A WONDERFUL PREACHER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1854, 30 May 1888, Page 4

A WONDERFUL PREACHER

The French and Italian papers are giving glowing accounts of the immense crowds which are being attracted daily to the Duomo at Turin by Father Augustine ot Montefeltro, a Francisan monk, whose extraordinary eloquence is said to be equalled by his great humility and unaffected piety. Many uabelievers are attracted to the cathedral. A letter says : H At the Duomo on Wednesday for fonr hours before the Father ascended the pulpit all the ohairs and all the benches were occupied 'ihe precincts of the vast church seemed transformed into a sea of human heads. The .dicine word coming from the mouth of the humble brother electrified the congregation. Several times the sacred associations of the place were powerless to keep back the applause which broke out with irresistible force. At Pisa the University closed two hours before the Eermon began, and professors and students ran 'with one accord to hear the illua rious Franciscan. On coming Out of church the thousands of persons greeted him ■with their cheers and huzzahfl. They wißhed to carry him m triumph through the 'streets. The railway directors, m order to meet the demands upon their .- trafflo, had to organise on each day apeoial trains from Luoca and Leghorn, and from several other neighboring to wna and villages Strangers arrived by thousands, and all the hotels were full." The father U forty years of age j his face is open and full of iatelligenca ; m his eye burns the flime of apostolic fire ; when he preaches his face is transformed - he seems like an inspired aad commanding prophet. His subject ia "Truth," and he has exposed with withering sarcasm the foibles and unrealities of society.