Curiosities of Christian History Part 35

_SACRED LEGENDS._

LIVES AND LEGENDS OF SAINTS AND MARTYRS.

In the ninth century the monks busied themselves with collecting, compiling, and reviving biographies and histories of saints and martyrs.

Many of the records of monasteries had been pillaged and destroyed by the ravages of the Northmen, and it was necessary and expedient to keep alive the memories of notable saints. Some prominent monks of St. Germains, of Paris, of Notker and St. Gall, devoted themselves to this task, and many narratives, genealogies, and legends were rewritten, embellished, and invented, so as to add to the glory of the Church. In the following century, at a Roman Council in 993, much discussion arose as to the holiness of Ulric, who had died twenty years previously, and of whom many miracles were related, and it was agreed that such as he deserved the veneration of the world, and were true mediators between Christ and mankind. This was said to be the first instance of canonisation, a mode of certifying that a saint was to be held in reverence throughout all Christendom. This mode of canonising was at first used by metropolitans, but in 1153 Pope Alexander III. declared that henceforth the Pope alone was to exercise this imperial power.

THE CHRISTIAN LEGENDS.

Milman says: "That some of the Christian legends were deliberate forgeries can scarcely be questioned. The principle of pious fraud appeared to justify this mode of working on the popular mind; it was admitted and avowed. To deceive into Christianity was so valuable a service as to hallow deceit itself. But the largest portion was probably the natural birth of that imaginative excitement, which quickens its day-dreams and nightly visions into reality. The Christian lived in a supernatural world: the notion of the Divine power, the perpetual interference of the deity, the agency of the countless invisible beings which hovered over mankind was so strongly impressed upon the belief, that every extraordinary and almost every ordinary incident became a miracle, every inward emotion a suggestion either of a good or an evil spirit. A mythic period was thus gradually formed, in which reality melted into fable and invention unconsciously trespa.s.sed on the province of history. This invention had very early let itself loose in the spurious gospels or accounts of the lives of the Saviour and His Apostles, which were chiefly composed among or rather against the sects which were less scrupulous in their veneration for the sacred books. The lives of St. Antony by Athanasius, and of Hilarion by Jerome, are the prototypes of the countless biographies of saints, and with a strong outline of truth became impersonations of the feeling, the opinions, the belief of the time."

HOW LEGENDS AND MIRACLES GROW.

Torquemada relates that a certain woman being desirous of rising a few hours before dawn, and not finding any fire under the ashes, sent her servant out with a candle to get a light. The servant going from house to house, nowhere found any fire. At length she perceived a lamp burning in a church. She called to the sacristan who was sleeping within, and he awoke and lighted her candle. Meanwhile the mistress, tired of waiting, had taken another candle, and had found a fire in a neighbour's house, and came out with her light just as the servant was returning with another, and both were in white. At that moment a neighbour, while rising and looking out half asleep, seeing the two figures, thought they were phantoms. And next there went a rumour that there had been a procession of spirits that night round the church. On another occasion a solemn burial of a n.o.ble knight in a certain monastery in Spain was appointed to take place next day. A poor female idiot had strayed into the church, and remaining after the doors were closed, took shelter from the cold under the great velvet pall which covered the coffin. The monks coming into the choir to sing matins, the idiot awoke and made a noise which startled the religious men, who, however, continued to sing their matins, and then retired. The rumour soon ran of what had been heard and seen, each relater adding something, till at length the poor idiot grew into a supernatural being sent from the skies to add honour to the n.o.ble warrior.

THE THUNDERING LEGION.

When the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, who died 180, warred against the Vandals, Salmatians, and Germans, his army was shut up in hot and dry places, where they had been without water for five days, and were much discouraged. The Emperor in a letter which he wrote said he had 975,000 men leagued against him, and he prayed to his national deities, but got no a.s.sistance. He had, however, some Christians in his army, who fell on their faces and prayed to a G.o.d unknown to him, when suddenly there descended from the sky on him and his troops a most cool and refreshing rain, but on the enemy hail mixed with lightning, insomuch that he at once perceived that a most potent G.o.d had interposed irresistibly in his favour. The enemy were put to flight. Wherefore he granted full toleration to these people called Christians, lest peradventure by their prayers they should procure some like interposition against him. And it was ordered that in future it should not be deemed a crime to be a Christian.

