nds, and its
elusive ways, naturally made it the center of scientific interest
quite as radium is at the present moment.

These three men, Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, and Roger Bacon,
were all closely associated with ecclesiastical authorities, and
indeed all three of them had intimate personal relations with the
Popes of their time. Albertus Magnus had been highly honored by the
Dominican Order, to which he belonged. He had been chosen as
Provincial--that is, the superior of a number of houses--in the
German part of Europe at least once, and he had been constantly
appealed to by his superiors for advice and counsel. Although it was
almost a rule that members of religious orders should not be chosen as
bishops, he was made Bishop of Ratisbon, and his appointment was
considered to be due to his surpassing merit as a great scholar and
teacher. In spite of his devotion to scientific studies during a long
life, he lost nothing of the ardor of his faith, and is universally
considered to have been a saint. He has been formally raised to the
{325} altars of the Catholic Church, as the expression is--that is, he
had the title of "Blessed" conferred on him, and his prayers may be
invoked as one of those who are considered to stand high in the favor
of Heaven.

Of Thomas Aquinas the same story may be told only in much more
emphatic words. He was honored by his own order, the Dominican, in
many ways. Early in his life they recognized his talent and sent him
to Cologne to study under the great Albert. When the Dominicans
realized the necessity for not only making a significant exhibition of
the talents of their order at the University of Paris, which had
become the most prominent educational institution in the world, but
also wished to influence as deeply as possible the cause of education,
Albert was sent to Paris, and Thomas Aquinas accompanied him. When
there were difficulties between Dominicans and the university, it was
to Thomas that his order turned to defend them and maintain their
rights. He did so not only with intellectual acumen, but with great
tact and successfully. After this he was sent on business of his order
to England and was for some time at Oxford. His reputation as a
philosopher and a scientist had now spread over the world and he was
invited to teach at various Italian universities where ecclesiastical
influences were very strong. The Popes asked, and their request was
practically a command, that