DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6914#0043
OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH. 11
afterwar ^ ^ ^eSert6C^ Part °^ Upper Egypt he resided for a time in solitude, but
rel' ' ^ S C0^ec^ed a number of persons around him, to live in the practice of
re< ^i10US °^servances and manual labour. It does not appear that any written
beca IOnS W6re comPose^ f°r their guidance ; but at a subsequent period Pachomius
Were°!rft aUt'lor OI" a rule Ior the monastic profession; and many other orders
e""Hards instituted. Among: the early English monasteries, we read of the
'Ules of St P
'bctine e£ory> St. Columba, an Irish monk, and of others; but the Bene-
centur ^ Ultroduced by the celebrated Wilfrid, about the middle of the seventh
allow/' C'U'0^'y superseded all the other orders. Its chief peculiarity was that of
whil t0 ^6 kretnren of every monastery, the right of choosing their own abbot,
sub. m 0t^e' orc^ers the abbot was appointed by the bishop of the diocess. In a
and e^'Uen^ ^ai* °^ Present vo'ume we shall endeavour to point out the origin
P"ncipal distinctions of the different monastic orders which have existed in this
country Tl j- t •
v- «OTee indispensable conditions were common to all these institutions :
an implicit obedience to the commands of superiors ; a renunciation of private
P perty ; above all, celibacy. Nuns were subject to similar regulations, and
b°"n<l by simuar vows.
Between the conversion of the Saxons to Christianity, and the Norman conquest,
^^eral causes contributed to increase the number of monasteries, monks, and nuns.
le f0undation and endowment of these houses was generally intended to secure the
or&^erS °^tne persons maintained by the establishment, for the soul of the founder,
acc^0no^r' According to the canons of the church, many individuals incurred such
praye U ^e^ts °^ Penance, that, although their offences were redeemable by
could ' maSSes' and repetitions of psalms, the utmost efforts of human diligence
life ■ \^°* 'lave Procured the necessary expiation in the most protracted duration of
the co ^ *ncu'cating the efficacy of vicarious atonements, the church extended
to monaste & assurance, to wealthy sinners, that by founding, or making donations
united lab m'Snt hire the assistance of religious fraternities, by whose
But °UrS tbe'rsouls would be released from the lengthened pangs of purgatory.
The °^ ^lese establishments originated in views of mere temporal interest,
sions of "th*'011, °f tlie landS °f the reli2ious trom t,ie serv'ces inci(lent to the posses-
tUey becan6 lnduced many laymen to found and endow monasteries, of which
°f civii°iif6 t'lemse^ves tne abbots, without relinquishing the comforts or dignities
"^nasteri 6' W6 leam fr°m Bede' that their wiv6S lived with them in tne
leS' and that they enjoyed high offices in the state.
afterwar ^ ^ ^eSert6C^ Part °^ Upper Egypt he resided for a time in solitude, but
rel' ' ^ S C0^ec^ed a number of persons around him, to live in the practice of
re< ^i10US °^servances and manual labour. It does not appear that any written
beca IOnS W6re comPose^ f°r their guidance ; but at a subsequent period Pachomius
Were°!rft aUt'lor OI" a rule Ior the monastic profession; and many other orders
e""Hards instituted. Among: the early English monasteries, we read of the
'Ules of St P
'bctine e£ory> St. Columba, an Irish monk, and of others; but the Bene-
centur ^ Ultroduced by the celebrated Wilfrid, about the middle of the seventh
allow/' C'U'0^'y superseded all the other orders. Its chief peculiarity was that of
whil t0 ^6 kretnren of every monastery, the right of choosing their own abbot,
sub. m 0t^e' orc^ers the abbot was appointed by the bishop of the diocess. In a
and e^'Uen^ ^ai* °^ Present vo'ume we shall endeavour to point out the origin
P"ncipal distinctions of the different monastic orders which have existed in this
country Tl j- t •
v- «OTee indispensable conditions were common to all these institutions :
an implicit obedience to the commands of superiors ; a renunciation of private
P perty ; above all, celibacy. Nuns were subject to similar regulations, and
b°"n<l by simuar vows.
Between the conversion of the Saxons to Christianity, and the Norman conquest,
^^eral causes contributed to increase the number of monasteries, monks, and nuns.
le f0undation and endowment of these houses was generally intended to secure the
or&^erS °^tne persons maintained by the establishment, for the soul of the founder,
acc^0no^r' According to the canons of the church, many individuals incurred such
praye U ^e^ts °^ Penance, that, although their offences were redeemable by
could ' maSSes' and repetitions of psalms, the utmost efforts of human diligence
life ■ \^°* 'lave Procured the necessary expiation in the most protracted duration of
the co ^ *ncu'cating the efficacy of vicarious atonements, the church extended
to monaste & assurance, to wealthy sinners, that by founding, or making donations
united lab m'Snt hire the assistance of religious fraternities, by whose
But °UrS tbe'rsouls would be released from the lengthened pangs of purgatory.
The °^ ^lese establishments originated in views of mere temporal interest,
sions of "th*'011, °f tlie landS °f the reli2ious trom t,ie serv'ces inci(lent to the posses-
tUey becan6 lnduced many laymen to found and endow monasteries, of which
°f civii°iif6 t'lemse^ves tne abbots, without relinquishing the comforts or dignities
"^nasteri 6' W6 leam fr°m Bede' that their wiv6S lived with them in tne
leS' and that they enjoyed high offices in the state.