Nordidmedievalthinkersrestwiththisconception。Inaccordancewiththedominantviewthatphysicaltruthmustbesoughtbytheologicalreasoning，thedoctrinewasevolvedthatnotonlythesiteofthecrossonCalvarymarkedthegeographicalcentreoftheworld，butthatonthisveryspothadstoodthetreewhichboretheforbiddenfruitinEden。Thuswasgeographymadetoreconcileallpartsofthegreattheologicplan。Thisdoctrinewashailedwithjoybymultitudes；andwefindintheworksofmedievalpilgrimstoPalestine，againandagain，evidencethatthishadbecomeprecioustruthtothem，bothintheologyandgeography。Evenaslateas1664theeminentFrenchpriestEugeneRoger，inhispublishedtravelsinPalestine，dweltuponthethirty-eighthchapterofEzekiel，coupledwithatextfromIsaiah，toprovethattheexactcentreoftheearthisaspotmarkedonthepavementoftheChurchoftheHolySepulchre，andthatonthisspotoncestoodthetreewhichboretheforbiddenfruitandthecrossofChrist。[31]
[31]ForthesiteofthecrossonCalvary，asthepointwherestood“thetreeoftheknowledgeofgoodandevil“inEden，atthecentreoftheearth，seevariousEasterntravellerscitedinTobler；butespeciallythetravelsofBishopArculfintheHolyLand，inWright’sEarlyTravelsinPalestine，p。8；alsoTravelsofSaewulf，ibid，p。38；alsoSirJohnMandeville，ibid。，pp。
166，167。ForRoger，seehisLaTerreSaincte，Paris，1664，pp。
89-217，etc。；seealsoQuaresmio，TerraeSanctaeElucidatio，1639，forsimilarview；and，foronenarrativeinwhichtheideawasdevelopedintoanamazingmassofpiousmyths，seePilgrimageoftheRussianAbbotDaniel，editedbySirC。W。Wilson，London，1885，p。14。Thepassagedeservestobequotedasanexampleofmyth-making；itisasfollows：“AtthetimeofourLord’scrucifixion，whenhegaveuptheghostonthecross，theveilofthetemplewasrent，andtherockaboveAdam’sskullopened，andthebloodandwaterwhichflowedfromChrist’ssiderandownthroughthefissureupontheskull，thuswashingawaythesinsofmen。”
Norwasthistheonlymisconceptionwhichforceditswayfromoursacredwritingsintomedievalmap-making：twootherswerealmostasmarked。FirstofthesewasthevagueterrorinspiredbyGogandMagog。FewpassagesintheOldTestamentaremoresublimethanthedenunciationofthesegreatenemiesbyEzekiel；andthewell-knownstatementintheApocalypsefastenedtheHebrewfeelingregardingthemwithanewmeaningintothemindoftheearlyChurch：henceitwasthatthemedievalmap-makerstookgreatpainstodelineatethesemonstersandtheirhabitationsonthemaps。Forcenturiesnomapwasconsideredorthodoxwhichdidnotshowthem。
Thesecondconceptionwasderivedfromthementioninoursacredbooksofthe“fourwinds。”Hencecameavividbeliefintheirrealexistence，andtheirdelineationonthemaps，generallyascolossalheadswithdistendedcheeks，blowingvigorouslytowardJerusalem。
AftertheseconceptionshadmainlydisappearedwefindhereandthereevidencesofthedifficultymenfoundingivingupthescripturalideaofdirectpersonalinterferencebyagentsofHeavenintheordinaryphenomenaofNature：thus，inanotedmapofthesixteenthcenturyrepresentingtheearthasasphere，thereisateachpoleacrank，withanangellaboriouslyturningtheearthbymeansofit；and，inanothermap，thehandoftheAlmighty，thrustforthfromtheclouds，holdstheearthsuspendedbyaropeandspinsitwithhisthumbandfingers。EvenaslateasthemiddleoftheseventeenthcenturyHeylin，themostauthoritativeEnglishgeographerofthetime，showsaliketendencytomixscienceandtheology。Hewarpseachtohelptheother，asfollows：“Water，makingbutoneglobewiththeearth，isyethigherthanit。Thisappears，first，becauseitisabodynotsoheavy；secondly，itisobservedbysailorsthattheirshipsmovefastertotheshorethanfromit，whereofnoreasoncanbegivenbuttheheightofthewaterabovetheland；
