Immediately and joyfully Egidio pulled off his rich mantle and handed it to the beggar, whereat Francis rejoiced much in secret.

It was a united household that a.s.sembled under the rude roof of the mud hut by the Riva Torto. Four young men bound together in love, and resolved to serve G.o.d absolutely in whatever way He should show them, we shall see, ere long, how G.o.d used these human instruments which were so unreservedly placed at His disposal. They were very happy for a few days, and gave themselves up almost entirely to prayer; then Francis led them into the seclusion of the woods and explained to them how the Divine will had manifested itself to his soul.

"We must," he said, "clearly understand our vocation. It is not for our personal salvation only, but for the salvation of a great many others that G.o.d has mercifully called us. He wishes us to go through the world, and by example even more than by words, exhort men to repentance, and the keeping of the commandments." Bernardo, Pietro and Egidio declared that they were willing for anything, and so the four separated, two by two, for a preaching tour. Of Bernardo and Pietro history is silent, but nothing could have been more simple than the Apostolic wanderings of Francis and Egidio in the Marches of Ancona.

Along the roads they went wherever the Spirit of G.o.d led them singing songs of G.o.d and Heaven. Their songs together with their happy countenances and strange costume, naturally attracted the people, and when a number would collect to stare at them, Francis would address them, and Egidio, with charming simplicity accentuated all he said with--

[Sidenote: _A Sermonette._]

"You must believe what my brother Francis tells you, the advice he gives you is very good." But don't for a moment imagine that Francis was capable of giving an address. Far from it; he was, truth to say, very little in advance of Egidio, the burden of his cry being--

"Love G.o.d, fear Him, repent and you shall be forgiven;" then when Egidio had chorused,

"Do as my brother Francis tells you, the advice he gives you is very good," the two missionaries pa.s.sed singing on their way!

But the impression produced was far beyond their simple words. The religious history of the times tells us that the love of G.o.d was almost dead in men's hearts, that the world had forgotten the meaning of the word repentance, and was entirely given up to l.u.s.t and vice and pleasure. People asked each other what could be the object these men had in view. Why did they go about roughly-clad, bare-foot, and eating so little. "They are madmen" some said. Others "Madmen could not talk so wisely." Others again, more thoughtful, said, "They seem to care so little for life, they are desperate, and must be either mad, or else they are aspiring to very great perfection!"

When the four had been through almost all the Province they returned to Riva Torto, where they found three new candidates clamoring for admission. Others followed, and when the numbers had increased to about eight, Francis led them to a spot where four roads met, and sent them out two and two to the four points of the compa.s.s to preach the Gospel. Everywhere they went they were to urge men to repentance, and point them to a Saviour who could forgive sins. They were to accept no food they had not either worked for, or received as alms for the love of Christ.

CHAPTER VI.

FRANCIS' EARLY DISCIPLES.

'Then forth they went....

Content for evermore to follow him. In weariness, In painfulness, in perils by the way, Through awful vigils in the wilderness, Through storms of trouble, hatred and reproach.'

Bernardo di Quintavelle is perhaps the most important of these first followers, inasmuch as he ultimately took his place as Leader of the Order of Friars minor, which was the name the Franciscans first gave themselves. We have already told how Bernardo came to join Francis, and take upon himself the same vows. From that day his faith and trust in G.o.d and His call to him never wavered. That was the secret of his tremendous strength of soul. The strength of a man who is sure of his call and its divinity is as the strength of ten.

It was Bernardo whom Francis deputed in the early days of the work to go to Bologna, and labor there. Bologna was the centre of the universe, as far as learning and culture went, to the Italians of that day. As soon as Bernardo and his followers showed themselves in the town, the children, seeing them dressed so plainly and poorly, laughed and scoffed, and threw dirt and stones at them. They accepted these trials manfully, and made their way to the market-place. The children, who followed them here continued to pelt them with stones and dust, and pulled them round by the hoods of their garments. Day after day, and day after day, Bernardo and his little handful returned, though they could never get anybody to give them a civil hearing. Poor fellows, during those first few days, they all but starved.

[Sidenote: _A Great Saint!_]

There was a doctor of the law, who used to pa.s.s round by the market-place every day, and seeing Bernardo patiently put up with such insult and contempt, wondered much to himself. At last he arrived at a conclusion.

"This man must be a great saint."

Going up to him, he said--

"Who art thou, and whence dost thou come?"

Bernardo put his hand into his bosom, and gave him what was then the rules of the Order. This was in other words the Divine commission that Francis had received through the Gospel for that February day, "Go ye forth and preach the gospel, &c."

The doctor read it all through and then, turning to some of his friends who were standing by, said--

"Truly, here is the most perfect state of religion I have ever heard of; this man and his companions are the holiest men I have ever met with in this world! Guilty indeed are those who insult him! We ought, on the contrary, to honor him as a true friend of G.o.d!"

