Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-11-20
Ia JEWISH LEGENn.
How the Hebrew: Com -nus itY Of
Worms Was Once Saved.

worms was O-lCe SaVeos
The. traveller in RaineIan1 who is
proceeding from Mayence to Heidel-
berg, or in the reverse direction,
might do worse than break his
| journey at the sleepy, old-time city
of Worms. He will find few places
along his route richer in historical
interest The deliver among the
Jewish antiquities of Worms will be
rewarded by the discovery OF soma
| quantity pathetic legends, telling Of
the sufferings endured by this re-
markable people.
Entering the ancient synagogue,
which lies in a small square off
the Judengasse, one notices two
lights ensconced against the eastern
wall, on either side OF the ark, a
chest in which are deposited the
scrolls of the law. They are kept
continually burning in memory OF
two martyrs who are said to have
sacrificed themselves in defense of
the Jewish community of Worms.
The story of their martyrdom is as
follows: Some hundreds OF years
ago, at the period of Easter-always
time of danger for the Jews of
yore = religious procession was
vending its way through the streets
OF Worms. As it passed by the
Jewish quarter, an alarm was raised
that the Jews had insulted the host
This was enough to fire the rabble
with a thirst for vengeance. They
demanded that the inhabitants OF
the Judengasse should produce the
malefactors within seven days, or
the lives of the entire community
would stand forfeited. Inquiries
were set on foot by the Jews, but no
one had witnessed the outrage.
When the last day of grace arrived
without discovering any trace Of the
supposed culprits, the Jewish quar-
ter was plunged in despair. This
happened to be the seventh day Of
the feast Of the Passover AS on all
festivals, Jewish and Christian, the
gates of the Judengasse were locked.
The beadle Of the congregation went
his usual rounds in the early morn
ing to rouse the faithful to prayer,
when he heard loud knocking at |
the gates. Two strangers pre-
sented themselves asserting that |
they were Jews and requesting to |
be admitted. The beadle informed |
them of the danger they were in
curing by entering the Judengasse
at such time. 1--WE know of it,
they replied, and are here to save
our brethren. " They were admitted.
Presently the streets OF Worms
resound with riotous noise. An in
furiated populace, on vengeance in
tent, are making their way to the
Jewish quarter. This time the
knocking at the gates is menaeing
as thunder. They sway to and fro
the pressure of the surging
crowd, and the doom of the unof-
Tending community is imminent.
Then the newly admitted strangers
step forward. With perfect self
they exclaim: "Imbrue
not your hands in innocent blood.
We, and we alone, are the authors
Of the deed!' The gates are opened,
and the crowd pass in. In the
square which fronts Nthe synagogue
a funeral pyre is raised, in the
flames OF which the strangers an
swer for their self-accusation with
their lives. Suddenly every eye is
above, for from the crack
ling flames two doves emerge, and
flying upwards are lost in the i'm
Of space. Whence the mar
tyrs who wrought this noteworthy
aeliverance for the Jews OF Worms
hailed, or who they we're, was never
known. The story has legendary
setting, but its essential truth is
attested by the two lights which
have ever since been kindlel in the
in their memory. Sun
lay at Home.