The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1882-04-06
THE LEGEND OF MOUNT PILATUs.


THE LEGEND OF MOUNT PILATUs.
1t is reported that the Emperor Tiberius, who
was suffering from malignant malady, heard
at Rome of the fame of a wonderful physician
residing at Jerusalem, and sent Albanus to So
lieit remedies of this mighty doctor, who was no
other than our Lord. Albanus presented him
self to Pontius Plate and desired to be assisted
behalf of the emperor, to find this celebrated
physician. PLATE satisfied the messenger with
specious promises, saying that in thirty days he
would produce the man; and Albinus, being dis
missed, took up his abode in the house of :.
Veronica, TO wait the expiration of the allotted
time Here he learned that the physician he
sought for had been lately prosecuted, con-
deInned aud cruciied by the Governor, vino had
asked for the months delay merely to avert for a
while the resentment of Tberius. Albauus dis
consulate, intended returning to Rome; but
Veronica assured him that whosOever had firm
trust in Jesus Christ need despair of nothing,
and promised TO accompany him to the Roman
Court. carrying with her the handkerchief I'M
printed with the Sacred Face; for, said She ..if
the emperor would, with sincere faith and devo-
ton, contemplate this image the sloth he
would certainly he cured Of his malady." And
so il happened she predicted; for the En-
peror. receiving the sacred picture with all re-
vered devotion, faith began its wonders, and
Tiberus was restored to perfect health, along
with other diseased people of Rome. But just
indignation was aroused against PLATE, and
Vespasian was sent to Judea to take the Gov
erner prisoner, and destroy the city. The first
part of the work was soon accomplished and
PLATE found himself face ia face with the augry
Emperor; When, to the astonishent of the by
ISLANDERS. the wrath of Tiberius suddenly changed
into a benevolent condcscensinn, and
spect, and he mildly iniimated that he would.
proceed further against the Ex-Governor.
When PLATE was removed, however. the En-
peror's anger rnsc with increased veheinence,
and he had him brought back again: but
soon as he presented himself the fury of Tihcrius
was dsarmed, and this happened three times.
/ Finally. the cOnrters became suspicious that
| Plate ptSSrS>ed some ta;isInan and. searching
| his clothes they found the seamless lube Of
| Christ concealed Among them. This removed,
| they led him before the Emperor who condemned
| him to the most gnominiOus death. To avoid
shameful execution, PLATE stabbed himself, and
/ his body, according to the old custom for sui
| cides. was thrown into the Til'-r.
But furious storms began 10 rage over
Rome, accompanied by earthquakes, and the
| inhabitants, guessing the cause of the tumnlt,
4 took the remains Of the wretchcd Plate ont of
! the river and sent them to Nenne, in France, 4
4 place of exile for state prisoners. where they
! were sunk in the Rhone. However" says the
| old chrunice, ''as the demon never ahates in his
| evil doings, he continued also there his hellish
! vagaries." After being removed from Niennc to
| Lausanne, and there to several other places,
! where it always disturbed the peace of the
| neighbnrhood and acted a a curse. this body
| was finally deposited on the wild rocks of Pila-
tus and the Alp became the centre of most ex-
| traordinary supernatural occurrences. Tenn
pests and storms ragged furiously and with little
| intermssOn about his crest while the CHASTITY
figure of PLATE oftrn was seen rolling backward
and forward in the lake below, causing the
| waves to boil and overflow the adjacent valleys
with destructive foundations. Sometimes he
would appear rushing madly from the cliffs,
chasing the herdsnen and dispensing their flocks
| which were precipitated in their fright into the
chasms below, whittier he would follow them,
| driven by the pursuit of another spectre, whom
from his robe and CROWN the terrified on lockers
judged to be King Herod. Finally, wander
| ing scholar, "A Rosicrucian, of Salamanca, ar
| rived at Lueerne, to whom the inhabitants
offered a large reward, if he was able TO subdue
the evil spirit; and he took up his position
point called the Wedderfeld, where, to this day,
bare circle, in the midst of luxuriant green
pastures. is pointed ont the of this COM
bat with the cursed one. Plate, after long
| struggle and resistance of the scholars incanta-
tons, began to feel their power, and TO negu-
tiate with his adversary, promising at last 10
return into the lake and rest there peaceably, SO
long a. he was undisturbed by the peasantry
and was allowed every Good Friday to leave his
| watery grave and wander abont the mountain.
! He faithfully adhered to his compact. and every
Good Friday used to emerge from the depths of
| the lake, and, seated on 4 rock upon a throne,
| went through the ceremony of washing his
hands as he had done with SO much meaning,
years before. at Jerusalem.
story, il was asserted that whosocver should
catch sight of the spectre during this ceremony
| would most assuredly die before the gear was
over: and if provoked by the villagers shouting
to him. throwing stones unthinkingly into
the lake, Plate would manifest his power by
causing a horrible tempest To break over the
locality. and fiery vapors TO spout out of the
lake. But if men OF grazing cattle accidentally
disturbed the water. the weather remained clear
| and beautiful. In the municipal records of the
-. I tha nra1
of the trial and defense of party of yonng and
distinguished citizens who, led by their curate,
! assembled Mount Pilatns. They were fined for
their foolharliness, and bound over never to
return there; and even as late as l5ls. the Duke
of Wurtemburg aud his party had TO solicit per-
| mission of the Lucrrne Council to make the
ascent, in spite of his high rank and renown a.
a traveller. while the celebrated physician. of
Basic, Felix Platter. was subjected to the same
restrictions in lJSO. However in the middle "
th. 10Th CENTURY. these fanciful stories began to
fall into discredit and men of science and known
integrity proved hy experiments and solid rea-
| sonng that the whole tiSSn" of fables were Int
| a hallucinatiou. In 1894, Prof Muller. a mnrh
respected clergyman Of the district. determined
| 70 disabnsc the minds of his people of these alb
| surd stories. and he consequently proceeded To
/ the base of the mountain overlooking the lake,
I with large company of spectators. Here
I Muller called upon the soul of Plate and his
tormentors to show themselves, while his com
I panions hurled pieces of rock into the water. TO
provoke some response. But the surface of the
lake remained unruffled that Of the
company even venturrd to swim across it. in
order to prove that IL did not emit fiery vapors
/ when invaded Thus. the supcrsttioas noturie-
, " of this haunted spot diSpelled, and its
natural beauties began to be discovered. 1t has
a luxuriaut ard original Alpine fora, and the
eurIons substance called Nondmiich, which is
found flowing from holes in lis caveTns during
! the three days Of full noon. is considered in the
Alps a. a universal remedy for all diseases. II
is really an eflieacious application for bruises
and Commissions.