The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-06-27
STORY OF THE WANDERING JEW

With the outlines Of the story Of
the Wandering Jew all Intelligent read
ers are familiar Il tells Of a human
being existing in an undying condi-
tiou and travelling ceasclessly over the
face Of the earth, seeking rest and find
inc none. The suggestion upon which
the legend is based may probably be
found in the words spoken by Christ:
~ criiy I say unto YOU. There be
some standing here which shall not
taste Of death till they see the Son Of
Man coming in His kingdom" 1t will
be remembered also that Christ said to
Peter, speaking Of John: IF 1 Will
that he tarry till | come, what is that
to thee ?' These and one or two other
similar sentences from the lips Of our
Saviour have very naturally created
an impression that certain persons who
were living at the time Of His appear
ance upon earth would remain alive
until Hissecond coming upon the judg-
ment day. Precisely how and when
this opinion crystalized into the shape
which we are considering cannot be
determined with eXactness, but the
fact is hardly doubted that the gospel
Utterances just quoted really supplied
the germ which, in some active fancy,
perhaps that Of monk Of the Middle
Ages, fructified into this wonderfully
poetic and dramatic story.
The first appearance Of the Wander
ing jew in literature is III a book Of
the Chronicles Of the Monastery Of St
AIbans. England. which was copied
and continued by the famous Matthew
Paris, who, in the carly part Of the
thirteenth century, was an inmate and
scribe Of the abbey.
Paris asserts that the Wandering
jew visited England, in the person Of
the Archbishop Of Armenia, in 1928.
The story told Of the Archbishop by
one Of his servants was that the Arch
bishop at the time of Christ was pOr-
ter in the palace OF PCntius PLATE, and
his name was Cartophilus. When Pi-
late released Jesus to the Jews, the
latter dragged him forth, aGd as they
reached the door the porter impiously
struck him on the back with his hand,
and said, in a jeering tone, GO quicker,
Jesus, 90 quicker! Why do you loi-
ter ?" And Christ, locking back upon
him with a severe cCuntenance, said to
him, Il am going, and you will wait
till | return" " And accordingly, rs
Christ said, Cartophilus is still await
ing His return.
At the time of this occurrence he
was 80 years old and when he at
tains the age Of 100 years he returns
to the same age he was when the Lord
suffered. A fter Christ's death, when
the Christian faith gained ground Car
tophilus was baptized by Ananias (who
also baptized the Apostle PauL) and
was called Joseph He became a man
OF holy conversation and OF deYout
life
This is one version Of the legend.
The other and more popular one Is
that jew named Ahasuerus, by trace
shoemaker, was standing in the door
Of his shop in Jerusalem when CHRIST
was passing on his way to Calvary
Ahasucrus had little child upon hls
arm, and, as the Lord approached the
house, bowed under the heavy weight
! Of the cross, He tried to rest little
and stood still for a moment. But the
/ shoemaker, in zeal and rage, and tol
/ the purpose of obtaining credit from
the Jews, drove the Saviour forward
! and told Him to hasten on His way
Jesus Obeyed, but turned and looked