The terrible Scourge of God was also destroyed. Attila was dead, his children and peoples had rebelled against each other and had fallen in hostile contests, and the places he had governed were waste and desolate. Then the remaining inhabitants of Noricum, who dwelt on the south bank of the Danube from Vienna up the stream even to Inn, collected at Inn to consult how they might support life. Severinus began to set forth most earnestly that their protection did not depend in fortifications or weapons, in walls or embankments; he exhorted them to watchfulness, prayer and mutual assistance in all works of love, and not to drive away from them the Holy Spirit, which was given them to overcome the world. He first preached in a city on the Danube called Asturis; many came to hear him, to some he was consolation, to others reproof, and his fame extended from city to city. He then came to another city on the Danube, called Faviana, in which a severe famine had followed the desolation of war. It was the middle of winter, the stream was covered with a thick coat of ice, the vessels with supplies could not approach the place, and no counsel or assistance could be rendered by any one. He recognized a woman there, of whom he had heard that she in greedy avarice had concealed great stores of provisions in her houses, and cried out to her: What art thou doing, slave of Mammon? What thou dost deny to thy neighbors, that the fishes of the Danube shall devour. Go home and reflect on the words: "Whatever ye do to one of these, the same ye do to me." Soon after the east wind melted the ice, and the vessels with supplies arrived from all sides so that the hungry were satisfied.

The inhabitants of the cities remaining were mostly of Roman descent and employed the language and manners of the Romans. On this account they were also again visited by the war-like German peoples from the north bank of the Danube, who since Attila's death had become free; by the Allemani and Suabians, the Thuringians (whose squadrons of cavalry were a terror far and wide), the Rugae who lived from Lauriacum or Lorch eastwards to the confluence of the March, opposite which Faviana lay. Their armies came across the stream, took the last of the bread from the starving, and carried men, women and children away into slavery to the other shore. But when the leader of the army feared to attack them, Severinus exhorted him to go after them with his small band, for the Lord was mighty with the weak; if he would attack them he should bring the prisoners back to him. The Tribune returned victorious and exhibited his prisoners, but Severinus loosed their chains, refreshed them with food and drink and sent them home with the admonition that they should give up their wild deeds.

Severinus further considered how he might be a permanent assistance to many, and secure to them the Spirit which was a comfort to him. Therefore having resolved to remain at Faviana, he collected a number of disciples and the faithful about him, gave them a system of rules for a community, and established a cloister as an Asylum. He ceased not to admonish them of hu

mility, gentleness and practical charity. Of what advantage, he used to say to them, is the garb of humility and the appearance of piety, if our works testify against us, and we are found unprofitable servants. Let your behavior correspond with your profession, your deeds be as your words.

Out of Faviana he established a solitary cell, whence he could flee from the noise and excitement of the day and alone commune with God. This was rarely allowed him. When he wished to devote himself to a contemplative life, then a voice within warned him that God had sent him to this country, not to suffer him to withdraw from the complaints of the suffering, but that he might give up his peace, divide their trouble with the sorrowing and aid all who needed consolation. Then he would rise from the Holy Scriptures, on whose words he had been meditating, and haste to put his hand anew to the work. He thought least of himself. He only partook of the most common articles of food, and never before sun set; his drink was water; he wore the same garments night and day; even in the middle of winter, when the heavy freight wagons were drawn over the ice on the Danube and every thing was stiffened with cold, he moved about, untiringly, barefooted and always with a happy, joyous countenance. When evening came, he rested on the floor of his bed room or in his cell on a bag. When his friends exhorted him to take care of his own body he answered: I hunger and thirst only with the sick and the miserable, whom I see hungering and thirsting. What ye see me do is not my profit but an example for you.

As he was often in want of means for the support of the poor, he requested his friends to consecrate a tenth part of the income from their labor to this purpose, and from far and near they followed his advice with pleasure. Each one brought, as was most convenient, gold, bread, clothing; and this was sometimes done not without peril to life. In the middle of winter a company journeyed thither from the southern part of what is now Salzburg, with heavy packs on their backs, over the rocky cliffs of Taurus. When they were on the heights, the heavens became cloudy, thick flakes of snow fell and they could recognize neither road nor by-path. Almost in despair as to their lives, they discovered the track of a bear and followed it until happily they, passing over fields of ice and along precipices, reached Severinus at Faviana.

