat the pears, and after tasting one or two threw all the +rest to the pigs. There was no particular pleasure in this he allows, +and he would never have done it alone, but he wanted the other boys to +admire him and to think he was afraid of nothing. + +And so years went on and Augustine grew up into manhood, and it seemed +as if his evil ways would break his mother's heart. Through all his sin +and foolishness she loved him and prayed for him but he paid no heed to +her, and wandered further away into that far country, wasting all he had +in living wildly and forgetting the God he had prayed to when a child. + +One day when Monica was weeping over this wandering son of hers and +praying for him with all her heart, God sent a comforting dream to her +which she never forgot. She thought she saw herself standing on a narrow +wooden plank, and towards her there came a shining angel who smiled upon +her as she stood there worn out with sorrow and weeping. + +'Why art thou so sad, and wherefore dost thou weep these daily tears?' +asked the angel. + +'I weep over the ruin of my son,' answered the poor mother. + +Then the angel bade her cease from grieving and be at rest, and told her +to look and see that on the same narrow plank of salvation where she was +standing Augustine stood beside her. + +His mother told Augustine of this dream, and though he only laughed at +it, it seemed to sink into his heart and he remembered it many years +after. And to Monica it came as a breath of hope, and comforted her +through many dark days. For she was sure that God had sent this dream +to tell her that in the end she and her son would stand together in +His presence. + +But though Monica believed this she never ceased to do all that was in +her power to help Augustine. And once she went to a learned bishop and +begged him to talk to Augustine and try what he could do. But the bishop +was a wise man and knew that by speaking he would do more harm than +good, for Augustine was proud of his unbelief and had no longing in +himself for better things. But Monica did not see this and could only +implore the bishop to try, until the good man grew vexed with her and +said at last, 'I cannot help thee in this matter, but go thy way in +peace. It cannot be that a son of such tears should perish.' + +And these words comforted Monica, as the dream had done, and made her +sure that in the end all would be right. + +The good bishop spoke truly, for after many years had passed Augustine +began to be weary of his own way and to look for a higher, better life. +He longed to turn his face homeward, but now he had lost the way, and +for long he sought it with bitter tears. + +At last, one day, he felt he could bear the burden of his evil life +no longer. His sins felt like a heavy chain dragging him down in the +darkness, and there was no light to show him which way to turn. Taking +a roll of the scriptures he wandered out into the garden and there, as +he wept, he heard a voice close by chanting over and over again 'Take, +read.' He thought it must be some game that children were playing, but +he could remember none that had those words in it. And then he thought +perhaps this was a voice from heaven in answer to his prayer, telling +him what to do. + +Eagerly he took the holy writings in his hand and opened them to read, +and there he found words telling him what sort of life he should lead. +In a moment it all seemed clear to him. His Father was waiting to +receive and pardon him; so he arose and left the far country and all his +evil habits and turned his face to God. + +And then he tells how he went straight to his mother--the mother who had +loved and believed in him through all those evil days, and he told her +like a little child how sorry he was at last. + +Then, indeed, was Monica's mourning turned into joy, and so at her +life's end she and her son sat hand in hand, both looking up towards the +dawning heaven; he with eyes ashamed but full of hope, and she with tears +all washed away, and eyes that shone with more than earthly joy. + +When his mother at last died and left him alone, Augustine did not +grieve, for he knew the parting was not for long. All that was left for +him to do now was to strive to make good those years he had wasted, and +be more fit to meet her when God should call him home. + +And so it came to pass that this great sinner became one of God's saints +and did a wonderful work for Him in the world. He was made Bishop of +Hippo, and was one of the most famous bishops the world has ever known. + +There is one legend told of Augustine which has comforted many hearts +when puzzling questions have arisen and it has seemed so difficult to +understand all the Bible teaches us about our Father in heaven. + +They say that once when this great father of the Church was walking +along by the seashore, troubled and perplexed because he could not +understand many things about God, he came upon a little child playing +there alone. The child had digged a hole in the sand and was carefully +filling it with water which he brought from the sea in a spoon. The +bishop stopped and watched him for a while and then he asked: + +'What art thou doing, my child?' + +'I mean to empty the sea into my hole,' answered the child, busily going +backwards and forwards with his spoon. + +[Illustration: THE CHILD HAD DIGGED A HOLE IN THE SAND.] + +'But that is impossible,' said the bishop. + +'Not more impossible than that thy human mind should understand the mind +of God,' said the child, gazing upwards at him with grave, sweet eyes. + +And before the bishop could answer the child had vanished, and the saint +knew that God had sent him as an answer to his troubled thoughts, and as +a rebuke for his trying to understand the things that only God could +know. + + + + +SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY + + +It was market-day in the great city of Rome, and the people were busy +buying and selling and shouting, just as they do to-day with us, when +market-day comes round. But there was a great difference between this +Roman market and ours, a difference which would have seemed to us +strange and cruel. For instead of sheep and oxen, or green vegetables +from the country, they were selling men and boys, and even little +maidens. There in the great market-place, with the sun beating down on +their bare heads, they stood, looking with dull, despairing eyes, or +with frightened glances at the crowds of buyers and sellers who were +bargaining around. + +Suddenly a hush fell on the crowd, and a stately figure was seen +crossing the square. People stood aside and bent their heads in +reverence as Gregory passed by, for he was Abbot of a great monastery in +Rome, and was much beloved even by the rough Roman soldiers. He walked +swiftly as if he did not care to linger in the market-place, for it +grieved his gentle heart to see the suffering of the slaves when he +could do nothing to help them. + +But suddenly the crowd seemed to divide in front of him, and he stopped +in wonder at the sight which met his eyes. It was only a group of little +fair-haired English boys who had been captured in the wars, and carried +off to be sold as slaves in the Roman market. But Gregory had never seen +anything like them before. All around were dark-eyed, swarthy-faced +Italians, or darker-skinned slaves from Africa, and these boys with +their sunny, golden hair, fair faces, and eyes blue as the sky overhead, +seemed to him creatures from a different world. + +'Whence come these children, and what name do they bear?' asked the +bishop of a man who stood beside him. + +'From a savage island far over the sea,' he answered, 'and men call +them Angles.' + +Then the kind bishop looked with pitying eyes upon the beautiful +children, and said to himself, as he turned to go: 'They should be +called not Angles, but angels.' + +The sight of those boys, so strong and fearless and beautiful, made +Gregory think a great deal about the little island of Britain, far away +across the sea, from whence they had come. He knew the people who lived +there were a fierce, warlike race, having a strange religion of their +own, and that very few of them were Christians. But he knew, too, that +though they were hard to conquer, and difficult to teach, still they +were a people worth teaching, and he longed to win them to the side of +Christ and to show them how to serve the true God. + +In those days people in Italy knew very little about that far-away +island, and it seemed to them as difficult and dangerous to go to +England as it would seem to us if we were asked to go to the wildest +part of Africa. True there were no lions nor tigers in England, but the +tall, fair-haired giants who lived there were as savage as they were +brave, and might be even worse to deal with than the wild beasts of +other lands. + +So it may well be believed that when Saint Gregory, who was now Pope +of Rome, chose forty monks and sent them on a mission to this distant +island, they were not very anxious to go, and set out in fear and +trembling. + +But at their head was one who knew no fear and who was willing to face +any dangers in the service of his Master. This man was Augustine, a monk +of Rome, whom Gregory had chosen to lead the mission, knowing that his +courage would strengthen the others, and his wisdom would guide them +aright. + +It took many long days and nights of travel to reach the coast where +they were to find a ship to carry them across to Britain, and before +they had gone very far, the forty monks were inclined to turn back in +despair. From every side they heard such terrible tales of the savage +islanders they were going to meet, that their hearts, never very +courageous, were filled with terror, and they refused to go further. +Nothing that Augustine could say would persuade them to go on, and they +would only agree that he should go back to Rome and bear their prayers +to Saint Gregory, imploring him not to force them to face such horrible +danger. If Augustine would do this they promised to wait his return and +to do then whatever the Pope ordered. + +They had not to wait many days, for Augustine speedily brought back +the Pope's answer to their request. His dark face glowed and his eyes +shone with the light of victory, as he read to them the letter which +Saint Gregory had sent. There was to be no thought of going back. Saint +Gregory's words were few, but decisive. 'It is better not to begin +a work than to turn back as soon as danger threatens; therefore, my +beloved sons, go forward by the help of our Lord.' + +So they obeyed, and with Augustine at their head once more set out, +hardly hoping to escape the perils of the journey, and expecting, if +they did arrive, to be speedily put to death by the savage islanders. + +Perhaps the worst trial of all was when they set sail from France and +saw the land fading away in the distance. In front there was nothing +to be seen but angry waves and a cold, grey sky, and they seemed to be +drifting away from the country of sunshine and safety into the dark +region of uncertainty and danger. Nay, the island, whose very name was +terrible to them, was nowhere to be seen, and seemed all the more +horrible because it was wrapped in that mysterious grey mist. + +But though they did not know it, they had really nothing to fear from +the island people, for the queen of that part of England where they +landed was a Christian, and had taught the King Ethelbert to show mercy +and kindness. So when the company of cold, shivering monks came ashore +they were met with a kind and courteous welcome, and instead of enemies +they found friends. + +The king himself came to meet them, and he ordered the little band of +foreigners to be brought before him, that he might learn their errand. +He did not receive them in any hall or palace, but out in the open air, +for it seemed safer there, in case these strangers should be workers of +magic or witchcraft. + +It must have been a strange scene when the forty monks, with Augustine +at their head, walked in procession up from the beach to the broad +green meadow where the king and his soldiers waited for them. The tall, +fair-haired warriors who stood around, sword in hand, ready to defend +their king, must have looked with surprise at these black-robed men with +shaven heads and empty hands. They carried no weapons of any sort, and +they seemed to bear no banner to tell men whence they came. Only the +foremost monks carried on high a silver cross and the picture of a +crucified Man, and instead of shouts and war-cries there was the sound +of a melodious chant sung by many voices, yet seeming as if sung by one. + +Then Augustine stood out from among the company of monks and waited for +the king to speak. + +'Who art thou, and from whence have come these men who are with thee?' +asked the king. Methinks thou comest in peace, else wouldst thou have +carried more deadly weapons than a silver charm and a painted sign. +I fain would know the reason of thy visit to this our island.' + +Slowly Augustine began to tell the story of their pilgrimage and the +message they had brought. So long he spoke that the sun began to sink +and the twilight fell over the silent sea that lay stretched out beyond +the meadow where they sat before his story was done. + +The king bent forward, thoughtfully weighing the words he had heard, and +looking into the faces of these strange messengers of peace. At length +he spoke, and the weary monks and stalwart warriors listened eagerly to +his words. + +'Thou hast spoken well,' he said to Augustine, 'and it may be there is +truth in what thou sayest. But a man does not change his religion in an +hour. I will hear more of this. But meanwhile ye shall be well cared +for, and all who choose may listen to your message.' + +Those were indeed welcome words to the company of poor tired monks, and +when the kindly islanders, following their king's example, made them +welcome and gave them food and shelter, they could well echo the words +of Saint Gregory in the Roman market: 'These are not Angles but angels.' + +And soon King Ethelbert gave the little company a house of their own, +and allowed them to build up the ancient church at Canterbury, which had +fallen into ruins. There they lived as simply and quietly as they had +done in their convent in Italy, praying day and night for the souls of +these heathen people, and teaching them, as much by their lives as their +words, that it was good to serve the Lord Christ. + +And before very long the people began to listen eagerly to their +teaching, and the king himself was baptized with many others. The chant +which the monks had sung that first day of their landing no longer +sounded strange and mysterious in the ears of the islanders, for they +too learnt to sing the 'Alleluia' and to praise God beneath the sign of +the silver cross. + +Now Augustine was very anxious that the Ancient British Church should +join his party and that they should work together under the direction +of Pope Gregory. But the British Christians were not sure if they might +trust these strangers, and it was arranged that they should meet first, +before making any