ST. MAURICE AND THE THEBAN LEGION.

In the time of Diocletian, who died 313, part of the Roman army consisted of a Theban legion, which was six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men strong, all Christians, and noted for discipline and piety. After marching towards Gaul on service against the Christians, they encamped on the Lake of Geneva; and when ordered to join in the sacrifices to the G.o.ds, the whole legion, with their commander Maurice, refused to obey or to fight against their fellow-Christians. The Emperor, being enraged, ordered them to be decimated, and they thought this the highest honour, and vied with each other in being selected as the first victims. Still refusing, they were ordered a second time to be decimated, and then a third time, with like results. Maurice at the third decimation spoke thus: "n.o.ble Caesar, we are thy soldiers, but we are also the soldiers of Jesus Christ. From thee we receive our pay; from Him we receive eternal life. To thee we owe service, to Him obedience. We are ready to follow thee against the barbarians, but we are also ready to suffer death rather than renounce our faith or fight against our brethren."

THE DIVINING-ROD.

There was long current a tradition that as Moses and Aaron had a rod, so there still existed persons who could divine the inscrutable by means of a rod of a particular tree and shape, some said the hazel. It was efficacious to discover hidden treasures, veins of precious metal, springs of water, thefts, and murders. In the fifteenth century, Basil Valentine, a monk, described the general use of the divining-rod. In 1659 a Jesuit writer said that this rod was used in every town of Germany to discover mines and springs. In 1692 one Jacques Aylmar astonished Europe by his marvellous discoveries in tracking thieves and murderers, and his services were sought by corporations and high officers of state. The circ.u.mstances were related by three eye-witnesses who vouched for the truth. At last a plot was laid for Aylmar, and it was believed he was proved to be an impostor. Some individuals have professed to use like powers, and have made singular discoveries, particularly one Parangue at Ma.r.s.eilles in 1760, and one Jenny Leslie, a Scotch girl, about the same date.

ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON.

Saint George of Cappadocia was an early Christian of high position. In the reign of Diocletian, when the edict of that Emperor against the Christians was published, stimulated by a Divine zeal he tore the paper to pieces, treating it as infamous. For this act he was put to a death of horrible torture on April 23rd, 303. There is much mystery about the ident.i.ty and the mode of death of the saint. The account in later ages which was given was, that he was first thrust with spears, but that they snapped like straw when they touched him. He was next bound to a wheel set with knives and swords, but an angel kept him harmless. He was then buried in a pit of quicklime, but that could not kill him. And his limbs were next broken, he was made to run in red-hot iron shoes, then scourged and made to drink poison--all of which cruelties were harmless; and at the end of seven days he restored an ox to life in testimony of his miraculous help. But he was at last murdered. His story was made into a legend, in which he was represented as slaying a dragon which infested a lake and had devoured sheep and alarmed the natives, who were told that unless the king's daughter was thrown to the beast it could not be got rid of. This step was about to be taken by the despairing king, when George, pa.s.sing that way, heard of the difficulty and offered at once to save the young princess and kill the monster, which he did by making the sign of the cross and dexterously using his lance. Temples and churches and monasteries were dedicated to the victorious knight in many countries. The Crusaders, including our Richard I., all invoked his protection. In 1348 Edward III.

founded St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and used the saint's name when besieging Calais and routing the French. The effect of St. George's name was so marked that he was adopted as the patron saint of England in lieu of Edward the Confessor. In 1349 the Order of St. George was inst.i.tuted.

In 1545 the saint's day was made a red-letter day, with a proper collect, epistle, and gospel, in the services of the Church. Many of the great painters have shown their skill in representing the legend.

ST. CHRISTINA AND THE MILLSTONE.