But he divided

what he had obtained, and, wherever he went, he was to all as an angel of comfort and salvation. On this account different cities begged him to remain with them; for if he would only dwell within their walls, they considered themselves safe.

After he had worked for a long time, and happiness seemed to grow from under his hands, his friends more and more urgently asked: Who is this wonderful man, whence comes he who does such deeds? For Severinus talked very little of himself and his early life, and when he did, it was with few words. They noticed that by speech he was a Roman, who had wandered from the distant east and experienced many sufferings. And when one asked

him, he answered: If you consider me a runaway, prepare your money to purchase my freedom, in case I shall be reclaimed. Yet what does my position and family profit a servant of God, if he can avoid empty vain glory by silence? Thence his friends concluded that he must be of high descent; after that no one questioned him further, and they honored that reticence which he preserved even to the last, and he was respected only for his works.

His name was also known to the German tribe on the other side of the Danube. Because he released them when prisoners and with the courage of a Christian, like a bold warrior, opposed them, they repressed their warlike anger before him. When he was once at Passau on the Inn, where he had also established a monastery, he heard that Gibbold, king of the Allemani, who was a terror in the land which he had often laid waste with fire and sword, was again going towards the Veste, because he wished to see with his own eyes a man so much praised. Severinus went to meet him and spoke to him with such power, that the king was speechless and acknowledged to his people, that he had never been so much moved as at this speech. Severinus asked that he would, from that time on, spare the land of the Romans and release his prisoners without ransom. And Gibbold did as he had requested him.

At another time, when he was praying alone, a Rugian youth encountered him, miserably clad in skins, yet of imposing appearance and so tall that the top of his head touched the beams of the cell, who bowed his head low before Severinus. He implored his blessing and then, with his companions, wished to set out for Italy in order to battle in the army of the Emperor. But Severinus recognized in him a man of might, and said: Go hence to Italy. Thou goest hence in rough skins, soon thou wilt be able to give away much better clothing. This man was Odoacer, who was afterwards leader of the Emperor's body-guard in Rome, and commanded them whom he would protect, until he deprived the emperor of the throne and was himself named a king of Italy. Then, in his palace, he thought of the prophecy and wrote a letter to Severinus, and asked what it pleased him that he should do. The latter asked him to grant freedom to a companion who was his prisoner. When many praised Odoacer as a mighty and happy ruler, he said: He is surely an Odoacer (that is a watcher of good) for thirteen or fourteen years. This he said, because he saw that Odoacer would not be able to hold his dominion long. The king indeed had his crown no longer in peace.

Since Severinus had seen many nations and become acquainted with the doings of men, he was able to foresee the probable course of events and to know where to oppose and where to yield up. The German people, however, were continually gaining the superiority and the power of the Romans in Faviana also went down. From the North bank of the Danube the king Flaccitheus had come over with his Rugians and conquered the city by force. The Rugians were Christians after the doctrines of Arius; but Severinus taught the Gospel after the Nicene Creed. Although there was in

every respect disagreement between these two, yet he was such a man of peace and when the king saw his good deeds he was so full of admiration, that he asked his counsel in his operations with reference to other people. For he was so hardly pressed by the neighboring Goths in Upper Pannonia, that he determined to leave the possessions he had won and with his people go to Italy. This, however, the Goths prevented, since they possessed all the mountain passes. Then he lamented this state of affairs to Severinus, who answered: The Goths will not trouble thy affairs long; for they will draw away from thence and thou shalt reign in security and die in peace; therefore in the meanwhile be quiet. After some time the roving tribes of the Goths retreated from the Danube and Flaccitheus secured peace.

