The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-03-03
A CURIOUS LEGEND
Concerns Piece OF Gold One of the Wise
Men Gave Christ.

Concerns Piece OF Gold One of the Wise
Men Gave Christ.
The 9th II January was marked
day in the calendar of medieval times.
for upon it fell the feast of the Epip-
bapy-the most popular Of Christian
festivals-C Christmas day only except
ed. All good churchmen know that
the word Epiphany-meaning the APP
pearing has reference to the star
which guided the three wise men" tG
the cave-stable at Bethlehem twelve
days after the birth of the holy child.
Tradition says that they were three
kings their names, MelchOir, Balthsai
and Gaspar-the one an Arabian, de-
scendant of Shem; the second, an
Egyptian, of the race of Ham, and the
third, Japhet's representative typical
of the world wide homage to be paid
to the incarnate Jehovah.
Three kings of the King of kings
three gifts did bring" Melchior pre-
sented gold in recognition of the SOW
ereignty of the babe; Gaspar, franklin
cense, in acknowledgment of his divin-
ity, and Balthasar, myrrh, as typical Of
his human life-destined to be so full
of bitterness
OF the gold offered by Melchior,
there is, according to ancient legend.
very curious history. Originally coined
by Terah, the father of Abraham, the
money was given by him to his son
upon his departure from the land OF
the Chaldees. II is stated in the koran
adopted from Mesopotamean tradi-
tions-tha the patriarch was forced in
to exile on account of his monotheistic
arnUirffnnc h<x ,r.f
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
Sinai. The money given by Terah to-
Abraham was next used for the pur-
chase Of the cave of Macpelah of Eph
ron the Hittite.
When Joseph's brethren sold him to
the Ishmaelites they received these
identical pieces Of gold in payment-so
runs the legend-which 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 to embalm the body
of his father, and they remained in the
royal treasury until the queen of She
ba made her famous visit to Solomon,
when, among other gifts, she presented
the coins to that opulent monarch.
During the reign of Rhehoboams
Solomons son, Shishak, king of Egypt,
made successful invasion into Judea
and despoiled the temple, wherenpon
he presented to his ally and companion
in arms-the king of Arabia-the fam
GUS piecs of gold as his share of the
plunder.
Nearly 1000 years later Melchior. the
apocryphal successor of the Arabian
monarch, brought them as a gift to
shim that was called the King of the
Jews"
1t would seem that the ingenuity of
our visionary archaeologists might be
overtaxed to further connect the itine-
rant coins with the subsequent events
OF the new estament-wherever money
plays a part-but they stumble at
nothing. The story goes on to say that
in the hurry of the fight into Egypt
the virgin mother dropped the gold
pieces in field, where they were after
ward found by shepherd. Not daring
to disclose his good fortune lest he be
suspected of dishonesty and the money
be taken from him, he kept it by him
for many years. In his old age, being
afflicted by an incurable disease, he be-
sought the aid of Christ, who healed
him. AS thank offering, he carried
his treasure to the temple and laid it
upon the high altar. Thus falling in
to the hands Of the high priest, the
money was paid to Judas as the price
of his treachery in the betrayal of his
Master.
The fact that the reward agreed upon
to be paid to Judas is spoken of as
thirty pieces of silver seems to offer no
difficulty. 1t is explained upon the
ground that in the translation silver"
is used as the generic term for money
like argent" in French.
When, tortured by remorse, Judas re-
turned the money to the priests, they
used it for the purchase of the .potters
field, to bury strangers in''-since
which time all trace of the much trav-
eled money has been lost.-New York
Times.