s seen that though the flesh had
long since returned to dust, and even the bones {94} were fast
crumbling away, the tongue, "which for 32 years had lain under the
earth, was found as fresh and ruddy as though the Most Blessed Father
had died that self-same hour". [Footnote 40] With the tact and
eloquence which were so peculiarly his own, Bonaventure turned this
extraordinary happening to devout account. Reverently taking the relic
into his hands and kissing it with tender devotion, he exclaimed, "O
Blessed Tongue, which in life didst ever bless the Lord and lead
others to bless Him, now doth it manifestly appear in what high honour
thou wast held by God Himself". He then directed that it be preserved
in a costly reliquary, as a special object of veneration, rather than
remain with the rest of the body.

[Footnote 40: Cf. "Analecta Franciscana," Tom. III, pp. 328 and 157.]

There is also recorded a quaint and interesting dialogue which took
place between our Saint and Brother Giles. "On one occasion," we read
[Footnote 41] in the Life of Brother Giles commonly attributed to
Brother Leo, "Brother Giles said to Friar Bonaventure, the
Minister-General, 'Father, God has laden you with many graces. But we
uneducated and unlearned men who have not received of this fullness,
what shall we do to be saved?' The General made answer, 'Did God
confer on man no other grace save only the power to love Him, that
surely would suffice'. Then asked Brother Giles, 'Can an ignorant man
love God even as can a scholar?' {95} 'A poor, little, aged peasant
woman,' the General made answer, 'can love God even more than a Master
in Theology.' Then arose Brother Giles in the fervour of his soul, and
running towards that part of the garden nearest the highway, cried
aloud, 'Poor little peasant woman love the Lord thy God, and foolish
and ignorant as thou art, thou mayest be greater in His sight even
than Friar Bonaventure'. And as he thus cried aloud he was rapt in
ecstasy and remained immovable for the space of three hours."

[Footnote 41: Ibid. p. 101.]

There is one of our Saint's works which we must not omit to mention,
for through it he is closely connected with an important present-day
feature of the Church's life. Some authors tell us that it is to St.
Bonaventure that we are indebted for our numerous modern
confraternities; either, as some say, because he originated the idea
of these pious societies, or, as others hold, because he prescr