The Story of the Innumerable Company

The Story of the Innumerable Company

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the Innumerable Company, and
Other Sketches, by David Starr Jordan This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: The Story of the Innumerable Company, and Other Sketches
Author: David Starr Jordan
Release Date: May 28, 2006 [EBook #18462]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE INNUMERABLE ***

Produced by Al Haines

THE STORY OF THE INNUMERABLE COMPANY, AND OTHER SKETCHES
BY
DAVID STARR JORDAN

PRESIDENT OF LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY

SAN FRANCISCO
THE WHITAKER & RAY COMPANY (INCORPORATED)
1896

COPYRIGHT, 1896,
BY
DAVID STARR JORDAN

TO MY WIFE,
JESSIE KNIGHT JORDAN.

PREFATORY NOTE.
This volume is made up of separate sketches, historical or allegorical, having in some degree a bond of union in the idea of "the higher sacrifice."
I am under obligations to Professor William R. Dudley for the use of a photograph of a record of Father Serra. This was secured through the kindness of the late Father Casanova, of Monterey.
PALO ALTO, CAL., June 1, 1896.

CONTENTS.
THE STORY OF THE INNUMERABLE COMPANY THIS STORY OF THE PASSION THE CALIFORNIA OF THE PADRE THE CONQUEST OF JUPITER PEN THE LAST OF THE PURITANS A KNIGHT OF THE ORDER OF POETS NATURE-STUDY AND MORAL CULTURE THE HIGHER SACRIFICE THE BUBBLES OF S��KI

ILLUSTRATIONS.
Peter Rendl as Saint John
Johann Zwink as Judas
Rosa Lang as Mary
"Ecce Homo!"
A Record of Jun��pero Serra
Mission of San Antonio de P��dua
Mission of San Antonio de P��dua--Interior of Chapel
Mission of San Antonio de P��dua--Side of Chapel, with the Old Pear-trees
The Great Saint Bernard
Hospice of the Great Saint Bernard
Hospice of the Great Saint Bernard--in Winter
Jupit��re (Great Saint Bernard Dog)
Monks of the Great Saint Bernard
Saint Bernard and the Demon
John Brown
The John Brown Homestead, North Elba, N. Y.
John Brown's Grave
Ulrich Von Hutten
Ulrich Zwingli

Men told me, Lord, it was a vale of tears Where Thou hast placed me, wickedness and woe My twain companions whereso I might go; That I through ten and threescore weary years Should stumble on beset by pains and fears, Fierce conflict round me, passions hot within, Enjoyment brief and fatal but in sin. When all was ended then should I demand Full compensation from thine austere hand: For, 'tis thy pleasure, all temptation past, To be not just but generous at last.
Lord, here am I, my threescore years and ten All counted to the full; I've fought thy fight, Crossed thy dark valleys, scaled thy rocks' harsh height, Borne all the burdens Thou dost lay on men With hand unsparing threescore years and ten. Before Thee now I make my claim, O Lord,-- What shall I pray Thee as a meet reward?
I ask for nothing. Let the balance fall! All that I am or know or may confess But swells the weight of mine indebtedness; Burdens and sorrows stand transfigured all; Thy hand's rude buffet turns to a caress, For Love, with all the rest. Thou gavest me here, And Love is Heaven's very atmosphere, Lo, I have dwelt with Thee, Lord. Let me die. I could no more through all eternity.

THE STORY OF THE INNUMERABLE COMPANY.
There was once a great mountain which rose from the shore of the sea, and on its flanks it bore a mighty forest. Beyond the crest of the mountain were ridges and valleys, peaks and chasms, springs and torrents. Farther on lay a sandy desert, which stretched its monotonous breadth to the shore of a wide, swift river. What lay beyond the river no one knew, because its shores were always hid in azure mist.
Year by year there came up from the shore of the sea an Innumerable Company. Each one must cross the mountain and the forest, faring onward toward the desert and the river. And this was one condition of the journey--that whosoever came to the river must breast its waters alone. Why this was so, no one could tell; nor did any one know aught of the land beyond. For of the multitude who had crossed the river not one had ever returned.
As time went on there came to be paths through the forest. Those who went first left traces to serve as guides for those coming after. Some put marks on the trees; some built little cairns of stones to show the way they had taken in going around great rocks. Those who followed found these marks and added to them. And many of the travelers left little charts which showed where the cliffs and chasms were and by what means one could reach the hidden springs. So in time it came to pass that there was scarcely a tree on the mountain which bore not some traveler's mark; there was scarcely a