plans. + +The Ancient British Church had almost been driven out of the land, and +there were but few of her priests left. They did not know whether they +ought to join Augustine and his foreign monks, or strive to work on +alone. In their perplexity they went to a holy hermit, and asked him +what they should do. + +'If this man comes from God, then follow him,' said the hermit. + +'But how can we know if he is of God?' asked the people. + +The hermit thought a while and then said: + +'The true servant of God is ever humble and lowly of heart. Go to meet +this man. If he rises and bids you welcome, then will you know that he +bears Christ's yoke, and will lead you aright. But if he be proud and +haughty, and treat you with scorn, never rising to welcome you, then see +to it that ye have nought to do with him.' + +So the priests and bishops of the British Church arranged to meet +Augustine under a great oak-tree, which was called ever afterwards +'Augustine's oak.' They carefully planned that the foreign monks should +arrive there first, in time to be seated, so that the hermit's test +might be tried when they themselves should arrive. + +Unhappily, Augustine did not think of rising to greet the British +bishops, and they were very angry and would agree to nothing that he +proposed, though he warned them solemnly that if they would not join +their forces with his, they would sooner or later fall by the hand of +their enemies. + +Greatly disappointed Augustine returned to Canterbury and worked there +for many years without help, until all who lived in that part of England +learned to be Christians. + +And Pope Gregory hearing of his labours was pleased with the work his +missionary had done, and thought it fit that the humble monk should +be rewarded with a post of honour. So he made Augustine Archbishop of +Canterbury, the first archbishop that England had known. It was a simple +ceremony then, with only the few faithful monks kneeling around the +chair on which the archbishop was enthroned, but Augustine's keen, dark +face shone with the light of victory and humble thankfulness, for it +seemed a seal upon his work, a pledge that the island should never again +turn back from the faith of Christ. + +And could those dark eyes have looked forward and pierced the screen of +many years, Augustine would have seen a goodly succession of archbishops +following in his footsteps, each in his turn sitting in that same simple +old chair, placed now in Westminster Abbey and guarded as one of +England's treasures. + +And he would have seen, too, what would have cheered his heart more than +all--a Christian England venerating the spot where his monastery once +stood, and building upon it a college to his memory. And there he would +have seen England's sons trained to become missionaries and to go out +into all the world to preach the gospel, just as that little band of +monks, with Augustine at their head, came to our island in those dark, +far-off days. + +But though Augustine could not know all this, his heart was filled with +a great hope and a great love for the islanders who now seemed like his +own children, and he was more than content to spend his life amongst +them. + +And when his work was ended, and the faithful soul gave up his charge, +they buried him in the island which had once seemed to him a land of +exile, but which at last had come to mean even more to him than his +own sunny land of Italy. + + + + +SAINT CECILIA + + +It was in the days when cruel men killed and tortured those who loved +our Blessed Lord that, in the city of Rome, a little maid was born. +Her father and mother were amongst the richest and noblest of the +Roman people, and their little daughter, whom they called Cecilia, had +everything she could possibly want. She lived in a splendid palace, with +everything most beautiful around her, and she had a garden to play in, +where the loveliest flowers grew. Her little white dress was embroidered +with the finest gold, and her face was as fair as the flowers she loved. + +But it was not only the outside that was beautiful, for the little +maiden's heart was fairer than the fairest flowers, and whiter than her +spotless robe. + +There were not many people who loved our Lord in those dark days. +Any one who was known to be a Christian was made to suffer terrible +tortures, and was even put to death. + +But though Cecilia's father and mother knew this they still taught their +little daughter to be a servant of Christ and to love Him above all +things. For they knew that the love of Christ was better than life, and +worth all the suffering that might come. + +And as Cecilia grew into a stately maiden every one wondered at the grace +and beauty that shone out of her face. And every one loved her because +she loved every one. She was always ready and willing to help others, +and she specially cared to be kind to the poor. In the folds of her gold +embroidered dress she always carried a little book which she loved to +read. It was the book of the Gospels, and the more she read and heard +of Christ, the more she longed to grow like Him. She could not bear to +think that she wore fine dresses, while He had been so poor and suffered +so much. And so, underneath her soft, white robe she wore a harsh, +coarse garment made of hair. And when it hurt and rubbed her sorely, +the pain only made her glad, because she wore it for Christ's sake. + +Some say the meaning of her name Cecilia is 'Heaven's Lily.' And that +name certainly suited this little Roman maiden. For as God plants the +lilies in the dark earth, and presently they grow up and lift their pure +white cups to heaven, so Cecilia seemed to lift her heart above the sins +and sorrows of the world, where God had planted her, and to turn her +face ever heavenwards. + +And the poor people whom she helped and cheered with her kind sympathy +loved to look at her, for the peace of paradise shone in her eyes, and +it seemed to bring heaven nearer to the poor souls. + +As soon as Cecilia was old enough, it was arranged that she should marry +a young Roman noble called Valerian, and this made her very unhappy. She +had so hoped to belong only to Christ, and this Valerian was a pagan who +knew nothing of the Lord whom she served. But she knew that her guardian +angel would watch over her and keep her from all harm, and so she obeyed +her father's and mother's wishes, and was married to the young Roman +noble. + +When Valerian had taken Cecilia home and all the guests had gone, +and they were left alone together, she told him that, though she was +married, she belonged first of all to Christ, and that her guardian +angel, who never left her, would guard and protect her from all danger. + +'Wilt thou not show me this angel, so that I may know that what thou +sayest is true?' asked Valerian. + +'Thou canst not see the heavenly messenger until thou hast learnt to +know my Lord,' answered Cecilia. + +And as Valerian eagerly asked how he should learn to know this Christ, +Cecilia told him to go along the great Appian Way, outside the walls of +Rome, until he should meet some poor people who lived in the Campagna. +And to them he should say: + +'Cecilia bids you show me the way that I may find the old man, Urban +the Good.' + +So Valerian started off and went the way Cecilia directed. And the +people guided him as she had promised, until they came to a curious +opening in the ground, down which they told him he must go if he wished +to find Pope Urban. + +This opening was the entrance to a strange under-ground place called +the Catacombs. + +There were miles and miles of dark passages cut out of the rock, with +here and there a little dark room, and curious shelves hollowed out of +the walls. It was here that many poor Christians lived, hiding themselves +from those who would have put them to death. And the little shelves were +where they buried the bodies of poor Christians who had died for Christ. + +It was here that the old Pope, Urban the Good, lived, and he welcomed +Valerian most gladly, knowing why he had come. He began at once to teach +him all that he should know--how God was our Father, and Jesus Christ +His Son, our Saviour. And as Valerian listened to the strange, wonderful +words, the love of God shone into his heart, so that when the old man +asked: + +'Believest thou this?' + +He answered with all his heart: + +'All this I steadfastly believe.' + +Then Urban baptized Valerian, and by that sign the young Roman knew that +he was indeed a Christian, a servant of Christ. + +All the world looked different to Valerian as he walked back along the +Appian Way to Rome. The flat, low fields of the Campagna, fading away +into the ridges of the purple Apennines, seemed almost like the fields +of paradise, and the song of the birds was like the voice of angels. He +scarcely thought of the dangers and difficulties that were before him, +or if he did it was only to feel glad that he might have anything to +bear for his new Master. + +[Illustration: A CROWN OF LILIES AND ROSES IN EACH HAND.] + +And when he reached home, and went back to the room where he had left +Cecilia, he found her there waiting for him, with a glad welcome in +her eyes. And as they knelt together they heard a rustle of wings, and +looking up they saw an angel bending over them, with a crown of lilies +and roses in each hand. These he placed upon their heads, and to +Valerian he said: + +'Thou hast done well in allowing Cecilia to serve her Master, therefore +ask what thou wilt and thy request shall be granted.' + +Then Valerian asked that his brother, whom he dearly loved, might also +learn to know Christ. + +And just then the door opened, and the brother whom Valerian loved so +much came in. He, of course, only saw Valerian and Cecilia, and could +not see the angel, or even the wreaths of heavenly roses. But he looked +round in astonishment and said: + +'I see no flowers here, and yet the fragrance of roses and lilies is so +sweet and strange, that it makes my very heart glad.' + +Then Valerian answered: + +'We have two crowns here, which thou canst not see, because thou knowest +not the Lord who sent them to us. But if thou wilt listen, and learn to +know Him, then shalt thou see the heavenly flowers, whose fragrance has +filled thy heart.' + +So Valerian and Cecilia told their brother what it meant to be a +Christian. And after the good Urban had taught him also, he was baptized +and became God's knight. Then he, too, saw the heavenly crowns and the +face of the angel who guarded Heaven's Lily. + +For a while the home of Valerian and Cecilia was like a paradise on +earth. There was nothing but happiness there. Cecilia loved music above +everything. Her voice was like a bird's, and she sang her hymns of +praise and played so exquisitely, that it is said that even the angels +came down to listen. + +But before long it began to be known that Valerian and his brother +helped the poor Christians, and the wicked governor of the city ordered +them both to be seized and brought before him. He told them that there +were but two ways before them: either they must deny that they were +Christians, or they must be put to death. + +But God's knights did not fear death, and they went out to meet it +as if they were on their way to a great victory. And when the soldiers +wondered, and asked them if it was not sad that they should lose their +lives while they were still so young, they answered that what looked +like loss on earth was gain in heaven--that they were but laying down +their bodies as one puts off one's clothes to sleep at night. For the +immortal soul could never die, but would live for ever. + +So they knelt down, and the cruel blows were struck. But, looking up, +the soldiers saw a great pathway of light shining down from heaven. And +the souls of Valerian and his brother were led up by angel hands to the +throne of God, there to receive the crowns of everlasting glory which +they had won on earth. + +And so Cecilia was left alone. But she did not spend her time grieving. +Gathering the people and soldiers around her, she taught them about the +Lord of Heaven, for whose sake Valerian and his brother had so gladly +suffered death. And it was not long before she also trod the shining +pathway up to heaven and met the ones she loved. + +For the governor was not satisfied with the death of Valerian and his +brother, but ordered Cecilia to be brought before him. + +'What sort of a woman art thou, and what is thy name?' he asked. + +'I am a Roman lady,' she answered with grave dignity,' and among men +I am known by the name of Cecilia. But'--and her voice rang out proudly +as she looked fearlessly into those angry eyes--'my noblest name is +Christian.' + +Then the enraged governor ordered that she should be taken to her house, +and put to death in her bath. But the boiling water could not hurt her, +and she was as cool as if she had bathed in a fresh spring. + +This made the governor more furious than ever, and he ordered that her +head should be cut off. + +But even after she had received three strokes from the sword she did +not die, but lived for three days. And these days she spent in quietly +putting her house in order and dividing her money among the poor, ever +singing in her sweet voice the praises of God. + +And so at the end of three days God's angel came and led Cecilia home, +and all that was left of her on earth was her fair body, lying like a +tired child asleep, with hands clasped, gently resting now that her work +on earth was done. + +And in Rome to-day there is a splendid church built over the place where +Cecilia's house stood. Some day if you go there, you will see her little +room and the bath in which the boiling water could not hurt her. You +will see too, a beautiful marble figure lying under the altar, and you +will know exactly how Cecilia looked when she left her tired body lying +there, and went up the shining path to God. + +[Illustration: SHE TAUGHT THEM ABOUT THE LORD OF HEAVEN.] + + + + +SAINT GILES + + +It was in the beautiful land of Greece that Saint Giles was born, very +far away from the grey northern city, whose cathedral bears his name. +His parents were of royal blood, and were, moreover, Christians; so the +boy was brought up most carefully, and taught all that a prince should +know. + +He was a dreamy, quiet boy, and what he loved best was to wander out in +the green woods by himself, with no companions but the animals and birds +and flowers. He would lie for hours watching the birds busily build +their nests, or the rabbits as they timidly peeped at him out of their +holes. And soon all the woodland creatures began to look upon him as +their friend, and even the wildest would come gradually nearer and +nearer, almost within reach of his hand; and they seemed to listen when +he talked to them, as if they could understand what he said. One thing +they certainly did understand, and that was that he loved them and would +do them no harm. + +Saint Giles could not bear to see anything suffer, and his pity was +great for all those in pain; and often he would mend a bird's broken +wing, or bind up a little furry foot that had been torn in a trap; and +the birds and beasts