"The earnest of eternal joy
In every prayer I trace;
I see the likeness of the Lord
In every patient face.
How oft, in still communion known,
Those spirits have been sent
To share the travail of my soul,
Or show me what it meant."--A. L. Waring
It is amongst the perplexing conditions of our earthly life, that we
cannot first reflect, then act; first form our opinions, then, and not
till then, begin to carry them out into practice. Thought and action
have usually to run beside each other in parallel lines; a terrible
necessity, and never more terrible than during the progress of momentous
inward changes.
A man becomes convinced that the star by which he has hitherto been
steering is not the true pole-star, and that if he perseveres in his
present course his barque will inevitably be lost. At his peril, he
must find out the one unerring guide; yet, while he seeks it, his hand
must not for an instant quit his hold on the helm, for the winds of
circumstance fill his sails, and he cannot choose whether he will go, he
can only choose where. This lies at the root of much of the apparent
inconsistency which has often been made a reproach to reformers.
Though Carlos did not feel this difficulty as keenly as some of his
brethren in the faith, he yet felt it. His uncle was continually
pressing him to take Orders, and to seek for this or that tempting
preferment; whilst every day he had stronger doubts as to the
possibility of his accepting any preferment in the Church, and was even
beginning to entertain scruples about taking Orders at all.
During this period of deliberation and uncertainty, one of his new
friends, Fray Cassiodoro, an eloquent Jeromite friar, who assisted
Losada in his ministrations, said to him, "If you intend embracing a
religious life, Senor Don Carlos, you will find the white tunic and
brown mantle of St. Jerome more to your taste than any other habit."
Carlos pondered the hint; and shortly afterwards announced to his
relatives that he intended to "go into retreat" for a season, at the
Jeromite Convent of San Isodro del Campo, which was about two miles from
Seville.
His uncle approved this resolution; and none the less, because he
thought it was probably intended as a preparation for taking the cowl.
"After all, nephew, it may turn out that you have the longest head
amongst us," he said. "In the race for wealth and honours, no man can
doubt that the Regulars beat the Seculars now-a-days. And there is not
a saint in all the Spains so popular as St. Jerome. You know the
proverb,--
"'He who is a count, and to be a duke aspires.
Let him straight to Guadaloupe, and sing among the friars.'"
Gonsalvo, who was present, here looked up from his book and observed
sharply,--
"No man will ever be a duke who changes his mind three times within
three months."
"But I only changed my mind once," returned Carlos.
"You have never changed it at all, that I wot of," said Don Manuel.
"And I would that thine were turned in the same profitable direction,
son Gonsalvo."
"Oh yes! By all means. Offer the blind and the lame in sacrifice. Put
Heaven off with the wreck of a man that the world will not condescend to
take into her service."
"Hold thy peace, son born to cross me!" said the father, losing his
temper at by no means the worst of the many provocations he had recently
received. "Is it not enough to look at thee lying there a useless log,
and to suffer thy vile temper; but thou must set thyself against me,
when I point out to thee the only path in which a cripple such as thou
could earn green figs to eat with his bread, not to speak of supporting
the rank of Alvarez de Menaya as he ought."
Here Carlos, out of consideration for the feelings of Gonsalvo, left the
room; but the angry altercation between the father and son lasted long
after his departure.
The next day Don Carlos rode out, by a lonely path amidst the gray ruins
of old Italica, to the stately castellated convent of San Isodro.
Amidst all his new interests, the young Castilian noble still remembered
with due enthusiasm how the building had been reared, more than two
hundred years ago, by the devotion of the heroic Alonzo Guzman the Good,
who gave up his own son to death, under the walls of Tarifa, rather than
surrender the city to the Moors.
Before he left Seville, he placed a copy of Fray Constantino's "Sum of
Christian Doctrine" between two volumes of Gonsalvo's favourite "Lope de
Vega." He had previously introduced to the notice of the ladies several
of the Fray's little treatises, which contained a large amount of
Scripture truth, so cautiously expressed as to have not only escaped the
censure, but actually obtained the express approbation of the Holy
Office. He had also induced them occasionally to accompany him to the
preachings at the Cathedral. Further than this he dared not go; nor did
he on other accounts think it advisable, as yet, to permit himself much
communication with Dona Beatriz.
The monks of San Isodro welcomed him with that strong, peculiar love
which springs up between the disciples of the same Lord, more especially
when they are a little flock surrounded by enemies. They knew that he
was already one of the initiated, a regular member of Losada's
congregation. Both this fact, and the warm recommendations of Fray
Cassiodoro, led them to trust him implicitly; and very quickly they made
him a sharer in their secrets, their difficulties, and their
perplexities.
To his astonishment, he found himself in the midst of a community,
Protestant in heart almost to a man, and as far as possible acting out
their convictions; while at the same time they retained (how could they
discard them?) the outward ceremonies of their Church and their Order.
He soon fraternized with a gentle, pious young monk named Fray Fernando,
and asked him to explain this extraordinary state of things.
"I am but just out of my novitiate, having been here little more than a
year," said the young man, who was about his own age; "and already, when
I came, the fathers carefully instructed the novices out of the
Scriptures, exhorting us to lay no stress upon outward ceremonies,
penances, crosses, holy water, and the like. But I have often heard
them speak of the manner in which they were led to adopt these views."
