ST. ANDREW'S LITERARY INSTITUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 10

ST. ANDREW'S LITERARY INSTITUTE.

I Mr A. Wilson, M.A., lectured on "Sfc'j Francis d'Assisi," in the St. Andrew's Church Hall, on Monday, 31st ult., under the auspices of the St. Andrew's Literary Institute. The Rev. Dr Waddell presided, and the attend- ' ance was large. Tli© lecture dealt with the life of the saint in so far as this was necessary to illustrate his" character and the charaoter of the time in which he lived — the end of the twelfth and beginning of the thirteenth centuries. An outline was given of the state of the Western w Church of that time, and a sketch of the life and policy of Pope 1 ' Innocent 111, described as ' pure, virtuous, and wise— the most splendid Pope, perhaps, who lias ever held the Papal See, if we except Gregory the Great. At the age of 20, Francis took the vow of poverty, and thenceforth devoted himself to ministering to the poor, the diseased, and the criminal, striving to follow as closely and literally as possible the example of Christ. One of the most conspicuous virtues of St. Francis was obedience. Though his life was a standing reproach to the clergy of the time, he was never rebellious, but always submitted himself meekly to superior authority. Fortunately Innocent had the wisdom to perceive that St. Francis might become a means of reforming the church, and lie gave him a free hand, how wisely subsequent events showed. St. Francis was not long in making his influence felt. Presently there gathered round him a band of devoted companions, and this ' was the beginning of his great Salvation Army — the Franciscan Order, which, in course of time, departed considerably from the simple, yet lofty, ideal of its founder, but has yet been amongst the most beneficent of the great Catholic orders. Indirectly, St. Francis has had almost as potent an influence on the art of Italy as he has had directly on its religion. In the course of his lecture, Mr Wilson gave a description of Assist and its environment, more particularly of the Upper and Lower Franciscan Churches, built a few years after the saint's death, and adorned with .the famous Giotto Frescoes, representing scenes from the life of St. Francis. Mr Wilson also spoke of his visit to the remote and lonely Franciscan Monastery of Alveniia, where he spent a day and a night, receiving the kindest hospitality from the .Franciscan prior and brothers. At the conclusion of the lecture, which was listened to with the closest attention, a very cordial vote of thanks was passed, on the motion of the Chairman. Dr Waddell also took the opportunity to announce chat the next lecture would be the first of a series of four lectures on George Eliot's " The Mill on - the iloaa," which, he would deliver himaelL