Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-09-21
The year One Thousand.

/ The Year One Thousand.
| Just as this century drew to close, various
circumstances concurred to produce change in
, mems minds. It was q universally dffused be.
lief, that the world would come to an end when
8 Thousand years from the Savior's birth were
expired. The year 999 was therefore looked
upon as the last which any one would see. And
4 ifever signs of approaching dissolution were
century might be psrdoned for believing that
breaking up Of morals and law, and the wide
deluge of sin which overspread all lands, might
be taken as token that mankind were deemed
unfit to occupy the earth any more. In addition
to these appalling symptoms, famines were re-
newed from year to year in still increasing in-
tensity, and brought plague and pestilence in
their train. The lana was left untitled, the
house unrepaired, the right unvindicated; for
or building, or qusrrelling about property
when so few months were to put an end to all
terrestrial interests2 Yet even for the few re
naming days the multitudes must be fed. Rob-
bers frequented every road, entered even into
walled towns; and there was no authority left
to protect the weak, or bring the wrongdoer to
exhausted; and in great part of the Continent
the most frightful extremities were endured and
when endurance could 60 no further, the last
desperate expedient was resorted to, and human
flesh was commonly consumed. One man went
so far as to expose it for sale in populous mar
ket.town. The horror of this open confession of
their needs was so great that the man was burn
ed, but more for the publicity of bis conduct
than for bis inherent guilt. Despair gave a-loose
to all the passions. Nothing was sacred-noth-
ing safe. Even when food might have been
had, the yitiated taste made brayado OF its dep
ravation, and women and children were killed
and roasted in the madness of the universal
fear. .tc. ..5s
Meantime, the gentler natures were driven to
the widest excesses of fanaticism to find re-
treat from the impending judgement Kings
and emperors begged at monastery doors to be
admitted brethren of the Order. Henry of Ger
many and Robert of France were saints accord
ing to the notions of the time, and even now
deserve the respect of mankind for the simplici-
ty and benevolence of their characters. Henry,
the Emperor, succeeded in being admitted as
monk, and swore obedience on the hands OF the
gentle abbot, who had failed in turning him
from his purpose "Sire," said he at last, "since
you are under my orders and have sworn to O.
bey me, command you to go forth and fulfil
the duties of the state to which God has called
you. Go forth, monk Of the Abbey of st.
Vanne, but Emperor of the West" Robert of
France, the son Of Hugh Capet, placed himself,
robed and crowned, among the choristers OF st.
Denis, and led the musicians in singing hymns
and psalms of his own composition. Lower men
were satisfied with sacrificing the marks of their
knightly and seignorial rank, and placed bald
ricks and swords on the altars, and before the
images of saints. Some manumitted their serfs,
and bestowed large sums upon charitable trusts,
commencing their disposition with words imply
ing the approaching end of all Crowds OF the
common people would sleep nowhere but in the
porches, or, at any rate, within the shadow OF
the churches, and other holy buildings and as
the day Of doom drew nearer and nearer, greater
efforts were made to appease the wrath of Heav-
en-. Peace was proclaimed between all classes
of men. From Wednesday night till Monday
evening of each week there was to be no vio-
lence or emnity, or war fin all the land. ltwas
tn he a Truce to God.
And now came the dreaded or hoped.for year.
The awful Thousand had at last commenced,
and men held their breath to watch what wonld
be the result of its arrival. sand he laid hold
| of the dragon, that old serpent, which is the
devil, and Satan, and bound him for thousand
years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and
shut him up, an6 set seal upon him. that he
should deceive the nations no more, till the thou
sand years should be fulfilled; and after that he
must be loosed little season." (Rev. xx. 2, 81
With this text all the pulpits in Christendom lad
been ringing for whole generation. And not
the pulpits only, but the refection-halls OF con-
vents, and the cottages of the starving peasantry
Into the castle also of the noble we have seen
| it had penetrated and the most abject terror
pervaded the superstitious, while despair, as in
shipwrecked vessels, displayed itself amid the
masses of the population in rioting and insubor-
dination. The spirit of evil for little season
was to be let loose upon q sinful world; ana
when the observer looked round at the real con-
dition of the people in all parts of Europe-at
the ignorance and depreciation of the multitude,
the cruelty of the lords, and the un-Chrlstlan
ambition and unrestrained passions of the clergy
it must have puzzled him how to imagine q
worse state of things, even when the chain was
oosened from ''that old serpent" and the world
placed INCREASINGLY in his folds, Yet, as II mems
minds had now reached their lowest point, there
was perpetual rise from the beginning OF TINS
date. When the first day of the thousand and.
first year shone upon the world, it semed that
/ in ali nations the torpor of the past was TO Dc
thrown off, There were strivings every where
after q new order of things.
The first Joy of their deliveraDce from the ex-
pected destruction impelled all classes of society
4 in q more honorable and useful path than they
had ever hitherto trod.- Whites Eighteen Chris
. }s1,, Ion f3,r;ee