Two Martyrs.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 271, 14 November 1896, Page 3 (Supplement)

Two Martyrs.

A Jewish Legend,

The traveller in Rhineland who ia proceeding from fiJayence to Heidelberg, or iv the reverse direction, might do worse than break his journey at the sleepy, old-time cify of Worms. He wi.ll find few places along his route richer in historical interest The delver among the Jewish antiquities of Worms will be rewarded by the discovery of some quaintly pathetic legends, telling of the sufferings endured by this remarkable people. Entering the ancient synagogue, which lies in a small square off the Judengasse, one notices two lights ensconced against) the eastern wall, on either side of the ' ark,' a chest in which are deposited the scrolls of the law. They are kepb continually burning in memory of two martyrs who ara said to have sacrificed themselves in defenca of the Jewish community of Worms. The story of their martyrdom is as follows: Some hundreds of yeara ago, ab the period of Easter—always a time of danger for the Jews of yore—a religious procession was wending its way through the streets ot Worms. As it passed by the Jewish quarter, an alarm was raised that the Jews had insulted the Hoeb. This was enough to fire the rabble with a thirst for vengeance. They demanded that the inhabitants of the Jodengasse should produce the malefactors witbia seven day?, or the lives of the entire community would stand forfeited. Inquiries were set on foot by the Jews, but no one had witnessed the outrage. When the last day of grace arrived withoub discovering any trace of the supposed culprits, the Jewish Quarter was plunged in despair. This happened to bo the seventh day of the feasb of Passover. Aa on all festivals, Jewish and Christian, the eatea of the Judengasse were locked. The beadle of the congregation went his usual rounds in the early morning, to rouse the faithful to prayer, when he heard a loud knocking at the gates. Two strangers presented themselves, assert- ■ ing that they were Jews, and requesting to be admitted. The beadle informed them of the danger they were incurring by entering the Judengasse at such a time. 1 We know it,' they replied, ' and are hera to save our brethren. 1 They were admitted. Presently the streets of Worms resound with riotous noise. An. infuriated populace, on vengeance intent, are making their way to the Jewish quarter. This time tha knocking at; the gate 3is menacing as thunder. They sway to and fro againsb the pressure of the surging crowd, and tha doom of the unoffending community is imminent. Then ' the newly admitted strangers step forward. With a perfecs solf-posses3ion they exclaim, ' Imbrue not your handa in innocenb blood. We, and we alone, are tho authors of the deed !' Ths gates are opened, and tho crowd pass in. In the squaro which fronts tho synagogue a funeral pyre ie raised, in the flames of which tho strangers answer for their selfaccusation with their lives. Suddenly every eye is directed above, for from the crackling flames two doves emerge, and, flying upwards, are lost in the immensity of space. Whence tho martyrs who wrought; this noteworthy deliverance for the Jews of Worms hailed, or who they were, was never known. Tho story has a legendary setting. but its essential truth is attested by the tv/o lights which have ever since been kindled in the synagogue in their memory,— ' Sunday at Home.'

Aione they did it.—Clerpyosaii (kindly): And after you had committed this awful, crimo the power of prayer availed to chow you to yourself in all your hideonsness. Was it nob ho ? Repentant Murderer ; No, sir, it was the pictures of ma in the newspapers.