The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-03-17


which her papa" has brought home
to her.
And 80 they were married.
The lady is his wife.
The fairy is his Casta Diva.
Iron ChaInbors' Jounsi1
THREE POPULAR INSTlTU.
TIONS.
THE WANDERING JEW, PHEsTEn JOHN AND
AsTI-cHRIsT.
Over nil the middle ages we see the
weird figure of q man, downcast and
grave, who, uphasting, unresting,
must march on to the day of doom -
The Wandering Jew, sometimes bur-
led in American converts or the des-
erts of Central Asia, i'll the burning
plains of Africa, or the snowy heights
of the Caucasus, suddenly appears in
the haunts of more civilized Europe,
and tells, as an eye witness, the sad
story of the crucifxion and his
share in the contumely cast upon the
God man. He had thrown himself in
the flaming city Of Jerusalem under
the Roman words he had fought
against Gauls, Germans and Saracens;
but no lance would enter his charmed
body-no arrow pierce the heart that
longed to be- at rest, The wild ele-
phant had crushed him under foot,
venomous serpcnts bad bitten him,
the hungry lion had torn him, but he
could not die until Christ himself
should return to judge the world.
This legend filled the people with
terror and emotion, and probably
arose from some eloquent preacher,
who thus personifed the Jewish ma
ton. under the figure of q single man,
scattered through the world, and un-
destroyed by persecution. Matthew
Paris is the first historian who
speaks of it; an American Bishop, vis-
iting the monks Of st. Albans, had con-
versed with the Jew about the year
1928, and from that time he appeared
Mt intervals in several of the cities OF
Europe, dressed in the old Roman
costnme. much worn, long beard,
naked feet, and sad, melancholy ex-
lpression. He refused all presents
but few pence. which he gave away
to the poor. At Strasburg he APP
peared in 1880, aid informed the
magistrates that he had passed through
their city just two hundred yeays
before. which was verified by refer.
ence to the city register. The las,
time We hear of him is in the city o
Brussels in 1774.
Another no less popular superstition
was the existence of king aid pontif
in one, named Prester John, who had
ruled a vast empire for centuries, il
which more maryels were o be found
than in Mohammed's Paradise. Nc
traveller to the East dared put q stoE
to this absurd belief. some even pre-.
tended TO know the place. The King.
of Portugal sent several expedition.
into India and .Abyssinia to assure
themselves OF the reality. for this i'm
mortal Fore gave many an hour.
anxiety TO- the Popes of the West, fol
fear lest sci,ism should spring from {
distant Quarter. There was n curiou,
letter, written perhaps by some parti
sap OF the Reformation, to the En-
lreror of Rome and King of France
II the name of Prester John, abou
! 1907, inviting them to settle in his do
. minions, which he described as the
richest and finest in the world! Their,
: they would see the tabled phoenix, tn,
? griffin, the roc, the seven-hofned bull
: centanurs, pigmies and dragons.
There sprung the fountain of eterna
! youth, there grew the Tree of Life
3 from which was drawn the holy OF
D used for the sacraments Of the Church
| and when the King and his court Sc
9 down to table they needed no cooks
: for spiritual chef prepared all thei
dishes.
9 Another mystical being was Anti
D christ, who was supposed to be borr
r in Babylon, and who the Jews wer,
ready to recognize as their Messiah -
The year 1000 was fixed upon by tn,
n most learned doctors as the time o
: his appearance, and the end of tn,
: world. We have q terrible pictur,
b given by cotemporary of the desc
r lation which reigned throughout Eu
rope at the approach of this fata
term. There were fearful signs il
@ the heavens and on the earth-eclip
: ses, comets, meteors, floods, tempest
and plaques. Superstition aggravate,
t the real evils of public misery. Th
people spoke of frightful Miracles
the dead were raised; the living strucl
g with sudden death spectres an,
r demons came from the abyss. Me-
q thought of nothing but how the
IS would appear before God; they CAV
# up their wealth to churches and con
vents; they thought it useless to til
If the ground and occupy themselves i
9 their daily tasks; the fields, house
y and shops were deserted for the altar
8 At length, the last day of the year 80
arrived. The whole populace, in tear
n and prayers, crowded the churches
Y and waited in trembling expectatio
n the soundings of the trumpets an
II the appearance of Anti-christ; but th
sun rose bright as ever, the stars fel
not from heaven; the laws of natur
n were uninterrupted. ut was onl
lrl postponed" said the credulous; the
counted the days, weeks and month
with indescribable anxiety, and 1t n
lquired many years of anguish to II
lsl store calmness to their minds.
dI ---
itI Alabama has outstripped any SoutI
ern State in the number of miles of raj
road built since the war. Alabama hi