Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-11-23
THE PICTURE OF CHRIST.
How the Face or Oar Savior Has
Been Depicted.

Sc AMERICAN FORK, Nov. 20, 1859
u. Correspondence of the DESIRED
NEWS. lone face appears in all the
a centuries OF Christian history, and
2 in the art Of every European nation,
s. rs the picture Of the worlds Beloved.
II On the damp and gloomy walls OF
Or the catacOmbs OF sepulture and wor-
Is ship, in tire monuments Of the primi-
L tive Christian church, on the portals
and in the apses Of ancient Byzan-
tine basilics, in stately cathedrals of
. the middle ages, in the proud gal
leries OF the worlds art, and even
ON the humble walls Of the lowliest
homes, or in the cherished books Of
the poor, that strange an wonder
full face arrests the mind with n
celestial thought, and charms the
imagination with the hope that we
may hereafter ''see Him rs He is
Whether depicted in the coarse,
rude lines Of the earliest sketches, or
in the finished touches OF the mas
ter's skill; whether sad and painful
with divine and human sorrow, or !
glorious in heavenly triumph, the |
same face is always presented. The 1
whole Of Christendom is enriched by
these memorials of n divine vista
ton. With endless variations Of |
lineaments and expression. there
has always been preserved faithful
adherence TO the general type
midst Of classic art, though about
the period Of its decline. there sud
denly appeared the image OF n
strange but complete personality,
differing from all pagan ideals. 1t
was the Christ, He had come into
the world, and lived and labored
among men who cherished His men,
DRY; and they desired 10 leave to the
ages TO come some pictured reminder ,
Of His human semhlRnce.
The Jews were averse TO portrait ,
turc. They would not even have
their own "image or likeness" for ,
fear Of violating the second COM {
maHdment. We cannot expect. a
therefore, 10 find any picture OF the h
Savior from the hands of any Of His a
personal followers Of the Hebrew Il
race. Z,
The story that Luke was a painter /,
As well rs a physician was an in n
ycntion OF the Middle Ages, when \,
Luke was the artists guiId-saint, q,
and when many painters were
with his name. {,
The gnOstics, sect Of philosophers N
IN the iirst ages uf Christianitv. q
claimed that they knew everything a,
about religion. They were thus the q,
,pposites Of the agnOstics Of our day.
here are very early traditions that M
hose gnOstics Produced the first :,
pictures and images Of our Lord, IN
.nd not rs ideal fancies, like the ~
mythology aud poetry Of their day.
'ut giving the likeness OF a man who or
7as peculiarly individual anu strik- M
ng IN appearance. The earliest i,
which we have knowledge were TN
n the form Of gems - jewels i,o
or personal wear, or Rmulets for az
ecret charms, and metal images. al.
iems and amulets are still pre- ar
,ryed, but the images (which were m,
lid to have been ordered by Pom r.
US Pilatel are known only by ira of
ition. The glass sacramental YES lie
is Of the catacombs are the earli- T.
i objects OF the kind mentioned ~,
authentic history which vet re- W.
aims intact. Some Of these are ,.is
Ill to be found in their inches in ~,
ie sepulchres where they were de- n,,
,slte1 with the bodies Of the primi- 81
sc Roman Christians. They were III;
nown before the time Of Ter IL
lllan, who was born y. ID. i60. for !,
speaks Of them as having been ma
perseded by vessels Of metal in nc
: DAY. lie describes some Of the mn,
Iood Shcpherd;symbois which an N,
AIRED on the chalices or cuus for III
e eucharistic wine, and on the Jao
teHe or plates for the bread. In an
Ie case he criticises a picture OF 4 !
iTlSt which he had seen rs tin go,
rect and wanting i'm resemblance. a.
0ugh rightly showing the hook OF an,
18th in His band.'' This implies 10,
n true type was well known nj -
st TO intelligent Chr stians. and a.,
1t the symbolical book was an es- 10 +,
llished idea. IL ~
The Oldest legend connected with IN
most ancient pOrtrait-likc pic II ,
e OF which we nave any knOwl- vio,
g relates to one Abgar Uchamo, ~ n
Abgaius, King Of Edessa in Mes. o m
)tamia. Hewas fatally III. and hav- 10
heard Of the fame Of Jesu. \. a., I
caller, he sent messenger from -
rock-fortress city in the desert of
usllem, implOring the mighty Den
e to come aud heal him. Anan. -,
kings messenger. was his secre- -
!, anu a painter as well, and was -
.ructed TO bring picture Of the fhc
lder-Worker If he could not in -
hun 10 come in person 10 Edes- -, /,
Arriving at Jerusalem, Anon - T.
is the Savior, who tells him He s.;
not leave His work to 20 ON such -, I'll
GRAND. IeNil
nan then resorts to his art. tries F S
paint portrait OF the face of crnH,
Isl, and fails. But Jesus in pity a tnr
: MN a napkin upon which He, in n,
7lping his face, has imprinted nIatc
'holy lmage' Of His counteu- i,,L,,
ma, ,.t,,--. .., TO tn,
,n,,,-as - .'Iu Iuthy strange phen
pen to him and to the picture: r.,
lhe molly image always protects s,r'I
and him, and confouuds his - =,
MES, until he finally reaches 80 -
presence Of the king and 10 him H. !,
Iays the precious face. The rei.a,
arch is instantly healed and -
erted to Christ. He writes n IN, Slnoi
nswer Tbis "no sehgs MIN ing Il
preserved in the apocryI,hal Cos Hon tIO
Is unique picture, with its long. tLo a
in lace, bright eyes and spirited seIf :,
esslon, was known in the prim- rnie 7,
Christian Church. probably TO m.
lillian, and doubtless to Fuse lint :
born AID. $50, who mentions or,i;,-.
his works. III ~, -
ere was certainly first picture. .io,,,,
KNOW OF no one earlier than -.
anu 1t was the cherished image -. -,
n the Greek painters in SYRIA. exb;i,i
and the early Chris nIart
ITtists copied in every variety i,,,a 49,
'rk, from the jewel for a ring babai'
Mosaic or statue. Whatever jeatb
ne Of the original picture with IT,
vas esrI,, S se,,'-f; tlls oriental as rep
comics -, III 70 rome by pietlr'
: T,n,i,'S, ,,1 S5 anu We one of
:, aiartis iaiditei win the tons
4 Droha6I,- - nnich was teenth
now ~ p DeIoie t me true one with Il
Iassic trna - ,-nh ;, Inc prlmi- NerAiC
no7Io s1d o,,I o. tu..'iIAeu from cOmpa
sos ,a+-S,,,.,,l. iie"s cO.iiceptlons, lows: "
eSs facs So WIN young, Lord a
Thai smoh 800 nalr ana snort from Il
Intended ~ 1,,, PRESENTATIONS eTald
he designin,, III az + evident which
her wo5tl III ,,5; ..LiI ~ me miracles Turks
is Class ~ id"ai. ne !. L GONG. treasur
= "a Auedls IS proDably Innoee