Then addressing Bernardo, he said--

"If it is thy wish to found a convent in this town, in which thou mayst serve G.o.d, I will most willingly help thee."

Bernardo thanked him, and said--

"I believe it is our Saviour Jesus Christ who hast I inspired thee with this good intention, I most willingly accept the offer, to the honor of Christ."

Then the doctor took them home with him and entertained them, and presented them with a convenient building, which he furnished at his own expense.

In a short time, Bernardo was much sought after, on account of the holiness, together with the brilliancy of his sermons. The whole town was at his feet, people came from far and near to hear him, and thousands were converted.

When things were at a height, Bernardo turned up unexpectedly one day in a.s.sisi, and presented himself before the astonished gaze of Francis.

"The convent is founded at Bologna," he said, "send other brothers there to keep it up, I can no longer be of any use; indeed, I fear me that the too great honors I receive might make me lose more than I could gain."

Francis, who had heard a great deal of the honor and praise that had been lavished upon Bernardo, thanked G.o.d that He had revealed to him the danger his soul was in, and sent someone else to Bologna.

[Sidenote: _Elias._]

In striking contrast to Bernardo was Elias. Elias was quite as clever and brilliant a man as Bernardo, but he never seems to have become really sanctified. His pride was a constant stumbling-block, and was for ever appearing in some new shape or other. Sometimes it would be in an over-weening desire to rule, and then his rule would go far and beyond that of Francis', in fastings, and similar austerities. Again, we have a picture of him arraying himself in a garment of soft cloth, which could only be said to be "modelled" after that worn by his brethren. Finally, he lapsed altogether, declared that his health was too delicate to stand coa.r.s.e food and plain living, and left the Order. For some time he was an open backslider, but it is currently supposed he was converted before he died. The story of his life is a sad one. Looking back over these lapse of years, one can easily see what he might have been, and how painfully he fell short. The grace of humility never adorned his character for long. He could not see that in G.o.d's sight he was less than least, for him it was impossible--

"To lay his intellectual treasure, At the low footstool of the Crucified."

Egidio always remained faithful to his first trust. He also never wavered, never looked back. In the different glimpses we get of his life, we see very clearly the mode of living prescribed by Francis.

His intention was never that his disciples were to live on charity, but that they should work for their bread, money being totally forbidden. Work brought them down to the level of the common people, and on the same plane they could more easily reach their hearts and consciences.

[Sidenote: _A Question._]

Egidio, refined and educated though he undoubtedly was, seems to have been able to put his hand to anything. When on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he was detained at Brindisi, he borrowed a water jug, and, filling it, went round the town selling water, and crying "Fresh water! Fresh water!" like any of the ordinary water-carriers. On his way back he procured willows, and made baskets, which he sold to supply himself with food. He was always very particular not to take more than he considered was fair for his work.

Obedience was another of Egidio's strong points. He believed in his call, he believed in Francis, he never questioned an order, even when it was manifestly not altogether a wise instruction he received, he still considered that "obedience was better than sacrifice."

Ma.s.seo appears to have had very little idea what kind of a life he was entering upon, when he first joined the band. He was not a spiritual man by nature, but by degrees he learned to look at the inside of things instead of the outside, and to know a little of the mind of G.o.d. Ma.s.seo was big and handsome, with a decided gift of speech. We are told that because of his physical attractions the people always gave to him the nicest and daintiest portions of food. It was a matter of no little wonderment to him when he discovered that for all a certain kind of people were attracted by his appearance, yet he had little or no power to convict them of sin, and make them long to be good. Francis by this time had lost all his good looks and become pale and worn and thin with work. Ma.s.seo compared himself with Francis greatly to his superior's disadvantage. At last one day he said to him--

"Why is it? Why is it?"

"What do you mean?" asked Francis.

"I mean to ask thee," said Ma.s.seo, "why all the world goes after thee?

Why all men wish to see thee, to hear thee, and to obey thy word? Thou art not handsome, nor learned, nor of n.o.ble birth. How is it then that men go after thee?"

The answer which Ma.s.seo received, made him see what kind of a character he had come in contact with, and from that day there was no more faithful and adoring disciple than handsome Ma.s.seo.

"Would you know the reason why all men come after me?" asked Francis.

"It is because the Lord has not found among men, a more wicked, a more imperfect, or a greater sinner that I am, and to accomplish the wonderful work He intends doing, He has not found a creature more vile than I upon earth; for this reason He has chosen me to confound beauty, greatness, birth, and all the science of the world, that man may learn that every good gift comes from Him, and not from the creature, that all may glory in the Lord!"

[Sidenote: _Sylvester's Avarice._]

Sylvester was the first priest who joined Francis. Though a priest, he was possessed of very little true religion, and was inclined to be somewhat avaricious. When Francis was rebuilding St. Damian, Sylvester had sold him some stones, for which he had been well paid. Now, he happened to be among the crowd in the market-place when Bernardo was distributing his fortune, and it occurred to him that he would get some of it for himself. So going up to Francis, he said,