Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-12-03

al Guadalupe"
No, long after the conquest. and during
the residence of the first Christian Arch
bishop in Mexico, All Indian labourer,
Juan Diego by name, working near the
spot where the church now stands, was
struck with fear and asionishment, by a
strange bnt heavenly music, who filed
the air around him, and OH raising his eyes
he saw before him gorgeous appearance
of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by daz-
zling and radiatng glory. While he
stood in mute and palsied wonder, the
Queen Of Heaven opened her lips, and
ordered him 10 60 TO the Archbishop and
convey her mandate, that he should build
church in her honour upon that spot.
The splendour of the appearance, and the
honour of the interview, could not over
come his awe Of the primate, and Juan
did not convey her orders. Soon after,
he received another visit from the heaven
ly apparition, and repetition OF the CON-
mand, in tones less benign than before.
This time he obeyed; and, as he had an.
ticipa,ed, the Archbishop would not be-
ieve his story, but drove him away in
great wrath. Nor can we blame His
Reverence, for a degraded Indian, rcla-
ting so singular circumstance, would
meet with small credit from the enlight-
ened and the refined Of any age. The
affair was discredited entirely; but a
third appearance of the angry Virgin was
accompanied by such unequivocal proofs
lof her power, that the most skeptical
were satisfied. She told him to go to
the top Of the rock Tepeyaca, and gather
roses. Roses in winter, and upon bare
rock Doubling, yet carried forward by
divine impulsion, he ascended the rock,
and there, in beautiful profusion, he found
roses of the gayest tints, and redolent of
the richest perfume. He filed his serape,s
and, armed with such proo.", flew TO the
incredulous prelate. Many priests were
summnoed TO the interview, and Juan
Diego, letting fall his precious freight be-
fore their astonished gaze, 10! upon the
coarse linen wrapper was impressed in
rainbow colours. with heavenly art, the
exact appearance of the "Hoiy Mother.'
The church was built at once. and the
miraculous painting, g,unexposed, Of fcourSe,
10 the ravages Of time, now forms the
prominent curiosity Of that locality, and
one of the fotorieues of Mexico.
The frs, chapel, thus built, stood upon
the rock Tepeyaca, the exact spot where
the miraculous flowers grew; but as the
yearly tribute came from all parts of New
Spain TO the shrine of the Protectress, as
wealthy dcvotees ofsucceeding generations
poured their costly offerings into her
treasury, and as her ever increasing fame
erected for her numerous shrincs in the
cities and villages throughout the whole
country, more splendid building has
been erected at the foot of the hill, and
the picture has been removed to posi-
lion above its high altar.
With this preparatory inform 'stion, the
reader may pass, with the crowd, through |
the gate which bears The name of "Our
Lady," and after riding in an eastelly di-
rection for nearly league, over fine
spacious causeway, rein up at the little
village of Guadalupe, which owes its ex-
is,ence, as well as its name, to the events
We have jus, related.
cannot forbear momentary digres-
sion. We are not of the credulous, and
perhaps few years ago We might have
asserted that we did notlive in credulous
age; for then miracles, and the faith
which they require, were confined 10 the
ignorant and fanatic: but whether we can
say so now, in this enlightened day, when
Rochester Knockings" have disturbed
the equanimity Of hterati and divines, and
the miracle at Rimini, (Which to say the
least of it, appears most useless one,)
as received the sanction of the most lib
eral and enlightened and liberal Pontif'
that ever held the keys of 81. Peter, is at
least debateable and debated question.
From those, however, who saw the pic
ture and the chapel, we think we shall
carry large majority of opinion, in fa-
your of considering the miracle not only
hoar, but even poor attempt at hoax.
The story from which have taken my
version, is authenticated by al classes of
authority, and every kind of evidence, but
all so flimsy indeed, as they appeared to
me, that they can only deceive those who
blindly determine to exalt the priestly |
power at tho expense Of their understand
ings, and to further the -conqrests Of the
church, in violation Of simple common
sense.
But return 10 the church. We have ar
rived there in the midst Of a heterogeneous
mass of men, women ard children, In {
dians, as aboriginal in appearance as Juan
Diego himself; rich gentlemen, and gay {
ly dressed senoras, in old fashioned car
riages, drawn by stately miles The ele- '
gontes,on curveting little Mexican horses;
Il A l.