Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-29
ADDITIONAL on THE MEXICAN
MESSIAH.

lean Messiah" which first appeared In
the 0sntlemdns Magazine and IA repro
iuccd In the May number OF the Popu
Tar SoicncsM 5nthD. DIR. Dominick DAILY,
the author Of the paper, clearly showed
that Quetlatcoatl, the Fair God Of tho
Msxlcans, was no myth, but real per
sonagc who had visited and taught the
ancients on this continent, and who
had promised to visit them again. The
writer's inference that Quetzat-
coail wa 81. Brcndan, an Irish
Bishop, however, rests upon n basis NO
airy as 10 be logically imperceptiblc.
Dr.. DAILY almost admits thl. himself
NJ he thus cautiously coniectures;
"llui In looking for country in wost-
ern Europc-possibiy an island which
from A. ID. 600 10 A. II. 800 might hayo
sent ont a missionary on Wild trans
atlantic expedition, ono Is soon struck
with tho possibility of ireland being such
a country. Could ireland have boon tho
rlapallsn, or Holy Island, of the Mexican
tradllioni"
The speculative tendency Of the
gentleman leads him TO an ain run alive
inference. His premises are, how
ever, glaringly defective, because
there l. nothing In tho tradition, 10
far rs he himself has explained II,
which makes II at all certain that tho
Tlapallan Of the Mexican tradition was
located In western Europe, and II
Is much moro likely that II was
Palestine, or the Holy Land 10
which the tradition points as
the place from whence Qletzstcoatl
came, the definition Of the word nd
mitllng Of this suppostion, TO say the
least. This view Ia strengthened by
the fact that the land OF Abraham Ia
the cradle Of Christianity, which must,
as stated, have been taught among the
ancient peoples Of this continent. The
strength Of the article IL still further
dlmlnishcd by the following admls-
sion;
"rhls curious account Of st. Brondan's
voyage may DO altogether q romance, as
Il has long boon held 10 be; but the rc-
markable thing about Il Ia tho slngularity
Of is genoral concurrence with tho Moxl-
eau tradition OF Qnetzatcoatl."
The 81. Brcndan story il rs follows:
"From the emlnencc nowseailcd, aftor,
him, Brcndan Mountain, tho saint had
long gaxod upon the Atlantic ut his feet
aud -poculaiod on tho perilous condition
Of the souls 81 tho unconvcrted peoples
who possibly Inhabited unknown coun-
tries on the other side. At length. In tho
cause Of Christianity, and for tho glory
Of God, no resolved upon q mis-
sionary expedition across tho ocean,
although ho was then woil ad.
vancod In years. With this purpose
ho caused stout bark TO be constructed
and provlsioned for long voyage, q por-
tlon OF his supplies consisting Of live
swine. Taking with him some trusty
companions, he sailed from Trawlce Bay,
at tho foot OF Drcndan mountain, In a
soulhwc-,erly direction. Tho voyage
lasted many weeks, during several OF
which tho vessel was carried along by a
strong curront without need OF help from
oars or sails. In the land which he ultl.
matoly reached the saint spent seven
years In instrucilng tho people In tho
truths Of Christianity. lie thon lon them,
promlslngto return at some future tlmo.n
There Is no rolevance between this
story and tho Mexican tradition. ~
The Idea Of making such voyage In
bark TO which oars were attached rs
a means Of propulsion Is not feasible on
Ia face. t2l The tradition says moth.
ing Of Quetzatcoatl being accom- panied
by companions. (a) There ia not the
slightest thread by which 10 connect
tho great American Continent with
the part Of the world alleged to have
been visited by Father Brendan aud
his "trusty companions"
A point made by DIR. DAILY in favor
Of Quet1atcoatl being no myth, but u
real person, was the fact OF tho tradl.
ton bringing down through tho ages a
minute, "and no doubt correct" de-
scrlptlon Of the appearance OF the great
teacher who established Christianity
on this land. lilo was white, tall and
boarded. In the sixth century, M
now, tho Romish monks shaved their
faces clean, ~ religious observance,
and In addition, also shaved the crowns
OF their heads. 1t will be seen, thore.
fore, that unless 1t. Brendan had dis.
carled the regulations OF his order, ho
would present an appearance tho di.
rectly opposite OF that ascrlbed in the
Mexican tradition 10 the Fair God who
visited, taught the people aud assured
them that he would revisit them In
the future.
one OF the weakest phases Of DIR.
Daly's theory, Is that 81. Brendan and
his "tnsty companions" could have
visited this most important SEQ.
ton OF the globe, abored seven
years among Its interesting lnhabit.
ants, established Christianity In their
midst, returned home and created moi
n ripple In Europe. II ia scarcely pos.
Hiolo 10 Imagine more unlikely result
ola discovery and labor 80 vast. In at.
tempting to identify st, Brendan, the
Irish Bishop, with Quetzatcoatl-tho
Mexican Mcssiah--he endeavors Ia AL