Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-08-11
ct. Christopher.


name we have placed at the head of tbi
article, was formerly the most distinguish
ed male dignilary of the Romish calendar
He was the Hercules of Western Christen
dom. As the impersonation of force, tn
men o! ieudal times worshipped him quit
as much as they did any member Of thu
Trinity; and pregnant women prayed t
him rather than to the Virgin Mary. Hi
statue always had an honored place. Frag
ments are still preserved of the immense
ones which stood before the cathedral door
at Erfert, Auxerre and Paris. The one a
Noire Dame at Paris was broken to piece
i'll 1898, by the revolutionists, who wishe'
to typiiy by this act the destruction Of thu
domination of Might over Right. The,
were too fast even in our own countr,
there are many secret vorshippers of 81
Christopher; many politicians, ,radesmen
clergymen, and others, who prefer what il
Strong to what is Just, cringe to the in
and cock their hats 6ercely at the outs ,kicl
everybody that has no friends, and boot a
eternal truth so long as it is no, sanctioned
by the powers that be.
If We may believe the Catkolie tradition
as il came down to us, in the works of Vo
RACINE the holy Archbishop of Genoa, St
Christopher, like modern office hunter
had his own troubles in finding the strong
gest party He was double. listed Canaan
lite, twelve cubits high, and ignorant as
heather. First he entered into the service
of a mighty king, the greatest monarch OF
earth. But seeing his master cross himself
turn pale on hearing the name of the devil
he abandoned him without scruple, and de-
serted to his SATANIC majesty. In this new
service he was content, until az inciden
occurred which showed him how rash he hac
been. He was following the'Devil along
the high road, when the sight Of a cross
threw his leader into trepdation and made
him take long circuit through the field.
in order to AVOID the hateful! object. Christ
opher demanded an explanation on the spot
and, when Satan hestated to answer, tot
him IF you won't tell me what ask,
quit YOU" Then the Devil sad, cit wa,
on the cross that Jesus Christ died, anc
when see it, am afraid, and flee away
Then was Christopher filed with sadness
and exclaimed bitterly, Then this Chris
whose cross has frightened you, is mor'
powerful than you are. Alas it is but tor
true that all my trouble has been in vain
and that have not yet found the creates
prince in the world. Good-bye! | am 90
ing to hunt for Jesus Christ" After hav
ing hunted everywhere, without success,
hermit promised to lead him to Christ Hi
first command was to fast ; but Christophe
said he wouldn't do that for anybody. Hi
second was 10 pray; but Christopher dld'n
know how, and said that would bore hln
terribly. At last the hermit, who had new
err found such hard case, sent him dow
to ford on one of the necks Of the Re,
Sea, with orders to work out his salvation
by carrying wayfarers across on his back
This suited the bent of the neophyte's ge
MUS, and down he went to the ford, wher
he attended most diligently to his business
But one day, as he was lying on the floor o
his cabin, he heard the soft voice Of chill
call hun. He rose and went out but coul
see nothing. This occurred to him tire
times. The third time he saw lovely lii
tie boy, standing on the brink. Christie
pher took him on his shoulders. and enter
ed the water; but, as he advanced, the DO
grew heavier and heavier, The strong MAJ
bowed under the unusual burden, his knee
tremhled, his respiration came short, an,
he sweated blood in such immense quaint
ties us to change the color of the waller. -
Hence, its name of The Red Sea. Get
ting safely over, however, he deposited lh
child on the shore. Then, wiping his brow
he SAID You pat me in great danger IN,
child yoa were so heavy, that il the worlt
itself had been on my shoulders, had MOI
had heavier burden" The child answer
ed: Be not astonished, Christopher, fol
moi onl y hast thou had on thy shoulders tn,
whole world, but Him that created it;
am Christ, and as proof. plant thy staff ii
the sand, and, tomorrow, thou shalt see /
covered with foliage and flowers HI
then disappeared Christopher planted thu
staff, and found it, day after, grown into
d stately tIee, lull vi uatcS ana beautiful II
tropical bloom. Christopher was not al
unbelleving Thomas. From this time he
was faithful, and, dropping his pa,ronymic
took the name by which he is known il
Catholic tradition, of Christopher or the
Christ bearer.
Such was the stout worthy, whose mus
cular proportions were carved in stone by
SO many artists of feudal times, and repre-.
sented in enduring colors on precious can
vass, by Albert Durer and Ezheiner. He
was in form in which the Middle Ages
that period of spanie.like serls, mail clad
DULLES and fighting priests--defed over.
whelming Power. The artistic conception
OF Power took, at that time, the form of o
Hercules Were our artists invited to ex.
press on canvass their conception of the
same idea, nlne.lenihs of them would pain,
the almighty dollar"
The growth of the tradition about ,hi.
SAINT is Illustrative enough. 1t is probable
That some monk Of the twelfth century had
taken the name Of Christopher. or Christ.
bearer, to indicate his piety, and that every
J remembrance of him hav;no na,;.La,l -.