No More Learning

? so that those people, deprived of a shepherd, should have one to guide them to the Lord's pastures. Winfrid could not resist this call, imposed on him, through rever- ence and obedience towards the Sovereign Pontiff. Wherefore, the day before the Kalends of December was set apart for his consecration. This was on the Feast of St. Andrew,? 8 and, at the same time, the Pope imposed on him that name Boniface, by which he afterwards became so distinguished. ? °
The for this elevation is a. d. 80 when he received the mitre. year assigned 723,
At the same time, the Pope encouraged him to attempt the Christian conquest of that great German nation, then so immersed in idolatries, and torememberthe example of David going forth bravely to contend with the Philistine giant Go- liath. Even,ifnecessary,heshouldbravepersecutionandmartyrdom. Then, the Pope bestovvingthe kiss of peace and his benediction, they parted, and Boni-
81
Filled as he was with reverence for St. Peter and his successors, this devoted pilgrim promised from the very beginning to conform faithfully to all the decrees of the See of Rome. He
even bound himself oath,82 in the by
face was ready to resume his missionary toils.
presence
placed the document on which it was written before the sacred remains of St.
Peter. 8-* This solemn promise he most rigorously performed. 85 Having undertaken the conversion of Thuringia, Hesse,86 and other like heathen
countries, St. Bonifaceapplied. to the Pope for his commission, and he was con- secrated a Bishop, exempt from the jurisdiction of other Bishops, but without any determinate See. 8 ? He became, ever afterwards, a zealous upholder of the Apostolic Chair. 83 To him was also given a small book, in which were written Pontifical constitutions and laws 8q while, on these were to be per-
;
manently founded the institutes and discipline of his new mission. With
them agreed, likewise, those charters of the glorious King Charles, who was so anxious to assist the holy man in his noble enterprise. 90 With very affec-
tionatecommendatory letters,^ the holy man undertook a longjourney to Charles
482.
8? The Bollandists explain, that he was
who received him most
the clergy and people of Germany, St. Boniface was sent with high en-
Martel,
Maire of the
palace,
graciously ;
" Histoire Ecclesi- astique," tome ix. , liv. xli. , sect, xxxvii. ,
p. 185.
? 8 The 30th of November.
" Othlo adds, that before this time, he had
been called Winfrid. 80 See Michaud, "
" See l'Abbe
Fleury's
p.
Universelle Ancienne et Moderne," &c, tome v. , Art.
tome i. , liv. ii. ,
** The substance of these may be found, in
Mabillon's "Annales Oidinis S. Benedicti," tonuis ii,, lib. xx. , sect, lvi. , pp. 68, 69.
9° See among the Epistles of St. Boniface, Epist. xxxii. , in the edition of Serarius, and col. 1446, in Labbe's "Concilia. " Baronius refers it to —A. D. 724. —
of St. Boniface.
Biographie
chap,
ii. ,
pp. 294
to
296.
Boniface (saint), p. 5.
81
See the Second Life of St. Boniface, cap. i. , sect. 10.
TM This dates, from the seventh year of the
Emperor Leon, and in the sixth Indiction,
correspondingwith A. n. 723.
83 The text of this is given, in Othlo's Life
number are inserted iu 84 This shows, that he was consecrated in Baronius, tomus ix. , sect. vi. to xv. , pp.
the old Vatican Church, where the remains
" Novorum Conciliorum," with the notes present,theyarepreservedinamagnificent ofSirmond,BiniusandLabbe. T—heirdate subterranean chapel, under the great dome is on the Kalends of December the day
of SS. Peter and Paul and where, at repose,
vi. ,
immediately following his consecration.
»" See the Third Life of St. Boniface, sect,
4, p. 482.
*3 Who ruled over the Germans, east of
the Rhine river, where his kingdom ex- tended.
of St. Peter's.
*s See Leopold Range's " Ecclesiastical
and Political History of the Popes of Rome," translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 16.
86
See "Vita III. S. Bonefacii," sect. 3,
of 33 and he Pope Gregory,
constituted a Bishop Apostolic, and in this
sense, he is styled an Archbishop, in Letters
Apostolic. See n. (c),p. 483, ibid.
