nard (d. 1153), St. Dominic (d. 1221), St. Francis of Assisium, surnamed the Seraphic (d. 1226), and many other men of God. The numerous monasteries which they built not only produced many great Saints and enlightened prelates, but they also cherished piety and religious zeal among the lower classes of the people. They relieved the wants of the poor, sheltered and nursed the sick, and redeemed those who had been made prisoners and slaves; they sent missionaries into all parts of the world, and obtained, by their devout prayers, abundant graces from Heaven on countries and nations.
42. [1]In the meantime, there appeared also an exuberant growth of cockle among the wheat in the field of God (Matt. xiii.). There were pernicious feuds and wars, various acts of injustice and violence, and many scandals. In several places, and particularly in Germany, the custom had been introduced by temporal princes of putting the newly elected bishops and abbots in possession of their benefices by giving them the Ring and the Crosier, the symbols of Pastoral authority, which ceremony was called Investiture, and seemed to imply the conferring of spiritual jurisdiction. Not content with this, the Emperor Henry IV. used to bestow bishoprics and abbeys upon the most unworthy candidates, and even on such as offered him the largest sums of money. Pope Gregory VII. courageously inveighed against those
- ↑ Was there in those times no cockle in the field of God? What kind of cockle was it? What custom had been introduced in some places by the temporal princes? What is symbolized by the Ring and Crosier? What was this ceremony called, and what did it seem to imply? What did the Emperor Henry IV. use to do? Who opposed him? What is this contest called, and when did it take place? How did the Church get out of it? What evil came afterwards on the West of Europe? Which were the most notorious heretics of that time? Whom did God send to preach penance to them? Was the evil then entirely suppressed? How and when did the slumbering fire break out into a flame? What was the consequence of this?
