Arizona republican., 1898-11-12
LED BY LITTLE CHILD.
Baby piIgrimS Sought Eternal Life in
 aLand of Death.

Today the emperor of Germany has attained the goal of his more or less theatrical pilgrimage He has entered the famous "Burgh of Jerusalem He has knelt at the shrine which is be- lieved to mark the tomb of Christ in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
 TO perform the act which Emperor William perfor med today in peacs and safety, thousands and hundreds O. thousands Of pilgrims and crusaders have laid down their lives.
 For nearly two hundred years mailed knights and ragged rabble, kings, princes, emperors, adventurers and saints and martyrs streamed unceas- ingly from every quarter of Europe, seeking eternal life in a land Of death.
 None was too high or too low for the sacrifice. They rode, they walked, they crept; they fought, begged, stole, fam ished; but above else, they died. Not a tithe achieved the end for which they toiled and suffered. The road to Palestine became the cemetery of Eu- rope. It, was an age of prOdigies and wonders History has no other story 10 compare with it. Romance has en- deavored to adoIn the tale, but the facts are more astounding than all her miracles.
 Amid this incredible carnival of fla naticism, heroism, martyrdom, cred ulity and folly, there appears one cpl sode which in it's extravaganza sur passes verything else recorded in the annals Of our race.
 The children's crusaGei
 Armies of little children, numbering tens Of thousands marching unguard ed, unguided, unTestrained, to do battle wiJh the Saracen and rescue the Holy c. 4l,. I,, T 1Izo,
 And, after all, the world is not so greatly changed Within the present century we have seen the Millerites climbing to the roofs cf their houses, clad in white ascension robes and ex- pecting to mount to the skies. We have seen a Mormon prophet lead an army across a continent and establish a nation of zealots in the heart Of q western desert.
 But yesterday we saw a miracle working Schlatter draw a credulous multitude at his heels. The spirit that made a children's crusade is not yet extinct.
 It was in the year 1912 that the cru sading madness, then epidemic every where, eliminated in this eXtr2Ordi- nary outbreak The third crusade. though inspired by the fiery harangues of St. Bernard and led by three power ful kings, one of whom was the lion hearted Richard, had ended in humili- ating failure. This to the blind faith of those days seemed incredible. Why had not heaven s:nt victory to her own champions? It was a hard question, yet an answer was found. The fault, the preacher declared, lay in the sinfulness Cf the soldiers Of the cross. Their hearts were not pure; they were un- worthy.
 Then a strange whisper arose: "Je- sus Christ, 10 show His divine power and to confound the pride O. the great est captains and of the wise and power ful of the earth, had placed His cause ill ,he hands of simple and timid in fancy"
 Prompted and excited by such imag- things youngster known as Stephen Of Cloves. whose home was near Or leans ir France, began, like Joan of Arc, to see visions. Jesus-so the boy asserted-had appeared before him and commanded that he lead @ crusade of children to redeem Jerusalem from the unbelievers. 1t was an age of visions and portents. Young Stephen, who undoubtedly believed in himself, was easily believed by others. Fastening to the tomb of St. Denis, near Paris, he began to proclaim his mission. The
 
 From every side the children flocked to hear, and soon the boy crusader found himself at the head of an army of 30,000 volunteers, mostly under 12 years of age. Boys and girls and rich and poor alike fastened the cross upon their breasts, bound themselves by the pilgrims holy vows, and started upon their long and fateful journey without misgiyings. Stephen moved at their head in a begarlanded chariot, with a retinue of youthful attendants, mim- icking the state of kings. Behind him followed an almost endless procession | of little devotees, bearing banners and | emblems, singing as they marched, | '.Oh, Lord Jesus, restore us to your | holy cross" To all who questioned | them they answered.: "We are going to ! Jerusalem to deliver the sepulchre of i our Savior" Nor was the infatuation confined to France. Germany also had it's juvenile prophet, one Nicholas, who succeeded, it is said, in assembling no fewer than 10000 infant crusaders.
 But had these misguided children no parents? What were their fathers and | mothers dcing in the meanwhile?
 Nothing-at least nothing effective.
 Some were as suPerstitious as their | offspring, ard dismissed their babes with tears and blessings. Others at tempted restraint, but in vain Nothing could hold back the little zealots. They | burst open bolted doors, and even broke openings through the walls of houses. It was 9 fanatic age; it was periIous to oppose a crusade of any sort.
 The words of Jesus were freely quot ed and sympathy misappEed. "A little child shall lead tAem,' was cited by advocates to justify the mad project. And again: Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven"
 This was considered conclusive In Germany, it would seem, there was at first scarcely so much as a protest. The