Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-10-08

masses or lanurea i..fD DarBar1c orna-
ments. and above all natives Of these
countries, who were objects ee intense
and inexhaustihle interest All these he
pronounced mere harbingers Of greater
discoveries yet to be made. which would
add realms Of incalcillable wealth to the
dominions Of their inajcsties and whole
nations Of proselj.tes to the trIle faith.
When he had finished, the sovereign
sank on their knees. and raising their
clasped hands to heaven their eyes filled
with tears Of joy ami gratitude, poured
forth thanks and praises to God for 50
great providence. all present followed
their example, a deep and solemn enthu-
siasm pervaded that splendid assembly,
and prevented All common acclamations
of triumph The anthem "Te Deun
Laudamus, chanted by the choir Of the
royal chapel, with the accompaninentof
instruments, rose i'll Il fnlI body Of sacred
harmony, bearing up. as it were, the
feelings and thoughts Of the auditors to
heaven, $50 that, says the venerable Las
Casas, 'it seemed as If in that hour they
communicated with celestial delights.
Such was the solemn and pious manner
in which the brilliant court of Spain
celebrated this sublime event. offering
up a grateful tribute Of melody and
praise, and giving glory to God for the
discovery of another world
When Columbus retired from the royal
presence he was attended to his residence
by all the court and followed by the
shouting populace. For many days he
was the object of universal curiosity
and wherever he appeared was sur
rounded by an admiring multitude.
While his mind was teeming with
glorious anticipatfons. his pious scheme
for the delverance Of the holy sepulcher
was not forgotten It has been shown
that he suggested it to the Spanish sover-
eigns at the time of first making his pro-
positions, holding it forth as the great
object to be effected By the profits Of his
discoveries Flushed with the idea Of
the vast wealth now 10 accrue to himself,
he made VOW to furnish within seven
years an arr consisting Of four thou
sand horse and fifty thousand foot, for
the rescue of the holy sepulcher, and
similar force within the five following
years. This vow was recorded in one Of
his letters to the sovereigns, to which he
refers, but which is no longer extant.
nor Is it certain whether it was made at
the end Of his first voyage or at d subse-
quent date when the magnitude and
wealthy result Of his discoveries became
more fully manifest
He often alludes to it vaguely in his
writings, and he refers to it expressly ii
letter to Pope Alexander vi, written
in 1902, in which he accounts also for its
nonfulfillment 1t is essential to full
comprehension Of the character and
motives of Columbus that this visionary
project should be borne in recollection.
It will be found to have entwined itself
in his mind with his enterprise Of dis
oovery, and that holy crusade was to
be the consummation of those divine
purposes, for which lie considered him
self selected BY heaven as an agent 1t
shows how much his mind was elevated
above selfish and mercenary views
how it was filed with those deyout and
heroic schemes, which in the time Of the
Crusades had inhamed the thoughts and
directed the enterprises of the bravest
warriors and most illustrious princes