"Who was their teacher? Fray Cassiodoro?"
"Latterly; not at first. It was Dr. Blanco who sowed the first seed of
truth here."
"Whom do you mean? We in the city give the name of Dr. Blanco (the
white doctor), from his silver hairs, to a man of your holy order,
certainly, but one most zealous for the old faith. He is a friend and
confidant of the Inquisitors, if indeed he is not himself a Qualificator
of Heresy:[#] I speak of Dr. Garcias Arias."
[#] One of the learned men who were appointed to assist the Inquisition,
and whose duty it was to decide whether doubtful propositions were, or
were not, heretical.
"The same man. You are astonished, senor; nevertheless it is true. The
elder brethren say that when he came to the convent all were sunk in
ignorance and superstition. The monks cared for nothing but vain
repetitions of unfelt prayers, and showy mummeries of idle ceremonial
But the white doctor told them all these would avail them nothing,
unless their hearts were given to God, and they worshipped him in spirit
and in truth. They listened, were convinced, began to study the Holy
Scriptures as he recommended them, and truly to seek Him who is revealed
therein."
"'Out of the eater came forth meat,'" said Carlos. "I am truly amazed
to hear of such teaching from the lips of Garcias Arias."
"Not more amazed than the brethren were by his after conduct," returned
Fray Fernando. "Just when they had received the truth with joy, and
were beginning heartily to follow it, their teacher suddenly changed his
tone, and addressed himself diligently to the task of building up the
things that he once destroyed. When Lent came round, the burden of his
preaching was nothing but penance and mortification of the flesh. No
less would content him than that the poor brethren should sleep on the
bare ground, or standing; and wear sackcloth and iron girdles. They
could not tell what to make of these bewildering instructions. Some
followed them, others clung to the simpler faith they had learned to
love, many tried to unite both. In fact, the convent was filled with
confusion, and several of the brethren were driven half distracted. But
at last God put it into their hearts to consult Dr. Egidius. Your
Excellency is well acquainted with his history, doubtless!"
"Not so well as I should like to be. Still, for the present, let us
keep to the brethren. Did Dr. Egidius confirm their faith?"
"That he did, senor; and in many ways he led them into a further
acquaintance with the truth."
"And that enigma, Dr. Blanco?"
Fray Fernando shook his head. "Whether his mind was really changed, or
whether he concealed his true opinions through fear, or through love of
the present world, I know not I should not judge him."
"No," said Carlos, softly. "It is not for us, who have never been
tried, to judge those who have failed in the day of trial. But it must
be a terrible thing to fail, Fray Fernando."
"As good Dr. Egidius did himself. Ah, senor, if you had but seen him
when he came forth from his prison! His head was bowed, his hair was
white; they who spoke with him say his heart was well-nigh broken.
Still he was comforted, and thanked God, when he saw the progress the
truth had made during his imprisonment, both in Valladolid and in
Seville, especially amongst the brethren here. His visit was of great
use to us. But the most precious boon we ever received was a supply of
God's Word in our own tongue, which was brought to us some months ago."
Carlos looked at him eagerly. "I think I know whose hand brought it,"
he said.
"You cannot fail to know, senor. You have doubtless heard of Juliano El
Chico?"
The colour rose to the cheek of Carlos as he answered, "I shall thank
God all my life, and beyond it, that I have not heard of him alone, but
met him. He it was who put this book into my hand," and he drew out his
own Testament.
"We also have good cause to thank him. And we mean that others shall
have it through us. For the books he brought we not only use ourselves,
but diligently circulate far and wide, according to our ability."
"It is strange to know so little of a man, and yet to owe him so much.
Can you tell me anything more than the name, Juliano Hernandez, which I
repeat every day when I ask God in my prayers to bless and reward him?"
"I only know he is a poor, unlearned man, a native of Villaverda, in
Campos. He went to Germany, and entered the service of Juan Peres, who,
as you are aware, translated the Testament, and printed it, Juliano
aiding in the work as compositor. He then undertook, of his own free
will, the task of bringing a supply into this country; you well know how
perilous a task, both the sea-ports and the passes of the Pyrenees being
so closely watched by the emissaries of the Holy Office. Juliano chose
the overland journey, since, knowing the mountains well, he thought he
could manage to make his way unchallenged by some of their hazardous,
unfrequented paths. God be thanked, he arrived in safety with his
precious freight early last summer."
"Do you know where he is now?"
"No. Doubtless he is wandering somewhere, perhaps not far distant,
carrying on, in darkness and silence, his noble missionary work."
"What would I give--rather, what would I not give--to see him once more,
to take his hand in mine, and to thank him for what he has done for me!"
"Ah, there is the vesper bell. You know, senor, that Fray Cristobal is
to lecture this evening on the Epistle to the Hebrews. That is why I
love Tuesday best of all days in the week."
Fray Cristobal D'Arellano was a monk of San Isodro, remarkable for his
great learning, which was consecrated to the task of explaining and
spreading the Reformed doctrines. Carlos put himself under the tuition
of this man, to perfect his knowledge of Greek, a language of which he
had learned very little, and that little very imperfectly, at Alcala.
He profited exceedingly by the teaching he received, and partially
repaid the obligation by instructing the novices in Latin, a task which
was very congenial to him, and which he performed with much success.