always lay quiet under his hand, and seemed to know +that he would cure them, even though the touch might hurt. + +It happened that one day, when Saint Giles was kneeling in church, he +saw a poor beggar lying there on the cold, stone floor. He had scarcely +any clothes to keep him warm, and his face had a hungry, suffering look, +which filled the heart of the saint with pity. He saw that the poor man +was ill and trembling with cold, so without a moment's thought, he took +off his own warm cloak and tenderly wrapped it round the beggar. + +The warmth of the cloak seemed to bring life back to the poor chilled +body, and when Saint Giles had given him food and wine, he was able to +lift himself up, and to bless the kind youth who had helped him. + +And when the people saw what had happened they thought Saint Giles had +worked a miracle, and cured the man by his wonderful touch; for they did +not realise that all kind deeds work miracles every day. + +It did not please Saint Giles that people should think he possessed this +miraculous gift of healing, and he had no wish to be called a saint. He +only longed to lead his own quiet life and to help all God's creatures +who needed his care. But the people would not leave him alone, and they +brought to him those who were sick and lame and blind, and expected that +he would heal them. + +It is true that many needed only a little human aid, and the food and +help which Saint Giles gave them would soon make them well again; but +there were some he could not help, and it wrung his heart to see their +pleading eyes, and to watch them bring out their little store of +hard-earned money, eager to buy the aid which he so willingly would +have given had he been able. + +So at last Saint Giles determined to leave his native city, for he had +been all alone since his father and mother had died. He wished to escape +from the anxious crowds that refused to leave him in peace; but first he +sold all that he had and gave it to the poor of the city, an act which +made them surer than ever that he was one of God's saints. Then he +sailed away across the sea to a far-off country. + +There Saint Giles found a lonely cave in which an old hermit lived. +'Here at last I shall find peace and quietness,' said he to himself, +'and men will soon forget me.' + +But even here ere long his friends found him, for his fame had spread +across the seas. So once more he set out and went further and further +away, by paths that few had ever trod before, until in the depths of a +green forest he found another shelter, a cave among grey rocks overgrown +with lichens, and hidden by the sheltering boughs of the surrounding +trees. Saint Giles had always loved the woods and this was just the home +he had longed for. A clear stream flowed not far off, and his only +companions would be the birds and beasts and flowers. + +Early in the morning the birds would wake him with their song, and the +wild creatures would come stealing out of the wood to share his meal. +And his silent friends, the flowers, would cheer and help him by their +beauty, and remind him of God's garden whose gate would one day open for +him, where he would wander in the green pastures beside the still waters +of Life for evermore. + +But of all his companions the one Saint Giles loved best was a gentle +white doe, who came to him as soon as he settled in the cave. She seemed +to have no fear of him from the first, and stayed with him longer and +longer each time, until at last she took up her abode with him, and +would never leave him, lying close to him when he slept, and walking by +his side wherever he went. + +This peaceful life went on for a long time and it seemed as if nothing +could disturb its quiet happiness. But it happened that one day as Saint +Giles was praying in the cave, and his companion, the white doe, was +nibbling her morning meal of fresh grass by the banks of the stream, a +curious noise was heard afar off. It came nearer and nearer, and then +shouts of men's voices could be heard, the sound of horses galloping and +the note of the hunter's horn. Then came the deep baying of dogs, and +before the startled doe could hide, the whole hunt was upon her. With a +wild halloo they chased her across the greensward and through the trees, +and just as she disappeared into the cave, one of the huntsmen drew +his bow and sent an arrow flying after her. Then they all dismounted +and went to see what had become of the hunted doe, and soon found the +opening into the cave. But what was their surprise, when they burst in, +to find an old man kneeling there. He was sheltering the terrified doe +who had fled to him for refuge, and an arrow had pierced the kind hand +that had been raised to shield her. + +The huntsmen were ashamed of their cruel sport when they saw the wounded +hand of the old man and the trembling form of the white doe as it +crouched behind him, and they listened with reverence to the hermit's +words as he spoke to them of man's duty towards God's dumb creatures. + +The King of France, who was one of the hunting party, came often after +this to see Saint Giles, and at last offered to build him a monastery +and give him all that he could want; but the old man begged to be left +alone in his woodland cave, to serve God in peace and quietness. So +there he lived quietly and happily for many years, until God took him, +and he left his cave for the fairer fields of paradise. + +People loved the thought of this peaceful old saint who dwelt in the +woods and was the protector of all sorrowful and suffering creatures, +and so they often called their churches after Saint Giles, especially +those churches which were built in the fields or near green woods. + +The surroundings of many of these churches are to-day changed. There +are no fields now round his great cathedral church in the old town of +Edinburgh; but the poor and sick and sorrowful crowd very near to its +shelter, and the memory of the pitiful heart of the gentle old saint +still hovers like a blessing round the grey old walls. + + + + +SAINT NICHOLAS + + +Of all the saints that little children love is there any to compare with +Santa Claus? The very sound of his name has magic in it, and calls up +visions of well-filled stockings, with the presents we particularly want +peeping over the top, or hanging out at the side, too big to go into +the largest sock. Besides, there is something so mysterious and exciting +about Santa Claus, for no one seems to have ever seen him. But we picture +him to ourselves as an old man with a white beard, whose favourite way +of coming into our rooms is down the chimney, bringing gifts for the good +children and punishments for the bad. + +Yet this Santa Claus, in whose name the presents come to us at Christmas +time, is a very real saint, and we can learn a great deal about him, +only we must remember that his true name is Saint Nicholas. Perhaps the +little children, who used to talk of him long ago, found Saint Nicholas +too difficult to say, and so called him their dear Santa Claus. But we +learn, as we grow older, that Nicholas is his true name, and that he is +a real person who lived long years ago, far away in the East. + +The father and mother of Nicholas were noble and very rich, but what +they wanted most of all was to have a son. They were Christians, so +they prayed to God for many years that he would give them their heart's +desire; and when at last Nicholas was born, they were the happiest +people in the world. + +They thought there was no one like their boy; and indeed he was wiser +and better than most children, and never gave them a moment's trouble. +But alas, while he was still a child, a terrible plague swept over the +country, and his father and mother died, leaving him quite alone. + +All the great riches which his father had possessed were left to +Nicholas, and among other things he inherited three bars of gold. These +golden bars were his greatest treasure, and he thought more of them than +all the other riches he possessed. + +Now in the town where Nicholas lived there dwelt a nobleman with three +daughters. They had once been very rich, but great misfortunes had +overtaken the father, and now they were all so poor they had scarcely +enough to live upon. + +At last a day came when there was not even bread enough to eat, and the +daughters said to their father: + +'Let us go out into the streets and beg, or do anything to get a little +money, that we may not starve.' + +But the father answered: + +'Not to-night. I cannot bear to think of it. Wait at least until +to-morrow. Something may happen to save my daughters from such +disgrace.' + +Now, just as they were talking together, Nicholas happened to be +passing, and as the window was open he heard all that the poor father +said. It seemed terrible to think that a noble family should be so poor +and actually in want of bread, and Nicholas tried to plan how it would +be possible to help them. He knew they would be much too proud to take +money from him, so he had to think of some other way. Then he remembered +his golden bars, and that very night he took one of them and went +secretly to the nobleman's house, hoping to give the treasure without +letting the father or daughters know who brought it. + +To his joy Nicholas discovered that a little window had been left open, +and by standing on tiptoe he could just reach it. So he lifted the +golden bar and slipped it through the window, never waiting to hear what +became of it, in case any one should see him. (And now do you see the +reason why the visits of Santa Claus are so mysterious?) + +Inside the house the poor father sat sorrowfully watching, while his +children slept. He wondered if there was any hope for them anywhere, and +he prayed earnestly that heaven would send help. Suddenly something fell +at his feet, and to his amazement and joy, he found it was a bar of pure +gold. + +'My child,' he cried, as he showed his eldest daughter the shining gold, +'God has heard my prayer and has sent this from heaven. Now we shall +have enough and to spare. Call your sisters that we may rejoice +together, and I will go instantly and change this treasure.' + +[Illustration: HE SHOWED HIS DAUGHTER THE GOLD.] + +The precious golden bar was soon sold to a money-changer, who gave so +much for it that the family were able to live in comfort and have all +that they needed. And not only was there enough to live upon, but so +much was over that the father gave his eldest daughter a large dowry, +and very soon she was happily married. + +When Nicholas saw how much happiness his golden bar had brought to the +poor nobleman, he determined that the second daughter should have a +dowry too. So he went as before and found the little window again open, +and was able to throw in the second golden bar as he had done the first. +This time the father was dreaming happily, and did not find the treasure +until he awoke in the morning. Soon afterwards the second daughter had +her dowry and was married too. + +The father now began to think that, after all, it was not usual for +golden bars to fall from heaven, and he wondered if by any chance +human hands had placed them in his room. The more he thought of it the +stranger it seemed, and he made up his mind to keep watch every night, +in case another golden bar should be sent as a portion for his youngest +daughter. + +And so when Nicholas went the third time and dropped the last bar +through the little window, the father came quickly out, and before +Nicholas had time to hide, caught him by his cloak. + +'O Nicholas,' he cried, 'is it thou who hast helped us in our need? +Why didst thou hide thyself?' And then he fell on his knees and began +to kiss the hands that had helped him so graciously. + +But Nicholas bade him stand up and give thanks to God instead; warning +him to tell no one the story of the golden bars. + +This was only one of the many kind acts Nicholas loved to do, and it was +no wonder that he was beloved by all who knew him. + +Soon afterwards Nicholas made up his mind to enter God's service as a +priest. He longed above all things to leave the world and live as a +hermit in the desert, but God came to him in a vision and told him he +must stay in the crowded cities and do his work among the people. Still +his desire to see the deserts and the hermits who lived there was so +great that he went off on a journey to Egypt and the Holy Land. But +remembering, what God had bade him do, he did not stay there, but +returned to his own country. + +On the way home a terrific storm arose, and it seemed as if the ship +he was in must be lost. The sailors could do nothing, and great waves +dashed over the deck, filling the ship with water. But just as all +had given up hope, Nicholas knelt and prayed to God to save them, and +immediately a calm fell upon the angry sea. The winds sank to rest and +the waves ceased to lash the sides of the ship so that they sailed +smoothly on, and all danger was past. + +Thus Nicholas returned home in safety, and went to live in the city of +Myra. His ways were so quiet and humble that no one knew much about him, +until it came to pass one day that the Archbishop of Myra died. Then all +the priests met to choose another archbishop, and it was made known to +them by a sign from heaven that the first man who should enter the church +next morning should be the bishop whom God had chosen. + +Now Nicholas used to spend most of his nights in prayer and always went +very early to church, so next morning just as the sun was rising and the +bells began to ring for the early mass, he was seen coming up to the +church door and was the first to enter. As he knelt down quietly to say +his prayers as usual, what was his surprise to meet a company of priests +who hailed him as their new archbishop, chosen by God to be their leader +and guide. So Nicholas was made Archbishop of Myra to the joy of all in +the city who knew and loved him. + +Not long after this there was great trouble in the town of Myra, for the +harvests of that country had failed and a terrible famine swept over +the land. Nicholas, as a good bishop should, felt the suffering of his +people as if it were his own, and did all he could to help them. + +He knew that they must have corn or they would die, so he went to the +harbour where two ships lay filled with grain, and asked the captains +if they would sell him their cargo. They told the bishop they would +willingly do so, but it was already sold to merchants of another country +and they dared not sell it over again. + +'Take no thought of that,' said Nicholas, 'only sell me some of thy corn +for my starving people, and I promise thee that there shall be nought +wanting when thou shalt arrive at thy journey's end.' + +The captains believed in the bishop's promise and gave him as much corn +as he asked. And behold! when they came to deliver their cargo to the +owners, there was not a bag lacking. + +It is said, too, that at the time of this famine there was a cruel +innkeeper in Myra who was wicked enough to catch little children and +pickle them in a great tub, pretending they were pork. It happened one +day as Nicholas was passing the inn-door