The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-10
A CURIOUS LEGEND.
Concerns a Piece of Gold One of the
Wise Men Gave Christ.
From the New York Times.


From the New York Times.
The 9Th of January was a marked day
in the calendar of mediaeval times, for
upon 1t fell the Feast of the Epiphany
the most popular of Christian festivals
Christmas day only excepted. All good
churchmen know that the word Epiphany
meaning the appearing reference
to the star which guided the three wise
men" to the cave-stable at Bethlehem
twelve days after the birth of the holy
child.
Tradition says that they were three
kings-their names, Melchior, Balthayar
and Gaspar-the one an Arabian, a de-
scendant of Shem the second, an Egyp-
tian, of the race of Ham, and the third,
Japhets entative-typical of the
worldwide homage to De paid to the in
carnate Jehovah.
Three Kings the King of kings three
gifts did bring" Melchior presented gold
In recognition of the sovereignty of the
babe; Gaspar, frankincense, in acknowl-
edgement of his divinity, and Balthayar,
myrrh, as typical of his human life-des-
tined to be so full of bitterness.
OF the gold offered by Melchoir there
is, according to ancient legend, a very Gu
rious history. Originally coined by Terah,
the father of Abraham, the money was
given by him to his son, upon his depar-
ture from the land of the Chaldees. 1t is
stated in the Koran-adopted from Mesop-
otamean traditions-that the patriarch
was forced into exile on account of his
monotheistic convictions, and because he
would not engage in his fathers business,
which was the manufacture of idols of
gold and silver. These idols were of the
moon-god, 'Sin''-whence the name of the
highest mountain of that region-Snai.
The money given by Terah TO Abraham
ho 81
Cave of Macpelah of Ephron the Hittite
When Joseph's brethren sold him to the
lshmaelites they received these identical
pieces of gold in payment-so runs the
legend-whtch they afterward paid to
Joseph, when driven, in time of famine, to
buy corn In Egypt. Upon the death of
Jacob, Joseph sent the money to the land
of Sheba TO buy spices, wherewith 10 en-
balm the body of his father, and they re-
manned in the royal treasury until the
Queen of Sheba made her famous visit to
Solomon, when, among other gifts, she
presented the coins to that opulent mon
arch.
During the reign of Rhehoboam. Solo
mons son, Shishak, King of Egypt made
a successful invasion into Judea and de-
spoiled the temple, whereupon he IRE
sented to his ally and companion in arms
the King of Arabia-the famous pieces
of gold as his share of the plumber
Nearly LOCO years later Melchior the
apocryphal successor of the Arabian mon
arch, brought them as gift to "him,
that was called, the King of the Jews"
1t would seem that the ingenuity of our
visionary archaeologists might be over
taxed to further connect the itinerant
coins with the subsequent events of the
New Testament-wherever money plays a
part-but they stumble at nothing. The
story goes on to say that in the hurry of
the flight into Egypt the Virgin mother
dropped the gold pieces in a field where
they were afterward found by a shep-
herd. Not daring to disclose his good
fortune, lest he be suspected of dishon-
esty, and the money be taken from him.
he kept ii by him for many years. In his
old age, being afflicted with an incurable
disease, he besought the aid of the Christ,
who healed him. AS a thank-offering he
carried his treasure TO the temple and
laid it upon the high altar. Thus falling
into the hands of the high priest, the
money was paid TO Judas as the price of
his treachery in the betrayal of his Mas
| ter.
The fact that the reward agreed upon
| to be paid TO Judas Is spoken of as thirty
| pieces of silver seems to offer no diff
| Guilty. 1t is explained upon the ground
! that in the translation silver is used
as the generic term for money-like ''ar-
| gent in French.
When tortured by remorse, Judas es-
| turned the money to the priests, they used
! il for the purchase of the ''potters field,
| to bury strangers in"-since which time
| all trace of the much-traveled money has
| haen Inst