Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/811

CHKISTOPHER. ri3 CHRIST'S HOSPITAL. middle of the Third Coiituiy. According to vulgar legend, Christopher, whose name was originally 'AS&i/tos, Adukimos (the ignoble, base), was .a native of Palestine. Syria, or Lycia, and a person of prodigious bulk and streiiglli. His height w.-i-s twelve feet. So proud was lie of his gigantic frame that he would serve t>nly the mightiest princes. Having attached himself to one, who passed for the greatest of his day, Christopher stayed with liini for a short time, but soon discovered that his master was terribly afraid of tiie devil, in consequence of which Chris- topher, with fearless consistency, passed into tlie service of the latter. One day, however, when the devil and he chanced to be walUing through a wood, they came across an image of Christ. His new master exliibitcd such perturbation and alarm at the siglit that Christopher entirely lost contidence in him, and resolved to find out the Saviour, and follow him. For a long while he searched in vain, but finally he fell in with a hermit, who showed him Christ, and baptized him. Christopher despised the customary pen- ances, and. in consequence, it was imposed on him to carry Christian pilgrims on his shoulders over a stream which had no bridge. One day a little child came to the stream; Christopher took it on his shoulders, but soon began to sink under the weight of his burden. The child was Christ him- self, and to prove it, he commanded Christopher to thrust his staff into the ground. He did so, and next morning it had blossomed into a palm-tree bearing fruit. This miracle converted thousands to Christianity. Christophers success e.xcited the enmity of Dagnus, the prefect of that region, who put iiim in prison, scourged him with red- hot rods, ]>ut a burning helmet on his head, and clapped him on a burning stool. Christopher still remained uninjured. JMultitudes of poisoned arrows were now discharged against him, but they rebounded from his charmed body, and one even .wounded the prefect himself in the eye. Christopher pitied his tormentor, and freely of- fered his head to the executioner, that the prefect might be healed by the blood which should How from it. This was done, and, as a matter of course, Dagnus and his family became Chris- tians. Tlie Greek Church celebrates his festival on May 9: the Roman Catholic, on July 25. Saint Christopher was greatly invoked in times of pestilence, or when people were digging for treasures, to frighten away the spirits who watched over them. The formula used was called a Christopher's prai/er. He was also the patron' of an order of moderation, founded in Austria in 1517, for the purpose of checking excessive drinking and swearing, and which was called the Order of Saint Christopher. CHRISTOPHER NORTH. The pen name of Professiir Tdlin Wilsun {<i.v.).. CHRISTOPHLE, kr.V.st6'ir, Albert Silas Mliui'jiic CiiAKi.K.s (18.S0— ). A French jurist. He was born in Dom front (Orne) and studied law in Caen. In 1870 he became Minister of Public Works in the Dufaure CiJbinet and greatly improved the department under his charge, plac- ing competent engineers at the head of every branch of the service. He retained the portfolio of public works In the Simon Ministry, but resigned with the rest of the Cabinet in May, 1.S77. He was appointed director of the Crf-dit Foncier in 1878. In 1877 he traveled through France and visited several foreign countries (notably Holland) for the purpose of study- ing railroad improvements. CHRISTOPH'ORUS. Pope from November, !)0,'i. Ic) .lune, !»(11. He thrust out of office and imprisoned his predecessor, Leo V., only shortly afterwards to experience the same treatment. CHRISTOP'ULOS, ATn.:^Asio.s ( 1772- 1847). . modern iJreek [loct, bom in Kastoria ( Kuropean Turkey I . He sttidicd in Buda in Hungary, and in Padua, and later became a judge successively in Jassy and Bucharest. In that ca- |)acity he prepared a legal code for Wallachia. He translated the fragments of Sappho and the first book of the Iliad into modern (Sreek, and wrote a grammar of modern Greek (1805), and published unimportant philological studies. His best-laiown literary' work is his collection of An- acreontic songs (2 vols., 1833; in German, 1880), which has long continued popular in Greece. CHRIST'S COLLEGE. A college in Cam- l>ridge. Eng., founded in 1505 by Lady Mar- garet Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby, and niotlier of Henry VII. There was an older foundation called God's House, which had bc^en established by William Byngham, rector of Saint .Jo!m Zacliary. London, in 1439, for the study of grammar, and the training of grammar-school teachers. It had consisted of a proctor and twcnt}--four scholars, but had fallen on evil days, had lost its original site by being moved to make room for King's College, and had sunk in num- bers and standing. It was refounded for a mas- ter, twelve fellows, and forty-seven scholars, and liberally endowed. Various additions were made to its numbers by gifts of Edward VI., Sir John Finch, and Sir Thomas Baines. There were, in 1002, fifteen fellow.ships, thirty scholarships, sev- eral sizarships, and some student.ships in divin- ity. Among the eminent men who have studied at Christ's College are Archbishops Grindal and Bancroft, and Latimer, Cudworth, Quarles, Paley, jMilton, and Darwin. CHRIST'S HOSPITAL. An English educa- tional institution better known as the Blue-Coat School. It was founded on the site of the Grey- friars' ^lonastery, Newgate Street, London, by Edward VT., in 1553, as a hospital for orphans and foundlings. It has been one of the largest and most important schools of its class in England, including a preparatory school at Hert- ford, and affording instruction to some eleven hundred boys and ninety girls, the latter entirely at Hertford. Boys are admitted between seven and ten and discharged at fifteen, except the 'King's boys,' who attend the mathematical .school (founded in connection with Christ's Hos- pital in l(i72, by Charles II.), and the 'Gre- cians,' the highest class of scholars, of whom four are annually chosen by examination to be sent to each of the universities, Oxford and Cam- bridge, on scholarships. The right of 'presenta- tion,' or giving a boy or girl a place in the scluK)l, is vested in the managing governors, con- sisting of the Lord !Mayor of London, the alder- men, and twelve common councilmen. besides the 'donation governors,* consisting of all noblemen and gentlemen who donate £500 to the school. The education of the boys, originally strictly classical, has of late tended more to commercial training. The dress which has been worn by the boys since the days of Edward VT., and from which the .school takes its name, is most pictur-