The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-01-08
The CkiIdren's Crusade.
a TRCE STORY OF THE MIDLE AGES.

TRUE STORY OF THE MIDLE AGES,
At the beginning of the thirteenth
century, Europe was. Jared by numer-
Gus wars :; some of them were domestic,
and others had been undertaken by
royal or noble adventurers, greedy for
conquest. Fire and the sword had
passed from kingdom to kingdom the
people were impoverished, and sick of
violence and war. Civilization was at
a low ebb, and men everywhere were
weary OF their long struggles for peace.
Into this condition of society came way
worn pilgrims from the Holy Land,
bringing tidings Of the wretched plight
of the shrines which Christian hands
had reared, and telling narrowing tales
of the indignities heaped on holy men
who went to worship or pay their vows
at the birthplace and sepulcher of our
Lord.
To these appeals for succor there was
no response. The country was poor
and the people tired of wars. A cru
SADIE would not pay. The popular re-
ligion of the times was not much bet
ter than heathenism; and the threats
and entreaties of priests we're alike un-
needed.
In the gloomy old town of Cloyes,
situated N the part of France now
known as the Department of Eure-et-
Loire, in 1912, lived o young lad
named Stephen. The scant history of
the times tells us only that he was q
shepherd boy that ne was about six
teen years old, and that he tended a
flock on the hills of the Loire, which
flows through the town. His family
name is not recorded; he is known in
history only as Stephen of Cloyes.
Stephen had heard the passionate ap-
peals of the priests, and had seen the
tears of returning pilgrims as they re-
counted the perils of the way to the
Holy Land and pictured the sufferings
which our Lord had endured through
his disciples at Jerusalem. His heart
had been stirred within him as he saw
that there was no n to help the dis
tressed church and her faithful cross
bearers.
There to him appeared, n day, a
strange man, who commended his zeal
and pious tears. To the wonder
stricken, rapt youth he announced him
self as Jesus Christ. He gave him q
commission to preach a crusade to the
children, promising that he should lead
to Palestinean army that should occupy
the land and restore the Holy Sepul-
cher. Into bis hand he delivered a let
ter to the King of France, commanding
the monarch to aid the h~eaven-ap-
pointed apostle of the new crusade.
Filled with rapture, Stephen flew to
his parents, told his marvellous story,
and exhibited his celestial letter to the
King. The simple people listened with
amazement and perplexity. They asked
for the heavenly v~isitant but he had
disappeared as mysteriously as he came.
We can only guess who and what he
was. Probably he was a priest of the
neighborhood, who, hearing of
Stephens kindling enthusiasm, had
disguised himself in pilgrim garb, and
had thus visited and misled the simple
boy.
Stephen soon proved how apt a pupil
he was. Fired with strange ardor and
gifted with great natural powers of ora
tory, the lad kindled innumerable
hearts with burning zeal. Leaving
Cloyes, he went to the city of st.
Denys, then famous as the burial place
Of the martyr D:onysius. Placing HIM
self before the shrine of this early VIC