The record-union., 1893-06-22
TIE NEWLY FOUND GOSPELS.
A Chat With Their Discoverer-The
Revelations on a Palimpsest.

A Chat With Their Discoverer-The
Revelations on Palimpsest-
1t is not often that the Biblical lnjunc-
ton to search the Scriptures" has been
carried out in the face Of such difficulties
as must have attended the recent discov-
cry OF the palimpsest containing Syriac
text OF the Gospels by Mrs. Lewis i'll the
Convent Of St. Katharine on Mount
Sinai. What those difficulties were Mrs.
Lewis was good enough to explain to
representative of the 81. Jdascs' Gazette,
who gives the following account of the
conversation:
What is a palimpsest?" l inquired;
for the slight figure clad in deep mourn
| ing, and the soft voice that welcomed
me, urged me to confession of abject ig-
| norance.
"a palimpsest is manuscript whose
original contents have been partially eff
faced that the vellum might be written
upon again. This was frequently done
in ancient days when vellum was scarce,
and the Syriac Gospels we have just dis
covered, are case in point. The thick,
Dlack writing you see in the photograph
was written over the Gospels III us, and
Is series of lives OF female saints, signed
John Elhabash.' 1t was only by observ-
ing the word 'Evangelium,' family in
scrlbed at the top of the page, that l di-
Vlned the possibility of the subwriting
Delng text OF the Gospels-a guess
which upon examination proved to be
correct"
"How did you obtain access to the old
documents, Mrs. Lewis?'
We'll, you see, but for that difficulty
THIS story might have been made long
ago. The treachery of Tschendorf who
| Jailed to return the MSS. lent him by the
monks, has rendered them very sus-
plclous OF strangers who desire to ex-
anime their library. Then another OBJ
SLaHIA pad I,xrf to-
elers. They were almost all unacquainted
WIN modern Greek, the language spoken
py the monks, which my sister and |
speak huently, as well as Hebrew and
Arabic. Professor Palmer had seen this
text OF the Gospels, but had not been per-
mltted to examine it, and Professor Rem
Gel harris had been unable on his visit in
1853 TO do more than transcribe the
apology OF Aristides,' which he had un-
earthed IN the same convent"
Sinai?"
"Oh. no! I was there last year, and then
succeeded in winning the confidence of
the monks, who allowed me to take over
l,o0O photographs of the palimpsest.
look letters OF introduction TO the Arch
bishop of Sinai, who lives in Cairo, and,
curously enough, little book / had
written years ago on my travels in
Greece had been translated into Greek and
as happened to have written about the
nat1Ve places Of some of them, they held
out to me cordial right hand"
DO they at all appreciate the impor-
tance of your discovery?'
Yes, indeed. They are most intelli-
gent-not ignorant anchorites, as most
travellers suppose. The bursar of the
convent writes articles for the Athenian
reviews. For hours together they would
hold out the palimpsest that | might OBJ
tain good negatives. When I had made
certain of my discovery 1 sent word to
Professor Harris, who came out bring
ing with him Professor Bensly and Mr..
Blrket, accompanied by his wife-alI
hrst-rate Syriac scholars. We divided
the day into three WatCheS-from ii to 7
o'clock-aDd were forty days at it-all
working. During the last weeks we used
to start at A. NJ. and work on as long as
the light lasted, sleeping in tents in the
convent garden so as to be independent
OF their regulaticns.'
"A very different atmosphere from
this, no doubt" interpolated grimly.
81 can scarcely describe the purity and
brightness OF the air and the brilliant
sunshine which helped US so much to de-
cipher the faint, alf-obliterated writing
Indeed, If the light had been less favora-
ble our task would never have been ac-
complished. Another experiment as
sisted us. l had obtained at the British
Museum harmless chemical prepara-
ton for bringing out old writing. At
first was afraid the monks would not
permit me to use it, but after they had
seen it employed on another MS. without
detriment they consented"
How do you account for the presence
of Ms. there ?''
DOUBTLESS when so many of the con-
vents which existed IN that region we're
destroyed by the Turks it was taken to
ID. kAthAflnnll or
fortress built by the Emperor Justinian
in the fifth century"
DO you anticipate that much religious
controversy will arise out of your dis
covery ?"
Some discussion is, of course, inevi-
! table. 1t Will turn on the last twelve
verses of st. Marks Gospel, about whose
authenticity there has always been some
doubt, These verses were present in the
imperfect portions of the Syriac text
transcribed by Canon Coaston and gen.
orally called The Curetonian.' But in the
pailmpSest now discovered they are un-
| douDtedIy absent. The importance of the
Syrlac text arises from the fact of Syriac
having been the popular speech of Pales-
tine i'll the time of Christ"
Did you find travelling difficult or
dangerous in Syria?" 1 inquired, pass
| ng to lighter topic.
Not the least. We had excellent drag
omans on both our journeys-that is. nv
sister, Mrs. Gibson, and myself We
mounted our camels at Suez, and the first
| three days were spent in crossing the
desert and about the same time in tray-
ersing the rocky limestone region around
Sinai. Water has to be carried for tran
sit, but at the convent there are beautiful
springs. Danger there is none. The
Bedouins are friendly, and | consider
that women can travel alone with greater
security in Mohammedan than in Chris
tian countries. Our dragoman always in
sisted on all the money and valuables be-
ing put into our tent at night on the plea
that no one would ever dream of pill
laying a woman's tent"
Besides her books of travel in Pales-
tine. Greece and Cyprus, Mrs. Lewis has
recently published a biography of her
late husband, Rev. S. S. Lewis, for
twenty-one years librarian of Corpus
brary the collection of MSS. is large and
gan to interest herself in the study and
care of literary relics.
And now you will settle down in
England, Mrs. Lewis?" 1 inquired to put
in finishing touch of inquisitiveness to
my catechism. It'll the result of our
labors is given to the world. yes. And
| them" she added, with the tone of genu-
inc explorers hunger in her voice
then may possibly start again."
DOING BUSINESS IN CHURCHES
People In Olden Times Put Places of
| Worship to Strange TTSas