that he heard the voices of +children crying for help. He went in very quickly and made his way to +the cellar whence the cries had come. There he found the poor children, +and not only rescued those who were alive, but by his prayers he brought +to life those who had already been killed and cast into the tub. + +Another time there were two men in Myra who had been unjustly condemned +to death, and it was told the bishop how greatly they stood in need of +his help. No one ever appealed to Nicholas in vain, and he went off at +once to the place of execution. The executioner was just about to raise +his sword, when Nicholas seized his arm and wrenched the sword away. +Then he set the poor prisoners free and told the judge that, if he dared +to deal so unjustly again, the wrath of heaven and of the Bishop of Myra +would descend upon him. + +[Illustration: HE WENT TO THE HARBOUR WHERE TWO SHIPS LAY.] + +There are many other stories told about the good bishop. Like his +Master, he ever went about doing good; and when he died, there were a +great many legends told about him, for the people loved to believe that +their bishop still cared for them and would come to their aid. We do not +know if all these legends are true, but they show how much Saint Nicholas +was loved and honoured even after his death, and how every one believed +in his power to help them. + +Here is one of the stories which all children who love Saint Nicholas +will like to hear. + +There was once a nobleman who had no children and who longed for a son +above everything else in the world. Night and day he prayed to Saint +Nicholas that he would grant him his request, and at last a son was +born. He was a beautiful child, and the father was so delighted and so +grateful to the saint who had listened to his prayers that, every year +on the child's birthday, he made a great feast in honour of Saint +Nicholas and a grand service was held in the church. + +Now the Evil One grew very angry each year when this happened, for it +made many people go to church and honour the good saint, neither of +which things pleased the Evil One at all. So each year he tried to think +of some plan that would put an end to these rejoicings, and he decided +at last that if only he could do some evil to the child, the parents +would blame Saint Nicholas and all would be well. + +It happened just then to be the boy's sixth birthday, and a greater +feast than ever was being held. It was late in the afternoon, and the +gardener and porter and all the servants were away keeping holiday too. +So no one noticed a curious-looking pilgrim who came and sat close +to the great iron gates which led into the courtyard. He had on the +ordinary robe of a poor pilgrim, but the hood was drawn so far over his +face that nothing but a dark shadow could be seen inside. And indeed +that was as well, for this pilgrim was a demon in disguise, and his +wicked, black face would have frightened any one who saw it. He could +not enter the courtyard for the great gates were always kept locked, +and, as you know, the porter was away that day, feasting with all the +other servants. + +But, before very long, the little boy grew weary of his birthday feast, +and having had all he wanted, he begged to be allowed to go to play in +the garden. His parents knew that the gardener always looked after him +there, so they told him he might go. They forgot that the gardener was +not there just then. + +The child played happily alone for some time and then wandered into the +courtyard, and looking out of the gate saw a poor pilgrim resting there. + +'What are you doing here?' asked the child, 'and why do you sit so still?' + +'I am a poor pilgrim,' answered the demon, trying to make his harsh +voice sound as gentle as possible, 'and I have come all the way from +Rome. I am resting here because I am so weary and footsore and have had +nothing to eat all day.' + +'I will let you in, and take you to my father,' said the child; 'this is +my birthday, and no one must go hungry to-day.' + +But the demon pretended he was too weak to walk, and begged the boy to +bring some food out to him. + +Then the child ran back to the banquet hall in a great hurry and said to +his father: + +'O father, there is a poor pilgrim from Rome sitting outside our gate, +and he is so hungry, may I take him some of my birthday feast?' + +The father was very pleased to think that his little son should care for +the poor and wish to be kind, so he willingly gave his permission and +told one of the servants to give the child all that he wanted. + +Then as the demon sat eating the good things, he began to question the +boy and tried to find out all that he could about him. + +'Do you often play in the garden?' he asked. + +'Oh yes,' said the child, 'I play there whenever I may, for in the midst +of the lawn there is a beautiful fountain, and the gardener makes me +boats to sail on the water.' + +'Will he make you one to-day?' asked the demon quickly. + +'He is not here to-day,' answered the child, 'for this is a holiday for +every one and I am quite alone.' + +Then the demon rose to his feet slowly and said he felt so much better +after the good food, that he thought he could walk a little, and would +like very much to come in and see the beautiful garden and the fountain +he had heard about. + +So the child climbed up and with great difficulty drew back the bolts. +The great gates swung open and the demon walked in. + +As they went along together towards the fountain, the child held out his +little hand to lead the pilgrim, but even the demon shrunk from touching +anything so pure and innocent, and folded his arms under his robe, so +that the child could only hold by a fold of his cloak. + +'What strange kind of feet you have,' said the child as they walked +along; 'they look as if they belonged to an animal.' + +'Yes, they are curious,' said the demon, 'but it is just the way they +are made.' + +Then the child began to notice the demon's hands, which were even more +curious than his feet, and just like the paws of a bear. But he was too +courteous to say anything about them, when he had already mentioned the +feet. + +Just then they came to the fountain, and with a sudden movement the +demon threw back his hood and showed his dreadful face. And before the +child could scream he was seized by those hairy hands and thrown into +the water. + +But just at that moment the gardener was returning to his work and saw +from a distance what had happened. He ran as fast as he could, but he +only got to the fountain in time to see the demon vanish, while the +child's body was floating on the water. Very quickly he drew him out, +and carried him, all dripping wet, up to the castle, where they tried to +bring him back to life. But alas! it all seemed of no use, he neither +moved nor breathed; and the day that had begun with such rejoicing, +ended in the bitterest woe. The poor parents were heart-broken, but they +did not quite lose hope and prayed earnestly to Saint Nicholas who had +given them the child, that he would restore their boy to them again. + +As they prayed by the side of the little bed where the body of the child +lay, they thought something moved, and to their joy and surprise the boy +opened his eyes and sat up, and in a short time was as well as ever. + +They asked him eagerly what had happened, and he told them all about +the pilgrim with the queer feet and hands, who had gone with him to +the fountain and had then thrown back his hood and shown his terrible +face. After that he could remember nothing until he found himself in a +beautiful garden, where the loveliest flowers grew. There were lilies +like white stars, and roses far more beautiful than any he had ever seen +in his own garden, and the leaves of the trees shone like silver and +gold. It was all so beautiful that for a while he forgot about his +home, and when he did remember and tried to find his way back, he grew +bewildered and did not know in what direction to turn. As he was looking +about, an old man came down the garden path and smiled so kindly upon +him that he trusted him at once. This old man was dressed in the robes +of a bishop, and had a long white beard and the sweetest old face the +child had ever seen. + +'Art thou searching for the way home?' the old man asked. 'Dost thou +wish to leave this beautiful garden and go back to thy father and +mother?' + +'I want to go home,' said the child, with a sob in his voice, 'but +I cannot find the way, and I am, oh, so tired of searching for it!' + +Then the old man stooped down and lifted him in his arms, and the child +laid his head on the old man's shoulder, and, weary with his wandering, +fell fast asleep and remembered nothing more till he woke up in his own +little bed. + +Then the parents knew that Saint Nicholas had heard their prayers and +had gone to fetch the child from the Heavenly Garden and brought him +back to them. + +So they were more grateful to the good saint than ever, and they loved +and honoured him even more than they had done before; which was all the +reward the demon got for his wicked doings. + +That is one of the many stories told after the death of Saint Nicholas, +and it ever helped and comforted his people to think that, though they +could no longer see him, he would love and protect them still. + +Young maidens in need of help remembered the story of the golden bars +and felt sure the good saint would not let them want. Sailors tossing +on the stormy waves thought of that storm which had sunk to rest at +the prayer of Saint Nicholas. Poor prisoners with no one to take their +part were comforted by the thought of those other prisoners whom he had +saved. And little children perhaps have remembered him most of all, +for when the happy Christmas time draws near, who is so much in their +thoughts as Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, as they call him? Perhaps +they are a little inclined to think of him as some good magician who +comes to fill their stockings with gifts, but they should never forget +that he was the kind bishop who, in olden days, loved to make the little +ones happy. There are some who think that even now he watches over and +protects little children, and for that reason he is called their patron +saint. + + + + +SAINT FAITH + + +Among the many martyrs who long ago gave up their lives, rather than +deny their Master, we love to remember one little maid--a child-martyr +and saint. We do not know a great deal about her, for she lived so very +long ago, but what we know makes us love and honour her, and speak her +name with reverence. + +Faith was the name of this little maiden, and her home was in France, in +the pleasant country of Aquitaine. Her parents were rich and noble, and +she was brought up carefully, and taught to be courteous and gentle to +every one. But she did not need much teaching, for her nature was sweet +and pure, and her face was fair, with the beauty that shines from within. + +The town in which little Faith lived was called Agen, and lay at the +foot of a high rugged hill, which seemed to keep guard over it. It +was a quiet little place, and most of the people who dwelt there were +Christians, living happily together with the good bishop at their head. + +But one day a heavy cloud of dust was seen rolling along the highroad +that led over the mountains to the city gates. And messengers came +running breathlessly into the town, warning the people that a great +company of soldiers was marching towards them. It was thought they had +come from Spain, and the news spread like wildfire through the town that +Dacian, the cruellest governor of all that country, was riding at their +head. + +In fear and trembling the people waited. They stood in little knots, +talking under their breath of all the evil this man had done; or +shutting themselves into their houses, they scarcely dared to look out +at the windows. And soon the great company came sweeping in, swords +clattering and armour glittering in the sunshine, rough soldiers +laughing carelessly as they rode past the frightened faces. And at their +head a cruel, evil-looking man who glared from side to side, as if he +were a wild beast seeking his prey. + +Doubtless it pleased him to see how every one trembled before him, and +he smiled scornfully to think how easy a task it would be to teach these +Christians to deny their God and drag their faith in the dust. + +And soon the reason of his coming was known to all, for he ordered it to +be proclaimed in the market-place, that every Christian who refused to +sacrifice to the heathen gods should be tortured and put to death. And +to make his meaning quite plain, the soldiers spread out all the +terrible instruments of torture, so that men might know exactly what lay +before them if they refused to deny Christ. + +But in the night the terrified Christians stole silently out of the +town, and climbing the high hill that overlooked the city, they hid +themselves in the great caves among the rocks. + +Scarcely any one was left behind: even the good bishop was afraid to +stay and face the danger, and it seemed as if Christ would have no one +to fight on His side against the evil company. + +But when morning came, and the furious Dacian discovered that every one +had fled, he sent his soldiers to search and bring any who might remain +hidden in the city, that he might wreak his vengeance on them. + +And among the few that were left they brought to him the little maid +Faith. She was only a little child, but she did not know what fear +meant. + +'You cannot hurt me,' she said, looking at the cruel, angry faces around +her, 'because I am not yours, but God's.' + +And then she signed herself with the sign of the cross, and with bent +head prayed: + +'Lord Jesus, teach my lips to answer their questions aright, so that +I may do Thee no dishonour.' + +Then Dacian looked in anger at the child standing there with clasped +hands and steadfast eyes, and asked her roughly: + +'What is thy name?' + +'My name is Faith,' the little maid replied with gentle courtesy. + +'And what God dost thou serve?' asked the cruel governor. + +'I am a Christian, and I serve the Lord Christ,' replied the child. + +'Deny Him, and sacrifice to our gods,' thundered the governor, 'else +shalt thou endure every kind of torture, until there is no life left +in thy young body.' + +But Faith stood with head erect and hands clasped tight together. +Not even the ugly instruments of torture could frighten her. + +'I serve the Lord Christ,' she said, 'and you cannot hurt me, because +I am His.' + +Such a little maid she was, standing there among those rough, cruel men, +offering her life gladly for the faith of her Master. Such a few years +she had spent in this bright world, and so many stretched in front, +holding pleasures and promises in store. And now she must give up all, +must put aside the little white robe and golden sandals, and take +instead the robe of suffering, and go barefoot to meet the pain and +torture that awaited her. + +And though they scourged her, and made her suffer many cruel torments, +they could not bend her will, nor break her faith. Indeed it seemed as +if she did