Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-06-11
Curious SuperstitiOns.

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the weird figure of man, downcast
and grave, who, unhasting, unrest.
ing, must march on to the day OF
doom. The Wandering Jew, some.
times buried in Armenian converts
or the deserts of Central Asia, in the
burning plains of Africa, or the
snowy nights of the Caucasus, sud.
denly appears In the haunts of more
civilized Europe, and tells us as an
eyewitness, the sad story of the
crucitiXion. and his share in the con.
tumely cost upon the Goldman. He
had thrown himself into the flaming
city of Jerusalem under the Roman
swords; he had fought against Gauls,
Germans and Saracens but no lance
would enter his charmed body-no
arrow would pierce the heart that
longed to be at rest. The wild eIe-
phant had crushed him under foot,
venomous serpents had bitten him.
the hungry lion had torn him, but
he could not die until Christ him
self should return to Judge the
world.
This legend filed the people with
terror and emotion, and probably
arose from some eloquent preacher.
who thus personified the Jewish ma
ton, under the figure of a single man,
scattered through the world, and
destroyed by persecution. Matthew
Paris is the first historian who speaks
of it; an Armenian bishop visiting
the monks of st. Albans, had con-
versed with the Jew about the wear
lZ2S, and from that time he appeared
at intervals in several of the cities of
Europe, dressed in the old Roman
costume, long beard, naked feet,
and sad, melancholy expression.
he refused all presents but a few
pence, which he gave away to the
poor. At Strasburg he appeared in
$50, and informed the magistrates
that he had passed through their city
two hundred years before, which
was verified by reference to the
city registers. The last time we hear
of him is In the city of Brussels in
1774.
Another no less popular supersti-
tion was the existence of king and
pontiff, united in one, named Prester
John, who had ruled q vast empire
for centuries, In which more marveIs
were to be found than in Moham-
med's paradise. No traveller to the
East dared put stop to this absurd
belief; some even pretended to know
the place. The Kings of Portugal
sent several expeditions into India
and Abyssinia to assure themselves
OF the reality, for this immortal pope
gave many an hours anxiety to the
popes of the West, for fear lest
schism should spring from 80 distant
quarter. There was a curious let
ter, written perhaps by some parti-
san OF the Reformation, to the EN-
peror of Rome and King of France,
In the name of Prester John, about
l6O7, inviting them to settle in his
dominions, which he described as
the richest and finest in the world.
There they would see the tabled
ph@niX, the griffin, the roe, the
seven-horned bull, centaurs, pigmies
and dragons. There sprung the foun-
tain OF immortal youth, there grew
the Tree of Life, from which was
drawn the holy oil used for the
sacraments of the church and when
the king and the court sat down to
the table they needed no cooks, for a
spiritual chef prepared all the dishes.
Another mystical being was Anti.
christ, who was supposed to be born
In Babylon, and whom the Jews
were ready to recognize as their
Messiah. The year 1000 was fixed
upon by the most learned doctors as
the the time of his appearance, and
the end of the world. We have a ter
rible picture given by a cotemporary,
or the desolation which reigned
throughout Europe at the approach of
this fatal term; there were fearful
signs In the heavens and on earth
ecllPses, comets, meteors floods tenn
pests and plaques. Superstition ag-
gravated the real evils of public
misery; the people spoke of fright
ful miracles the dead were raised;
the living struck with sudden death;
spectres and demons came from the
abyss. Men thought of nothing but
how they should appear before God
they gave up their wealth to churches
and converts; they thought it USE
lees to till the ground and oc-
cupy themselves in their daily tasks
their fields, houses and shops were
deserted for the altar.
AT length the last day of the year
999 arrived; ; tho whole populace, in
tears and prayers, crowded the
churches, and waited in trembling
expection the sOundings of the seven
trumpets and the appearance of An
hchrist; but the sun rose bright as
ever, the stars fell not from heaven,
the laws Of nature were uninter-
rupted. 1t was only postponed"
said the credulous; they counted the
days, weeks and months with inde-
scribable anxiety, and it required
many years of anguish to restore
calmness to their minds.