I would advise every young man who intends to enter the pulpit to read
carefully the best life of this wonderful preacher, reformer, and
statesman. And supplement your study of him and his methods by
reading George Eliot's historical novel, "Romola."
The great Dominican was a Lombard, of harsh accent and strange face,
come to live in the most cultured city in the world. Florence was then
in the full flowering of literature and art; and in her overripe
perfections the poison was distilling of greed and cruelty and
lubricity and all loathsomeness.
Over this capital of learning, genius, and sin ruled "The Magnificent"
Medici, sitting with easy power on his splendid throne and wielding
his scepter with the accurate skill of a perfect craft and the strong
decision of a fearless heart.
But you know the story. It was not an inviting field for a preacher
who burned to utter the Word and at the same time hoped to enjoy the
smiles and favors of the great. It was not an encouraging prospect for
any one who wanted to restore the reign of righteousness, even though
he were willing to pay the price of martyrdom.
But Savonarola accomplished all this and more; for he crowned the
renaissance of letters and art with the renaissance of Christian
morals and religion whose pure and beautiful influence reaches even
unto our day.
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