His oldest son Fava, who succeeded to his authorty, respected no less the words and counsels of Severinus, after the example of his father. Gisa, Fava's Queen, a proud, high-minded woman, was filled with ungovernable fury, bitter against her own people and still severer against strangers and Romans who were not given, like herself, to Arianism. On those, whom they had captured, she had Baptism performed a second time even if they had been Christians. The attendants and servants were obliged to perform severe socage, and when the king was more kindly disposed, she raged pagsionately. Hence she was called in all lands the wicked Gisa. When Severinus saw this, he rebuked the irrational anabaptist and requested that she should treat her subjects more gently and give liberty to the captives. But Gisa replied in a rage: Do you, Servant of God, just remain in the obscurity of your cell, and let us do with our subjects as it pleases us. Then Severinus said: You will be compelled to do, what you disdain to do willingly. Among the captives were some who were acquainted with the Goldsmith's art and were obliged to work unceasingly on a royal golden ornament. When Frederick, the inquisitive little son of Fava and Gisa, came to them one day, they seized him and placing a sword at his breast, swore that they should kill him unless they were treated more humanely. Then the Queen shrieked out: O Severinus, servant of God, does thy God thus punish the injustice done to thee? Full of anxiety she promised to do according to the wish of the captives, and received her son again in her arms. The captives were set free and she promised henceforth to follow the advice of Severi

nus.

After he had worked more than twenty-five years as a faithful laborer, father and patriarch of the country, he felt that his powers were becoming weaker although his love was growing stronger, and that he would soon enter into rest after his toilsome day of work. He, therefore, proceeded to arrange every thing belonging to him. He requested the King and the Queen to come to his couch, and, extending his hand, said to Gisa: Dost thou love the salvation of this one, thy spouse, more than silver and gold? The Queen answered: More than my life. Then, answered he, keep thyself from unrighteous persecution, and do what is agreeable to God;

for thou must give Him account of thy wealth. Under His grace it has prospered to this time; look to it thyself hereafter, for I go hence. And as Frederick, the younger brother of the king, was wildly disposed, he warned him from laying his hand on the houses and possessions which belonged to the poor and the captives, if he did not wished to be judged therefor. He knew Frederick's wicked habits, but he promised him faithfully to live according to his words. At last he collected together all his friends and scholars around him and reminded them of every thing he had taught them, and begged that they should not be weary in the good fight. Then he said: "As the children of Israel were led out of the bondage of Egypt, so ye shall be freed from the unrighteous dominion of the barbarians; for the time will come, when ye shall be conducted with all yours into a Roman country, and then ye shall be free. Then think of me, as the children of Israel did of the patriarch Joseph, and also take my bones with you into the promised land; for the last desolation shall soon break in over this people and even the dead will not be spared in their graves." He commended his people to the mercy of God, and, three days after, fell asleep on the eighth of January, 482.

But scarcely had they buried him, with many tears, when it became manifest what a shield of protection he had been to the land; for what he had forseen took place, and every thing fell to pieces like a building, whose strongest pillar has been removed. The King's brother, with greedy hand, despoiled the Cloister of Severinus at Faviana, so that nothing was left but the bare walls. Thereupon he was slain by his nephew, the young Frederick. Another punishment visited the land from afar. Odoacer, the King of Italy, who feared the Rugians might enter into a league with his enemies, the Goths, sent his hosts against them and Fava being overcome was carried with his people in 487 into Italy. Then he ordered that all the Romans in the cities on the Danube should move with their wives and children into Italy, so that they could'not be a prey for the Goths and other nations who came from the East. But the disciples of Severinus recollected what he had commanded them to do when they went from the land of Egypt; they opened his grave and carried his bones to their new home. Here they were placed in the castle of Lucullus at Naples, and a Cloister was erected to his memory, bearing the name of the sainted Severinus.

THE BIBLE.-The Bible is a mine of wealth, and has a world of things within it. The Bible proclaimers of the Gospel form a noble orchestra. Each has a part adapted to his peculiar instrument, and they altogether form a blessed harmony, and leave for us that magnificent oratorio, in which the grand notes for the Messiah become louder and richer, because associated with the notes which celebrate ten thousand things in which his heart is interested.— Rev. John Pike.