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2 (582) THE
these new connotations is to start from the old,
and to trace, as we are now enabled to do, the
steps by which the words and phrases were
raised from their original popular and secular
usage to the deeper and more spiritual sense,
with which the New Testament writings have
made us familiar.
Let us now glance at a few of these letters
and see something of their contents. Here is
one from a soldier boy to his father: "Apion,
to Epimachus his father and lord, heartiest greetings.
First of all I pray that you are in health
and continually prosper and fare well, with my
sister and her daughter and my brother. 1
thank the lord Serapis that, when I was in danger
at sea, he saved me. Straightway when I
entered Misenum, I received my traveling money
from Caesar, three gold pieces (.about $15), and
I am well. 1 beg you, therefore, my lord father,
write me a few lines regarding your health,
secondly regarding that of my brother and sister,
thirdly that 1 may kiss your hand, because
you have brought me up well, and on this account
I hope to be quickly promoted, if the gods
will. Give my greeting to my brother and sister
and friendk 1 send you a little portrait of myself."
Here are some lines from the philosopher
Epicurus to an orphan child: "Obey your
grandfather and grandmother in all things, as
you have done before. For be sure, the reason
why both 1 and all the rest love you is that you
obey these in all things." An invitation to a
friend to dinner: "Antonius, son of Ptolemaeus
invites you to dine with him at the table of the
lord Serapis in the house of Cladius Serapion,
on the 16tli, at the ninth hour." There are two
points of special interest about this letter. The
phrase "In the house of Cladius Serapion"
omits ihe word for "house" and the article is
plural, "in the ? of Cladius Serapion." It is
an exact counterpart of the words used bv Christ
to his mother when he was found id the temple:
"Wist ye not that I must be about my father's
business?" The Revised Version gives it "in
my father's house." (Luke 2:49.) The other
thing in this: If we have here an invitation to
a ceremonial rather than a private feast, it gives
point to Paul's words in I Cor. 10:21, "Ye
cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of
the table of devils," and shows the embarrassment
to which new converts to Christianity were
liable. From a marriage contract between Heraelides
and Demetria: "Let Heraclides provide
for Demetria all things that are fitting for a
p..? i ? ?J *.*- - * ? >1 '
ncu-uum wuiiiiui, aiia cnui we snouiu. live together
wherever .shall seem best to Leptines,
(Demetria's father), and to Iieraclides." (Demetria
has no voice in the matter.) Then, after
provision for proper action in case of unfaithfulness
on either side, it is specified that if Iieraclides
shall do wrong, he shall repay to Demetria
the value of her own dowry and 1,000 drachmas
besides. Another case is that of Polycratets, a
young man who seems to have been borrowing
money from his brother Philonides. He begs
hib father Cleon to come to the approaching festival
and introduce him to the King (Ptolemy
II), "that I may be relieved of my present occupation.
Know that I have received seventy
drachmas from Philonides. Half of this I have
kept by me for necessaries, but the rest I have
paid as an installment of interest. This is done
because we do not receive our money in a lump
sum, but in small instalments." The census
returns or house-to-house enrollments are among
the mast interesting of the official documents
that have been discovered. The writer specifies
the house or part of a house which belongs to
him, the number and age of the inhabitants,
whether members of his own family or slaves or
tenants, including both males and females.
These returns are intended as a basis for the
levying of a tax. The following is of very spe
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE S
cial interest in connection with the Scripture
narrative of the birth of Christ: "Gaius Vibius
Alaxiiinus, Prefect of Egypt (says): ''Seeing
that the time has come for the house-to-house
census, it ii> necessary to require all those who
for any cause are residing out of their homes
to return to their own homes that they may
carry out the regular order of the censhs."
A prodigal son writes to his mother: "I wish
you to know that 1 had no hope that you would
come up to the metropolis. On this account
neither did I enter into the city. But I was
ashamed to come home, because I am going about
in rags. . . I beseech you, mother, be reconciled
to me. I know what I have brought upon
myself. Punished 1 have been in nnv naso T
know that I have sinned." A woman writes to
two friends who have just lost a son, the writer
herkelf having experienced bereavement: '' I was
as much grieved and wept over the departed one,
as I wept for Didymus, and everything that was
titting 1 did and all who were with me. But
truly there is nothing any one can do in the
face of such tilings. Do you therefore comfort
one another. Goodbye," and this is all she can
offer?human sympathy. Contrast with this
Paul's words to the Thessalonians, I Ch. 4:13,
14: "But I would not have you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that
ye sorrow not, even as others which have hope,
for if we believe that J esus died and rose again,
even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God
bring with him." You will recall also the classic
f?li qnfnt* /\n I?a T 1 c 4 *
vmu|/kv& vu tuc xuoui i.cuuuiij x vjur. iu. a inagical
formula begins with the words: "Great is
tne L.ady ibis," reminding us of the cry of the
mob at Epliesus, "Great is Diana of the Epheisians."
