We answered; "That we humbly thanked him that he would give us leave so
to do: and that we conceived by the taste we had already, that there
was no worldly thing on earth, more worthy to be known than the state
of that happy land. But above all," (we said,) "since that we were met
from the several ends of the world, and hoped assuredly that we should
meet one day in the kingdom of Heaven, (for that we were both parts
Christians,) we desired to know, (in respect that land was so remote,
and so divided by vast and unknown seas, from the land where our
Saviour walked on earth,) who was the apostle of that nation, and how
it was converted to the faith?" It appeared in his face that he took
great contentment in this our question: he said; "Ye knit my heart to
you, by asking this question in the first place; for it sheweth that
you first seek the kingdom of heaven; and I shall gladly, and briefly,
satisfy your demand.
"About twenty years after the ascension of our Saviour, it came to
pass, that there was seen by the people of Renfusa, (a city upon the
eastern coast of our island,) within night, (the night was cloudy, and
calm,) as it might be some mile into the sea, a great pillar of light;
not sharp, but in form of a column, or cylinder, rising from the sea a
great way up towards heaven; and on the top of it was seen a large
cross of light, more bright and resplendent than the body of the
pillar. Upon which so strange a spectacle, the people of the city
gathered apace together upon the sands, to wonder; and so after put
themselves into a number of small boats, to go nearer to this
marvellous sight. But when the boats were come within (about) sixty
yards of the pillar, they found themselves all bound, and could go no
further; yet so as they might move to go about, but might not approach
nearer: so as the boats stood all as in a theatre, beholding this light
as an heavenly sign. It so fell out, that there was in one of the
boats one of the wise men, of the society of Salomon's House; which
house, or college (my good brethren) is the very eye of this kingdom;
who having awhile attentively and devoutly viewed and contemplated this
pillar and cross, fell down upon his face; and then raised himself upon
his knees, and lifting up his hands to heaven, made his prayers in this
manner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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