The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-05-30
HAD HIGH PURPOSE
columbus Shown to Have Been
Moved by Religious Zeal.
voyage Which Resulted In the Dle
eovery Of America Undertaken to
Procure Wealth to Save
Jerusalem.

History reveals that the discovery
OF America was the working out OF
an effort to recover Jerusalem Ii Is
surprising that the one great amh!-
tion OF the life of Christopher Colun-
bus, and one of the reasons FOR the
trip which ended I'm the discovery of
tils continent, Is almost unknown.
This was his scheme for the liberation
or Jerusalem from the yoke Of the in
hdel Turk with the aid of the wealth
that he hoped To acquire through his
voyage.
In his writings, his journals. his will
and his pleadingS to the Spanish SOW
ereigns there has been recorded annie
evidence of this great passion of an
adventurous and stormy life. He
quoted the holy scriptures and prophe-
cies therein to prove that he had been
selected to accomplish this and that
the holy Sepulcher was to be returned
to the Christians through him as
divine instrument
Before sailing from Paos on his
hrst voyage to America he exacted
what he believed TO be II promise from
the king and queen that whatever
profits might accrue as a result of the
adventure should he employed for the
crusade. In his journal, under the
date OF December 90. 1892. we read the
hope that his men find "tuns" OF gold
and spices "in such quantity that be-
fore three years the sOvereigns will
undertake to prepare to go and con
quer the holy scpulcber," that all the
profits Of this, my undertaking. should
be spent In the conquest OF Jerusa-
lem"
This pious ambition Is aScribed to an
Incident which occurred while the
Spanish sovereigns were at war
against Granada, during the siege OF
Baza, at which Columbus was present.
While before the city two frars ar-
rived with a message from the grand
soldan OF Egypt in which the Moslem
threatened to put to death all the
Christians In his dominions and de-
stroy the holy sepulcher Mt Jerusalem
II the war against the Moslems of Gra-
NADIA was not terminated
The indignation of Columbus was 80
intense Mt this menace that he formed
resolutions that We're never forgotten
That he shonld aspire to the recovery
of the holy place was not unusual, for
every Christian prince and man of
power nourished this one great dream
OF every pious person of the Middle
Ages.
On his return from the first voyage
to America he made n vow. hoping to
l.,
ure acquired from the trip, 10 furnish
within seven years an army of 1000
horse and 10000 foot soldiers for Il
crusade and n similar force within The
five following years This was not
forgotten. Before starting on his
fourth voyage he wrote To Popc Alex
anGer VII mentioning his vow and in
forming him of his sorrow at not being
able To fulfill II, due TO his arrest and
removal from power.
When his outlook was brightest
many royal favors were granted Co
lumbus. Some of the royal promises
never Inatured. In very imposing In.
atrument known RS the matorat, dated
February %, 149s. he provided for his
family and disposed OF the wealth that
he expected would surely flow into his
Golfers. He made provision that the
one supreme ambition Of his whole
life be carried To its desired end
In one of the articles OF the docu-
ment appeared the words. because at
the time | started TO go and discover
the Indies IL was with the intention of
supplicating the king and queen. our
sovereigns, that the revenue which
their hIghnesses might have In the In.
dies they should determine To spend
In the conquest of Jerusalem" His
will provided for crusade directed
by his Descendants.