St. Christina, who died 295, was the daughter of a n.o.ble who lived near Lake Bolseno, and was early a convert to the Christian faith. One day, looking on a crowd of poor people whose wants she could not supply, she broke her father's silver and gold idols and divided them among the beggars. He was enraged and beat her and threw her into a dungeon, but angels came and healed her wounds. He next was determined to drown her, and fastened her to a millstone and threw both into the lake; but angels held up the stone and clothed her with white garments and led her safely to land. He then thought there must be witchcraft, and threw her into a fiery furnace; but she remained there five days unharmed, singing praises to G.o.d. Her head was then shaved, and she was dragged to do obeisance at the temple of Apollo; but she had no sooner looked at the idol than it fell down before her. At seeing these things her father became so terrified that he died. Next the governor ordered her tongue to be cut out, but she only sang more loudly and sweetly. Serpents and reptiles became harmless as doves before her; but at last she was shot dead with arrows, and angels waited and carried her pure spirit to heaven. This saint with the millstone is often painted to decorate the churches in Italy.

ST. CHRISTOPHER THE MARTYR SEEKING A KING OF KINGS.

Christopher the martyr was a gigantic negro, who in early life had a fancy that he would never be happy till he took service under the most powerful prince in the whole world. He took means first to seek out King Maximus, who, on seeing the stature and strength of his pet.i.tioner, at once employed him. One day the King's minstrel recited a lay in which the devil was often mentioned, and each time the King, who was a Christian, made the sign of the cross on his forehead. This astonished Christopher, who after many questions elicited the reason, which was this--that it was done for fear of the devil. Christopher from this at once concluded that there must be a still more powerful prince than Maximus, and he could not rest till he sought out that prince, the devil. He pa.s.sed through deserts in search; and one day seeing a great crowd of warriors, with one terribly fierce at their head, he made bold to say, when questioned where he was going, that he was seeking the devil. The warrior told him that the devil was before him; so Christopher at once was engaged to serve him. One day as they were journeying they came to a cross at the wayside, and the devil made a circuit so as not to pa.s.s the spot, and afterwards rejoined his troop farther on. This made Christopher ask the reason, and it was told him that there had been a man named Christ hung upon that cross whom the devil feared greatly. Christopher again came to the conclusion that Christ must after all be the greatest prince, and he set off to seek for Christ.

He met a hermit, who told him to fast and pray; but Christopher said that these things did not suit him, and he wanted some easier service. So the hermit told him that as he was tall and strong he should dwell near a great river not far off and carry over the pa.s.sengers. He did so; and one night a little boy called on him for help, and Christopher took him on his shoulders, when the river was in flood, but the child proved heavy as lead, and on reaching the sh.o.r.e Christopher said he felt as if the whole world had been on his back--it was a wonder he had got over safe. The boy answered that Christopher had no cause to marvel, for he had just been carrying, not the world, but Him who created the world, for that He was Christ the Lord. In token of this Christ told Christopher to plant his staff in the earth, and it would immediately bud and bear fruit; and then Christ vanished. The staff was planted, and in the morning it bore dates like a palm tree; and thus Christopher knew it was Christ whom he had carried. After these things Christopher went to the city of Ammon, where he saw Christians tortured, and he sought to comfort them, saying he would avenge their injury were he not a Christian. His habit of praying was reported, and he was taken before King Dagnus, who on seeing such a giant as Christopher fell to the ground for fear. But steps were taken to throw Christopher into prison, and the officers beat and scourged him, put him on a bed of red-hot iron, burnt pitch under him, and at last with three hundred archers shot him to death. All this time Christopher prayed, and a light shone from his countenance, and his relics began to work miracles.

THE HALLELUJAH VICTORY IN WALES.

In 430 St. German and Lupus were in Britain preaching to the Britons, and the Saxons joined the Picts in attacking the former in Flintshire near Mold. A deputation went from the Britons to German and Lupus, then preaching, to ask them for help. The saints complied, and were made generals of the British forces. Every day they preached to the soldiers, and on Easter-day many were in course of being baptised, when the approach of the enemy was announced. German saw that the enemy would come through a valley surrounded with high hills. He posted his army on these hills. As soon as the enemy entered the valley, a loud shout of Hallelujah resounded in the mountains, and pa.s.sed from hill to hill, gathering sound as it re-echoed. Consternation filled the enemy; and as if the rocks were ready to fall and crush them, seized with a general panic, they took to flight, leaving their arms, baggage, and even clothes behind them. A large number perished in the river Alen. The Britons, who had remained motionless, now came forth to collect the spoils of a victory which all acknowledged to be the gift of Heaven. Thus did Faith obtain a triumph without slaughter with two bishops as leaders. The place of this battle is known to this day as the Field of German, and is about a mile from Mold. Gregory the Great, three hundred years later, referred to it as a wonderful example of the l.u.s.t of war being tamed by the simple word of G.o.d's priests.

