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he hastened to Acre; pressed on alone to Damietta, regarding no peril or ill-treatment, and even reached the Sultan, proclaimed the Gospel to him, offered to undergo the trial by fire as a proof of its truth, and returned-a remarkable fulfillment of the promise of protection which Christ gave in the sixteenth chapter of Markunharmed, even if without any important result. If the result attained here was failure, it was not so in Europe, where he now organized the Order of the Tertiarians or Penitent Brothers, organizations of laity, who remained with their families in secular employment, but still lived according to spiritual rules, observed strict abstinence from dissipating worldly pleasures, practised themselves in frequent reception of the means of grace of the Church, led quiet and peaceable lives in their private and public associations and rendered reciprocal assistance in cases of necessity. It was directly through these organizations, that the idea of Francis produced its profoundest influence on the people.

But it was time that Francis should return home; for already modifications and variations of his rules had begun to appear in some branches of the Order through the influence of his representatives. Francis restored the old strictness, and after that an attempt was made at transplanting the Order to Germany, he obtained the long expected confirmation of the Order (in the year 1223) from Pope Honorius III, who had been interested in him when a Cardinal. It appeared as though with this the life-work of Francis was completed. In the following year he became very sick at Sienna. We must not, however, omit the wonderful occurrence, which happened to him two years before this. We refer to the vision which was seen by him on Mount Alverno, when the crucified Saviour appeared and imprinted on him the marks of His wounds. We believe that the fact of these marks dare not be doubted, and explain it on the supposition that the plastic power of fancy, in such a disordered body as Francis possessed, had material readily to be acted upon and overcome, whereby, moreover, we do not deny, that in addition to this plastic power of fancy there was also added its decorative power, and also that the poetry of legends surrounded many other incidents of his life, which in the hands of his followers was only too soon converted into mischievous absurdity.

Francis was brought to Assissi. The announcement that death was near at hand, which his physican made him, he received with evident satisfaction. He was carried to the Church of Mary in the Portiuncula to die, where he had been born into the spiritual life. There he caused them to lay him on the bare ground in order to remain firm to the ideal of his life at the last gasp. He departed October 4th, 1224, being forty-five years old.

If we survey the life of this peculiar and distinguished man, his burning heart-love for Christ-his Saviour-stands forth undenia bly as its key-note. It has been appropriately said of him, that he might have exclaimed with still more right than Zinzendorf: I have only one passion, it is He and only He. With the whole glow

of a consuming meditation he embraces his Saviour, whom he seeks to imitate in very reality in his life. There are also poems which are ascribed to him, not all written by him, but mostly by his scholars, such as those glorious singers of the mediaeval songs, Dies irae, Stabat mater, &c., so that we do not certainly err, when we look at the thoughts and spirit of these poems as gushing from the heart of the Master and consider their fire and sweetness, the witching style which flows throughout them, as having originated in that piety that ever excited his own heart. Along with that aspiration, which endeavored to devote and offer itself up to all that was holy, there was united a joyous superabundance, which could not employ itself sufficiently in laud and praise. How in his Sonnengesang he calls upon all creatures, yea even death himself whom he styles brother, that they may all, with him praise and magnify the Supreme, Almighty, good Lord and God? True knowledge with him is to live in prayer, meditation and contemplation, rather than all the learning and wisdom of the world. He lives so entirely in the feeling of the Psalmist's words: Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. It is a spiritual service of love which rests upon him, but which shows itself also in the whole strength of Asceticism, is in self-denial no mere sportive word, poverty and humiliation are daily companions. One can scarcely call all this a sacrifice; for he lived this life with such joy; only such appears to him fit to be styled worthy and blessed. In truth we must say, that all this is more an imitation of the life of Jesus than a following in the sense, in which the Apostle Paul wishes us to be followers in the love of Christ. It is more an attempt at a continuation of the life of Christ in the flesh than a spiritual embodiment of the same in heart and will-than the stamp of the inward image of Christ on the whole substance of the moral life. Nevertheless, we dare not ask for that which was impossible in Francis-the son of his age. The hour had not yet come, when men had ceased to seek the end of piety in its means, when the might of faith, even without sight and external miracle, proves the power of justification in the consecration of the whole life. But notwithstanding all that was emotional and morbid, all that was bizarre and repugnant to us, to be found in the piety of Francis, it was genuine, rich and complete; and on that account, if not alone on account of the consequences which flowed from it in Church History, we have the right to preserve his memory with us, in accordance with the words of the Apostle For all things are yours: whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's, (1 Cor. 3: 21, 22.)

IN THE FACE of the sun you may see God's beauty; in the fire you may feel his heart warming; in the water his gentleness to refresh you; it is the dew of heaven that makes your field give you bread.-Taylor.

A LONG PULL UP FOR A SHORT RIDE DOWN.

BY THE EDITOR.

What man has not once been a boy? We all have been boys, and a happy time it was. At that time we were all fond of every kind of innocent fun that was going on. Our active boy-nature

had to have an outlet; and after such labor as we were able to perform had been attended to, we still had an overplus of energy to devote to amusement. The fact is some fun seemed necessary. Some wise man has said truly, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

In all seasons of the year, and in all places, boys will manage to have their fun. How the boys in large cities make out to secure their portion of it we are puzzled to conceive, but they must have some way to do it, for we are sure that have it they will. How the country boys, and the village boys, manage, we know full well, having graduated in that school.