Here is a pastor who is dismissing a
member to another church: "Leon the presbyter
to the presbyters and deacons who aid in the
local ministry, warm greeting. When our brother
Ammonius reaches you, welcome him in
peace; through whom 1 and those that are with
me gladly salute you and those that are with
you in the Lord. I wish you farewell in the
Lord God. Emmanuel is witness. Amen."
Paul's letter to Philemon about the runaway
slave Onesimus is well illustrated by a request
from a village priest to his friend to pardon just
this once a certain deserter (Paulus), who seems
to have taken refuge with him, and whom he is
now sending back to his duties. As we come
to later dates the Christian influence and Biblical
phraseology become noticeable. One letter
has this language: "We believe that your citizenship
is i n heaven. Wherefore we regard you
as master and new patron. But that I may not
by much writing prove myself an idle babbler
for 'in the multitude of words they shall not
escape sin' (Prov. 10:19, nearly), I beseech you,
master, to remember me in your holy prayers,
in order that I may be able to receive my part
in the cleansing of sins. For I am one of the
sinners. ... I add many greetings to all our
brethren in the Lord. May the divine providence
preserve you in good health for very many
years in the Lord Christ." The Lord's prayer
occurs in one letter by the name "The Gospel
Prayer," and presents Bome interesting variations
from the words as given in Matt. 6. It
has a shortened form of the doxology: "For
thine is the glory forever," and a phraseology
in one of the petitions which supports the Authorized
Version against the Revised Version.
The Authorized Version has "Deliver us from
evil;" the Revised Version, "Deliver us from
the evil one." The form of the adjective is the
same for masculine and neuter in the genitive
case (c. f. boni), and eitheT translation would
seem to be correct. One of these letters gives
the abtsract noun instead of the adjective, "Deliver
us from wickedness," which would agree
with the form in the Authorized Version.
unMu^f? 1
OUTH [May 29, 1912
Many other quotations might have been made
from these letters, but enough has been given to
show that men and women had the same thoughts
and feelings in that day as in our time, and if
we will put ourselves in the position of those
aneient people, we shall realize that the "whole
world is kin."
ADVENTURES IN THE OLD DOMINION.
The journey by rail, last week, from Baltimore
to Richmond was enchanting. The fine
'half-finished yellow leaves of the oaks, the brilliant
red blooms of the maples, the white dogwood
blossoms, and the wild honeysuckle, to
i.1 !iL At- 3 1 - * -
geiuer wuii me aarK evergreen of the pines and
cedars, constitute a moving-picture show from
the car windows that coulil hardly be surpassed
anywhere. This is the finest spring we ever had;
the last is always the most beautiful spring.
We arrived in Richmond, and as usual, fell
into a delightful nest of hospitality. For hospitality
Richmond is hard to beat. We were
just in time for the closing day at Union Seminary.
Dr. W. W. Moore, president, wore his
accustoemd grace and elegance, and at the end,
made one of his delightful addresses, full of
humor, pathos, and eloquence, pronouncing the
year just closed to be the best year in the long
history of the institution, this being the centen?:?i
ci_-.ii i i ? *
uiui ui mu green, ouuuiera scnooi oi cne propnets.
The number of students is an even hundred; the
funds have increased to three times what they
were when the removal to Richmond was made,
and the total value of assets is five times what
it was then. This seems to be the closing argument
in favor of the capital of Virginia as a
better place for the Seminary than the dear old
piney woods of Hampden Sidney, where, long
ago every tree, and lawn and shady dell was
sacred to me during my student days. The
world moves, and the Church must move following
the pillar and cloud of fire, God's marching
prQvidence.
Dear old Dr. II. G. Hill, who was a trustee
thirty-nine years ago when I graduated, made a
fine address on the splendid calling of the handsome
young graduates who stood up to receive
their diplomas from Mr. George Watts, the president
of the board. The Rev. Dr. James P. Smith
presented to each of the graduates a copy of a
volume, the name of which I did not catch, from
flnnovnl A OCnmKl If .rv-P D*iK1i?Q
?.*?v ^mjuviui<JIJ o Xjunnui LLCC U1 i. UUiiuu
turn, and made an earnest address to the soldiers
of the cross just buckling on their armor for
their lifelong battle with sin, under their scarletrobed
Leader who rides a white horse through
the ages of conflict. The Seminary building and
grounds never looked so attractive as they do
this spring.
In the evening of the same day I attended the
annual reception of the First Presbyterian
church in the lecture room of that edifice. There
were read reports from all the organizations of
the church, showing a splendid work and growth
under the wise and able Dastorate of the Rev.
Dr. F. T. McFaden. I was particularly impressed
with the fact that the gifts of the church for
the last year amounted to $32.00 per memberFew
churches can make such a great showing as
that. The pastor is tfl be congratulated on the
magnificent work he has accomplished. It did
my heart good to look into the faces, and clasp
the hands of a multitude of my old parishoners
and friends, and to recall the happy relations
f sustained to them during my twenty years
ibors among them. May God bless the dear old
First Presbyterian church of Richmond through
years to come.
The growth of the old city is truly surprising.
The palatial residences of the Ginter Park
neighborhood and the West End indicate great
prosperity. Some personi in Richmond hav*
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