The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-07
4 WONDERFUL CRUCIFIx.
(Toronto Tribune.)

nA Oh "hich MAYOR A. y. DaiiSs, u, 5. A. is
the possessor. The Msjor is a convert To
the Church, and q real soldier Christian.
The crucifix wac presented TO Major
Dallas by the Right Rev. j. B. Salpointe,
u. D., Vicar Apostolic of Arizona. That
prelate received it from a Mexican woman
on his entry into the country, she having
discovered it among the ruins of an old
mission near Tuscou. No doubt part of
It's venerable appearance may be owing to
the exposure il haG undergone before it's
discovery by the Mexican woman who CAV @
it to Bssop Salpointe. The Missions of
Arizona were abandoned very hastily about
| the time of the proclamation of the Next
can Republic, all the regular orders having
| been expelled from the country. The long
| time intervening before the re entry Of
| any clergy into the territory was sutfice
| to leave many of the missions in a deplora
BILE and ruinous condition. That OF Santa
Nina, near Tucson, was not exempted
from the common fate, and nothing now
remains except a. umbiing edifce of
abode, formerly used as residence by the
Fathers.
The crucifix is made of wood, and in e We
parts: the head, torso, lower extremities
in one, and the arms. The wood is not an
indigenous wood ofArizona, and it's present
possessor, valuing the relic too highly,
will not allow it cut to ascertain it's true
nature.
The figure is sixteen inches from the
crown of the head to the extremity of the
feet, and eighteen inches from the hands
where they are attached to the TRANSFERS
portion of the cross to the feet. 1t is diff
cult to enter upon a description of this
very wonderful and soul stirring work of
art. In most crucifixes having pretentiOns
to more than ordinary value, the artist has,
as in the well-known ivory crucifix in the
cathedral at Philadelphia, left much of the
reality of the crucifixion to the devotion of
the spectator, relying for his effect on the
beauty of execution. In the Dallas cruel |
nix, the artist, while not neglecting any of
these aids to effect, has portrayed with |
wonderful and awful force the actual cruci- |
fxion of our Divine Lord.
The body is first moulded or chiselled in |
exact conformity to the laws of anatomy. |
The swelling muscles and the dietended |
cords are given with terrible truth and |
fidelity. The body having be eo, with the |
limbs and head, thus carefully made, the
artist has inserted in bone or ivory the
anatomy of the frame. Whe, Q tee wounded
flesh has been torn there bones protrude or
are exposed. Over all has been emoothed
nne and plastic cement, which at the
parts has been moulded to repre-
sent the torn and mangled flesh, colored to
q brilliant blood color, which time has in
vain assailed, the brilliancy remaining now
as vivid and Iife-like as when first put on.
Commencing with the Head. There has
been evidently no permanent crown of
thorns The Head is inclined upon the
chest, having fallen precisely at the mo-
nent of the dissolution F.; the hair is falling
around and upon the shoulders the eye
ids are half closed, and the eyes have a
glazed and expiring expression the whole
ace, indeed, is that of death. The mouth
8 partly open, exposing the teeth and the
lip of the tongue. Ga the forehead, one
horn remains imbedded in the flesh, whilst
he hair is torn in other places from the
paln ha cLyull On loft oha
8 the mark of the cruel buffet.
The body is marked with terrible wounds;
he hagellatiOn has torn the flesh from the
zones, exposing the vertebIn and ribs, from
Which hang sbreds and particles of bleeding
lesh. The anatomical accuracy of the DO
itiOB Of the bones, shoulder blades, etc,
an only have been secured by thorough
pOwledge of the science.
TIE cruel scourges have Tapped around (
le frame and left their marks upon the 81
red sides, where they have torn the flesh
gain, whilst the mark of the Roman sol
ier's lance cape with the clean cut of the I
urdeJous blade. Around the loins can be
sen the places where the cords which
ound Him to the pillar had sunk into the =
esh, and left their CHASTITY memento.
Around the loins is also gathered the
out which, tied with q rope, depends at
e left hip This is saturated with blood, 7
ome portions of it are gone. The knees
q bare to the bone, and the ankles expose
q calculations of the joints, whilst the
ct are swelled and surcharged with blood. Z
he arms give terrible evidence of the
,Ony which the weight has brought upon
9 muscles; the hands are swollen and
Q fingers, though badly broken, are bent D
wards toward the palm with the torture.
here the heavy cross bore upon these the
fist has not failed to show the torn and
ouDded flesh. H.
Such, in brief, is this wonderful crucifix.
be Sacred Figure hangs upon a cross of
GtuTal wood-the knots, ETC., being left ",
vered with cement aud blackened. 1t is ~
irty- eight inches long, by nineteen wide,
o space rom the feet to the lower point
ing thirteen inches. 1t is evidently the p
ucifx of preaching missionary, and,
Id aloft in the hand of fervent orator,
lst have had an unsurpassed effect upon
3 mind.
The Passion ia here not written but really
picted, and the most callous and luke m
Irm soul cannot gaze upon this picture w
the sQfferinQs of Onr Divine Lord with