One of the most common, and at the same time most exciting exercise of boys in winter time, is sled-riding-wherein the boy is himself both rider and pony. Cheerfully is the sled drawn up to the top of the hill for the satisfaction of a slide down to the foot. The boy is never troubled with nice calculation as to whether he is not doing too much for a little! He does not ask whether the thing "pays." That is a kind of study in which men only engage in later life. In his view it "pays" well, though the pull be long and the ride short.

Men, who forget their own boyhood, regard this kind of play as an evidence of want of sharpness in the boys. They would not like to play at such a game, they think. They want the result to be gained to bear a better proportion to the means and labor expended. Yet we have known full grown men, who have earnestly played at a similar game, without seeming to be conscious that, though men, they are actually playing like the boys. Like them they do much for a little, and drag their sleds painfully up for the satisfaction of a short ride down!

We sometimes see a man bent on making, what he calls his fortune. He immerses himself in business and cares to such an extent, that he has no time to cultivate his mind, to enjoy the necessary relief afforded by mingling in social life, or even to attend to his religious duties and privileges. He is bent on obtaining a fortune, that he may enjoy it afterwards; and to accomplish this, he regards no labor too great. About the time he is getting old, and has worked himself into a wreck, materialized his mind and heart, and become as hard and cold as that which he gathers, we may say he has his sled dragged to the top of the hill. If he should

of a consuming meditation he embraces his Saviour, whom he seeks to imitate in very reality in his life. There are also poems which are ascribed to him, not all written by him, but mostly by his scholars, such as those glorious singers of the mediaeval songs, Dies irae, Stabat mater, &c., so that we do not certainly err, when we look at the thoughts and spirit of these poems as gushing from the heart of the Master and consider their fire and sweetness, the witching style which flows throughout them, as having originated in that piety that ever excited his own heart. Along with that aspiration, which endeavored to devote and offer itself up to all that was holy, there was united a joyous superabundance, which could not employ itself sufficiently in laud and praise. How in his Sonnengesang he calls upon all creatures, yea even death himself whom he styles brother, that they may all, with him praise and magnify the Supreme, Almighty, good Lord and God? True knowledge with him is to live in prayer, meditation and contemplation, rather than all the learning and wisdom of the world. He lives so entirely in the feeling of the Psalmist's words: Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. It is a spiritual service of love which rests upon him, but which shows itself also in the whole strength of Asceticism, is in self-denial no mere sportive word, poverty and humiliation are daily companions. One can scarcely call all this a sacrifice; for he lived this life with such joy; only such appears to him fit to be styled worthy and blessed. In truth we must say, that all this is more an imitation of the life of Jesus than a following in the sense, in which the Apostle Paul wishes us to be followers in the love of Christ. It is more an attempt at a continuation of the life of Christ in the flesh than a spiritual embodiment of the same in heart and will-than the stamp of the inward image of Christ on the whole substance of the moral life. Nevertheless, we dare not ask for that which was impossible in Francis-the son of his age. The hour had not yet come, when men had ceased to seek the end of piety in its means, when the might of faith, even without sight and external miracle, proves the power of justification in the consecration of the whole life. But notwithstanding all that was emotional and morbid, all that was bizarre and repugnant to us, to be found in the piety of Francis, it was genuine, rich and complete; and on that account, if not alone on account of the consequences which flowed from it in Church History, we have the right to preserve his memory with us, in accordance with the words of the Apostle: For all things are yours: whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's, (1 Cor. 3: 21, 22.)

IN THE FACE of the sun you may see God's beauty; in the fire you may feel his heart warming; in the water his gentleness to refresh you; it is the dew of heaven that makes your field give you bread.-Taylor.

A LONG PULL UP FOR A SHORT RIDE DOWN.

BY THE EDITOR.

We all have been boys, were all fond of every Our active boy-nature

What man has not once been a boy? and a happy time it was. At that time we kind of innocent fun that was going on. had to have an outlet; and after such labor as we were able to perform had been attended to, we still had an overplus of energy to devote to amusement. The fact is some fun seemed necessary. Some wise man has said truly, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

In all seasons of the year, and in all places, boys will manage to have their fun. How the boys in large cities make out to secure their portion of it we are puzzled to conceive, but they must have some way to do it, for we are sure that have it they will. How the country boys, and the village boys, manage, we know full well, having graduated in that school.

One of the most common, and at the same time most exciting exercise of boys in winter time, is sled-riding-wherein the boy is himself both rider and pony. Cheerfully is the sled drawn up to the top of the hill for the satisfaction of a slide down to the foot. The boy is never troubled with nice calculation as to whether he is not doing too much for a little! He does not ask whether the thing "pays." That is a kind of study in which men only engage in later life. In his view it "pays" well, though the pull be long

and the ride short.

Men, who forget their own boyhood, regard this kind of play as an evidence of want of sharpness in the boys. They would not like to play at such a game, they think. They want the result to be gained to bear a better proportion to the means and labor expended. Yet we have known full grown men, who have earnestly played at a similar game, without seeming to be conscious that, though men, they are actually playing like the boys. Like them they do much for a little, and drag their sleds painfully up for the satisfaction of a short ride down!

We sometimes see a man bent on making, what he calls his fortune. He immerses himself in business and cares to such an extent, that he has no time to cultivate his mind, to enjoy the necessary relief afforded by mingling in social life, or even to attend to his religious duties and privileges. He is bent on obtaining a fortune, that he may enjoy it afterwards; and to accomplish this, he regards no labor too great. About the time he is getting old, and has worked himself into a wreck, materialized his mind and heart, and become as hard and cold as that which he gathers, we may say he has his sled dragged to the top of the hill. If he should

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