Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-08-20

A VESSEL flying a black flag, and hotly
pursued by steamer, is reported to have
suddenly sunk of Beach Haven. The shot
like suddenness of its sinking makes one
think that it formerly belonged to ike
American navy.
IT is claimed that the Shapiro manu-
script of Deuteronomy, which has caused
such lively circles, is a forgery. DR..
Neubaues and Professor Sayce, both emf
nent authorities, assert that it is without
any claims to antiquity. 1t would be
hard to understand the motives of those
who would bring the arts of the common
thief into play, while dealing with SO
sacred subject as scriptures. An abnor
NAL desire to be esteemed learned probably
melted the deed, if the above statement
of the biblical experts be correct. The
charge made is very grave one, and its
truth or falsity should be promptly es'
tablished.
TIE grand conclave Of the Knights
Templar in San Francisco bids fair to be a
conspicuous success in every respect. 1t
is estimated that 10, 600 knights will march
in the street parade to o-day, and that the
procession will be the finest display the
city has seen since the demonstration in
honor of General Grant four years ago.
There will be magnificent display of
California fruit, the season for which is
now at its height, and also a mineral ex
position of the Pacific coast, both Of
which will doubtless possess great attrac
tions for Eastern visitors. The selection
of the city of the Golden Gate as the
place of conclave was peculiarly fitting, as
showing the broad domains covered by the
order. Beneficial results may be looked
for also in the closer social as we'll as busi-
ness relationship between the East and
West that will accrue from the visit and
links innumerablo will be forged during
the knights brief stay that will tend to
make all who witness the exercises more
than ever citizens of common country.
TENNYsoN's beautiful poem "Godiva,"
over which readers innumerable have felt
their pulses glow at the ideal representa-,
tion of womanly virtue there por
trayed has received stunning
blow from which it will not soon
recover in the base born travesty of the
noble deed which was enacted in Coventry
two weeks ago. The pretty legend which
England's poet laureate has made immor.
tai narrates how the Lady Godiva, to
shame her boorish lord who sneering-
ly asked for this cruel exhibition of
her love for her people, rode naked through
the streets of Coventry, after having made
proclamation to the people to remain
within doors. 1t was an act of the suprem
est nobleness and has deservedly been the
admiration of all time. Now tho pretty
story is dragged into tho filth and slime by
the modern pageant of bold circus
actress, arrayed in flesh colored tights
cavorting for the sensuous amusement of
forty thousand visitors, drawn to Coventry
by the unusual spectacle. 1t is sad
commentary OF our modern civilization
that such things should bo. In the glor-
iCus light of the nineteenth century, the
people of two centuries ago are esteemed
as little less than barbarians A; yet it re.
quires mighty effort of tho imagination
to picture the citizens of those days
descending SO low as the debasing pageant
recently enacted in Coventry.