The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-18
How Peter the Hermit Led
the Crusaders

Once on a time there dwelt in q
grim old French castle an ugly. rest.
less little lad named Peter. The old
castle was very quiet and monotonous
for his father was away at the wars
most of the time. lighting, and the
only real recreation little Peter had
was 10 listen TO the tales OF pilgrim
age and battle. that stirred his hear,
with wild desire to fare forth and
he as free TO do what he would as
the tellers Of them.
The country about his old home
was very bare and desolate; hut the
boys thoughts dwelt on the tales OF
other lands and other towns nf which
he had heard He dreamed OF the
palace of the Creek emperor. built
of marble and, some said. lined with
gold: he dreamed OF the gtories of
Jerusalem. that city OF which ne had
heard such marvellous tales and to
which he knew focked thousands Of
pious pilgrims
Many OF the pilgrims j0urneved
there because they really loved the
Christ and Wished 10 stand just where
ne had stood In life: but I am afraid
there were others who went just 10
make other people think they we're
very COED Many and many man
with the stain OF murder on his soul
and hands set out to make atenement
with nothing in his hands 90 help him
r, ach his journeys end bat a rough
staff
The pilgrims were very often n,!s-
treated in Jerusalem. for men called
Garacens. who did not serve the
Christ. ruled there, and they forced
the pilgrims 10 give them money be-
fore they would let them set foot In
the Holy city.
Once when Hakern. the mad sultan,
ruled in Jerusalem. the streets OF the
city overlooked with Infatuated
crowds, The robes Of Haken's SOL
diers could easily be distinguished
against the gaudy-colored garments
OF the other Moslem races The air
was fun of curses called down upon
the Christians and Jews. who crouch
cd low in every hiding place. that
they might escape the sword Of tho
infdels.
The Moslems you know. called
their churches mosques. and the pri-
NAL cause Of all the excitement WIS
that they had found A dead dog IN
mosque, They vowed that the place
was no longer At for prayer AMI
accused the Christians OF having
thrown the animal into the mosque
IN order to deride them. Tho news
Few like wildhre about the city, ana
with every passing moment the crowd
grew flerGer
XIII the Christian dogs" they yell
ed. Kill them XIII them How
dare they soil our temple"
All the poor Christians We're very
much frightened. l can assure yon.
They were all gathered together n
yia ri
thong to show that they were ruled
by the Moslems They knew that II
they were killed the Christian church
would be wiped out in Jerusalem.
They waited trembling; but suddenly
clear voice rang out, IT was of one
Of their number. Oriindo.
Nothing could be worse than that
the church perish!'' cried he. Il will
yield UP my life for my faith and you.
Forget not my deed and my people"
A wall OF sorrow went up from the
crowds, but no one tried to stay him.
Quickly he passed from their midst
and met the Moslems rs they were
coming to Kill the Christians
az and / only. stand guilty of this
thing" he cried. for already a dozen
swords had pierced his body.
Now. In the time of Peter there We're
two churches--the Greek church and
the church OF Rome-.and the popes
reigning in Rome were trying to force
the Greek church to obey them. that
there might be but one Christian
church, and it was not until Peters
time that the thing seemed at all
likely to come true. fierce horde Of
Turks had swept westward from the
great Chinese wall. Everything that
came before them had been destroyed
save the faith of the Moslem prophet,
and the only reason that did not fall
was that the Turks took ii for their
own The faith taught that whoever
died fighting for II against those who
did not serve Mahoa,et would go at
once 10 heaven; and SO instead OF maxi
ing the Moslems slaves. the Turks
Joined their armies TO those to the
Moslems. and the combined forces
Jared forth against the empire of
Greece. This was why the reigning
pope thought he might be able 10
unite Greece and Rome at last. Greece
asked Rome for help against the Turks
and Rome for help that Greece would
be so grateful for her help that she
would be willing to do whatever they
desired afterward
1t was Of all these exciting things
that men talked when the restless Pc
ter was but little lad. and as he
grew older he was possessed of an
intense desire to go out and take his
share and place in the mighty deeds
that were done in the world. So he
went to the bishop Of Paris and hegan
to study to be a priest. that he might
have time to read great many books. |
But he was soon tired of inaction, and
the reading OF others brave deeds did
not satisfy him. He longed to be up |
Ind doing for himself. The bishop |
sought TO detain him, but the restless
~ would not stay He fought In |