not feel the pain and anguish. + +And God stooped down, and gathered the little faithful soul into His +bosom. And when the people looked, the child was dead. + +But in the cave among the mountains that very day the bishop sat, sad +and troubled. + +He was gazing away across the plain to where the town lay half hidden in +the mist, thinking of those faithful few who had chosen to stay behind. +And suddenly the mist broke in front, and a vision stood out clear +before him. He saw the child Faith being scourged and tortured; he saw +the flames leaping around her, and then, as he looked again, lo! her +head was encircled with a golden crown set with precious stones, each +jewel sparkling with light. And from heaven a white dove came gently +flying down, and rested on the child's head, while from its wings a soft +dew fell that quenched the flames. + +And as the vision faded, the bishop bowed his head in his hands and +wept. The thought of what this child had dared to endure for her Master, +while he had shrunk from suffering aught for His sake, filled his heart +with shame. He could not stay there in safety while any of his people +might suffer as she had done. + +So that night he returned to the city to help and comfort the few +remaining Christians. Before long he too was called upon to suffer death +for his Lord, and many others gave themselves up, led by the example of +little Faith. + +Some say that even the rough soldiers were touched by the child's death, +and many became Christians. They began to think that such a religion was +worth living for, if it could teach even a child to die so bravely. + +And so, though she lived such a short time on earth, she did a very +wonderful work for God, and we call her now Saint Faith, thinking often +of her as we read these words: + +'A little child shall lead them.' + + + + +SAINT COSMO AND SAINT DAMIAN + + +It is difficult sometimes to learn a great deal about the saints who +lived a very long time ago. So few people knew how to read or write in +those old days, and the only way they had of remembering and handing on +what was interesting was to tell it to their children; then these little +ones, when they were grown up, would repeat it again to other little +children, and so the stories were not forgotten. + +But sometimes one thing would be left out and sometimes another, or +different people would add wonderful stories of their own, which would +become part of the true story. And so, when at last these histories come +to us, we find we have lost a great deal, and perhaps not gained very +much. + +The two saints, to whose story we are going to listen to-day, are of +this long-ago time, and the history of their lives has almost faded +from men's memories. But whoever happens to go to Florence, that city of +flowers, where the old Medici family has left its mark on every corner, +will see the portraits of our two saints wherever they go. For the old +painters loved to tell the saint-stories in their own beautiful way, +and to-day the little dark-eyed Italian children can read them without +books, for they are told more plainly and far more beautifully than in +any written story. + +Cosmo and Damian were brothers, and were born in Arabia three hundred +years after Christ. When they were quite little boys their father died, +and they were left alone with their mother. She was a Christian, and +taught her boys, as soon as they were old enough to understand, that +though they had no earthly father, God was their Father in heaven. +She told them that the great King of Heaven and Earth called them His +children, and he who could do a mean or cruel act, or stain his honour +by an untruthful word, was not worthy to be called a King's son. And +because they were noble she taught them that they must do noble deeds, +bravely defend and protect the weak, and help those who could not help +themselves. + +So the boys grew up straight and strong in mind and body. Their +bitterest punishment was to feel that they had done anything unworthy +of their King, and although they often made mistakes and did wrong +thoughtlessly, they never went far astray since God's honour was their +own. + +Their mother was rich, for their father had had great possessions, but +there were so many poor and suffering people around their home that it +was almost impossible to help them all. So the boys learned early to +deny themselves in many ways, and often gave up their own dinner to +the starving poor. In that land there was a great deal of sickness and +suffering, and this was a great trouble to Cosmo and Damian. They could +not bear to see people in pain, and be unable to help them. They often +thought about this, and at last determined to learn all about medicine, +and become doctors, so that they might at least soften suffering when +they could not cure it. + +After years of patient study they learned to be very clever doctors, and +their kind hearts and gentle hands soothed and comforted those who were +in pain, even when skill could do nothing for them. + +They visited rich and poor alike, and would take no money for their +services, for they said it was payment enough to know they had been able +to make the worlds suffering a little less. + +And it was not only people they cared for, but God's dumb creatures too. +If any animal was in pain, they would treat it as gently and carefully +as if it had been a human being. Indeed, they were perhaps even more +pitiful towards animals, for they said: + +'People who can speak and complain of their ills are greatly to be +pitied, but these dumb creatures, made by our King, can only suffer in +silence, and surely their suffering will be required at our hands.' + +It ever seemed strange to these great men that boys who would scorn to +ill-treat a younger child, or take mean advantage of a weak one, would +still think nothing of staining their honour by ill-treating an animal, +infinitely weaker and smaller, and less able to protect itself. It was +one of the few things that raised the wrath of these gentle doctor +saints. + +[Illustration: BUT COSMO TURNED AND WALKED AWAY.] + +Now it happened that a poor woman who had been ill for many years heard +of the fame of the two young doctors, and sent to implore them to come +to help her. She believed that though her illness seemed incurable these +good men might heal her. + +Cosmo and Damian were touched by her faith, and they went at once, and +did for her all that their skill could devise, and, moreover, prayed +that God would bless their efforts. + +To the wonder of all, the woman began to grow better, and very soon was +completely cured. In her great gratitude she offered all that she had +in payment to the two doctors, but they told her that they could take +nothing. Then she humbly offered them a little bag in which were three +eggs, praying them not to go away from her quite empty-handed. But Cosmo +turned and walked away and would not so much as even look at what she +offered, for it was a very strict rule with the brothers that they +should accept no payment or reward of any kind. Then the woman caught at +a fold of Damian's cloak as he also turned to go and begged him, for the +love of Christ, to take her little gift. + +When Damian heard the name of his Master, he paused, and then took the +present and courteously thanked the poor woman. + +But when Cosmo saw what Damian had done he was very wrathful, and that +night he refused to sleep with him, and said that henceforth they would +be no longer brothers. + +But in the stillness of the night God came to Cosmo and said: + +'My son, wherefore art thou so wrathful with thy brother?' + +'Because he hath taken reward for our services,' said Cosmo, 'and Thou +knowest, Lord, that we receive no payment but from Thee.' + +'But was it not in My name that he took the offering?' asked the voice. +'Because that poor woman gave it for love of Me, thy brother did well to +accept it.' + +Then Cosmo awoke in great joy and hurried to the bedside of his brother, +and there begged his forgiveness for having misjudged him so sorely. And +so they were happy together once more, and ate the eggs right merrily. + +In those days there were many pilgrims passing through Arabia, and +because the journey was hard and most of them were poor, they often fell +ill and came under the care of Cosmo and Damian. One night a poor man +was brought in, fainting and fever-stricken. He lay on the bed with his +thin, grey face pinched and worn with suffering, and the kind doctors +feared that he would die. + +All night they sat by his bedside doing everything that their skill +could plan to ease his pain, and they only smiled when the poor man said +in his faint, low voice: + +'Why do you take all this trouble for a poor pilgrim, who has nothing +wherewith to repay you?' + +'We would not take thy payment if thou hadst all the riches in the +world,' answered the doctors, 'for we receive payment only from our +King.' + +Then when the first pale light of dawn began to steal through the little +window, and the doctors anxiously watched the still form lying there, +they started with surprise. For the face seemed to change in an instant, +and instead of the bed of suffering they saw a cloud of glory; out of +the midst of which Christ's face, infinitely tender, looked upon them; +and His hands touched their heads in blessing as He said: + +'All the riches of the world are indeed mine though I seemed but a poor +pilgrim. I was sick and ye visited me, and surely shall ye receive +payment from your King.' + +Then Cosmo and Damian knelt in worship and thanked their Lord that they +had been counted worthy to minister to His need. + +But soon the fame of Cosmo and Damian began to be spread abroad, and the +wicked Proconsul of Arabia heard about their good deeds. As soon as he +knew they were Christians, and helped the poor and suffering, he was +filled with rage, and sent and ordered that the two brothers should be +cast alive into the sea. + +Immediately Cosmo and Damian were seized and led up to the steep cliffs, +and the guards bound them hand and foot. Not a complaint escaped their +lips, not a sign of fear, as the soldiers raised them on high and flung +them over into the cruel sea, far below. But as the crowd above watched +to see them sink, a great fear and amazement seized the soldiers, for +from the calm blue sea they beheld the brothers rise slowly and walk +towards the shore, led by an angel who guided them with loving care until +they were safe on land. + +In a greater rage than ever, the Proconsul ordered that a great fire +should be made and that the brothers should be cast into the midst of +it and burnt to death. + +But though the fire roared and blazed before Cosmo and Damian were +cast in; as soon as it touched them it died down and nothing could make +it burn again. It seemed as if God's good gifts refused to injure His +servants. + +After that they were bound to two crosses and the soldiers were ordered +to stone them. But the stones did no harm to those two patient figures, +but instead fell backwards and injured the men who threw them. + +Then every one cried out that they were enchanters, and it was ordered +that to make sure of their death they should be beheaded. + +So the work of the two saint doctors was finished on earth, but for many +years afterwards those who were ill would pray to these saints for their +protection. + +There is a legend which tells how a poor man in Rome had a leg which the +doctors feared would cause his death. So he prayed to Saint Cosmo and +Saint Damian and asked them to help him in his need. And that night when +he was asleep, he saw the doctor saints standing at his bedside in their +red robes and caps trimmed with fur. One held a knife and the other a +pot of ointment. + +'What shall we do to replace this leg when we have cut it off?' asked +Saint Cosmo. + +[Illustration: AN ANGEL GUIDED THEM WITH LOVING CARE.] + +'A black man has just died and been buried near here,' answered Saint +Damian. 'He no longer needs his legs, so let us take one of them and put +it on instead.' + +So they cut off the bad leg and fetched the leg of the black man, and +with the ointment joined it on to the living man. + +And when he awoke he believed he must have dreamt about the visit +of the saints, but when he looked at his leg, behold! it was black and +perfectly sound and well. Then they sent and searched for the black +body, and on it they found a white leg. So the man knew that the doctor +saints had heard his prayers, and had come to cure him. + +That is one of the wonderful stories which have grown up round the names +of Saint Cosmo and Saint Damian. + +While we cannot tell if these things really happened, this we do surely +know to be true, that these two brothers, who lived in an age when men +were cruel and selfish, spent their whole lives in trying to help those +who suffered pain, and then went bravely to death in the service of +their King. And though we know but little about them, they have left us +an example of patient kindliness and helpfulness; and they teach us that +as servants of their King we also are bound in honour to protect the +weak and help those who suffer, whether they are people like ourselves +or God's dumb creatures. + + + + +SAINT MARTIN + + +It was a cold winter's day in the city of Amiens, and the wind swept +along the great Roman road outside the city gates with such an icy blast +that the few people who were out of doors wrapped themselves closer in +their cloaks, and longed for their sheltering homes and warm firesides. + +But there was one poor old man who had no cloak to wrap around him, and +no fireside of which to dream. He shivered as the searching wind came +sweeping past him, and his half-blind eyes looked eagerly up and down +the road to see if any one was coming who might help him in his need. +One by one the people hurried past and paid no heed to the beggar's +outstretched hand. It was much too cold to stop or to think of giving +help, and not even a beggar could expect it on such a day as this. So +they left the poor old man hungry and cold and homeless. + +Then a young soldier came riding past, but the beggar scarcely thought +of asking alms of him, for the Roman soldiers were not the kind of men +to trouble themselves about the poor and suffering. + +The old man closed his eyes, weary and hopeless, for it seemed as if +there was none to help nor pity him. Then in a moment he felt a warm +cloak thrown around his shoulders, and in his ears sounded a kind voice +which bade him wrap it close around him to keep out the cold. + +Half bewildered the beggar looked up, and saw the young soldier bending +over him. He had dismounted from his horse and held a sword in his hand, +with which he had just cut his own cloak in half, that he might share it +with the shivering old man. + +The passers-by laughed and hurried on, but the soldier did not care if +they mocked him, for he was quite happy to think he had helped one who +needed help so sorely. + +The name of this young soldier was Martin, and he served in the Roman +army with his father, who was a famous general. Most of Martin's +fellow-soldiers were pagans, but he was a Christian, and served the +emperor well, because he served Christ first. + +The very night after Martin had divided his cloak with the beggar he +had a dream, in which he saw his Master, Christ, among the holy angels, +wearing the half cloak which Martin had given away that afternoon. +And as he looked, he heard Christ's voice speaking to the angels, and +saying: + +'Know ye who hath clothed Me with this cloak? My servant Martin, who is +yet unbaptized, hath done this.' + +Then Martin awoke, and he did not rest until Christ's seal of baptism +was set upon his brow, and he felt that he had enlisted truly in God's +service. + +Now Martin knew that to be God's servant meant doing everything day +by day as well as it could be done, and serving his earthly master as +faithfully and diligently as he tried to serve his heavenly commander. +So it came to pass that for all the fourteen years he served in the +emperor's army, he was known as the best and bravest soldier, and one +who had never failed to do his duty. + +But as he began to grow old, he longed to serve God in other ways, and +so he went to the emperor and asked for permission to leave the army. + +There was war going on just then, for Rome was ever fighting with the +barbarians who came up against her, and the emperor was very angry when +he heard Martin's request. + +'You seek to leave the army because you fear to fight,' he said +scornfully to Martin, who stood silently before him. 