CHAPTER XXXI: CONCERNING THE CELLARER OF THE MONASTERY, WHAT SORT OF A PERSON HE SHOULD BE - Saint Benedict, The Rule of St. Benedict [1931]
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The Rule of St. Benedict, translated into English. A Pax Book, preface by W.K. Lowther Clarke (London: S.P.C.K., 1931).
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CHAPTER XXXI
CONCERNING THE CELLARER OF THE MONASTERY, WHAT SORT OF A PERSON HE SHOULD BE
To be cellarer of the monastery let there be chosen from the community a wise man of mature character, sober, not greedy, not haughty, not turbulent, not unfair, not slothful, not wasteful, but God-fearing, one who may be as a father to the whole community. Let him take care of everything: let him do nothing without the abbot’s orders. Let him take heed to what is commanded him: let him not embitter the brethren. If by any chance any brother asks anything from him unreasonably, let him not embitter him by contemptuously refusing, but let him with reasoning and humility refuse him who is asking amiss. Of his own soul let him take heed, mindful always of that apostolic saying that: “He who shall have ministered well acquires for himself a good degree.” Let him take care of the sick, the children, the guests and the poor, with all solicitude, knowing without doubt that for all these he will have to render account in the day of judgment. Let him regard all the vessels of the monastery as if they were consecrated vessels of the altar; and so with the whole of its property. Let him appraise nothing as negligible, neither have regard to avarice, nor yet be wasteful and a squanderer of the property of the monastery: but let him do everything in moderation and according to his abbot’s orders.
Before all things let him have humility; and let him make kindly reply to any to whom he has no goods that he can give, as it is written: “A good word is above the best gift.” All that the abbot shall have assigned to him let him keep under his care: let him not presume to take anything the abbot shall have forbidden him. Let him distribute to the brethren the appointed allowance, without any arrogance or delay, that they be not scandalized, mindful of the divine word as to what he deserves who shall have scandalized one from among the little ones. If the community be large let helpers be given him, that with their assistance he may still fulfil with equanimity the duties entrusted to him. Let what has to be given out be given out and what has to be asked for be asked for at the suitable times, that nobody be disturbed and nobody embittered in the house of God.
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