The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-07-21

miles beyond Sens It is related how
the p1ous king and Robert of Artois,
his second brother, being barefooted
and IN their shirt sleeves, carried 1t
INTO that city to the cathedral Of st.
Stephen, the procession attracting a
great multitude. 1t was thence con-
Veyed to Paris, where it is stated to
have been received with extraordinary
solemnity. ST. Louis built for it's re-
ception the Holy Chapel, as 1t is called,
and annexed thereto a rich foundation
of a chapter of canons.
An Architectural Gem.
This church is one Of the most ia
nous IN Paris, being a Gothic gem as
to architecture and notable not alone
for the %splendor of Its interior decora-
tons, but as possessing stained glass
windows which, authorities say, have
not the equal in Europe. Here the
thorns are kept amid all the mag
niticence human ingenuity can provide.
Some tlorns have been distributed
from this treasure to other churches in
Europe. They are said to be for the
most part long. 1t is unfortunately O
fact that imitation has been resorted
to, though not with great success.
There is a complete record in existence
Of the distribution of the original
Lhorns. Church authorities have been
very strict in this regard-it being q
high misdemeanor for any of the
priests to display a relic in church un-
less there is absolute authenticity as to
rts ~genuineness, and Where this rule is
abridged communication is melted
out to the offender.
Found BY Helena.
Historians tell us that Helena, Con-
s~tantine's mother, being inspired with
a great desire to find the Identical
cross on which the Savior had suffered
! for the sins of tbs would CANA ~ Tow,
salem and consulted all those whom
she thought likely to assist her in COM
passing her pious design. She Is stated
to have been ~creditably informed that
If she would likewise find the instru-
ment Of the punishment, it being al
ways the custom among the Jews to
make a great hole near the place where
the body Of a criminal was buried and
to throw into 1T whatever belonged to
the execution; looking upon all these
things as d~etestahle objects which
FOR that reason ought to be removed
out of sight.
The empress therefore ordered the
profane buildings to be pulled down,
the statues to be broker in pieces and
the rubbish to be removed, and upon
digging to a great depth the sepulcher
was discovered and near 1t three
crosses also the nails which had
pierced the Savior's body, and the title
az Hod oCci dllINeu W Ills Cross. by
this discovery they understood that one
or the three crosses was that which
they were in quest of, and the other
two belonging to the two m~alefactors.
But as the title was found separate
from the cross a difficulty remained to
distinguish which Of the three was that
cross on which the Savior had been put
to death. The good people Of that time
We're in great ~perplexity. but a bishop
knowing that one Of the principal
ladies Of the city lay extremely i'll, sug-
gesteu to the empress to cause the
three crosses to be carried to the sick
person, their faith carrying the con-
viction that the Almighty would,
through the instrumentality Of the sick
person. designate the cross they sought.
They offered up, it is stated, fervent
prayer, and after this prayer applied
the crosses singly to the sick person,
who. ecclesiastical writer's tell us, was
Immediately recovered by the touch Of
one of the crosses. The other two were
tried without effect.
The people We're full of joy at the
finding Of this treasure, which they had
50 earnestly sought, and highly es-
teemed, and ST. Helen Quilt a church
on the spot ard lodged it there with
great veneration, providing an extraor-
binary rich case for 1t. Emperor Con-
stantine afterward received a part OF
1t, and the other she carried to Rome,
to be placed in the church which she
built there under the name Of the Holy
Cross of Jerusalem, where it remains
to this day.