thirdly，tosuchasstandontheshoretheseaseemstoswellintotheformofaroundhilltillitputsabounduponoursight。Nowthatthesea，hoveringthusoverandabovetheearth，dothnotoverwhelmit，canbeascribedonlytohisProvidencewho`hathmadethewaterstostandonanheapthattheyturnnotagaintocovertheearth。’“[32]
[32]ForGogandMagog，seeEzekielxxxviiiandxxxix，andRev。
xx，8；andforthegeneralsubject，Toy，JudaismandChristianity，Boston，1891，pp。373，374。Formapsshowingthesetwogreatterrors，andforgeographicaldiscussionregardingthem，seeLelewel，Geog。duMoyenAge，Bruxelles，1850，Atlas；
alsoRuge，Gesch。desZeitaltersderEntdeckungen，Berlin，1881，pp。78，79；alsoPeschel’sAbhandlungen，pp。28-35，andGesch。derErdkunde，p。210。Forrepresentationsonmapsofthe“FourWinds。”seeCharton，Voyageurs，tomeii，p。11；alsoRuge，asabove，pp。324，325；alsoforacuriousmixtureofthescripturalwindsissuingfromthebagsofAeolus，seeamapofthetwelfthcenturyinLeonGautier，LaChevalerie，p。153；andformapsshowingadditionalwinds，seevariouseditionsofPtolemy。Foramapwithangelsturningtheearthbymeansofcranksatthepoles，seeGrynaeus，NovusOrbis，Basileae，1537。FortheglobekeptspinningbytheAlmighty，seeJ。Hondius’smap，1589；andforHeylin，hisfirstfolio，1652，p。27。
III。THEINHABITANTSOFTHEEARTH。
Evenwhilethedoctrineofthesphericityoftheearthwasundecided，anotherquestionhadbeensuggestedwhichtheologiansfinallycametoconsideroffargreaterimportance。Thedoctrineofthesphericityoftheearthnaturallyledtothoughtregardingitsinhabitants，andanotherancientgermwaswarmedintolife——theideaofantipodes：ofhumanbeingsontheearth’soppositesides。
IntheGreekandRomanworldthisideahadfoundsupportersandopponents，CiceroandPlinybeingamongtheformer，andEpicurus，Lucretius，andPlutarchamongthelatter。ThustheproblemcameintotheearlyChurchunsolved。
Amongthefirstchurchmentotakeitupwas，intheEast，St。
GregoryNazianzen，whoshowedthattosailbeyondGibraltarwasimpossible；and，intheWest，Lactantius，whoasked：“Isthereanyonesosenselessastobelievethattherearemenwhosefootstepsarehigherthantheirheads？……thatthecropsandtreesgrowdownward？……thattherainsandsnowandhailfallupwardtowardtheearth？……Iamatalosswhattosayofthosewho，whentheyhaveonceerred，steadilypersevereintheirfollyanddefendonevainthingbyanother。”
InallthiscontentionbyGregoryandLactantiustherewasnothingtobeespeciallyregretted，for，whatevertheirmotive，theysimplysupportedtheirinheritedbeliefongroundsofnaturallawandprobability。
Unfortunately，thediscussionwasnotlongallowedtorestonthesescientificandphilosophicalgrounds；otherChristianthinkersfollowed，whointheirardouradducedtextsofScripture，andsoonthequestionhadbecometheological；
hostilitytothebeliefinantipodesbecamedogmatic。TheuniversalChurchwasarrayedagainstit，andinfrontofthevastphalanxstood，toaman，thefathers。