88 " See Michelet's
Histoire de France,"
9I These
the "Annales Ecclesiastics," of Cardinal
six in
27 to 30, at A. D. 723; as also, in the tomus
QJ to while,
June 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 157
comiums of the Pope, to resume his missionary work. One of these letters is addressed to Charles Martel ;°3 another to all Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Dukes, Counts, and to all Christians f> a third is addressed to the clergy and people, over whom Boniface was to be placed p5 a fourth is written to
theChristian
of 6 afifthisaddressedtoallthe Thuringia ;9
pagan peo-
people Thuringia ;°?
the sixth was directed to all the ancient Saxon 08 people.
of
We may well suppose, that the saint drafted those letters himself, as best knowing the habits of the people to whom he had been sent, and as best judg- ing the effects they might be calculated to produced
Fame had now spread abroad the great missionary successes of Boni- face; but, while his admirers were very numerous, he had enemies in the fold, who were willing to criticise and to traduce his actions. 100 Rather prejudiced against him, from what had been reported, Charles Martel yet desired to see the Apostolic man. Soon the king became con- vinced, regarding the purity of his motives and virtues ; while, he was firmly persuaded, that the efforts of Boniface and of his disciples were only exercised in the interests of true civilization, and to procure the reign of grace in the hearts of men. On his return from Rome, Boniface laboured to perfect that work, which had been begun in Hesse, having first obtained the sanction and protection of Charles Martel. To this period may be referred, that admirable letter of Daniel, Bishop of Winchester, to our saint, in which suggestions are offered to combat the errors of the pagans indirectly, and with- out violently wounding their susceptibilities. Referring to their gods and goddesses, he recommends the holy missionary to accept their own state- ments, regarding the birth and descent of those false divinities, so as to show, how they could not as generated beings create a world, which admittedly existed before their time, and those laws of nature, which they were manifestly powerless to control. By using these and like arguments, it was to be hoped, they might be ashamed of their absurd notions. Another objection could be urged, that if the pagan deities had any power or influence in governing not alone the earth and visible skies about it, but all space, how came it to pass,
that they were not able to gain special advantages for their followers, and to punishtheChristianswhodespisedthem. Yet,byinstitutingacomparison in matters temporal, the Christian portion of the world was grand and civi- lized, while the Gentile portion of the human race was driven to cold and in-
hospitable regions. Many similar trains of reflection, ably conceived and clearly expressed, with many valuable hints adroitly introduced, give us a very exalted idea of the wisdom and learning of Bishop Daniel. Other letters
94 They are exhorted in it, to receive baptized, to build houses and churches for
ple
favourably St. Boniface and his com- panions ; to give food and all necessary sue- cour to them; while anathema is pronounced against all, who should oppose his minis- try.
95 In it are laid down rules to be observed in his functions, which word for word agree with those addressed to "the people of Bava- ria in 716.
90
Particularly is it addressed to their five princes, who arethere named. The Pope con- gratulates them, that they had resisted the pagans, who desired to draw them into idolatry ; he also exhorts them to persever- ance, to attach themselves to the Holy See, and to obey Boniface.
97 Thesehe
tions of Boniface, to become converts, to be
themselves and for their missionaries,
9S As distinguished on the Continent, fromthosewhowereinGreatBritain. The Pope exhorts them to abandon idolatry, and
to receive Boniface as their apostle.
exhorts,
Taciti Opera,
Situ, Moribus,
Populis
to
receive the instruc-
"De
Germanise," cap. x. , pp. 418, 419.
et
" Histoire Eccle- siastique," tome ix. , liv. xli. , sect, xxxvii. ,
pp. 186, 187.
I0° See Mabillon's "Annates Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xx. , sect, lxii. ,
pp. 196 to 198.
io2 These practices seem to have been in-
herited from their ancestors. See Carson's
" See l'Abbe
Fleury's
p. 71.
I0t See l'Abbe
" Histoire Eccle- siastique," tome ix. , liv. xli. , sect, xlv. , xlvi. ,
Fleury's
158 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5. of a very interesting character were received, also, from the friends of Boniface
101
in England.
TheApostleofGermanyfoundverymany,thatstill remainedobstinate
in their infidelity, addicted to the worship of woods and fountains 102 as
; also,
numbers that had cast off the Faith, to which they had been so lately con- verted. Others defiled it, with a mixture of their old heathenish sacrifices
and superstitions, following auguries and divinations, while they had various rites of an impious character, derived from the practices of their forefathers. He also brought over such as already believed, but who led lives not very agreeble to the Gospel precepts ; while he took care, by the imposition of
toconfirm hands, many
witht—heseven-fold
10^ Ther—e
ofthe wasatreeofenormousgrowth calledbythepeopletheTreeofJupiter
ata called place
Fritzlar,
103 See l'Abbe
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xli. , sect, xliv. , pp. 195, 196.
Forest. " This was executed the
Fleury's
painting artist at the age of nineteen.
by
Thunder Oak of Geismar. See Rev. John Alzog's "Manual of Universal Church His-
lies. —
Chapter hi. — territory
—
of
tory," vol. ii. , Period 2, Epoch chap, i. , sect. 159, p. 85.
i. ,
Part
i. ,
more extensive
formerly Landgraviate
" Lives of the Saints," vol. vi. , June 5, p. 45.
