Year: 1864




An ancient legend, giving the history of
the tree from which the Cross was made.
runs as follows;


Four hundred and thirty years after his
expulsion from Paradise, Adam had titled
the ground in the valley of Hebron, when he
felt his end approaching. and determined to
send his son Seth to the gates of Paradise, to
demand from their keeper, the angel called
Cherubim," the oil of mercy that had been
promised to Adam when he was driven from
the garden. Seth accordingly set forth, find
ing his way by the footprints of Adam and
Eve, upon which no grass had grown since
they had passed from Paradise to Hebron
The angel, after hearing the message, order
ed Seth to look beyond the gate into the gar.
den, and to tell him what he saw. He pc.
held place of inexpressible delight and
beauty, with four great rivers proceeding
from fountain in the centre and, rising
from the edge of the fountain, an enormous
tree with wide spreading branches, but with
out either bark or leaves. He was ordered to
look second time, when he saw a serpent
twisted around the tree and third time,
when the tree had raised itself to heaven. and
bore on its summit child wrapped in glitter.
ing vestments. 1t was this child. said the
angel, who would give to Adam the oil of
mercy when the due time would come. Mean
while the angel gave Seth three seeds from
the fruit Of the tree of which Adam had eat.
en-. These were to be placed in the mouth Of
Adam before his burial and three trees
would spring from them-a cedar, cypress
and pine. The trees were symbolical Of the
Holy Trinity, not only by their number, but
by the virtues which belonged to each sepa,
rately.


1t happened as the angel had foretold. The
trees were hardly a foot above the ground in
the days of Abraham. Moses, to whom their
true nature was revealed, took them up care
fully, carried them with him during the
years of wandering in the desert, and then
planted them in mysterious valley named
Comfrafcr G. comfort,' 9 consolation, y frou,
Comfratort.) David was directed to bring
them to Jerusalem. He planted them close
to fountain; and within thirty years they
had grown together SO rs to form single
tree of wonderful beanty, under the shade of
which David composed his psalms. and wept
| for his sins. In spite of its beauty, Solomon
cut it down in order to complete his temple,
for which single beam was wanted, Of
size such as no other tree could furnish. But
in fitting the Team to its place, it was found,
after repeated trials, either too long or too
u
sign that it was not to be so employed.


The miraculous beam, however, was reve-
rently preserved in the temple A certain
woman, named Maximilla, one day leaned
against it, when her clothes caught fire, and
she cried out in spirit of prophesy, g Jesus
Christ, Thou Son of God, help me !" The
Jews, when they heard her cry, took her for
mad, and chased her from the city-the first
martyr, says the legend, for Jesus Christ.


Thus far the more usual version, Another,
which has been followed in striking Rroyen.
cal narration. quoted By M. Faureil, asserts
that when the tree was found to be too short
for the temple, it was flung aside into a GER
tain marsh, where it served as a bridge But
when the Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem
to hear the wisdom of solomon, when she was
about to cross the bridge, she saw in vision
how the SAVIOUR of the world was to be sus-
pended on that tree, and so would not walk
over it, but forthwith adored it. 1t was af.
forwards. as all the versions agree, on the
spot where the pool of Bethlehem was made;
so that it was not only the descent of the an.
gel, but the virtues of the buried wood,
which gave its healing qualities to the water.
The Jews took it to make the cross of our
Lord


Such is the remarkable legend which has
at least the interest of being widely spread,
and as having been generally received as au.
thentic. 1t would be no easy matter to trace
the steps of its formation or to mark the Pc
riod of its first introduction to Europe The
footprints of Adam which left the ground
bare are still pointed out on the summit of
Mount Geizim.