Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-27
HREEPOPULAR sUPERsTITrONs
The Wandering Jew, Prester John
and Antichrist.

ana Ant1cnEfbL. H....
From Chambers Journal.l a..
Over all the middle ages we see the
weird figure of man, downcast and
grave, who, unhasting, unresting, must
march on to the day of doom. The
Wandering Jew, sometimes buried in
Armenian converts or the deserts OF
Central Asia, in the burning plains of
Africa, or the snowy heights of the Cau-
casus, suddenly appears in the haunts Of
more civilized Europe, and tells, as an
eyewitness, the sad story of the crucifix-
ion, and his share in the contumely cast
upon the God man.
He had thrown himself into the fam
ing city of Jerusalem under the Roman
swords; he had fought against Gauls,
Germans and Saracens; but no lance
would enter his charmed body-no ar
row pierce the heart that longed to be
at rest The wild elephant had crushed
him under foot, venomous serpents had
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 per-
sonifed the Jewish nation, under the
figure of single man, scattered through
the world, and undestroyed by persecu-
ton ....
Matthew Paris is the first historian
who speaks Of it. an Armenian bishop,
visiting the monks of St. Albans, had
conversed with the Jew about the year
1928, and from that time he appeared at
intervals in several of the cities Of Eu-
rope, dressed in the old Roman costume,
much worn, long beard, naked feet,
and sad, melancholy expression. He
refused all presents but few pence,
which he gave away to the poor. AT
Strasburg he appeared in 1880, and in
formed the magistrates that he had
passed through their city two hundred
years before, which was verified by a ref
erenee to the city registers. The last
time we hear of him is in the city loi
Brussels in TIA.
Another no less popular superstition
was the existence of king and pontif,
united in one, named Prester John, who
mad ruled a vast empire for centuries,
in which more marvels were to be found
than in Mohammeds paradise. No trav-
eler to the east dared put stop to this
absurd belief; some even pretended to
know the place. The Kings of Portugal
sent several expeditions into India and
Abyssinia to assure themselves of the
reality, for this immortal Pope gave
many an hours anxiety to the Pepes OF
the West, for fear lest schism should
spring from so distant quarter.
There was a curious letter, written,
perhaps, by some partisan of the Refor-
nation, to the Emperor of Rome and
King of France in the name of Prester
John, about 1907, inviting them to settle
in his dominions, which he described as
the richest and finest in the world. There
they would see the tabled phoenix, the
griffin, the roe, the seven-horned bull,
centaurs, pigmies and dragons. There
sprung the fountain of eternal youth,
there grew the Tree of Life, from which
was drawn the holy oil used for the sa-
craments of the church; and when the
king and his court sat down to table they
needed no cooks, for spiritual chef pre-
pared all their dishes.
Another mystical being was Anti
christ, who was supposed to be born in
Babylon, and whom the Jews were ready
to recognize as their Messiah. The
year 1000 was fixed upon by the most
learned doctors as the time Of his ap-
pearanee, and the end of the world. We
have terrible picture given by cotem-
porary of the desolation which reigned
throughout Europe on the approach OF
this fatal term; there were fearful signs
in the heavens and on the earth-eclip-
ses, comets, meteors, floods, tempests
and plaques. Superstition aggravated
the real evils of public misery; the peo-
pie spoke of frightful miracles; the dead
were raised; the living struck with sud
den death; spectres and demons came
from the abyss.
Men thought Of nothing but how they
should appear before God; they gave up
their wealth TO churches and converts;
they thought it useless to cultivate
ground and occupy themselves in their
daily tasks; their fields, houses and shops
were deserted for the altar. At length
the last day Of the year 999 arrived; the
whole populace, in tears and prayers,
crowded the churches, and waited in
trembling expectation the soundings Of
the seven trumpets and the appearance
of antichrist; but the sun rose bright as
ever, the stars fell not from heaven, and
the laws of nature were uninterrupted.
+" 1t was only postponed, said the credu-
lous; they counted the days, weeks and
months with indescribable anxiety, and
/ it required many years Of anguish to re-
store calmness to their minds.
The New York Stars wood-euts would