"He
was preparing himself for a life of penitence rather than a life of
activity," in the opinion of Paul Sabatier, and he had dreamed no dream
of becoming a religious founder. He was so entirely without any personal
ambition, save that of being obedient to the Heavenly Vision, that this
absolute consecration of purpose enabled the divine power to work
through him without obstruction. He became a very perfect instrument, so
to speak, in the divine hand. After repairing the little chapel called
the Portiuncula, on the level ground at the foot of the hill, some two
miles from Assisi, his plan was to there pass his time in meditation and
prayer. But the legend runs that on the feast of St. Mathias (February
24), in the winter of 1209, a Benedictine monk was celebrating mass and
on his turning to read, "Wherever ye go preach, saying, The kingdom of
heaven is at hand," Francis was profoundly and peculiarly impressed, and
he exclaimed: "This is what I desire, O Father; from this day forth I
set myself to put this command in practice." He felt that Jesus himself
had spoken to him through the priest. Love and sacrifice became to him
the supreme ideals, and in this moment, in that poor and bare little
chapel, was inaugurated one of the greatest and most far-reaching
religious movements of the entire world.

"Not always as the whirlwind's rush
On Horeb's mount of fear,
Not always as the burning bush
To Midian's shepherd seer,
Not as the awful voice which came
To Israel's prophet bards,
Nor as the tongues of cloven flame,
Nor gift of fearful words,--

"Not always thus with outward sign
Of fire or voice from Heaven
The message of a truth divine,
The call of God is given!"

That great ministry of St. Francis, whose influence pervades all
time,--that lies between the opening years of the thirteenth and the
opening years of the twentieth centuries,--was initiated the next
morning in Assisi, when Francis preached for the first time. He spoke
simply, emphasizing the truths he had learned to realize through his own
experience: the absolute duty of following after perfection; the
importance of realizing the shortness of life and the need of
repentance. The first disciple of Francis was a wealthy resident of
Assisi, named Bernardo. He was impressed with the conviction that he
should distribute his possessions and unite with Francis in all his aims
and work. Without definit