Gilpin observer., 1915-04-01
SACRED LEGENDS
and TRADITIONS
Most of Those Which Center
About the Life of Christ Had
Their Origin During the
Middle Ages.

THE countless legends which center
i about the life of Christ while upon
earth, came into popularity, for the
most part, during the middle ages, and
were given unbounded credence by
the ignorant, superstitious people of
that day, whose beliefs were yet
tinged by the influence of paganism.
Upon these sacred legends are based
many of the most famous paintings in
the world, and not little of its poetry
and song.
The traditions concerning the cross
upon which the Savior was crucified
have come down to us in varied forms
A Greek legend tells that when Adam
was expelled from the garden of Eden,
he took with him a staff made from a
branch of the Tree of knowledge. Dur
ing his wanderings he reached the site
Of Jerusalem, and thrusting the staff
into the earth 1t took root and -four
ished. And, when, years later, 1t was
cut down, 1t served as the cross of
the crucifixion,
The story of the mistletoe is better
known-how once it was tall, stout,
tree but how, after being used for the
cross, it became accursed, a mere
weak parasite. The legend that the
aspen tree was used for Tie cross is
assigned to the Germans, who be-
lieved that, out of remorse and fear.
its leaves were made to shiver per-
petually.
M H.
To beams of sacred palm His outstretch-
ed hands;
A cypress tree His tortured body bore,
On olive wood His kingly title stands.
But the legend of the cross most
widely spread and most generally be-
lieved in the olden time is as follows:
Adam, having lived to a great age,
and feeling that death was not far
distant, bade his son Seth bring to
him either the fruit of life which grew
in the garden of Eden, or the oil Of
mercy which flowed there. and which
had been promised to Adam upon his
expulsion from the garden. Seth made
his way to Paradise by the footprints
of Adam and Eve. over which no grass
had ever grown. The angel to whom
Seth made known his errand gave him
tree seeds, from the fruit of the tree
Of which Adam had eaten, and di-
rected that they be placed under
Adams tongue just before his burial.
In the course of time Adam died and
the angels instructions were carried
out.
Soon there sprang from Adams
To-, IJa1
a cypress and pine tree. These long
grew together, forming but one trunk,
which came to be regarded as a symbol
Of the Holy Trinity. This tree, trans
planted by Moses and later by David,
grew to be very beautiful. But even
its beauty did not prevent Solomon
from cutting 1t down in order to COM
plete his temple, for which a beam OF
enormous size was lacking. But each
time that the beam cut from this tree
was fitted, 1t would be either too large
or too small, and such strange cir
cumstance was taken as sign that 1t
should not be used.
Some time afterward, most versions
agree, the beam was buried where the
pool Of Bethesda was at later time
discovered. During Passion week the
wood rose and floated on the surface
OF the pool, and the Jews used 1t for
the crucifixion cross.
The legend of the Holy Grail has an
important place in literature and art
According to tradition n descendant
of Adam and Eve found one OF the
large emeralds from the crown Of Luci-
fer-an angel who had been expelled
from heaven-and made from 1t n
beautiful cup. This cup came into the
possession of Joseph Of Arimathea, in
whose house Christ kept the feast OF