1899 Little Flowers Saint Francis ; Sayings of Brother Giles Christian Mysticism

Description: The Little Flowers Of Saint Francis Newly Translated out of the Italian by T. W. Arnold Published by J. M. Dent And Co. Aldine House, London ( England ) MDCCCXCIX ( 1899 ) Hardcover binding. Decorated blue cloth. Front cover stamped with a standing Owl. Top page edge gilt. Decorated front endpaper. 4" x 6" , 320 pages. 125 years old. ---------- Good Condition. A little wear to the binding. ( see the photos ) The front inner hinge is cracked but firm. The rear inner hinge is tight. Private bookplate on the front endpaper : " Ex Libris Ella A. Cochran " No other markings. No writing. The pages are in good condition. --------- The Little Flowers of St. Francis is a florilegium divided into 53 short chapters, on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. It was composed at the end of the 14th century. In medieval Latin a florilegium was a collection of literary extracts ; excerpts, moral sayings, proverbs, adages etc. This work is a classic collection of popular legends about the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and his early companions. It relates many colorful anecdotes, miracles and pious examples from the lives of Francis and his followers. ---------- The 53 chapters of The Little Flowers comprises 163 pages. Also includes : " Of the most holy Stigmata of Saint Francis and reflections thereon " ( 66 pages ) " The life of Brother Juniper " ( 25 pages ) " The Life of the blessed Brother Giles , the companion of Saint Francis " ( 13 pages ) " Sundry goodly sayings and teachings of Brother Giles " ( 44 pages ) Notes --------- Brother Juniper , sometimes called " the renowned jester of the Lord ", was one of the original followers of St. Francis of Assisi. Not much is known about Juniper before he joined the friars. In 1210, he was received into the Order of Friars Minor by Francis himself. Several stories about Juniper in the Little Flowers of St. Francis illustrate his generosity and simplicity. Brother Juniper was well known among the friars for his acts of charity; he gave food and clothing without hesitation to anyone in need. In fact, the friars learned not to leave anything lying around, because Brother Juniper would probably give it away. " Would to God, my brothers, that I had a whole forest of such Junipers ," Francis delightfully punned of him. Brother Juniper died in A.D. 1258 and is buried at Ara Coeli Church at Rome. Giles of Assisi ( ca. 1190 -1262), was one of the original companions of Francis of Assisi. He holds a leading place among them. St. Francis called him " The Knight of our Round Table ". Giles was born about A.D. 1190; a simple farmer, in 1209 he became an early follower of St. Francis. He undertook several pilgrimages, including to Jerusalem. During his travels, Brother Giles always procurred by manual labor what food and shelter he needed. At Ancona he made reed baskets; at Brindisi he carried water and helped to bury the dead; at Rome he cut wood, trod the wine-press, and gathered nuts; while the guest of a cardinal at Rieti he insisted on sweeping the house and cleaning the knives. Giles said: "Happiness is to do bodily labor for the love of the Most High and not to take any lesser wages than Paradise for the good work one does." He was a keen observer of people and events, acquiring in the course of his travels much valuable knowledge and experience. His sermons were brief, heartfelt, and replete with homely wisdom ; he never minced his words. Men of all social classes were drawn to hear Giles teach. Words which Giles spoke were committed to writing by people who were strongly moved by them, thus forming a collection of the familiar "Sayings" of Giles. They are short, pithy, popular counsels on Christian perfection, applicable to all classes. Known for their mysticism , humanity, and originality, they faithfully reflect the early Franciscan spirit and teaching. ---------- Carefully packed for shipment to the buyer.

Price: 29.4 USD

Location: Coventry, Rhode Island

End Time: 2024-11-12T16:03:50.000Z

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