People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1896-11-13

INC btSte VI uyPAob'O 0Ntomosr
The most striking phenomelon in
medieval history is that of Tie cru
sades, which agitated Earope'n ma
tons for abous two centuries and
cost them about seven milliot men.
This attraction of devout Christians
by the Holy Sepulcher manifested
itself in pilgrimsges, which d first
were rare, but gradually spreai and
became universal mania. SHOPS
abandoned their diooeses, Princes
their dominions to visit the nab of
Christ. At the time of it, tghest
tide, the flood of pilgrims wa sud
denly stopped by the seaaklan
Turks, who conquered Paestine
about 1916, AS a msnisc, whom
thwarted in his purpose, becomes
raving and violent, so did Europe
become when the flood-gs:es Of the
pilgrim torrent were stoppet and
only drops were let to trickle through.
European humanity fell into tit OF
acute mania, which expressed itself
in the savage eestaoy of the fat cru
sade. Heinrich Won Sybel' in peak
ing of the first crusade, tells rs that
"we can hardy unders' and p1oh
state of mind. 1t was muol rs if
large army were now to emtArk in
balloons, in order to oonqtor an
island between the earth AID the
moon, which was also expected to
contain the paradise" swafms OF
men of different races, wit their
wives and daughters, with nfants
taken from the cradle, aud yraud-
sires on the verge of the graz, and
many sick and dying, cams from
every direction, all Of them ready to
be led to the conquest of the Holy
Land. But the kingdom founded by
the pilgrim princes was Unstable,
and it fell again and again into the
hands Of the unbelievers, and cru
SADIE sitter crusade was ORGANIZED,
each being weaker COPY of the pre-
ceding, until 1872, when the crusade
epidemic was completely at an end
During the same period of time there
we're also western orueades against
the Arabiqns in Spain, and against
the unfortunate Albigefses in south :
ern France In the Cd ussde against
the Albigenses, according to Albert
Won S!ade, a peculiar 1ellgiouF mania
broke out among wG,Een; thousan Is
81 't1s~u, starr e ss's; e1d IN deep
silence, as if ctr aken with dumbness,
ran frantically about the streets; III
Luttich many Of them fell into con-
vulsion Of eostacy.
The abnormal suggestibility of
medieval society was most clearly
seem IN the crussdes of children.
About 1912, between the fourth and
fifth crusa9es, Stephen, a shepherd
boy at Cloyes, in imitation of his
elders, began to preach to children
of holy war. The crusade epidemic
spread among inc little ones. Ac-
cording to the statements of the
chroniclers, there was large pro-
portion OF little girls in the multi
tudes of hypnotz d children. Fathers
and mothers brought to bear upon
the young all thu influence they had
to check this dangerous migration
mania, but of no avail. In village
near Cologne, Nicholas, a boy of ten'
began to play at crusade preaching.
Thousands of children fooked to
him from all sides. AS in France,
all opposition was OF no avail. After
many tribulations, the army led by
Niooolas, considerably reduced in
size, reached Rome, where the Pope,
Innocent III, succeeded In diyerting
this stream of little pilgrims back to
Germany. When, after long and
fatiguing journey the little French
crusaders at last reached Marseilles,
two pious merchants voluntarily
offered TO provide Vessels to convey
the children to Palestine. Half of
the vessels suffered shipwreck, and
the rest were directed to the shores
of Africa, where thu little pilgrims
fell into the hands OF the Turks and
Arabians. The two pious merchants
were slave dealers.
The medieval ages present Us with
an uninterrupted chain of epidemios.
No sooner did the crusade mania