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75 ST. MATILDA 75 with the B^gnines, and lived among them for thirty years, daring which she preached, nnrsed the sick, and took a lively interest in all things in the outer world. She saw visions, and hesides songs and other verses, she wrote de- nunciations of the clergy and the abuses in the Church. A peculiarity of her spiritual impressions was, that instead of one guardian angel, she had two good angels and two devils in constant attend- ance on her. One devil tempted her to desire to be honoured as a saint on account of her visions ; the other tempted her with animal instinct& She wrote a book called Mittheilungen, in which she describes the torments of hell and purga- tory and the bliss of paradise ; speaks of the Holy Trinity, the creation, redemp- tion, etc., and points out signs of the end of the world. She boldly and earn- estly denounced the degenerate clergy of Magdeburg. She wrote a letter to Dietrich, the newly elected dean, in which she recommended him to wear hard stuff next his skin, to sleep on straw, to keep two brooms beside him with which to beat himself on awaking. In this way, she made enemies of many persons in authority and they threatened to bum her book, which, however, was not done. She did not fear this, as she said " No one could bum Tmth." When she had been thirty years a B6guine, her failing health and her troubles made her decide to be a nun. She entered the Cistercian nunnery of Helfta in 12Go. The sixth and seventh parts of her book were written about this time. Her sympathies grew larger and wider, and she longed to go as a missionary to the heathen, like Jutta of Sangebshausen, whom she had known and whose example greatly impressed her; but it was re- vealed to her that her book was her mission, and was sent to all religious persons, bad and good. She wrote to the end of the sixth part with her own hand, and did not mean to write any more, but her revelations continued and she was compelled to go on, although she now had to avail herself of the eyes and hands of others. By Divine direc- tion, she called the book Das fliesaende Licht der Gottheit It is thought to have been used by Dante, and conjecture has it that it was Matilda of Magdeburg whom he saw gathering flowers in Para- dise. Preger, Deutsche Mystik im Mit- ielalter. St. Matilda (10) or Mechtildis of Sweden, July 1, V. O.S.D. -f- 1283. In the time of Pope Martin IV., Kudolph, king of the Romans, and Berger II., king of Sweden, lived Matilda, a virgin of one of the most illustrious families in Sweden. She was given in marriage against her will, having made a vow of celibacy. She fled a few hours after her marriage, with the assistance of Inokid, whom she joined in her pilgrimage. On their return Matilda lived and died a nun in Ingrid's convent. Vastovius, Vitis Aquilonia. St. Matilda (ii) or Mechthiu) of Wippra, Nov. li), Aug. 15, -f- J2l»l>. She was the chief teacher of the excel- lent school in the Cistercian convent of Helfta, under St. Gertrude of Hacke- bom, the second Abbess. In this school Latin, music and painting were taught, and that beautiful, careful writing which, in the middle ages, anticipated the use of printing. Matilda had an uncommon gift of teaching ; she was very eloquent, had a charming voice, a clear and per- suasive manner of giving her lessons, and was much beloved. She had a special talent for singing, and this pro- bably implies that she was a composer as well as a teacher of her art. Two of her pupils, Sophia and Elisabeth, were daughters of Hermann, count of Mans- feld. On the death of St. Gertrade, Sophia von Querfurt succeeded as third abbess. She withdrew from the command in 1298 and died 1209. From some un- recorded circumstances, a successor was not appointed until 1803. Meantime the reins were held by Matilda von Wippra. When she lay dying, all the nuns weeping and praying around her, the nun St. Gertrude saw her soul in the form of a lovely maiden, breathing into the heart of Christ through the wound in His side, which He rewarded by shedding a dew of grace over the whole of Christendom, and especially over the