,05 See Rev. S.
Baring-Gould's
north, west, Franconia on the south. The chief city was
chased, for the sum of one thousand thalers,
296. 297.
3 St. Gregory of Tours states, that Chris-
tian laws had been framed for Thuringia. See
"
the Sacred Oak of Thor in the Thuringian
Alfred Rethel's picture of
Bonilace Felling
gifts
I0snear 100orGeismar. Tothis of Gicesmere, giant
the forest, the people paid a superstitious worship. This tree the saint undertook to fell with the axe, while those who worshipped the true God were
presenttoencourageandaidhisefforts. Thereupon,amultitudeofthepagans
assembled together, and determined to oppose his enterprise ; for, they deemed it nothing less than a sacrilege, to destroy that tree. They even in- tended to kill him, as an enemy of their gods. 107 By Divine power, how- ever, that tree, which he had intended to cut down, was suddenly agitated by the winds and split into four equal parts, to the great astonishment of the
pagans
and the Christians who were
present.
108 their Wherefore, renouncing
false gods, the unbelievers embraced the Faith of Christ. Then, with the
advice of his monks, their zealous superior constructed from the fallen wood
an 100 which he dedicated to St. Peter the
oratory, Apostle.
CHAPTER III.
ST. BONIFACE COMMENCES HIS MISSION IN THURINGIA—STATE OF THAT PROVINCE— HIS SUCCESS—FOUNDATION OF ORDORF—HIS LETTERS—POPE GREGORY III. WRITES TO APPROVE HIS LABOURS, AND CREATES HIM ARCHBISHOP—BONIFACE ERECTS SEVERAL SEES AND RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS—HE RESOLVES ON VISITING ROME, WHERE HE IS FAVO—URABLY RECEIVED BY THE POPE—HIS MISSION IN BOHEMIA AND BAVARIA WARS OF CHARLES MARTEL—POPE ZACHARY ENCOURAGES BONIFACE TO CONVENE A SYNOD—DECREES PASSED IN THE GERMAN AND FRENCH COUNCILS.
into 1 which had been subdued Thuringia,
From St. Boniface Hesse,
passed
by Theodoric,2 son to Clovis I.
However, the authority of the French kings
" Histoire Eccle-
I09 It
104 By some writers, it is called the Tree and fine church ; but, since the Reformation,
of Thor the Thunderer ; by others, the it has passed out of the possession of Catho-
by
Othlo. We Erfurth. a
106 It is written Gesmere,
are told by Serarius, that Geismaria is a SeeAndreadu Chesne's "Historic Fran-
village in Lower Hesse.
107 See Bishop Challenor's Britannia Origine," etc. , tomus i. Gregorii Episcopi
Sancta," part i. , p. 341. Turonensis Historian Francorum, lib. iii. , 108 In 1870, the Museum of Cologne, pur- cap. iv. , pp. 294, 295, and cap. \ ii. , pp.
"
corum Scriptores Corctanei ab ipsius Gentis
grew,
in course of
time,
to be a
large
Holy Spirit.
This
is now a
Saxony, having Misnia on the east, Bruns- wick on the Hesse on the and
Ia
*
June 5. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 159
began to decline there,3 especially when subordinate chiefs created broils, dissensions, and disorders, which induced the Saxons to invade' the country, and to establish a domination over its people. There, Theobald and Heden had exercised tyrannical rule, and had brought that state to the verge of ruin. Upon the death of some of their Princes, Christianity, that had been so lately established, by St. Kilian,* met with a great shock, from inroads of their new masters, the Saxons. Religion had almost perished there, and it required new efforts to raise it from ruin. ' Certain abandoned men, named Torchtwine, Berchthere, Fanbercht and Hunred,6 who are called fornicators and adulterers, had introduced heretical errors under the guise of religion, and these depravities had seduced many people. But, the saint, by his labours and preaching, brought many back again to the way of truth. From the communion of the Church, he expelled those false Christians, whose seduction and wickness for a time had much obstructed his pious endeavours. Then, piety began to revive, and the harvest became ripe for the reapers. Soon
their number began to increase, while preachers from France and Ireland, as also from England,7 were found. Monasteries were established, also, to receive
congregations of monks.