'A Roman soldier +should scorn to be a coward.' + +'I am no coward,' answered Martin and he met with unflinching look the +angry gaze of the emperor. 'Place me alone in the front of the battle, +with no weapon but the cross alone, and I shall not fear to meet the +enemy single-handed and unarmed.' + +'Well said,' answered the emperor quickly; 'we will take thee at thy +word. To-morrow thou shalt stand defenceless before the enemy, and so +shall we judge of thy boasted courage.' + +Then the emperor ordered his guards to watch Martin that night lest he +should try to escape before the trial could be made. But Martin had +no thought of escape, and was ready and eager to do as he had said. + +Meanwhile, however, the enemy began to fear that they had no chance +against the Roman army; and very early in the morning, they sent +messengers to ask for peace, offering to give themselves up to the +mercy of the emperor. + +So Martin was set at liberty, and no one doubted his courage and +faithfulness; since they believed that his faith in God had brought +peace, and given them the victory over their enemies. + +Soon after this Martin was allowed to leave the army, and he journeyed +from place to place telling those who had never heard it before the good +news of Jesus Christ. + +In those days it was dangerous to go among the mountains unarmed, for +robbers and brigands made their home there, and would swoop down on +unsuspecting travellers and rob or murder them. + +But Martin took no companions with him, and with no weapon but the +cross, he climbed the mountain roads defenceless and alone. + +One day, as he journeyed, a company of brigands appeared suddenly, as +if they had started out of the rocks. They seized him roughly, and one +of them aimed a blow at his head with an axe. But before the blow could +fall, another robber turned the axe aside and claimed Martin as his +prisoner. Then they tied his hands behind him and bound him fast, while +they made up their minds which would be the best way to kill him. + +But Martin sat calm and untroubled, and seemed to have no fear of these +terrible men. + +'What is thy name, and who art thou?' asked the brigand who had claimed +Martin as his prisoner. + +'I am a Christian,' answered Martin simply. + +'And art thou not afraid of the tortures which await thee, that thou +dost seem so calm and fearless?' asked the robber, wondering at the +peaceful look upon the prisoner's face. + +'I fear nothing that thou canst do to me,' answered Martin, 'for I am a +servant of the great King, and He will defend His own. But I do indeed +grieve for thee, because thou livest by robbery and violence, and art +therefore unworthy of the mercy of my Lord.' + +The astonished robber asked him what he meant, and who this great King +was whom he served; so Martin told him the whole story of God's love, +and of the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. + +No words so wonderful had ever been spoken to this brigand before, and +as he listened he believed that what Martin said was true. The first +thing he did was to cut the rope which bound his prisoner's hands and to +set him free; and after that he led him in safety through the mountain +passes, until he reached a road that led to the plains below. + +Here they parted, and the brigand knelt and asked Martin to pray for +him that he might lead a new life. So there was one less robber on that +lonely road, and one more Christian fighting the battles of the Lord. + +Although Martin loved to dwell in lonely places, he was always ready to +go where he was most needed, and so a great part of his life was spent +in busy towns. When he was made Bishop of Tours and could no longer live +in the solitude he loved, still he strove to be the best bishop it was +possible to become, just as when he was a soldier he tried to be as good +a soldier as he knew how to be. + +Now Martin was growing an old man, yet he was very little changed since +that long ago day when he divided his cloak with the poor beggar outside +the gates of Amiens. It is said that one day when he was serving at +the altar, in all his beautiful bishop's robes, he saw a ragged beggar +standing near shivering with cold. At first he bade his deacon give +him clothing, but the deacon was too slow to please the kind heart of +the bishop, and so he went himself and took off his gold-embroidered +vestment and put it tenderly round the shoulders of the beggar. Then +as the service went on, and the bishop held up the holy chalice, the +kneeling crowd saw with wonder that angels were hovering round and were +hanging chains of gold upon the upraised arms to cover them, because the +robe Martin had given to the beggar had left them bare. + +Now the Evil One looked with great mistrust and disfavour upon Martin, +for the good bishop won more souls by his love and gentleness than the +Evil One cared to lose. All the preaching and sternness of other good +men were not half so dangerous to the plans of the Evil One as the pity +and kindness of Martin. So one day the Evil One met Martin and began to +mock at him. + +'Thy faith is beautiful indeed,' he said scornfully; 'but how long do +thy sinners remain saints? They have but to pretend a little sorrow for +their sins, and lo! in thy eyes they are immediately saved.' + +'Oh, poor, miserable Spirit that thou art!' answered Martin. 'Dost thou +not know that our Saviour refuses none who turn to Him? Even thou, if +thou wouldst but repent, might find mercy with my Lord.' + +The Evil One did not stop to answer the bishop, but disappeared with +great swiftness. Later on he returned, as we shall see. + +The fame of Martin's life spread far and near, and the rich as well as +the poor did him honour. The emperor and empress invited him over and +over again to come to their court, but Martin steadily refused, for he +loved best to work among the poor. + +A time came, however, when he saw that he might do great good if he +could persuade the emperor to cease from persecuting the Christians; and +so at last he agreed to attend a banquet at the palace and to be the +emperor's guest. + +Everything was as gorgeous and splendid as possible, for the emperor +wished to do honour to the bishop, who was the one man who dared to +speak truly to him and not to flatter him with mere words. + +But Martin scarcely seemed to notice all the grandeur and brilliance +of the entertainment. And when, at the banquet, the emperor took the +wine-cup and passed it to his guest, expecting him to bless it and +respectfully hand it back, Martin turned quietly round instead, and +passed the jewelled cup to a poor priest who stood behind. This he did +to show the astonished emperor that in his eyes the poorest of God's +servants was to be considered before the greatest ruler upon earth. + +It was not long after this that the Evil One again visited Martin. +But this time he disguised himself that he might not be known. + +It was evening and Martin was praying in his cell, when a bright light +filled the place, and in the midst of the light he saw a figure clad in +royal robes and with a crown of gold and jewels upon his head. His face +was shining and beautiful, so that no one could have guessed he was the +Evil One. Martin could only gaze upon him in dazzled silence, for his +shining beauty was beyond all words. + +Then the Evil One spoke, and the sound of his voice was like music. + +'Martin,' he said, 'dost thou not see that I am Christ? I have come +again upon earth, and it is to thee that I have first showed myself.' + +But Martin still gazed silently at him and answered nothing. + +'Martin,' said the Evil One again, 'why dost thou not believe? Canst +thou not see that I am Christ?' + +Then Martin answered slowly: + +'It seemeth strange to me that my Lord should come in glittering +clothing and a golden crown. Unless thou canst show the marks of the +nails and spear, I cannot believe that thou art He.' + +At these words, with a horrible thunder-clap, the Evil One disappeared, +and Martin saw him no more. + +Years passed, and Martin lived a long and useful life; but he was +growing weary now, and when God's call came, he gladly prepared to enter +into his rest, and to leave the world where he had laboured so long and +faithfully. + +The night that Martin died he was seen in a vision by one of his friends +who loved him more than all the rest. The saint's robe was shining white +and his eyes were like stars and, as the friend knelt and worshipped, he +felt a soft touch upon his head and heard a voice that blessed him ere +the vision faded. + +And so Martin finished his earthly work, and went to hear from his +Master's lips the gracious words: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' + + + + +SAINT GEORGE + + +Every nation has its own patron saint whom the people love to honour, +and who is looked upon not only as their protector in war and peace, but +as a model of all that is best and highest and most worthy to be copied +in their own lives. + +Ever since the days of the Crusades, when our lion-hearted King Richard +went to fight the infidels in the Holy Land, the special saint whom +England has delighted to honour has been Saint George. 'For Saint George +and Merrie England' rang out the old battle-cry; and the greatest honour +which our kings can bestow--the Order of the Garter--is really the Order +of Saint George, and bears upon it the picture of his great adventure. +And when you have heard the story of Saint George you will not wonder +that England took him for her special saint, and as an example for all +her sons to follow. + +Saint George was born far away in Cappadocia, in the year 303 A.D. His +father and mother were nobles of that country and were also Christians, +although they lived under the rule of the heathen Emperor Diocletian. + +Saint George's father, who was a soldier, was often away in the service +of the emperor. So it was the mother who had most to do with the care +and training of their only son. It must have been, then, from her that +the boy learned that gentle reverence towards all women, which made him +their protector and champion all his life. + +When he was seventeen, he too became a soldier like his father, and +the shining sword, which he then buckled on, was kept all his life as +stainless as his honour. He never drew it in a wrong cause, but held it +as a trust given to him to defend the right and protect the weak and +helpless. + +Now in the same country there was a city called Selem, whose people had +once been as happy and prosperous as any in the land, but which was now +the most miserable spot in all the world. + +The city itself was beautiful with splendid palaces and gay gardens, +and the king who ruled there was wise and good. But outside the city +wall stretched a grey, sullen-looking lake, half marsh and half stagnant +water, and in this gloomy bog there lived a dreadful monster called a +dragon. No one knew exactly what he was like, for those who were so +unfortunate as to have been near enough to see him plainly had been +killed by his fiery breath, which came rolling out from his great +yawning throat. He did not seem to walk nor to fly, although he had +what looked like wings and huge flat feet, but always moved along with +a crawling motion most horribly swift. + +Nothing was safe from this terrible monster. One by one the sheep and +oxen belonging to the city were devoured by him, and when the people +had no more food to give him, he crawled towards the city, and his +dreadful fiery breath warned them that he was coming closer and that +they would soon be carried off, one by one, and devoured. + +In their despair and terror, the king and all the people agreed to cast +lots each day; and it was settled that the one on whom the lot fell +should be put outside the gates to feed the monster, so that the rest +might live in safety. This was done for many days, and the grief and +suffering in that city was terrible to behold. But the darkest day of +all was when the lot fell upon Cleodolinda, the king's only daughter. +She was very beautiful, and the king loved her more than all else +beside, so in his anguish he called his people together, and in a +trembling voice, his grey head bowed with grief, he spoke to them: + +'She is my only child--I cannot give her up. Take rather all my gold and +jewels, even the half of my kingdom; only spare my daughter, the one +treasure of my heart.' + +But the people were very angry, and would not listen to the king, for +they too had lost their children, and it made them savage and cruel. + +'We will not spare the princess,' they growled in low threatening tones; +'we have given up our own children, and why shouldst thou withhold +thine? Didst thou not agree with us to cast the lots? Why shouldst thou +make one law for us and another for thyself?' + +And they threatened to burn down the palace and kill both the king and +Cleodolinda if she was not given up to them at once. + +Then the king saw there was no hope of deliverance, and he promised that +in eight days the princess should be ready for the sacrifice. Those +were eight sad days at the palace, for all was dark and hopeless there, +and the only person who did not give way to despair was the Princess +Cleodolinda herself. She spent her time trying to comfort her father, +and told him she had no fear, but rather that she was glad to think she +was to die to save his people. + +So the fatal day arrived when the monster was to be fed, and the +princess came out to meet the crowd stately and calm, dressed in her +royal robes as befitted a king's daughter. And when she bade farewell to +her father, she went forth alone, and the gates of the city were shut +behind her. + +Now it happened that at the very time that Cleodolinda went out to meet +the dragon, and just as she heard the city gates clang heavily behind +her, Saint George came riding past on his way to join his soldiers. +His shining armour and great spear were the only bright things in +that gloomy place; but the princess did not see him, for her eyes were +blinded with tears, and even when he galloped up close to her she did +not hear him, for the ground was soft and marshy, and his horse's hoofs +made scarcely a sound as he rode past. + +Slowly the princess walked along the desolate way towards the sullen +grey lake, where the monster was waiting for his meal. The path was +strewn with bones, and no grass grew for miles around, for the fiery +blast of the dragon's breath withered everything it passed over. +Cleodolinda never dreamed that help was near, and started in amazement +when she heard a kind voice speaking to her, and looking up, saw through +her tears a young knight on horseback, gazing at her with pitying eyes. +She thought that he had the handsomest, kindest face she had ever seen, +and the gentlest and most courteous manner, as he leaned towards her, +and asked her why she wept, and wherefore she was wandering alone in +this dismal place. + +Cleodolinda told him in a few words the whole sad story, and pointed +with trembling hand towards the distant marsh, where already a dark form +might be seen crawling slowly out of the grey water. + +'See, there he comes!' she cried, in sudden terror. 