The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-02-14

HE STILL LIvEs-soME ACCOUNT OF HIS
RECENT TRAVELS.



A rumor comes from village near Ant
werp that the historic "Wandering Jew"
has been seen in that neighborhood. lie
is reported as having passed rapidly
through the market place, and as having
on the outskirts of the village addressed a
few words to some children, who, bolder
than their companions, had followed in his
path. He was dressed in worn and dingy
antique garments, carried a long staff, and
with bis profuse beard streaming in the
wind presented such an awe-inspiring APP
pearance that the terrified villagers fed
from him in fright.
\ When he paused and spoke to the chill
dren he told them to go back and inform
the people that new ruler had arisen in
Europe, who would bring Belgium, Hol-
land, and other countries under his sway,
that many strange vicissitudes would be
witnessed, and that many proud heads
would be brought low. On being ques-
toned as to his name he replied, "Seek not
to know. | have been here before in the
past, shall be here again in the future.
Until the end of time 1 shall walk the
earth INCREASINGLY" The apparition then
waving its hand turned from the children
and resumed its plodding walk, and disap-
peared in the distance.
The report of the appearance of the
Wandering Jew" has caused great ex-
citement among the believers in the legend,
and the truth of the story is credited
throughout Belgium. The legend of the
Jew who had witnessed the crucifxion,
and had been condemned to live and wan
der over the earth until the time of Christ's
second coming, originated in the middle
ages, and can be traced back to the Chron-
icle of the Abbey of St. Albans, which
was copied and continued by Matthew
Paris. This chronicle relates that in 1928
a certain Archbishop of Armenia Major,
came to England on visit to sacred
places, and while enjoying the hospitality
of the Abbey of st, Adams, among
other strange stories related that there
was man named Joseph living in
Armedia who had witnessed the cruci6x on.
This man, originally called Cartaphilus,
was porter in Pilates service, and while
Jesus was passing out from the judgment
hall impiously struck him on tie back, say
ing, "Go quicker, why doy you loiter 2" Jesus
looked back on him with severe connte-
nance, and said, 81 am going, but you
will wait till | return" Aud accordingly
Cartaphilus is still waiting hisreturn. Af-
ter Christ's death he was converted and
baptized, and his name was changed to
Joseph. In 1542 the Wandering jew APP
peared at Hamburg, telling story similar
to the above. He, however, said that his
name was Ahasurus, and that he was a
shoemaker who struck Jesus on the back |
while on the way to Golgotha. This par
of about fifty years of age, with long hair
hanging down to his shoulders, barefooted,
and wearing strange costume, consisting
Of sailors trousers, gown reaching to the
knees, and long mantle flowing down to
his feet. He spoke good German, in the
Saxon dialect.
In 1876, the Wandering Jew appeared
in the Netherlands, and this time used the
Spanish language. A few years later the
Wandering Jew arrived at Strasbourg, and
going before the magistrates, informed
them that he had visited the city just two
hundred years before. which statement, it
Is asserted, was proved to be true, by a
reference to the town records. He was
LOAV 1Oalo Va III viva w Soo AhuAeo, oAu |
again in France, where, in 1904, he caused
sensation, his presence being
accompanied by destructive hurricanes.
On April 22d, 1774, an individual claim
ing to be the Wandering Jew appeared in
Brussels, and told his story to the common
people he, however, had changed the
popular name of this character and called
himself Isaac Laquedem
This legend has formed the subject of
numerous popular ballads 10 the different
languages of Europe, and also of poems,
tales and novels, by distinguished authors.
1t may here be remarked, that this curious
myth seems to have originated in that
passage of the Gospel Of st. John, twenty
first chapter and twenty-second verse,
where Jesus says Of John, "If | will that
be tarry till come, what is that to thee I?
Follow thou me- Then went this saying
abroad among the brethren that that dis
ciple should not die.