New-York tribune., 1878-03-23
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE LETTER OF PUBLlUs LENTULUs.

THE LETTER OF fUbLlCo LEN oho'''
rHURLow WEED ADMITS THAT 1T is PROBABLY a
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. HISTORY REGARD
ING CHRISTIANITY.
To ire Edttor or The Trtb"re
Sir: The criticisms occasioned by the reproduc-
ton in your paper of letter purporting to have
been written by President in Judea. describing
the oerson and perfectOns of Saviour. were not
wholly unexpected. met with and published that
letter sixty years ago. at Norwich Chenango County.
II was subsequently reproduced IN Ononda "a anu
Rochester where also published papers, during
forty wears no doubt had been raised WITHIN my
knowledge, of its authenticity. Some twenty-five
wears ago, first met with article which charged
that the letter was q forgery. perpetrated Dya
monk. Either because was without facilities nee
essarv to the investigation of that charge or that
was too much absorbed in other duties, the matter
passed ont of nv mind. did not, however. regard
the evidence in favor Of the charge Of forgery as
conclusive: nor did rclinquish long cherished
belief that description of our Saviour harmoniz'hg
in all respects with what we believe was apocry
phal.
The portraits of our Saviour, by Michael Angelo
Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci. which was privi-
legged to see and admire in Italy but especially
the great masterpiece of Titan his wonderful ne al
of Christ in the gallery at Dresden, all, as far as
face, features and expression, so beautifully
described in the letter of Pubius Lentulus,
strengthened my confidence in its authenticity,
To all this it would be said, that one better in
formed IN Biblical literature would not nor have
made himself responsible for the authenticity OF
this letter. This Is quite true, and yet the very
best informed upon these profoundly important
questions who seek for contemporary evidences
of the events connected with the mission,
Miracles suferirgs and death OF our
Saviour and His Apostles, find themselves cropping In
the dark. What is there, for example, IN profane
history to prove that our Saviour was arralgned,
tried and condemned in Jerusalem, and publicly
cruced on the Hill of Calvary outside CT the gates
IN sight of the city. Indeed, that the only re-
coition of the Saviour in Josephus Is claimed to
be an Interpolation, what particle of evidence is
there in contemporaneous history of His existences
Or WHERE but in the New Testament, are we to look
for evidence that Stephen was tried and sentenced
IN Jerusalem, and inhumanly stoned to death by an
infuriated multitude in a suburb of the city
My critics in their Biblical researches for evidence
that the letter Of Publius Lentulus is a forgery,
find what they regard as conclusive authority Tor
charging that all other important contemporaneous
history regarding Christianity has been rephdlated
We are not any longer permitted to believe that
either JOScpnnS, laclIuS OF IllHy Nv
ognized either any of the truths of Christianity or
the prosecutions of its early followers. Happily
Christians do not need the concuring test
imony of the Neros by whom the early
followers of our Saviour were burned and
butchered. So far however, as such con-
curing testimony is needed we have it in the
case of St. Paul. whose own statement that he sat IN
his youth at the feet of Gamaie is fully confirmed
by contemporaneous history. 1t is proper to add
that the eminent DIR. Paley. in his Evidences OF
Christianity" furnishes many auxiliary evlden-
ces so many historical condolences. and so many
incidental testimonies rendering sacred and profane
history in accord that the doubts of intelligent and
unprejudced readers cannot fail to be removed.
confess that | do not relinquish the idea of the
authenticity of the Lentulas letter without regret
had dwelt upon it fondly than half a century.
but must not in my devotion to an IDEAL however
beautiful, appropriate Moore's poetic description OF
fanaticsm
The babe may cease g. think that 1t can play
With heavens rainbu ;-alchemistS may doupt
The shining gold their crucible giy : out;
But Faith, fanatic Faith, once welded fast
70 some dear falsehood, hugs it 10 the last.
Nesc- York, March -, 1873 T. W.