'Ride fast, kind +knight, and escape while there is time, for if the monster finds thee +here, he will kill thee.' + +'And dost thou think I would ride off in safety, and leave thee to +perish?' asked Saint George. + +'Thou canst do nothing,' answered the princess, wringing her hands; 'for +nought can prevail against this terrible dragon. Thou wilt but perish +needlessly in trying to save me, so, I pray thee, fly while there is +time.' + +'God forbid that I should act in so cowardly a manner,' answered Saint +George. 'I will fight this hideous creature, and, by God's help and the +strength of my good sword, I will conquer him and deliver thee.' + +And while he was still speaking, the air was filled with a horrible +choking smoke, and the dragon came swiftly towards them, half-crawling +and half-flying, his eyes gleaming, and his mouth opened wide to devour +them. + +With a swift prayer for help, Saint George made the sign of the cross, +and grasping his great spear firmly, spurred his horse and rode straight +at the monster. The combat was a long and terrible one, and the princess, +as she watched from behind a sheltering tree, trembled for the safety +of the brave knight, and gave up all for lost. + +But at last Saint George made a swift forward rush, and drove his spear +right down the great throat of the monster, and out at the back of his +head, pinning him securely to the ground. Then he called to the princess +to give him her girdle, and this he tied to each end of the spear, so +that it seemed like a great bridle, and with it Cleodolinda led the +vanquished dragon back towards the city. + +Inside the city gates all the people had been weeping and wailing over +the fate of the princess, which they feared might any day be their own, +and they dared not look out or open the gates until the monster had +had time to carry off his victim. So their terror and dismay was great +indeed when the news spread like wildfire that some one had seen the +great monster come crawling towards the town, instead of returning to +his home in the dismal swamp. + +[Illustration: S. GEORGE RODE STRAIGHT AT THE MONSTER.] + +They all crowded, trembling with fear, around the watch-tower upon the +walls, to see if the dragon was really on his way to attack the city; +and when they saw the great dark mass moving slowly towards them they +thought that the end was come, for they could not see Saint George nor +the princess, and did not know that she was leading the dragon a +vanquished prisoner. + +So it was all in vain for a long time that Saint George thundered at +the city gates, and demanded that they should be opened. Even when the +people saw that the princess was safe and that a knight was with her, +while the monster lay quiet at their feet as if half-dead, they still +hesitated to open the gates, so great was their terror and astonishment. + +But when they were quite sure that the dragon was bound and could do +them no harm, they threw open the gates, and every one crowded to see +the wonderful sight, still half-doubting if it could be true, and +looking with fear upon the great beast which the princess led by her +girdle fastened to the spear of Saint George. + +Then the king came in haste from his palace to meet his daughter, and +never was a morning of sorrow turned into such a day of joy. + +Saint George and the Princess Cleodolinda led the dragon into the +market-place, followed by the wondering crowd; and there Saint George +drew his sword and cut off the head of the hideous monster. Then were +the people sure that they were indeed delivered from their great enemy +for ever, and they burst forth into wild rejoicings. They would have +given all they possessed to Saint George in their joy and gratitude; +but he told them that the only reward he desired was that they should +believe in the true God, and be baptized Christians. It was not difficult +to believe in the God who had helped Saint George to do this great deed, +and very soon the king and the princess and all the people were baptized +as Saint George desired. + +Then the king presented the brave knight with great treasures of gold +and jewels, but all these Saint George gave to the poor and went his +way; keeping nought for himself but his own good sword and spear, ready +to defend the right and protect the weak as he had served the princess +in her need. + +But when he returned to his own city he found that the emperor had +written a proclamation against the Christians, and it was put up in all +the market-places and upon the doors of the temples, and all who were +Christians were hiding in terror, and dared not show themselves openly. + +Then Saint George was filled with righteous anger, and tore down the +proclamations in all the public places, and trampled them under foot. He +was seized immediately by the guards and carried before the proconsul, +who ordered him to be tortured and then put to death. + +But nothing could shake the courage of this brave knight, and through +all the tortures he bore himself as a gallant Christian should, and met +his death with such bravery and calm joy that even his enemies were +amazed at his courage. + +And so through the many dark ages that followed, when the weak were +oppressed and women needed a knight's strong arm to protect them, men +remembered Saint George, and the very thought of him nerved their arms +and made their courage firm. And boys learned from him that it was a +knightly thing to protect the weak, and to guard all maidens from harm; +and that a pure heart, a firm trust in good and true courage could meet +and overcome any monster, however terrible and strong. + +And of all nations it befits us most that our men and boys should be +brave and courteous; for Saint George is our own patron saint, the model +of all that an English knight should be. + + + + +SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI + + +In the sunny land of Italy, high upon hills covered with olive-trees, +nestles the little town of Assisi. Such a strange little town it is, +with its tall city walls and great gateways, its narrow, steep streets, +and houses with wide, overhanging eaves. The road that leads up from +the plain below is so steep, as it winds upwards among the silver +olive-trees, that even the big white oxen find it a toil to drag the +carts up to the city gates, and the people think it quite a journey +to go down to the level land below. + +Now, it was in this same little hill-town, many years ago, that Saint +Francis was born. + +They did not know that he was going to be a great saint--this little, +dark-eyed Italian baby, who came to gladden his mother's heart one +autumn day in the long ago year of 1182, when his father, Pietro +Bernardone, was away in France. He seemed just like any other baby, and +only his mother, perhaps, thought him the most wonderful baby that ever +was born. (But mothers always think that, even if their babies do not +grow up to be real saints.) She called him Giovanni at first, but when +his father came home he named the little son Francesco, which means +'the Frenchman,' because he was so pleased with all the money he had +made in France. So the child from that day was always called Francesco, +which is his real Italian name, although we in England call him Francis. + +Soon he grew into a happy, daring boy, the leader in all the games and +every kind of fun. He was the pride of his father and mother, and the +favourite of the whole town; for although he was never out of mischief, +he never did a cruel or unkind thing, and was ever ready to give away +all he had to those who needed help. + +And when he grew older he was still the gayest of all the young men +of Assisi, and wore the costliest and most beautiful clothes, for his +father had a great deal of money and grudged him nothing. + +Then came a sad day when Francis fell sick, and for a while they feared +that he must die. But, although he grew slowly better, he was never +quite the same Francis again. He did not care about his gay companions, +or the old happy life. There was real work to be done in the world, he +was sure. Perhaps some special work was waiting for his hand, and with +wistful eyes he was ever looking for a sign that would show him what +that work was to be. + +Walking one day along the winding road, dreaming dreams as he gazed far +across the misty plains, catching glimpses of far-away blue mountains +through the silver screen of the olive-trees, he was stopped by a poor +old beggar, who asked him for the love of God to help him. + +Francis started from his day-dreams, and recognised the man as an old +soldier who had fought for his country with courage and honour. + +Without stopping to think for a moment, Francis took off his gay cloak +and tenderly wrapped it round the shoulders of the shivering old man. + +He never thought that any reward would be given him for his kind action, +but that very night Christ came to him in a glorious vision, and, +leading him by the hand, showed him a great palace full of shining +weapons and flags of victory, each one marked with the sign of the +cross. Then, as Francis stood gazing at these wonderful things, he heard +the voice of Christ telling him that these were the rewards laid up for +those who should be Christ's faithful soldiers, fighting manfully under +His banner. + +With a great joy in his heart Francis awoke, and hurriedly left home to +join the army, thinking only of earthly service, and longing to win the +heavenly reward. + +But in the quiet night he heard again the voice of Christ telling him +that the service he was seeking was not what Christ required of his +soldiers. + +Troubled and sad, Francis went back to Assisi and, when he was once more +inside the city walls, turned aside to pray in the little ruined church +of Saint Damiano. And as he prayed once more he heard the voice speaking +to him, and saying, 'Francis, repair my church.' + +Now, Francis thought this meant that he was to build up the ruined walls +of the little church in which he prayed. He did not understand that the +command was that he should teach the people, who make up Christ's Church +on earth, to be pure and good and strong. + +Francis was only too glad to find that here at last was some real work +to be done, and never stopping to think if he was doing right, he went +joyfully home and took some of the richest stuffs which his father had +for sale. These he carried off to the market, and sold them for quite a +large sum of money. Then, returning to the little church, he gave the +money to the old priest, telling him to rebuild the walls and to make +the whole place beautiful. + +But the priest refused to accept the money, for he was afraid that +Francis had done wrong in taking the stuffs, and that his father would +be angry. + +This was a great disappointment to Francis, and made him think that +perhaps he had been too hasty. He was afraid to go home and tell what +he had done, so he hid himself for some days. But at last, tired and +hungry, with his gay clothes stained with dust, he slowly walked back +to his father's house. + +And very angry, indeed, was Pietro Bernardone when he found out what his +son had done. He did not mind giving Francis money for fine clothes or +pleasures of any kind, and he had allowed him to be as extravagant as he +liked. But to want money to build up an old church, or to spend in doing +good, that was not to be thought of for a moment. + +Out he came in a furious rage and drove Francis indoors, and there shut +him up in a dark cellar, bound hand and foot, so that he could not escape. + +But though his father was so angry, his mother could not bear to see her +son suffer, whether he deserved it or not. So she stole down when no +one was there, and, unlocking the cellar door, she spoke gently to poor +Francis, and listened to all his story. Then she took off his chains and +set him free, telling him to go quickly before any one should see him. + +Francis had no place to shelter in but the little ruined church, and no +friend who would receive him but the poor old priest, so back he went to +Saint Damiano, leaving parents and home and comforts behind him. + +His father, of course, was terribly angry when he found that Francis had +escaped, and he went at once to complain to the bishop, and demand that +Francis should be punished and made to give back the money he had taken. + +The bishop spoke kindly to Francis, who promised gladly to give back +the money which had brought him so much trouble. And there, in the +market-place, with all the people looking on, he took off his costly +clothes, now all stained and worn, and standing pale and thin, wearing +only a hair shirt, he gave clothes and money back to his angry father, +saying-- + +'Listen, all of you. Until this time I have called Pietro Bernardone +father, but from this moment I will say no more "my father Pietro +Bernardone," but only "my Father which art in Heaven."' + +Then the good bishop came quickly up and wrapped his mantle round the +poor shivering lad, and gave him his blessing, bidding him henceforth +be a true servant of God. A poor labourer gave Francis his rough brown +tunic, and the people were moved with pity and would have helped him, +for they thought he had been treated very harshly. + +But Francis wandered away alone into the world, seeking to do all the +things he had most disliked doing, even at one time nursing the poor +lepers, and begging his bread from door to door. + +Soon, however, he made his way back to Assisi, and to the little ruined +church; and began building up the walls with his own hands, carrying the +stones on his shoulders, happy and contented to be doing work for God. + +And the more he thought of his past