In the meantime, the fame of his labours spread all over Europe,
and especially in Britain, while the character of Boniface had been well
established, so that many desired to aid him. Thence he received divers
excellent men, eminent for their abilities and learning, as for their zeal and
holiness. The similarity of language eminently qualified the Anglo-Saxon
missionaries to labour among the Teutonic races. 8 Those preachers intended
to subject themselves to his rule, so that they might eradicate errors *of
paganismfromamongtheGermans. Therewerelectorsandscribesinthiscom-
munity of missioners. y Among them are specially mentioned Denevaldus, Bur-
chard, Wigbert, Gregory, Sturim, Lul, Memgoz, Willibald, and his brother
10
Winibald.
advanced the kingdom of Christ, especially among the hamlets and villages
there were to serve many holy virgins
of Hesse and 11 Thuringia.
Jointly with him, and under his direction, these^gloriously
Besides,
the cause of charity and education, among those of their own sex. 12 Among
them are distinguished Chunihilda, and her daughter Berathgit, Chunidrut, Tecla, Lioba, and Waltpurgis, who was sister to Willibald and Winibald. Especially Chunihilde and her daughter Berathgide, well instructed in the liberal sciences, were appointed as religious superioresses in Thuringia; Chunitrude was sent to Bavaria, as her sphere of action ; Tecla was stationed in Franconia; while Lioba, a relation of St. Boniface, presided over a communityofnunsatBischofesheim. Allofthesedidnotjointhegreat Apostle ot Germany, at one and the same time, or place ; but, as the occasion required, they were ready to second his various enterprises. ^
ibid. , "HistoiiseFrancorum/'lib. iv. , cap. x. , xi. , p. 310.
* His feast is held, on the 8th of July.
5 See Jules Zeller's " Histoire d'Alle-
magne,"tome i. , liv. iii. , chap, vii. , sect, iii. ,
Christianity," vol. ii. , book iv. , chap, v. , p. 58.
9 See Mabillon's "Annates Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xx. , sect, lxiii. ,
p. 72.
I0
See the Third Life of St. Boniface, sect. 4.
" See " Histoire Literaire de la France,"
tome iv. , pp. 93. 94.
"See Jules Zeller's "Histoire d'Alle-
magne," tome i. , liv. iii. , chap, vii. , sect, iii. ,
p. 398.
'3 See Mabillon's "Annates Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xx. , sect, lxiii. , p. 72.
P- 394- 6
.
Their names have been differentlyspelled, by various writers.
"
7 The Third Life of St. Boniface states,
Alios etenim ex gente sua, alios ex parte Francise, nonnullos etiam de finibus Hiber- niae, quatenus ade>sent sibi cooperatores in
Domini," &c—"Vita III. S. Bone- facii,' sect. 4, p. 482.
yineam
See Dean Milman's "
History
of Latin
160 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 5.
On a certain occasion, a. d. 7 24,*+ the holy man journeyed eastward, from the city of Mayence, preaching and baptizing as he went towards Thuringia. Find- ing an agreeable spot for encampment, on a plain and beside a river, he re- mained there for a night, during which the Archangel Michael appeared to him, inavision. Celestiallightalsosurroundedthetent. Whenmorningcame,and when the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass had been over, he ordered a table to be
brought and food to be placed upon it. 's
none was to be found. Boniface
tude for forty years in the desert with manna from Heaven, vouchsafe to me the least of his servants food for one day. " Wherefore, the table was set, and he recited the usual Psalm before meals. Immediately afterwards, a large bird flew over the spot, and dropped a trout, sufficient for that day's refec- tion, near the table. This was taken up and broiled for his repast, Boniface re- turning thanks to the Almighty for such a favour. He there erected the church and monastery of Ordorp or Ordorfe. 16
But, his attendant declared that
Over these establishments St.
monastery,
gregation of religious brethren, who, after the manner of the Apostles, gained
their livelihood, by their labours. A certain man, named Albotus, with others, added to the endowment, by granting lands for its maintenance.
