Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-08-03

Grating the other great cutlery OF the
| West against Mussulman crime. the
/ First Crusade. Ii is 500 years since the
! famous Council met within the city
walls OF Clermont- Ferrand. and Peter
/ the Hermit, one OF the most striking
historical figures Of the Dark Ages
made the impassioned address that has
ever since echoed throughout Christen-
dom.
II is a marked coincidence that the
| first celebration OF an event that shifted
the course OF European history should
occur at time when all Europe Is agl-
tated over the lawlessness OF the Turk.
II is a complete coincidence. however,
for the ceremonies were planned long
before the truth about Armenia was
known.
Picturesqueness was the feature OF
the memorial fetes, the celebration
lasting four days. with Thursday
May IL. and Sunday. May 10, the most
impressive Bishops. ArehbishOps and
one OF the most famous Cardinals Of
France. his Eminence. Langenleux. Of
Rheims. were In attendance, and an inn
posing military display was made.
The events which these fetes com
memorated we're among the most stir
ring in medieval history. At tho close
OF the eleventh century. Mohammcdan-
ism had grown until Il had proved IL
self formidable rival or the Christian
Church, Rome had long before pre-
dlcted the waning OF Mussulman power.
but "Mahound" had pressed forward
and not only held the gates OF the ORR
ent. but Northern Africa and the sep
ulcher OF Christ.
Throughout all the East cruelty
reigned supreme The pilgrims that
made journeys 10 the holy sepulcher
were prosecuted with a fanaticism BE-,
yond description. Caliph Hakeem.
then ruler OF Palestine. was the son OF
a Christian mother. and the suspicion
rested on him that he might be Ia IA
Tor OF Rome. To prove himself a wor-
thy follower Of Mohammed and to dis
pei these Turkish suspicious. he became
a more relentless oppress0r than he
would have been otherwise This
persecution was the one thing needed
to inhame Christian minds. Il was
what directly brought about the First
Crusade.
Al such a moment. the monk. Peter.
OF Amiens, came upon the scene. lie
had Just returned from a pilgrimage 10
Jerusalem. where he had been A
marked object Of scorn. cursed and spat
upon, and had barely escaped torture
He went to Rome. and there presented
to Urban H.. the fiery and yet diplo.
matte Pope petition from the patrl.
arch Of Jerusalem. praying for the re-.
dempt!1n Of tho Holy Land by the
sword The POM caused this message
70 be read publicly. procla.miag il the
Message OF Christ"
The redemption OF Jerusalem ba-
came a war cry. The peasants ana
the mobiles throughout all Southern En-
rope foresaw in II a realization or tho
knlghthood OF romance and opportunl
ties for wealth and honor. The pops
seeing that all the brothers OF tho
Church were innamed. eonvoked the
Council OF Clermont. calling together
priests, bishops. ambassadors and dig.
nitaries from every corner Of tho
Christian world.
On the spot where the foundation.
stone Of the great memorial was 70.
Gently laid. Peter the Monk waved tho
cross In his torn hands and shouted
that II was the wish OF God thar tho
West should 90 into the East 10 save
The tomb Of Christ from the lnadel
and princes, statesmen. peasants ana
'cclesiastics raised the cry. "Dleu 10
'eult!' ct ls the will Of God)
Out Of the Council Of Clermont came
ne First Crusade, which. like all the
est, ended only in defeat. and from
which only a handful OF the host tina,
vent out returned. Jerusalem was can.
ured under Godefroi de Boulllon. I'm,
vas afterwards lost. Three hundred |
thousands men started in thls initia.
DRY attempt to save the cross Of chrt.,