Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-12-18
THE cRUsApEs.
Motives and Beneficials Effects of the
Crusades.
Written for Adam.

In every age since the day when the
redemption OF man was consummated
on Mount Calvary, streams OF pilgrims
have gone up to Jerusalem. No shrine
in the Catholic world has been so nu-
merously frequented by holy men and
women rs the church built upon the
site Of the holy sepulchre. In the tenth
century, however, the pilgrims jour
neying to The Holy Land where subject
ed to trials and hardships on account Of
the prosecutions OF the Turks, whose
rapacity made the pilgrimages almost
impossible.
As early as the year 800 Pope Sylves-
ter II, and in l074 Pope Gregory VII
had already made call upon Christen-
dom, in the name OF suffering Jerusa-
leiG; circumstances, however, prevent
ed the wishes OF these illustrious Popes
to carry out their plan OF delivering the
holy sepulchre, from the hands of the
infdel.
In the midst OF this state OF things,
Peter, n French priest, surnamed the
Hermit, having made a pilgrimage to
the Holy Land, and having been All
eyewitness OF the cruel oppression Of
the Turks, returned to Europe with the
determination OF calling Christendom
to arms.
Persuaded that he had a call from
heaven to avenge the insults heaped
upon the Christians and the Christians
faith by the Saracens, he presented
himself before the Council of Clermont,
presided over by Pope Urban II, de-
scribing with the energy OF his sweep
ing eloquence the sufferings o! his
brethren in the Holy Land and the
PROCLAMATION of holy places and holy
things. The Pope made an eloquent
a1d stirring appeal to the assembled
multitude. The Pope's eloquence was
30 effactual that when he declared the
holy war was commanded from on high
the multitude exclaimed, "God wills
it! God wills it!
Such was the great idea, such the in
spring motives of the Crusades. The
enemies of the Church continually
speak OF the Crusades as OF fruitless
enterprises, which have cost a great
amount of money and numerous lives
OF men. This. however, ls a misrepre-
sentation of the motives as we'll as oi
beneficial results of the Crusades.
The principal motive was the re-
taking of the tomb OF Christ, who ex-
pred on the cross for the salvation OF
the human race. The motive, though
frustrated by circumstances, was not
the only one. 1t was the plan OF the
Popes, by means of the Crusades, to
rescue Europe from the invasions OF the
Saracens. This second motive was
completely obtained, and the noble
self-sacriice with which the Christians
went forth to possess the tomb OF Christ
has been rewarded with other unfore-
seen results, of which we see the great
advantages even at the present day.
The beneficial effects of the Crusades
upon society and manners can scarcely
be:doubted, and certainly not denied
The followers of the cross, emigrat-
ing from the West into the East, came
in contact with civilization in many re-
spects superior to their own; the man
ufactures, trade and commerce OF Italy
France and Germany, one and all
reaped some advantages.
At the beginning of the thirteenth
century Europe had already experience
ed the powerful shock OF the Crusades;
the sciences began to germinate, PHI
losophy made great progress; the new
languages came to greater perfection
remote pilgrimages Of the Crusaders
promoted the study of geography, and
the Christian legates made known in
their stories the countries and customs
of the inlands of Asia.
The absence also from Europe oil
many potent vassals accustomed to
control their sovereigns atfored an OPP
portunity for the latter to extend their
power and prerogatives, which, through
the protection of the Church, assisted
them to abolish private warfare and
promote more regular administration
Of justice.
These are the principal results Of the
Crusades. These expeditions, there.
fore, deserve the gratitude Of posterity
JANsENIsT.