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| Chapter XIII. Martin escapes from a Falling Pine-tree.
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Chapter XIII.
Martin escapes from a Falling Pine-tree.
Again, when in a certain
village he had demolished a very ancient temple, and had set about
cutting down a pine-tree, which stood close to the temple, the chief
priest of that place, and a crowd of other heathens began to oppose
him. And these people, though, under the influence of the Lord, they
had been quiet while the temple was being overthrown, could not
patiently allow the tree to be cut down. Martin carefully instructed
them that there was nothing sacred in the trunk of a tree, and urged
them rather to honor God whom he himself served. He added that there
was a moral necessity why that tree should be cut down, because it had
been dedicated to a demon. Then one of them who was bolder than the
others says, “If you have any trust in thy God, whom you say you
worship, we ourselves will cut down this tree, and be it your part to
receive it when falling; for if, as you declare, your Lord is with you,
you will escape all injury.” Then Martin, courageously trusting
in the Lord, promises that he would do what had been asked. Upon this,
all that crowd of heathen agreed to the condition named; for they held
the loss of their tree a small matter, if only they got the enemy of
their religion buried beneath its fall. Accordingly, since that
pine-tree was hanging over in one direction, so that there was no doubt
to what side it would fall on being cut, Martin, having been bound, is,
in accordance with the decision of these pagans, placed in that spot
where, as no one doubted, the tree was about to fall. They began,
therefore, to cut down their own tree, with great glee and joyfulness,
while there was at some distance a great multitude of wondering
spectators. And now the pine-tree began to totter, and to threaten
its28
| 28 Perhaps
“suam” here stands for “ejus,” as in other
passages of our author. The meaning will then be, “and to
threaten his (Martin’s) destruction by falling.” | own ruin by falling. The monks at a
distance grew pale, and, terrified by the danger ever coming nearer,
had lost all hope and confidence, expecting only the death of Martin.
But he, trusting in the Lord, and waiting courageously, when now the
falling pine had uttered its expiring crash, while it was now falling,
while it was just rushing upon him, simply holding up his hand against
it, he put in its way the sign of salvation. Then, indeed, after the
manner of a spinning-top (one might have thought it driven29
| 29 It seems better to
preserve the parenthesis than to translate the words as they stand in
Halm’s text, “tum vero—velut turbinis modo retro
actam putares—diversam in partem ruit.” | back), it swept round to the opposite side,
to such a degree that it almost crushed the rustics, who had taken
their places there in what was deemed a safe spot. Then truly, a shout
being raised to heaven, the heathen were amazed by the miracle, while
the monks wept for joy; and the name of Christ was in common extolled
by all. The well-known result was that on that day salvation came to
that region. For there was hardly one of that immense multitude of
heathens who did not express a desire for the imposition of hands, and
abandoning his impious errors, made a profession of faith in the Lord
Jesus. Certainly, before the times of Martin, very few, nay, almost
none, in those regions had received the name of Christ; but through his
virtues and example that name has prevailed to such an extent, that now
there is no place thereabouts which is not filled either with very
crowded churches or monasteries. For wherever he destroyed heathen
temples, there he used immediately to build either churches or
monasteries.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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