The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-23
rhc t.un,InIune ylrrIn.


ual attention TO the patron saint OF that
country our Lady Of Guadalupe. A native
writer has taken advantage Of the popular
interest, and has published what may be
called an attempt 10 give the natural history
Of the famous apparition Of 1881. Every
volume Of Mexican travels from Bernal
Diaz to the compilations Of the latest news
paper correspondent, has given an account,
in one way or another, of the miraculous APP
pcamncc OF the Virgin 90 Juan Diego on the
spot where now stands the shrine built in
her honor aud the details Of the story are
familiar 10 all readers Such narratives get
scant courtesy at the hands Of intelligent
men nowadays. Curt dismissal. MS but new
instance Of u popular dclusion, or n fabrica-
ton OF the priesthood, Is the most they can
expect. But such "a study rs the one referred
To, which seeks IN contcmporancous records
the raw material QUITO which the story grew
or was framed must always have an interest
Of It's own. II only Us bcinga new triumph Of
reason over superstition.
Considerable Importance attaches TO the
very name Guadalupe. By this name. NJ
the story runs, the Virgin directed that her
miraculously painted picture should be
called. iut she was talking To an Indian,
aud presumably IN one Of the Nahua din-
lccts Now, ID Is affirmed By competent
scholar. that the letters "a aud "g' do not
occur ~ Those languages and that the near
est an Aztec could come to sRyina guada.
lupo would be- TCCuatnlopc The ancient
name OF the hill where the apparltiun u
said Ia have taken place was TcpcyAc
Whence, then, came the name Gundalupcg
No certainly traced connection can be made
out, but Il y q fact OF great significance that
Spain had her own Lady oi Guadalupe. be-
fore the Conquest According Ia the Mon
arquia dc Espnna" Of Salaznr Nirgin
known by thai name was the object NJ
/ special worship IN taccrvs small vii
lagc ot the Province Of Audalu-
sin. Very suggcstiycly, though at
/ the same time very nggrivatingly,
/ since the clcw lead, to nothing the historian
/ SAYS that Herman Cortcs was much given Ia
| the service Of thi, Virgin and that he had
PLACED la her shrine a silver lamp and a
scorpion Of gold rncrustcd with cncplds.
| This last, OF coufsc, was votiyc Offering.
Now, Mexican history reveals no connection
at all between Corics and the Mexican Wiz.
gin ui Guadalupe. yet, under the circnm.
stances. II {, easy IN believe that one existed
Of which all trace has been lost AZ ans
rate u Is worth knowing that n Virgin Of
Guadalupe was ~ novelty Ia the conqucrinr
spaninrds. In fact, a report of Nicrroy 4,
Philip II In 1913. says that the Mexican
Virgin was callcl Guadnlupan from hci
resemblance 10 one Of the same name IL
Spain.
Among the dirJi antcccdcnts Of the spc
cial cult IT the Virgin on the hill Vt Icpcyn,
must be taken into account the well c.iab
lIshcd fact that tlu same spot bad long beet
the scene of pagan rites of great religious i'm
| purtuuCc The Indians REGARDED the place a
sacred long boior they we're taught 10 ven
Cmtc 10 BY the priests IT spain. SahnFun
lot example. ncluiys that the temple Ia a.
Virgin but succeeded un older one Of th
Aklccs IN the samo locality. The same Cath
ollie historian al,u says that, Just ns the In
dinus now gnihpr from leagues around 4
share IN The great festival Of Qua ialupc nay
December ~ ~ Joe pagan times throurin
multitude, used a. ro yearly 10 thc same pInc
a. join in one Of ihy greatest " the hraihc
; icasts More striking siill IL it 90 notice IN
deity formerly Wurhippcd on the sp0
where now the Nirilu u held In such ycncl
alton. II WIS ON Ii the seats of Tunantzir
That wod IA vanIusly translated "Mnihc
~ the Gods of Queen of the Virgins
, Thus no>yiolcnt wrench in the religious idea
. of the natives W. rruuiud in their trans
ton from one fnill To another
A. indicative of thc willingness Of "a
y monks who accompanied the spaninris {
7, | utilize the prcc0uDrpiious Of the Indians r.
their own pufIolCs. 10 " worthy vi mcntio
, that The Francis bus early hud hcrmltaa
y upon the hill Of lupvyaC THIS they ha
? dedicated 10 the special worship " the VI
gn Mary though he was not set known d
the Niuqn of Oulltlupc. Even after III
uppnruon wus tli Ia have taken place, an
Toe Christian scrti.r had been introduce,
n many IL the old luiian rites, dances song
|. etc. continued a. bo in use, o. l. aticstc
a hy writer Who N,Ir scandalizcd by the fnc
: Thus the good muuk Sahagun says Of n
I, Indians. And 'lill they comc great -
u iuucrs 90 seek thU.f IountFiu, lust ~ the
used Ia do. aud ibis devotion h highly IA
piciuua since there are churches Of Ga
lady cyciyWher but they do not 20
them. set they kutp on coming leagues
their fonanizin and TANGO witnesses
The mixture Of d. Then with Christian Ger
monies that lonr prevailed at the Quad
j. lupo shrine. ADJ the fact that Others
The modern holy places 81 Mexico have hu
ID flwrd no small IIH of their mnCtlty fro
!. foregoing pagan Nmrs-this IA the case, 4
A. example, With Coo scat oi the other o
= unWncd Mexican Niv.n. Our Lady " Rem
!, dius-nnd u will uHt be- hard To imagine be-
a delft fingers pat Al. new Christian patch
= the old pagan rluurut
" II was not unit l1h3 that the iioy n
granted the rqnr.i of iA Mexican subject
aud gave permit .pn Cor the religious eel
bmtion OF Guadl.upc Day. assigning u
proper prayer anl Officers. Even In the Il
N language which y very cautious aud do
- not commit o. church b. actual belief
the apimrtion. Ibis was observed by Iul
Bnutisia MunoA WHO Rad nn essay on d
.. question boiore lhe Royal Academy Of IL