New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-05
ST. BRENDIN'S VOYAGE:
LECTURE BY GENERAL BUTTERFIELD.
RESULT OF A SEARCH AT THE BIBLoTHEouE
NATIONALE.

OF the society No. II West Twenty eighth 3d. oo"
tanned many persons Among those present "e'o
Mrs. Marguerite Moore, Judge Joseph +. Daiy' "',o
Rev. Hugh Flatsery, Edward O'Mahony, Dennis
Burne NJ. A. O'Beime, Charles A. O'Neill ". NJ
Murphy, Dr. William OMeagher, Henry Melee, D. IT,
Hart Miss Dunno Miss Barbara II. Casey MISS o.
ze Fox, the Misses Barclay, c. A. OC0nhei' L. W.
Pollock and j. S. Mitchell J. y. Murphy, presdHi'
Of the historical section OF the Gaelic So1ey ana sec
rotary Of the general society," introduced James s. Cole
man, president Of the general society, as chalrHih or
the evening lie in neat speech introduced General
Butterfeld who spoke for an hour on the SUD
ject OF ST. Brendn's voyage 10 America IN thc sAon
century, and exhibited Photographic copy OF ooin
pcte set OF the Brendn manuscripts from inc nioh
ohequc Rationale In Paris. The General Is tmnkns
Of publishing the manuscripts and what ne mas Iouhd
Of interest in connection with the subject II any
money should be made by the publication, he wouid
Use II in erecting statue TO ST. Brcndln IN ST. rat
nck's Cathedral. He spoke In part as follows
"A valued friend, living In Network, had for
vcore heen Of great assistance to me By his culture,
his broad knowledge of literature aiid his love ior
books. So much had he done for me tlat oiten
thought should be able 10 give INN nm equiv
alcn But received IN Paris, some time ago, let
ter from this friend asking for an examination Of the
manuscript OF St. Brendin EXISTING in the Bibothequc
Rationale, and whether there was anything showing
that ST. Brendln had made voyage to America.
al was a delight to receive such letter. There
opportunity to make some return TO my friend,
and visited the Bblotequc Rationale In Paris, full
Of the purpose 10 spare nothing 70 comply With tho
wish OF the friend whom loved and esteemed. Ny
search and my findings got me Interested. have no
for who Will not exert himself strongly for
riend, and practlsed my bccf-hence came my earn
est work With what results this labor OF lore and
friendship were crowned, You shall judge"
lie spoke IN high praise OF the Bibotcque Rationale
and gave interesting details of its mammoth room,
and ta4tut
pleasure TO encounter, rs It is 10 acknowledge, the
wcknown courtesy and polIteness Of the French peO-
pie, emphasized with additional force by the culture
Of the administration and staff Of the great Dibllo-
thcque Rationale
The General evidently intended That tie French
should not get the better of him in the matter Of
polltencSs.
An Interesting account was read from the manu-
scripts of the building Of ST. Brendlns ship and It's voy
age Mlusion made to the sea serpent and other
Incredible parts Of II, which thought be the
additions Of religious enthusiasts to add supernatural
effects Tho following was read In the original Latin
II comes from the ST. BreDdn manuscripts and is sup
posed 10 have been spoken 300 years ago on the banks
Of one Of Americas great rivers, whore ST. Brendn
turned back 10 the from Ms land tourney:
" Echod the land which yon have sought for 50 long
n tmo. The reason Won II not sooner that
God desired 10 show the great OF the ocean
Return therefore, TO the land Of thy nativity, carrying
with you Of the fruits and all that your ship will
carry. for the days Of journey near to close
and You shall sleep with fathers. But after the
lape OF many years. this land shall be made known 10
your descendants, whom Christianity shall have over.
