[Footnote 2235: Mercure, October 15, 1791, and September 10, 1791. Read the admirable letter of the Chevalier de Mesgrigny, appointed colonel during the suspension of the King, and refusing his new rank.] [Footnote 2236: Cf. the "Mémoires" of M. de Boustaquet, a Norman gentleman.] [Footnote 2237: Cf. "The Ancient Régime," books I. and II.] [Footnote 2238: Boivin--Champeaux, "Notice Historique sur la Révolution dans le Département de L'Eure," the register of grievances. In 1788, at Rouen, there was not a single profession made by men. In the monastery of the Deux-Amants the chapter convoked in 1789 consisted of two monks.--"Archives Nationales," papers of the ecclesiastic committee, passim.] [Footnote 2239: "Apologie de l'État Religieux" (1775), with statistics. Since 1768 the decline is "frightful." "It is easy to foresee that in ten or twelve years most of the regular bodies will be absolutely extinct, or reduced to a state of feebleness akin to death."] [Footnote 2240: Sanzay, I. 224 (November, 1790). At Besançon, out of 266 monks, "79 only showed any loyalty to their engagements or any affection for their calling." Others preferred to abandon it, especially all the Dominicans but five, all but one of the bare footed Carmelites, and all the Grand Carmelites. The same disposition is apparent throughout the department, as, for instance, with the Benedictines of Cluny except one, all the Minimes but three, all the Capuchins but five, the Bernandins, Dominicans, and Augustins, all preferring to leave.--Montalembert, "Les Moines d'Occident," introduction, pp. 105-164. Letter of a Benedictine of Saint-Germain-des-Prés to a Benedictine of Vannes. "Of all the members of your congregation which come here to lodge, I have scarcely found one capable of edifying us. You may probably say the same of those who came to you from our place."--Cf. in the "Mémoires" of Merlin de Thionville the description of the Chartreuse of Val St. Pierre.] [Footnote 2241: Ch. Guerin, "Revue des Questions Historiques" (July 1, 1875; April 1, 1876).--Abbé Guettée, "Histoire de l'Eglise de France," XII, 128. ("Minutes of the meeting of l'Assemblée du Clergé," in 1780.)--"Archives nationales," official reports and memorandums of the States-General in 1789. The most obnoxious proceeding to the chiefs of the order is the postponement of the age at which vows may be taken, it being, in their view, the ruin of their institutions.--"The Ancient Régime," p. 403.] [Footnote 2242: In order for a modern uninstructed non-believing reader to understand the motivation which moved thousands of self-less sisters and brothers to do their useful and kind work read St. Matthew chapter 25, verses 31 to 46 where Jesus predicts how he will sit in judgment on mankind and separate the sheep from the goats. (SR.)]