Toallofthemthisideaseemeddangerous；tomostofthemitseemeddamnable。St。BasilandSt。Ambroseweretolerantenoughtoallowthatamanmightbesavedwhothoughttheearthinhabitedonitsoppositesides；butthegreatmajorityofthefathersdoubtedthepossibilityofsalvationtosuchmisbelievers。ThegreatchampionoftheorthodoxviewwasSt。
Augustine。Thoughheseemedinclinedtoyieldalittleinregardtothesphericityoftheearth，hefoughttheideathatmenexistontheothersideofit，sayingthat“ScripturespeaksofnosuchdescendantsofAdam。”heinsiststhatmencouldnotbeallowedbytheAlmightytolivethere，sinceiftheydidtheycouldnotseeChristatHissecondcomingdescendingthroughtheair。Buthismostcogentappeal，onewhichwefindechoedfromtheologiantotheologianduringathousandyearsafterward，istothenineteenthPsalm，andtoitsconfirmationintheEpistletotheRomans；tothewords，“Theirlineisgoneoutthroughalltheearth，andtheirwordstotheendoftheworld。”HedwellswithgreatforceonthefactthatSt。Paulbasedoneofhismostpowerfulargumentsuponthisdeclarationregardingthepreachersofthegospel，andthathedeclaredevenmoreexplicitlythat“Verily，theirsoundwentintoalltheearth，andtheirwordsuntotheendsoftheworld。”Thenceforthwefinditconstantlydeclaredthat，asthosepreachersdidnotgototheantipodes，noantipodescanexist；andhencethatthesupportersofthisgeographicaldoctrine“givetheliedirecttoKingDavidandtoSt。Paul，andthereforetotheHolyGhost。”ThusthegreatBishopofHippotaughtthewholeworldforoverathousandyearsthat，astherewasnopreachingofthegospelontheoppositesideoftheearth，therecouldbenohumanbeingsthere。
ThegreatauthorityofAugustine，andthecogencyofhisscripturalargument，heldtheChurchfirmlyagainstthedoctrineoftheantipodes；allschoolsofinterpretationwerenowagreed——thefollowersoftheallegoricaltendenciesofAlexandria，thestrictlyliteralexegetesofSyria，themoreeclectictheologiansoftheWest。ForoverathousandyearsitwasheldintheChurch，“always，everywhere，andbyall。”thattherecouldnotbehumanbeingsontheoppositesidesoftheearth，eveniftheearthhadoppositesides；and，whenattackedbygainsayers，thegreatmassoftruebelievers，fromthefourthcenturytothefifteenth，simplyusedthatopiatewhichhadsosoothinganeffectonJohnHenryNewmaninthenineteenthcentury——securusjudicatorbisterrarum。
Yetgainsayersstillappeared。Thatthedoctrineoftheantipodescontinuedtohavelife，isshownbythefactthatinthesixthcenturyProcopiusofGazaattacksitwithatremendousargument。Hedeclaresthat，iftherebemenontheothersideoftheearth，Christmusthavegonethereandsufferedasecondtimetosavethem；and，therefore，thattheremusthavebeenthere，asnecessarypreliminariestohiscoming，aduplicateEden，Adam，serpent，anddeluge。
CosmasIndicopleustesalsoattackedthedoctrinewithespecialbitterness，citingapassagefromSt。Luketoprovethatantipodesaretheologicallyimpossible。
Attheendofthesixthcenturycameamanfromwhommuchmightbeexpected——St。IsidoreofSeville。Hehadponderedoverancientthoughtinscience，and，aswehaveseen，haddaredproclaimhisbeliefinthesphericityoftheearth；butwiththathestopped。Astotheantipodes，theauthorityofthePsalmist，St。Paul，andSt。Augustinesilenceshim；heshunsthewholequestionasunlawful，subjectsreasontofaith，anddeclaresthatmencannotandoughtnottoexistonoppositesidesoftheearth。[33]