That very same year, Boniface wrote to Daniel, Bishop of Winchester, com- plaining about the conduct of many among the clergy, and asking advice as to the course he ought adopt, in reference to them. He also asks for a Codex, containing six books of the Prophets, which his master, the Abbot Winbert, had written with his own hand, in clear, separate, and large letters, not small and abbreviated, such as were to be found in Germany; because, as his eyes began to grow dim, he could not see minute and conjoined characters. He sends, also, through the priest Forthere, some gifts, such as a chasuble, partly of silk and partly of goat's hair, with a rug made of course long hair, for the bishop's feet. The answer of Daniel to this communication is preserved. In it, he consoles Boniface, by recommending patience and the examples of the saints, while he exhorts to be conciliatory among a rude people, as also to act with firmness and vigour against the immoral clergy. This letter is addressed to him as archbishop, but not as then ruling over any fixed See. 20
Some short time afterwards, a pious cleric, named Adelhere, who had been theconfidantandservantofBoniface,tookill. Withtheadviceofhisbishop,
Adelhere bequeathed his patrimony to the church of St. Martin, at Mayence. After his death, however, two brothers, named Asperth and Truthmundt, seized on his property; and, when cited by the Bishop to show a reason for so doing, these declared themselves ready to prove on oath, that the property belonged to them. They went for that evil purpose to the altar. The Bishop threatened them with the consequences of their perjury. He declared, that a bear should kill the elder brother, and that the younger should have neither
son nor daughter to inherit his possessions. The younger brother Truthmundt, when he found that his elder brother came to a violent end, feared some
"
the
Hugo Senior,
to whom it
x ? 10 In that
Wig- a con-
bert l8 was
belonged. appointed superior.
Boniface
placed
14 This is the date usually assigned for the 1? See Mabillon's
Annales Ordinis S.
replied :
" Will not who fed the multi- he,
foundation of Ordorf church and monastery. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xx. , sect, lxii. , "
See l'Abbe Fleury's Histoire Ecclesiasti- p. 71.
que," tome ix. , liv. xli. , sect, xlvi. , p.
199.
*f Such is the account as given in Othlo's
Vita S. Bonifacii, lib. ii. , cap. 23.
16 It is a village, at the River Or, from
which increased by other streams, the J era flows by the city of Erfurt.
lS
His feast occurs, on the 13th of
The place was granted to him by
August.
*» This is indicated, by Lupus Servatus, in
Vita S. Wigberti.
a0 See Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xx. , sect, lxiv. , p. 72.
June 5. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 161
judgmentonhimself. Then,hevoluntarilysurrenderedthatpatrimonytothe church of St. Martin. 21 On the 4th of December, in the year 724,2= after Pope Gregory had received assurance of the success, which attended the labours of St. Boniface, he wrote a congratulatory Epistle, recommending courageandperseveranceinhisgoodwork. ABishophadcomplained,that Boniface encroached on his jurisdiction, in Thuringia ; but, as that man had not preached the Gospel to the people there living, Gregory states, that he had written to the excellent Prince Charles, to restrain his pretensions, and that he had no doubt, but such recommendation must be effective. About the
year 725, Boniface consulted Pethelmus, Bishop of Candida Casa, regarding the case of a widow contracting marriage with a godson, the Frankish and
Roman Priests it to be holding
ing some questions of discipline. This letter was sent through the Priest Denval. Inreply,theSovereignPontiffdecreescertainmatterstobeobserved, and these are reduced, under twelve different heads. 2"* Among the Epistles of Boniface is one 2 5 toCoengislus, written a. d. 728, in which thanks are given for his prayerful commemorations, and in which he alludes with praise to the missionary career of Wiethbert, among the Hessians an—d Saxons. —
illegal.
come down to us. Boniface desired to consult Pope Gregory, in 726, regard-
6
Pope Gregory II. having died, a. d. 731, Gregory III. styled the junior* was chosen in his place. During thirteen years, St. Boniface had laboured strenuously,intheconversionoftheHessiansandThuringians. Henowdesired to tender his obedience anew to the visible Head of the Church, and besides he had some difficulties, which required an authoritative solution. Being fully informed, through messengers from Boniface, regarding the Gospel progress in Germany, and that the Apostle desired for himself and for his fellow-labourers patronage from the newly-chosen Sovereign Pontiff, with his blessing on their works ; Boniface also professed his entire devotedness and subjection to the Apostolic See, with his intention of being bound to it, in the firmest
links of amity and unity.
Soon he received a response, which assured him
and reward for his efforts. —to the labours Owing
Pontiff made him
of the Pontifical
approval
but without a See 2 ? over that country in 732, and conferred on him the Pallium. Gregory also sent different relics of the saints, when the messengers returned to the country whence they came. Our saint received powers, likewise, to erect Sees throughout Germany,28 and to place over them bishops, in those places, which he deemed to be most suitable. 29 Alluding to the numberless conver- sions effected through the instrumentality of our saint, the Pope encouraged him to establish bishops in those places, where the faithful were numerous, always following the canonical prescriptions, and having two or three bishops present at their consecration. He warned the holy man, likewise, never to lower the episcopal order, by too large an exercise of these powers. Further-
ofSt. —
Boniface, Sovereign
Leon's and in the reign,
2? See " A of Christian Dictionary
the
Archbishop
21 See Supplement to the Life of St. 731 to 741. See Berti's " Ecclesiasticse
Boniface, by Willibald, chap, ii. , num. 7.