F SAVONAROLA RA GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA is an admirable type of a great preacher. First of all, he was sincere, and devoted heart and soul to his work — even to martyrdom. And then he had some simple gifts of language which carried his words home to the hearts of his listeners. It is interesting to know that at nineteen he was passionately in love with a young lady, who rejected him because she thought his birth inferior to her own. This experience awoke him to a serious consideration of life, and he promptly decided to devote himself to God's service. He became a Dominican monk. His first attempts as a preacher were not successful. He was sent to Florence; but there, too, he failed: he was sent elsewhere; at last he began to attract attention. His first decided impression was made on his return to Florence, when he began to foretell the doom of that worldly-minded city. Passionately earnest and true at heart, he held those who once came to listen to him, and they became his devoted disciples. In due course of time Savonarola was elected prior of St. Mark's; and as St. Mark's had been largely supported by Lorenzo de' Medici, that famous and potent prince expected the eloquent preacher to pay his respects at the Palace. But Savonarola refused to go. He said that he owed his election to God, not to Lorenzo; and that Lorenzo might come to him. When he was threatened, he prophesied that Lorenzo would leave Florence before he did, a prophecy that was fulfilled when the prince died a little later. For the powers of evil in the gay and worldly city of Florence, this uncompromising monk had most terrible invective; for the members of his flock he had the gentle words of a father for his well loved children. When a man capable of the utmost heroism heroism even unto death speaks gently, his words are listened to, and all the more readily because they are simple and conversational. The same words from one incapable of mighty passion would pass unnoticed. After the death of Lorenzo de' Medici and the expulsion of Lorenzo's son Piero, Florence became an austere republic, under the almost absolute control of Savonarola. The monk was an. unofficial but important member of a diplomatic commission sent to interview the King of France, who was proposing to take some of the dependencies of Florence. On his return he preached in the words of the first selection, "I bring you good news." It was with invective like that of the second selection, that later he attacked the Pope himself, and brought on his own head excommunication and martyrdom. H "I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS "1 ERE I am once more among you. You ask me: Father, have you brought us some good news?" Yes, good news; I bring nothing but good news. You know that in time of prosperity I brought you bad news, and now, in your tribulation, I bring nothing but good news. Good news for Florence! Bad news for other places! "Oh, but we want to know more, Father. Can you give us particulars?" Well, don't you think that it is a good piece of news that Florence has begun to return to a Christian way of living? For a good life is the truest happiness; and happiness is only to be found where men live well and fear God. I have been yonder in the camp, which is like being in hell. . . . Do not ever allow yourself to desire to be a great lord, for such men never have an hour of true peace and happiness. Moreover, don't you think it a piece of good news that God has lifted the cloud from over you, and has sent it over others? But you say: "It is we who have caused it to move on." This is just what I told you that you would say, attributing all to your own prudence. But I tell you now that your prayers have been the wind which has driven away this cloud. It is the hand of God which has done it all. 1 These translations are taken from Luca's "Life of Savonarola." |