THE PROPHECIES OF MERLIN.

Merlin lived about 447, a contemporary of St. Germa.n.u.s, Bishop of Auxerre.

He crossed over to England twice, and fought against the Anglo-Saxons, then Pagans, and defeated them in the Hallelujah victory. Merlin showed Vortigern, King of Britain, in mystic language the future history of his country, describing events as arising out of a contest between red worms and white worms, lions and dragons fighting against each other, and other allegories no longer worth repeating. But Orderic, who lived six hundred years later, narrates that Merlin's prophecies had come true. Indeed, all the intervening generations for some reason or other devoutly believed that Merlin was inspired, and commentaries were written expressly to demonstrate the truth revealed by that prophet.

THE DEVIL SHOWING ST. AUGUSTINE A BOOK.

In a painting at the back of the stalls of Carlisle Cathedral, which was the only cathedral in England, the episcopal chapel of which belonged to Augustinians, there is a representation of scenes from the life of St.

Augustine of Canterbury, and one of the devil with a book. The legend is, that the devil one day appeared to St. Augustine carrying a book. The saint asked what the book contained, and was answered, "The sins of men."

He then adjured the devil to show him any pa.s.sage in which his own sins were recorded, and found that the only entry against him was, that on one occasion he had neglected to repeat the office of complin. Thereupon, commanding the devil to await his return, Augustine entered a neighbouring church and repeated that office. The entry in the book at once disappeared, and the devil greeted St. Augustine as he came out of the church thus: "You have shamefully deceived me. I regret I ever showed you my book, for with your prayers you have wiped out that sin of yours." And so the devil disappeared in high dudgeon.

THE WANDERING JEW.

The legend of the Wandering Jew is said to be based on Matt. xvi. 28 and Mark ix. 1. The earliest account seems not older than Matthew Paris, in 1228, who says it was related to the monks at St. Albans by a visitor. It was this: that when Jesus was dragged to the Crucifixion and reached the door of Cartaphilus, a porter in Pilate's service, he impiously struck Jesus, telling Him in mockery to go quicker, whereon Jesus gravely replied, "I am going, and you will wait till I return." This meant that the man would not die till the Second Coming. He was afterwards baptised and called Joseph. He is a grave and circ.u.mspect and taciturn man, who, when asked, but not unless asked, will give details as to the Crucifixion not found in the Scriptures. He never smiles. He says he sinned through ignorance. He once a.s.sisted a weaver in Bohemia to find some hidden treasure. He has been met with in all countries. He eats and drinks little. When offered money, he only accepts a small sum of fourpence. He once appeared at Stamford in 1658; his coat was purple, and b.u.t.toned down to the waist. About 1700 an impostor attracted attention in England as being the Wandering Jew. Other impostors appeared in England in 1818, 1824, and 1830. Some say the Wild Huntsman of the Harz Mountains is the same person, and cursed with perpetual life and with the desire to hunt the red-deer for evermore.

ST. SABAS AND THE LION.

