The New Student's Reference Work/Christopher, Saint

85743The New Student's Reference Work — Christopher, Saint


Chris′topher, Saint, according to the old story, lived in Syria, and was put to death as a martyr by the Emperor Decius.  He is said to have been 12 feet in height and of great strength.  In the pride of his strength, he would serve only the mightiest upon earth.  Once he served a powerful king for a while; but seeing his master’s fear of the devil, he at once became the devil’s servant.  But one day he saw the devil trembling before an image of Christ, and decided to serve Christ only.  As punishment for not having served Him before, he undertook to carry travelers across a broad stream.  One day, so the the story goes, Christ came to him in the form of a little child, to be carried over, but at every step the burden grew heavier and heavier.  “Wonder not, Christopher,” said the child, “for with Me thou hast borne the sins of all the world.”