On the life of Thomas a’Kempis
Thomas a’ Kempis
Author of the “Imitation of Christ”, Thomas was born at Kempen in Cologne in 1379 or 1380; died 25 July, 1471. Thomas à Kempis was a typical and exemplary Brother, and for seventy-two years he was one of the most distinguished of the Canons Regular.
In addition to his own compositions he copied numerous treatises from the Fathers, especially St. Bernard, a Missal for the use of his community, and the whole Bible in four large volumes still extant.
After completing his humanities at Deventer, in the autumn of 1399, with the commendation of his superior, Florentius Radewyn, Thomas sought admission among the Canons Regular of Windesheim at Mount St. Agnes, near Zwolle, of which monastery his brother John was then prior. ordained priest until 1413.
We find record of his election as sub prior again in 1448, and doubtless he remained in office until age and infirmity procured him release. It was part of the sub prior’s duties to train the young religious, and to this fact no doubt we owe most of his minor treatises, in particular his “Sermons to the Novices Regular” (tr. London, 1907). We also know from early biographers that Thomas frequently preached in the church attached to the priory. Two similar series of these sermons are extant (tr. “Prayers and Meditations on the Life of Christ” and “The Incarnation and Life of Our Lord”, London, 1904, 1907). They treat of à Kempis’ favorite subjects, the mystery of our Redemption, and the love of Jesus Christ as shown in His words and works, but especially in the sufferings of His Passion. In person Thomas is described as a man of middle height, dark complexion and vivid coloring, with a broad forehead and piercing eyes; kind and affable towards all, especially the sorrowful and the afflicted; constantly engaged in his favorite occupations of reading, writing, or prayer; in time of recreation for the most part silent and recollected, finding it difficult even to express an opinion on matters of mundane interest, but pouring out a ready torrent of eloquence when the conversation turned on God or the concerns of the soul. At such times often he would excuse himself, “My brethren”, he would say, “I must go: Someone is waiting to converse with me in my cell.” A possibly authentic portrait, preserved at Gertruidenberg, bears as his motto the words: “In omnibus requiem quaesivi et nusquam inveni nisi in een Hoecken met een Boecken” (Everywhere I have sought rest and found it nowhere, save in little nooks with little books). He was laid to rest in the eastern cloister in a spot carefully noted by the continuator of his chronicle. Two centuries after the Reformation, during which the priory was destroyed, the holy remains were transferred to Zwolle and enclosed in a handsome reliquary by Maximilian Hendrik, Prince-Bishop of Cologne. At present they are enshrined in St. Michael’s Church, Zwolle, in a magnificent monument erected in 1897 by subscriptions from all over the world and inscribed: “Honori, non memoriae Thomae Kempensis, cujus nomen perennius quam monumentum” (To the honor not to the memory of Thomas à Kempis, whose name is more enduring than any monument). It is interesting to recall that the same Maximilian Hendrik, who showed such zeal in preserving and honoring the relics of à Kempis, was also eager to see the cause of his beatification introduced and began to collect the necessary documents; but little more than a beginning was made when he died (1688) and since that date no further steps have been taken.
Several contemporary witnesses of unimpeachable authority, including members of his own order, name Thomas as the author; contemporary manuscripts, including one autograph codex, bear his name; internal evidence is wholly favorable.
The “Imitation” itself, the best known and the first in order of merit of his original writings, comprises in bulk about one-tenth of the works of a Kempis. Many were originally instructions for the novices and junior Canons of whom, as sub prior, Thomas had charge; others are spiritual treatises of wider application and some of these indeed, as the “Oratio de elevatione mentis in Deum”, rise to sublime heights of mysticism. There are numerous prayers of sweet devotion and quaint Latin hymns of simple rhythm and jingling rhyme.
The enthusiastic commendation of Prior Pirkhamer addressed to Peter Danhausser, the publisher of the first edition of Thomas à Kempis’ works, 1494: “Nothing more holy, nothing more honorable, nothing more religious, nothing in fine more profitable for the Christian commonweal can you ever do than to make known these works of Thomas à Kempis.