leaders of the blind, that many have concluded that all ordinances and observances are vain and offensive to the Great Creator. A somewhat similar, though not altogether parallel feeling has taken possession of the hearts of certain ones numbered among the Latter-day Saints, and while they claim all the benefits accruing to themselves from the observance of the Sabbath as a day of rest, they accord none to God's church as a day of worship. Indeed they have changed the day of rest into a day of worldly pleasure, claiming that such divertisements as visiting, traveling, riding, boating, fishing, swimming, etc., are real rest to them, and consistent with the true intent of the institution of the Sabbath.

To this we demur. We regard this sentiment as the other extreme of folly from that into which the degenerate Jews fell. They edged up the observance of the Sabbath with insufferable trivialities, while these modern extremists remove all consistent restrictions and make every man a judge of the limitations to be ob

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served in his personal observance of the Lord's day. Such a one, virtually claims to be the framer of the law, the judge of the law and its executor, so far as regards himself and his dependents, and considers whatever his whims and fancies incline him to do on the Sabbath day and he does it, is right, because it suits him and his notions, and not because it is God's holy law.

In these revelations, however, we have the word of the Lord in plain, unmistakable language. Let every man and woman claiming to be His servants adjust their conduct thereby. Each one knows how near to, or how far from the spirit of the word he keeps this day holy. There is no ambiguity in the commandment, the obscurity, if any, is in the minds of those who are not anxious to see, or who seeing, wish to attain to God's favor without observing God's law; an incompatibility which only the purblind fail to observe. He who observes God's law is saved by that law, but he who neglects it is ever in danger of condemnation. Ray.

THE FIRST

I PURPOSE in this article to give a brief description of the causes which led to those holy wars or Crusades, as they are termed in history, and which claimed the attention of Western Europe for a period of over two hundred years. In the eighth century the clergy of the Roman Church advocated pilgrimages to Jerusalem, to all those who wished to undergo a severe penance for crimes which they had committed. During the latter part of the ninth century, a great many of the Christians of Europe, (not understanding the prophecy of the the one thousand years mentioned in the writings of John the Revelator) believed that at the expiration of the thousand years, the judgments of God would overtake the wicked, and the earth be destroyed. In consequence of this belief, they availed themselves of everything which they thought promised a remission of sins. Pilgrims flocked from

one

CRUSADE.

every part of Europe to visit the tombs of Saints, and above all the Sepulchre of Christ in Jerusalem.

Palestine had undergone many changes and revolutions since the Romans had withdrawn their forces to protect their Empire against the incursions of the barbarian tribes from the north. In the year 336 A. D. Constantine the Great, the first Roman Emperor who accepted Christianity as the national religion of Rome, built a church over the Holy Sepulchre, which he named the Church of the Resurrection. In 637 A. D., Caliph Omar, in his march of conquest, overran Palestine and captured Jerusalem. He allowed the Christian residents to retain the Church of the Resurrection, and the pilgrims free access to it, through his dominions. But Hakem, the third king of the Fatimite dynasty, had no sooner ascended the throne than he began to persecute the Christians, and perpetrated

many horrible cruelties upon them. The pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and all intercourse with Europe was stopped. He was, however, soon deposed, and his successor followed a more moderate policy.

In 1076, A. D., the Seljukian Turks, after having captured a great many of the strongest and principal cities of the East, suddenly swept down upon the plains of Palestine, took possession of Jerusalem, and even threatened the Byzantine Empire. Michael the Seventh, who was then Emperor, trembling for the safety of his Empire, appealed to Pope Gregory the Seventh for assistance. Gregory, being ambitious, thought that by proffering aid it would in all probability cause the submission of the Greek Church, which then had its headquarters at Constantinople, to the Roman Church. He therefore sent a communication to the leading Princes of Europe to unite together, and by force of arms drive the infidels from the Christian possessions. But nothing was done in regard to it. It required something more exciting to start the alarm which was shortly to spread over every part of Europe. All the desires and projects which Gregory had cherished in relation to the liberation and restoration of the Sepulchre of Christ, he was not destined to realize; for it required many years, and the sacrifice of millions of lives, before this object could be accomplished.

Such was the state of affairs when Peter the Hermit appeared upon the scene. This noted character was born in Picardy, a province of France, in what year it is not definitely known. In his youth he followed his master, the Count Eustace de Bouillon, (brother to the famous Knight, Godfrey de Bouillon, who captured Jerusalem in 1099, A. D.,) through several campaigns. But this kind of an occupation does not appear to have been congenial to his nature, for he soon after entered a monastery, determining to devote the remainder of his days to the advancement of the church. A few years after, he left the monastery, and led a lonely and miserable life, holding very little intercourse with his fellow creatures. He is described as being

poorly clad, and his countenance bore the appearance of one who had suffered severe privations. He was, however, very eloquent in speech, and had the power of conveying his ideas in such language, and accompanied by such gestures, that moved upon the feelings of an audience. He had made several visits to Jerusalem, and had witnessed the persecutions of the Christians, and the profanation of the sepulchre of Christ by the Turks.