come pagan persecution. Now this river whtrh Won
see divides this Land ard as It now appears unto you
rich IA fruits 50 shall II always appear without any
shadow OF night. for its Hight Is Christ
With regard 70 them. the General said
These words made a profound impression upon
| tran SlatIo IN IriS
friend the tears coursed down his manly cheeks and
he exclaimed, Prophecy! prophecy Inspiration God
bless you, my dear General for giving me the knowl-
edge Of tho existence Of such In St. Brendins
manuscripts Feeling doubtful OF my rusty knowledge
Of Latin presumed to trespass upon my most
esteemed and honord friends. Cardinal Gibbons and
Archbishop Corrsan. TO ask the benefit Of their
scholarly knowledge and familiarity With Latin IN
crtcislng my translation ! said nothing to either
OF these gentlemen OF my purpose my views, so
their replies must be construed an approval only
Of the translation Of the particular sentences. OF
course was grntihed to ind In the eminent Cardinal
GlbbonS'S letter these words:
"'CarlinaS Residence. baltimore. March 81, 1902
"'Ny Dear General: have read with Interest the
remarkable prediction found In the manuscripts OF
ST. Brendln sometimes. think. spelled -. Brendan).
Your translation from the Latin is correct including
the sentence beginning with the words Ad propin-
quat enm.7 etc. is evident from the context. The
Ian suage Of the patriarch Is almost Identical You
had grounds for making any apology for defects
IN Latin The remainder OF the letter was Of purely
personal character and Irrelevant Ia this subject and
bore tho honorcd signature.
Yours Faithfully In Christ,
a. CARDINAL GIBBONS,
Archbishop Oorrinn also found no essential dif-
ference In the reading II there was naught else In
this manuscript written nearly 1000 ycors ago, It
would bo nilsufccnt for Il good deal OF faith aud
more wonder to-day. 1t would seem to be fairly the
province OF the Gaclic society. with a historical
section. TO exploit and unrav, any and all aud every
mystery possible In Connection with The matter
Most writer's Columbus witness the guiding force
and value Of the traditional voyage OF Il. Brendn
Irving aludcs q him.
The early Portuguese explorers had implicit faith
In the existence Of the FL Dorado the undiscovered
country Of st. Brendln. and kept looking for IT, aud
the strong evidence OF this is when the Of Por.
wga coded to the CasiilIans right aud domnion
tine Canary Islands the treaty Included ST. Brcndlns
lnGd the certain future discovery. The conditional
ccs>,on OF st Brcpdn's by the King Of Portugal
brother sovereign occurred before the transfer 10
spain.
Tho claim Of the Ecned.ctine chronlcer. oswald
Mo0Smuller. that there European bishops OF his
order I'm America during the teuth century must be
accepted either evidence Of their existence rs a mat
ter Of fct or fun and absolute faith In ST. iIrrndn's
narrative In the weakest point OF view It strengthens
the postuatc | make II he did not discover it he
caused It's discovery.
1T must be remembered that In st. Brendln's
day there were no printers. no newspapers. no type.
no reporters. Had there existed the Journalistic
force and enterprise OF the present day ST. Drcndin's
front door bell would have been pulled out OF Joint
and his life and his patience would have been tried
by the enterprise and pcrnadty Of the agents OF
the pres, In getting tho full and true accounts. OF
course the first one II possible OF the egeat voyage
and We w0ild need only to refer musty and worm
eaten files to get nbsolut, and full particulars.
Perhaps II all Ind been then that the world
could know it all with cNactness and II had been
transcribed aud disseminated instead of sixty odd
millions Of American frceneD We should have had
today this continent three four hundred millions
Of people. another form Of government, and different
results. These among the curious thoughts that
such research suggests.
Perhaps will tell us II we claim priority
~ discovery of America for St Brcndin THAI Pny
the Elder refers foreigners redskins (undoubt
cdN American IndianS) who were brought to Rome
under Nero and exposed satyrs TO the crowd by
tho CdGdatore.
No clnl1n for ST. Rrnndn. IL moi an Orcinnl dis