[33]FortheopinionsofBasil，Ambrose，andothers，seeLecky，HistoryofRationalisminEurope，NewYork，1872，vol。i，p。279。
AlsoLetronne，inRevuedesDeuxMondes，March，1834。ForLactantius，seecitationsalreadygiven。ForSt。Augustine’sopinion，seetheDeCivitateDei，xvi，9，wherethisgreatfatherofthechurchshowsthattheantipodes“nullarationecredendumest。”Fortheunanimityofthefathersagainsttheantipodes，seeZockler，vol。1，p。127。Foraverynaivesummary，seeJosephAcosta，NaturalandMoralHistoryoftheIndies，Grimston’stranslation，republishedbytheHakluytSoc。，chaps。viiandviii；alsocitationsinBuckle’sPosthumousWorks，vol。ii，p。
645。ForProcopiusofGaza，seeKretschmer，p。55。Seealso，onthegeneralsubject，Peschel，GeschichtederErdkunde，pp。96-97。
ForIsidore，seecitationsalreadygiven。Tounderstandtheembarrassmentcausedbytheseutterancesofthefatherstoscientificmenofalaterperiod，seeletterofAgricolatoJoachimVadianusin1514。AgricolaasksVadianustogivehisviewsregardingtheantipodes，sayingthathehimselfdoesnotknowwhattodo，betweenthefathersontheonesideandthelearnedmenofmoderntimesontheother。Ontheotherhand，fortheembarrassmentcausedtotheChurchbythismistakenzealofthefathers，seeKepler’sreferencesandFromund’sreplies；alsoDeMorgan，Paradoxes，p。58。KeplerappearstohavetakengreatdelightinthrowingtheviewsofLactantiusintotheteethofhisadversaries。
Undersuchpressurethisscientifictruthseemstohavedisappearedfornearlytwohundredyears；butbytheeighthcenturythesphericityoftheearthhadcometobegenerallyacceptedamongtheleadersofthought，andnowthedoctrineoftheantipodeswasagainassertedbyabishop，VirgilofSalzburg。
TherethenstoodinGermany，inthosefirstyearsoftheeighthcentury，oneofthegreatestandnoblestofmen——St。Boniface。
Hislearningwasofthebestthenknown。Inlabourshewasaworthysuccessoroftheapostles；hisgeniusforChristianworkmadehimunwillinglyprimateofGermany；hisdevotiontodutyledhimwillinglytomartyrdom。Theresat，too，atthattime，onthepapalthroneagreatChristianstatesman——PopeZachary。
Bonifaceimmediatelydeclaredagainsttherevivalofsuchaheresyasthedoctrineoftheantipodes；hestigmatizeditasanassertionthattherearemenbeyondthereachoftheappointedmeansofsalvation；heattackedVirgil，andcalledonPopeZacharyforaid。
ThePope，astheinfallibleteacherofChristendom，madeastrongresponse。HecitedpassagesfromthebookofJobandtheWisdomofSolomonagainstthedoctrineoftheantipodes；hedeclaredit“perverse，iniquitous，andagainstVirgil’sownsoul。”andindicatedapurposeofdrivinghimfromhisbishopric。Whetherthispurposewascarriedoutornot，theoldtheologicalview，byvirtueofthePope’sdivinelyorderedandprotected“inerrancy。”
wasre-established，andthedoctrinethattheearthhasinhabitantsonbutoneofitssidesbecamemorethaneverorthodox，andpreciousinthemindoftheChurch。[34]
[34]ForVirgilofSalzburg，seeNeander’sHistoryoftheChristianChurch，Torrey’stranslation，vol。iii，p。63；alsoHerzog，Real-Encyklopadie，etc。，recenteditionbyProf。Hauck，s。v。Virgilius；alsoKretschmer，pp。56-58；alsoWhewell，vol。
i，p。197；alsoDeMorgan，BudgetofParadoxes，pp。24-26。ForveryfullnotesastopaganandChristianadvocatesofthedoctrineofthesphericityoftheearthandoftheantipodes，andforextractfromZachary’sletter，seeMigne，Patrologia，vol。