The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-04

pieces. which they encased 10 gold and gems
ana carried away in triumph 70 their respec.
dive countries. But as this ganful branch
Of commerce must soon have been annihiiated
Il was found convenient to suppose that m,
marvellous wood possessed secreted pnwer
Of vegetation and that its substance though
continually diminisheds stlIl remained whole
anu unmpaired.
1t Will. OF course, se noticed that while
Gihbor gives authenticity to the small niece.
OF the true cross which the bishop Of Jeru-
salem first distributed as Gifts he casts nm
overwhelming doubt over ell relies OF that
particular kind and especially any alleged
portions OF tho weed dyed with Divine blood
which might be exhibited at thir late day
by bis supplemental suggestion that an OK
hausted supply WAS replsnishei by crediting
the dead timber OF the cross with a secret
power Of vegetation.
There is. OF course, much in the harsh
statement OF history which casts disrredit
upon the genuineness of that which the actor
so fondly priced, bu. ne remained until the
day of his death firm In his belief that the
little bits OF wood he possessed once lore the
Speaking Of It, upon one occasion 10 the
narrator he said; IT do not see how It taxes
tho crednlity OF man to look with veners tlon
upon this sacred relic as really fragment of
the wood on which our Saviour died. 1t must
be borne In mind that at the time of the
divine pGseion Jerusalem was q small COM
mrnity, atd ar event Of such Importance as
tho crucnSicn OF one who claimed TO be the
Son OF God and who was SO adored by a
portion of the population was certain to
arouse the most intense interest throughout
that entire region OF country. II u.s. there
fore, not only probable but almost absolutely
certain that everything bearing anv relation
to the last hours of Jesus would be seized
with ayidity and treasured with awe and rev.
/ ercnce by many of the people.
at is now only 1900 years since the death o
4 Christ, and l see nothing remarkable no
incredible in the fact that at this day pieces
OF the cross. thoroughly authentic, would bt
, found In tho possession OF more than on
person. Let US consider this matter by anal
ogy. In the Smithsonian institute at Wash
iugton are many articles, SUCH for instance
:, as the pistol Of Booth, bearing upon the as
, sassina.ion Of Abraham Lincoln. Its identit:
is properly and even legally attested, yet
: looking upon It 1000 years from now. the sam
!, class of people who scott at the senuinenes
: OF tao bits Of wood which I treasure will tur
- up their noses and utter the inevitable re
) mark OF the unbeliever, How do you know
, But that expression will not invalidate tn
genuineness of the memento
y ~
- "All over Europe one finds mementoes
great historical events and Madame Tussau
:, exhibits the blood-stained ruIfled shirt whlc
- Henry of Navarro wore when the tahat
. Rayaillac assaesnsted him In 1910, the da
= after the coronation of his second wife MAI
de NEEDED Al Amsterdam you can see T.
ensurgu,ned jerln which did not turn asi(
the knife Of the assassin who, III 1880, att
the king had formed the first foundation
the Dutch republic did unto death villa
the silent. One hundred and forty years ha'
passed by since General Wolfe, already
dist,npuished general although but 81 yea
% Of age. lost his life on the Heights OF ABR
III ham above Quebec when successfully oppo
al ing British bayonets against the French arm
directed by Montcalm. and then anu tue
" decided the fate OF Canada That was
" an overshadowing event IN history but q
hlood-stained garments Of Wolfe are sun
CreQly preserved IN thU AS"N' "a A~
When pointed out to some traveller 20oo yea
from now he will say, How do you know
In well-guarded receptacle in AK
VI Chapelle, the scene of the grave OF Charl
-, magne, is the sponge which. soaked WI
~ vinegar, was passed to the sayiours mou
~, while He was extended on the cross pie
l.S of bamboo rod on which the sponge
-, placed and coarse brown garment which "
~ once worn by Christ. These have been Fe''
-. entity preserved, after proper authenticate
for centuries. In order that thew can not
~ tampered with, three keys are required
.oo give access to their hiding place. one
-. these keys is held by the papa authorlt
"a in Rome. one by the official authority
he AIN la Chapelle aud one by the metropon'
49,. Of that see Access can not be had to
r: relies except through the Joint EFFORTS
he the three keys Once in seven wears oil
,s. is the receutacle opened and the sacred L
o, mentoes exposed to the faithful, but alw'
in the kneeling crowd there are those
- r,u++er How do YOU know