life and the wasteful splendour in +which he had lived, the more he came to see that to be poor for Christ's +sake was best of all. + +'If Christ chose to become poor for our sakes,' thought he, 'surely it +is but right that we should choose to become poor for His dear sake.' + +It seemed to Francis that no one had really loved poverty since the days +when our blessed Lord had lived amongst the poor on earth. And he began +to think of poverty as a beautiful lady who had been despised and +ill-treated all these long years, with no one to take her part or see +any charm in her fair face. + +For himself he made up his mind to love her with all his heart, to be as +poor as his Master had been, and to possess nothing here on earth. + +Even his coarse brown habit had been given to him in charity, and instead +of a belt he tied round his waist a piece of rope which he found by the +wayside. He wore no shoes nor stockings, but went barefoot, and had no +covering for his head. And being so truly poor was the greatest joy to +him. He thought the Lady Poverty was a fairer bride than any on earth, +though her clothes were ragged and her pathway lined with thorns. For +along that thorny path she led him closer to his Master, and taught him +to tread more nearly in His footsteps than most of His servants have +ever trod. + +One day when Francis was reading the gospel, Christ's call seemed to +sound in his ears just as it did to Saint Matthew of old. He had often +read the words before, but that day they had a new message for him: 'As +ye go, preach, saying the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Provide neither +gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, neither two coats, neither +shoes nor yet staves.' + +Then he knew that Christ did not want him only to be good, but to teach +others how to be good, and to look after Christ's poor and sick, always +remaining poor and lowly himself. And as soon as he heard the call he +rose up, left all, and followed his Master to his life's end. + +Very soon other men joined Francis, eager to serve Christ as he did. +They all dressed just as Francis dressed, and became quite as poor as he +was. Their home was in the plain below Assisi, by the little chapel of +Saint Mary of the Angels, which had been given to the brothers. But it +was not often that they were there all together, for Francis sent them +out to preach to all the world just as the gospel commanded. + +In spite of their poverty the 'Little Poor Brothers,' as they were +called, were a happy, cheerful little company. Francis had just the same +gay nature and ready smile as when he was a boy in Assisi, and though he +might have to go long solitary journeys on foot, sleeping in caves or in +woods, hungry and footsore, he was never sad nor lonely. He seemed to +love everything that God had made, and all the animals and birds were +his special friends. They were never frightened of him, and when he +walked in the woods the birds would come and perch on his shoulder and +sing their good-morning to him. + +And sometimes Francis would stand still and let them all come round him, +and would preach a little sermon to them, telling them how they ought to +praise God for His goodness. + +'Little sisters' he always called them, and it is said they would listen +quietly while he spoke, and then when he gave them his blessing, they +would rise up to heaven singing their hymn of praise, just as if they +had really understood their little service. + +Once when Francis and some of the brothers were returning home, they +heard a great number of birds singing among the bushes. And when Francis +saw them he said to his companions-- + +'Our sisters, the birds, are praising their Maker. Let us go into their +midst and sing our service too.' + +The birds were not in the least disturbed, but continued their chirping +and twittering, so that the brothers could not hear their own voices. +Then Francis turned to the birds and said-- + +'Little sisters, cease your song until we have given God our praise.' +And they at once were quiet, and did not begin to sing again until the +service was over. + +And it was not only the birds that loved him, but every kind of creature +came to him for comfort and shelter. + +Now this is a story which was told about Francis after he was dead, when +people tried to remember all the wonderful things that he had done, and +perhaps made them a little more wonderful, out of love of Saint Francis. + +Once when the saint was living in the city of Agolio a terribly fierce +wolf began to prowl about the town. He carried off everything eatable he +could find, and grew so bold that he even seized the children and made +off to his mountain den with them. The whole town was terrified, and +people scarcely dared go out of doors for fear of meeting the terrible +wolf. And though the men hunted him, he always escaped and came prowling +down at nightfall again. + +When Saint Francis heard this he said-- + +'I will go out and meet this wolf, and ask him what he means.' + +'He will kill you,' cried all the people, and they tried to persuade him +not to go. + +But Saint Francis set out, taking some of the brothers with him. They +went bravely along for a short way, and then the brothers turned back +afraid and ran home, leaving Saint Francis alone. And presently he heard +a deep growling and the sound of a terrible rush, and the great wolf, +with blazing eyes and open mouth, came bounding towards him. But as he +came nearer Saint Francis went forward to meet him, and making the sign +of the cross, he said: 'Come hither, brother wolf. I command thee in the +name of Christ that thou do no more harm to me nor to any one.' + +[Illustration: THEN THE POPE TOOK THE LITTLE POOR BROTHERS UNDER HIS +PROTECTION.] + +And then a wonderful thing happened; for, as soon as the wolf heard the +saint's voice, he stopped, and then came gently forward, and lay like +a lamb at St. Francis's feet. Then Saint Francis talked quietly to him, +and told him he deserved to be punished for all the evil he had done, +but if he would promise to kill and plunder no more, the people of +Agolio would promise on their side to give him food every day. And the +wolf rubbed his head against Saint Francis's habit and gently laid his +paw in the saint's hand. And always after that the good people of Agolio +used to put out food for the wolf, and he grew so good and tame that he +went quietly from door to door, and never did harm to any one again. + +Whether all this really happened we do not know; but one thing we are +certain of, and that is, that Francis loved all living creatures, and +they seemed to know it and to love him too. + +It was not long before the little band of brothers grew into quite a +large company, and Francis went to Rome to ask the Pope, the head of the +Church, to give them his blessing, and his permission to live together +under their rule of poverty. All the world was astonished at this +strange man, in his coarse brown robe, who preached to them that riches +were not worth having, and that the greatest happiness was to be good +and pure. + +At first the Pope would have nothing to do with him. But one night he +had a dream, and in his dream he saw a church leaning on one side, and +almost falling. And the only thing that kept it from falling quite over +was a poor man, barefooted and dressed in a coarse brown robe, who had +his shoulder against it and was holding it up. + +Then the Pope knew that God had sent the dream to him, and that Francis +was going to be a great helper in the Church. So next day he called for +Francis and granted him all that he asked, and took the Little Poor +Brothers under his protection. + +Soon the company grew larger and larger, and Francis sent them all over +the country, preaching and teaching men that they should deny themselves +and love poverty rather than riches. + +Still they always kept the little home at Saint Mary of the Angels, and +the brothers returned there after their preaching was ended. + +The convent was built close to a wood, and this wood was the place +Francis loved best. For he could be quite alone there, to pray and +meditate, with no one to disturb his thoughts. And often, when all the +other brothers were asleep, he would steal quietly out and kneel for +hours under the silent trees, alone with God. + +Now there was a little boy at the convent who loved Francis very much, +and wanted to know all that he did, that he might learn to grow like +him. Especially he wondered why Francis went alone into the dark wood, +but he was too sleepy to keep awake to see. It was a very poor convent, +and all the brothers slept on mats on the floor, for they had not +separate cells. At last one night the boy crept close to the side of +Francis, and spread his mat quite close to his master's, and in case he +should not wake he tied his little cord to the cord which Francis wore +round his waist. Then he lay down happily and went to sleep. + +By and by when every one was asleep, Francis got up as usual to pray. +But he noticed the cord and gently untied it, so that the boy slept on +undisturbed. Presently, however, the child awoke, and finding his cord +loose and his master gone, he got up and followed him into the wood, +treading very softly with his bare feet that he might disturb nobody. + +It was very dark, and he had to feel his way among the trees; but +presently a bright light shone out, and as he stole nearer he saw a +wonderful sight. His master was kneeling there, and with him was the +Blessed Virgin, holding our dear Lord in her arms, and many saints were +there as well. And over all was a great cloud of the holy angels. The +vision and the glorious brightness almost blinded the child, and he fell +down as if he were dead. + +Now when Francis was returning home he stumbled over the little body +lying there, and guessing what had happened he stooped down and tenderly +lifted him up, and carried him in his arms, as the Good Shepherd carries +His lambs. Then the child felt his master's arms round him, and was +comforted, and told him of the vision and how it had frightened him. +In return Francis bade him tell no one what he had seen as long as his +master was alive. So the old story tells us that the child grew up to +be a good man and was one of the holiest of the Little Poor Brothers, +because he always tried to grow like his master. Only after Francis died +did he tell the story of the glorious vision which he had seen that +night in the dark wood, at the time when no one knew what a great saint +his master was. + +As time went on, Francis grew anxious to do more than preach at home; +for Christ's message to him had been 'Go ye into all the world.' He had +set out many times, but always something had prevented him from getting +far, until at last he succeeded in reaching the land of the Saracens +where the Crusaders were fighting. His great hope was that he might see +the Sultan and teach him about Christ, so that all his people might +become Christians. He had no fear at all, and when every one warned him +that he would certainly be put to death, he said that would be a small +matter if only he could teach the heathen about God. + +But although the Sultan received Francis, and listened to all he had to +say, he only shook his head and refused to believe without a sign. + +Then Francis grew more and more eager to convince him, and asked that a +great fire should be made, and that he and the heathen priests should +pass through it, saying that whoever came out unharmed should be held to +be the servant of the true God. But the heathen priests all refused to +do this, and so poor Francis had to return home, having, he feared, done +no good, but hoping the good might follow afterwards. + +These weary journeys and all the toil and hardship of his daily life +began to make Francis weak and ill. Many things troubled him too; for +the brothers did not love poverty as he did, and they began to make new +rules and to forget what he had taught them. But in the midst of all +trouble, he remained the same humble servant of Christ, always thinking +of new ways to serve his Master. + +[Illustration: HE CHANTED THE GOSPEL AT THE FIRST CHRISTMAS MASS.] + +There was no time Francis loved so much as Christmas. He loved to feel +that all living things were happy on that day. He used to say that he +wished that all governors and lords of the town and country might be +obliged to scatter corn over the roads and fields, so that 'our sisters +the larks,' and all the birds might feast as well. And because the ox +and the ass shared the stable with the Holy Child, he thought they +should be provided with more than ordinary food each Christmas Eve. + +He wished every one to remember how poor and lowly our Lord was on that +night when He came as a little child; and so on Christmas Eve he made a +stable in the chapel, and brought in an ox and an ass and a tiny crib +and manger. In the manger he placed the figure of a baby to represent +the infant Christ, and there in the early hours of the Christmas +morning, he chanted the gospel at the first Christmas Mass. + +It was in the spring of the year that Francis first went to the +hermitage among the mountains, which he loved better than any other +place. It was a small hut high among the Apennines, among crags and +rocks far away from any other place. Here he could wander about the +woods, which were carpeted with spring flowers, and hear his little +sisters the birds singing all day long. + +And here one day, as he knelt thinking of all his dear Lord had +suffered, a wonderful thing happened. The thought of all that trouble +and pain seemed more than he could bear, and he prayed that he might be +allowed to suffer as his Master had done. And as he prayed, seeing only +before him the crucified Christ with nail-pierced hands and wounded +side, God sent the answer to his prayer, and in his hands and feet deep +marks appeared, as though there had been nails driven through them, and +in his side a wound as if from the cruel thrust of a spear. + +And so Francis learned to suffer as his Master had suffered, and through +all the pain he only gave God thanks that he had been thought worthy to +bear the marks that Jesus bore. + +Francis did not live very long after this for he grew weaker and weaker, +and they carried him back to the old house at Saint Mary of the Angels. +There the Little Poor Brothers gathered round him, and he spoke his last +words to them, bidding them live always as he had taught them to live, +in poverty and lowliness. And when evening came, and the birds he loved +so much were singing their vesper hymns, his voice joined in their +praise until his soul passed away to the Lord whom he had tried to serve +so humbly, and in whose footsteps he had sought to place his own. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In God's Garden, by Amy Steedman + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN GOD'S GARDEN *** + +***** This file should be named 36674.txt or 36674.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/6/7/36674/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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