Sensing that something must be done, he held an interview with the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who requested him to apply personally to the Pope, for the relief and protection of his subjects in Palestine. On his arrival at Rome he had an audience with Pope Urban the Second, the successor of Gregory, and gave him a lengthened description of the barbarous treatment that the Christians were subject to, in their pilgrimages to Jerusalem. The Pope dismissed him with the assurance that he would call a Council of the leading Princes, and then take into consideration such plans and measures by which they could wrest the Holy Land from the possession of the infidels. In March, 1095, A. D., a Council was called and held in the city of Piacenza, in Italy; but as only a few of the principal nations were represented, it was deemed advisable to adjourn. In November, a grand Council was held in Clermont, the capital of Auvergne, in France. Over this assembly the Pope presided in person. Every Christian nation of Western Europe was represented, with the exception of Spain, which nation was then occupied in expending blood and treasure in expelling the Moors.

In the meantime, Peter had traveled through Germany and France, preaching the necessity of a religious war, and the uniting of all classes upon one object, which was the rescuing of the Holy Land from the defiling hands of the infidels. In his travels he met with unbounded success; crowds flocked from cities and villages to hear him, and it was nearly an impossibility to restrain them from marching at once, such a power he exercised over the minds of

dor the glorious rays of the sun. In administering law among men, the wheels of justice are frequently clogged by popular clamor or the self-interest of parties. The same causes that clog justice, smother the voice of mercy. The guilty are sometimes punished more than their actions merit, and often the innocent perish as if guilty of ignoble deeds. How abundantly is the above proven from the history of judicial procedure throughout the world!

Go back to Greece, the boasted cradle of the world's civilization, and how often we find flagrant acts of injustice meted out to her most virtuous, patriotic and worthy citizens.

They established ostracism, an institution which gave them the right to banish from the republic, any citizen, though really he might not be accused of any particular crime. The act of ostracising a person, was as follows: At an appointed day, every citizen took a shell, and, writing upon it the name of the person he considered most obnoxious, threw it into a place, enclosed for the purpose with wooden rails. The magistrates then counted the shells, and if they amounted to six thousand, the ostracism was declared complete, and the person banished from friends, home and country -dear to every true man. Green eyed jealousy only had to start the rumor"such a public man is ambitious," and he was ostracised. If Envy saw a successful rival coming into public favor, an intimation that such favor would prove injurious to the commonwealth, soon gained credence, and, in many instances, the innocent were banished.

Aristides, known as "Aristides the Just," was a successful general, a patriot of whom even Greece might be proud; a citizen whose inflexible acts of justice had won for him the honored title of the "Just Athenian." He was cruelly banished by this institution. His rival for public favor and political influence, was Themistocles, who, being envious of the public favor shown to his opponent, insinuated that it might lead to sovereign power, and the virtuous patriot, for this suspicion, was ostra

cised. He returned, however, in time to
engage in the battle of Salamis. His
death occurred 467 B. C.
He was
honored by his countrymen, and had a
reputation for virtue and honor that was
unimpeachable.

Another act of injustice inflicted by the Athenian judges upon a useful man and a patriot, was in the case of Socrates, who died 399 B. C. He was one of the most illustrious philosophers of his time. Many of the principles he taught resemble very much the morality of the Gospel. Among other great truths he taught was the immortality of the soul. and for this he was severely censured, He was accused of irreligion, and of corrupting the youth of Athens with false doctrines; and though these accusations were founded in falsehood and prompted by envy, he was adjudged guilty by the magistrates, and condemned to drink a poison called hemlock, which caused his death.

The history of Rome is replete with incidents of like character to these related from the history of Greece. Those acquainted with history know that the conquests made by the Romans down to 140 B. C. served to enrich the nobles rather than the common people. The nobles owned the land, and all Italy swarmed with slaves, which took the labor and the profits thereof from the people. About the date above given, a champion of the people arose in the person of Tiberius Gracchus. He was elected to the tribune, and beheld with grief the condition of his country. Laws were proposed by him which declared the public lands were for the benefit of all classes, and no person should have more than three hundred and thirty acres. It was further proposed that the buildings owned by the nobles on the land above their quota, should be paid for by the state; and that the means remaining in the treasury should be used in buying cattle and implements for the people, with which to cultivate the soil. These propositions so enraged the senators and nobles, that while the election for tribunes was being carried on, they rushed upon the assembly and murdered Grac