St. Sabas, a renowned patriarch of the monks of Palestine, who died 532, when a child went into a monastery and showed a genius for his work. One day, while at work in the garden, he saw a tree loaded with fair and beautiful apples, and gathered one with an intention to eat it. But reflecting that this was a temptation of the devil, he threw the apple on the ground and trod upon it. Moreover, to punish himself more perfectly, he made a vow never to eat any apples as long as he lived. At eighteen he went to visit the holy places at Jerusalem, and became member of a monastery about twelve miles from Jerusalem, and as a luxury often asked leave to go and remain in a cave, where he prayed and lived by basket-making. In one of these caves he met a holy hermit, who had lived thirty-eight years without seeing any one, feeding on wild herbs. Once Sabas went into a great cave to pray, and a huge lion happened to make it his den. At midnight the beast came in, and, finding the guest, dared not to touch him, but gently plucked his garments, as if to draw him out. The saint was not terrified, but leisurely went on to read aloud the midnight psalms. The lion went out; and when the holy man had finished matins, came in again and pulled his clothes gently as before. The saint spoke to the beast and said the place was big enough to hold them both. The lion at those words departed and returned thither no more. Certain thieves found Sabas in this cave, but he converted them to a penitential life. Others joined him and turned it into a monastery; but he preferred to retire elsewhere and enjoy the sweetness of perfect solitude. He was afterwards sent to Constantinople to help with his advice in restoring peace to the Church. He died at ninety-one, an example of admirable sanct.i.ty.

THEOPHILUS AND HIS COMPACT WITH THE DEVIL.

About 538 a priest named Theophilus lived in Cilicia, and on the decease of the bishop he was chosen by acclamation to fill the vacancy. But his deep humility urged him to refuse the office. Slanders circulated against him, and the bishop investigated them, found him guilty, and deprived him.

Being unable to clear his reputation, he consulted a necromancer, who took him at midnight to a place where four cross-roads met, and conjured up Satan, who promised to reinstate Theophilus and clear his character. But it was first necessary that Theophilus should sign away his soul with a pen dipped in his own blood, and to abjure Christ and the Holy Mother.

Next day the bishop sent for Theophilus and admitted the sentence was wrong, and asked pardon for being so misled, and restored Theophilus. The populace also welcomed his return. But Theophilus found no rest for his conscience. He prayed long and often without a ray of comfort. At last he fasted forty days. The Virgin at the end of that time appeared and a.s.sured him of forgiveness; and one morning, on awaking, he found the accursed deed which sold his soul lying on his breast. He rose and went to church full of joy and exultation, made a public confession, and showed to the people the compact signed with blood. He craved absolution from the bishop and had the deed burned. He then took the Sacrament, and soon after died of a fever. He has ever since been treated as a saint.

THE HOLY GRAIL.

The story of the Sangreal was one of the traditions of King Arthur's knights. When Christ was transfixed with the spear and the blood flowed out, Joseph of Arimathaea collected it in the vessel from which the Saviour had eaten the Last Supper. Joseph was thrown into prison and left to die of hunger, but he lived forty years, being nourished and invigorated by the sacred vessel. t.i.tus released Joseph, who started with the vessel for Britain, and before his death he confided it to a nephew. Others say the Grail was preserved in heaven till a race of heroes grew up fit to protect it. A temple was founded by some king to hold the Grail, the model being the Temple at Jerusalem; and the vessel gave oracles, and the sight of it inspired perpetual youth and made its guardians incapable of wounds or hurt. The knights who watched the Grail were pure, and whenever a bell was rung one was bound to go forth and fight for the right. Endless variations of the legend appear in different countries.

THE SEVEN SLEEPERS OF EPHESUS.

The legend of the seven sleepers was told in the fifth and sixth centuries. The Emperor Decius, having gone to Ephesus, commanded all the Christians to worship idols or die. Seven young men refused, and being accused and reprieved, they sold all their goods and determined to conceal themselves in a cave, and fell asleep. Lest they should be hiding in the cave, the mouth of it was blocked up with stones. After the lapse of three hundred and fifty years, these stones being removed for a new building, the sleepers awoke; but on returning to Ephesus and searching for their parents, and finding no trace of them, and yet seeing crosses erected everywhere, they were confounded. One of them having offered a coin for bread, was taken up as a sorcerer who had discovered hidden treasure and concealed it. But when the governor and the bishop examined into the story, the bishop turned to the governor and said, "The hand of G.o.d is here." They visited the cave, and saw the other six sleepers, all fresh and radiant. They said they were kept alive to prove the truth of the Resurrection, and then died. William of Malmesbury says these sleepers had lain all the time on their right side.

LITTLE BLIND HERVE, THE CHILD MINSTREL.