The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-07-20
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PORTRAITS OF CHRIST.

There can be no reasonable doubt
in the minds of thoso who intclli-
gently and impartially examine the
Interesting subject, that the familiar
portraitures of the Savior OF man-
kind are not the mere creations ofrc-
ligious fancy, but in their essential
feature have been transmitted by
faithful and loving hands from the
earliest days of the Christian Church.
That the mission of Christ OH earth,
the peculiar circumstances attending
his birth and death, the manner and
matter ofhis teachings, and the effect
which those teachings produced even
during his lifetime, did awaken a
profound and lasting interest, at least
in Judca, none, We presume, will
deny. That very many ofthose who,
through conviction of their truth or
idle curiosity, attended on his min-
istrations, should carry away with
them not only a distinct recollection
of the principles inculcatcd, but a
vivid memory of the face and form of
Him "who spake as never man
spakc," is too scit-evidcnt to need er-
gument. And if strangers and
scofers remembered the figure and
countenance ofthe despised Nazarcnc
how could the twelve apostles, Mar
tha and Mary aud the little company
who believed Jesus TO be the verita-
bic Messiah, tho incarnatc God, for.
get his looks when he had passed
from Calvary to the Throne! And
ifhis outward seeming did stamp it.
self indclibly upon their souls, would
they not cherish it as fond tradi-
ton, convey it from father to son,
generation to generation, until the
divine lineaments of their risen Lord
were caught by some sympathetic
artist and placed upon canvas OF CHS
cled in marble? Nothing could be
more natural than this, and VIC there
fore hold that all of the portraits OF
Jesus Christ are based upon some
original: done, no one knows when,
where or by whom, but certainly
done in accordance with the legend
derived from apostolic times. That
any of them are exactly correct We
are not sufficiently credulous as to
believe, but we do believe that the
world hasa better and more truth
ful idea of the person Ofthc Redeem
or than can be obtained of any other
individual who lived and died ciSh-
teen centuries ago.
Wo propose in this sketch to give
some of the descriptions of Christ
which are to be found i'll the writings
of the fathers, and follow them with
a brief mention of what are consid.
cred the most authentic portraits,
St. Jerome says that in the face and
eyes of Jesus there "was something
heavenly, so that from their glory
and majesty the hidden Godhead
flashed forth" Origen believed that
Christ had no fixed appearance, but
was manifested to every person III
accordance with that persons idea OF
personal beauty. Thcophanes says
that some historians described him
as having curlcd and scanty hair
st. John of Damascus, writing to the
Emperor Thcophilus, declares that
Christ was tall and stately, had
brows uniting over the nose, which
was large; beautiful eyes, hair Of Q
golden brown shade inclined to cur
like his mothers, and black beard
Ills head was always somewhat bow,
ed forward. Lcntulus, who is said
TO have lived while the Savior wa:
on earth. and to have held position
among the rctaincrs of fPilatc--tllougl
both statements arc probably ticti,
cious-wrotc letter which is quoted
by st. Ansclm of Canterbury in llO7
We extract single passage: "ll'
Christi is q man Of tall stature
comely, having venerable countc
nance, which those bchOlding mus
love or fear. His hair is waving ant
curled, rolling to his shoulders, hay
ing a parting in the middle of th
head, after the manner Of the Naza
renes. His brow is smooth and sc
rene, his face without wrinkle o
blemish of any kind, and rcndere'
beautiful by a moderate color. Their
is no fault to be found with the nos
or mouth his hair is the color of tn
hazel nut his beard the same shad
a. his hair; not long but bifurcated
and his eyes grayish blue and full o
light. Ills hands and arms ar
beautiful"
Nicephorus Callistus Ianthepolu:
who lived at ConstantinOplc betwecl
1925 and 1850, and wrote a volumi
nous ecclesiastical history, sums u
the ancient descriptions in the fol
lowing words:
"Christ was beautiful in body; hi
height seven complete spans; hi
hair yellowish, but not thick, and a
the ends somewhat curlcd. Hiscye
brows were black, only little arch
ed and without break his eyes wer
hazel, and of that description know
as bright-eyed-nOt dim, and IN II
way misiormcd nor wandering. Iii
nose was prominent, his beard rcd
dish. not profuse, but the hair OF til
head was abundant, for never ha
razor Or hand of man shorn it. Ill