At Graymoor

In his monk's cell, high on a hill 50 miles north of Manhattan, sat a venerable man in the brown robes of a Franciscan. After reading proofs of his recently finished autobiography, Father Paul went to bed. In the still hours of the morning, a sickness of his heart awakened him. An hour later, Death had come to the Very Rev. Paul James Francis, 77, founder and Superior General of the Society .of the Atonement.

The Rev. Lewis Thomas Wattson he was called 46 years ago, when he was a minister of the Episcopal Church. Within the framework of that church he founded, 40 years ago, his order which followed the Franciscan rule and dress, and aimed to send out missionaries to the heathen. In 1909 he took the Society of the Atonement (17 members) and its affiliated Sis ters of the Atonement into the Roman Church. Under his Franciscan name of Father Paul James Francis, he was ordained to the priesthood.

The Society of the Atonement today has 2,400 members, most of them mission aries. But it is best known for its retreat on the Hill of Atonement, at Graymoor, near Garrison, N. Y., to which homeless or troubled men of all faiths may go. Every guest is called Brother Christopher (for the patron saint of wayfarers) . The Broth ers Christopher, who have included arti sans of all kinds, built most of the buildings on the hill. St. Christopher's Inn, housing 200 men, has become too small, is to have a five-story addition. Last year the friars handed out 175,000 meals. No questions are asked of any Brother Chris topher except his name and the name of his next of kin. The friars, supported by outside donations, give their lodgers 10-c- worth of tobacco or candy a day, ask those who stay more than a day to work. Most stay about six weeks; one Brother Christopher remained for 15 years before drifting away.

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