st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul

JOHN MANSOUR. 31
expose the vendor to abuse and ill-usage. But,
nothing daunted, the once Privy-Councillor of
Damascus trudged on under his burden,
till he
reached the streets of his old city.
There he braved
for hours the jeers and ridicule of all such as asked
the price of his wares, till at last a former acquain
tance, recognising him in his squalid disguise, bought
the baskets out of compassion, and the novice returned
unvanquished to his task-master. On another occa
sion, the brother of one of the monks who had died
besought John to indite a funeral hymn, as some con
solation to his feelings. The request was not com
plied with at first, from a fear of transgressing the
letter of his superior s command but at
;
last, yielding
to the mourner s importunity, John composed the
short dirge beginning
:
human things are vain,
Nor bide with us through death ;
No wealth may cheer the traveller there,
Nor honour s
empty breath."
"All
When the old monk, who was John s instructor,
heard the sound of music on returning to his cell, as
these words were being sung, he angrily upbraided
the novice. Was this the way for him to keep his
promise ? these the sounds which should come from
the lips of one mourning for his sins in solitude and
gloom ? It was in vain that his disciple pleaded a
cause for what he had done, and implored forgive
ness. He was expelled, as insubordinate, from his
trainer s cell. On this the other monks interceded ;
but for a long time the elder was obdurate, and