The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-11
A CURIOUS LEGEND.
Travels of tho Pieces of Gold That the
Three Wise Men Gave to Christ.

The 9Th of January was marked
day in the calendar of medieval
times, for upon it fell the feast of
the Epiphany, the most popular of
Christian festivals, Christmas day
only excepted. All good churchmen
know that the word Epiphany, mean
ing the appearing, has reference
to the star which guided "the three
wise men" to the cave stable at
Bethlehem 12 days after the birth of
the holy child.
Tradition says that they were
three kings-their names, Melchior,
Balthayer and Gaspar-the one an
Arabian, descendant of Shem; the
second an Egyptian of the race of
Ham, and the third Japhet's rep
resentative, typical of the world
wide homage to be paid to the in
carnate Jehovah.
"Tnree kings the King of Kings
three gifts did bring Melchior
presented gold in recognition of the
sovereignty of the babe; Gaspar,
frankincense, in acknowledgment of
his divinity, and Balthayer, myrrh,
as typical of his human life, destined
to be SO full of bitterness.
Of the gold offered by Melchoir
there is, according to ancient legend,
very curious history. Originally
coined by Terah, the father of Abra-
ham, che money was given by him
to his son upon his departure from
the land Of the Chaldees.
1t is stated in the Koran, adopted
from Mesopotamean traditions, that
the patriarch was forced into exile
on account of his monotheistic con-
victions 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 in
that region, Sinai. The money given
by Terah to Abraham was next used
for the purchase of the cave of Mac
pelah of Ephron the Hittite.
When Joseph's brethren sold him
to tie Ishmaelites, they received
these identical pieces of gold in pay
ment-so runs the legend-which
they afterward paid to Joseph when
driven in the time Of the famine to
buy corn in Egypt. Upon the death of
Jacob Joseph sent the money to the
land of Sheba to buy spices where
with to embalm the body of his fa-
ther, and they remained in the royal
treasury until tho queen Of Sheba
made her famous visit to Solomon,
when, among other gifts, she pre-
sented the coins to that opulent mon
arch.
During the reign of Rhehoboam,
Solornon's SOL, Shishak, king of
Egypt, made successful invasion
into Jud@a and despoiled the temple,
whereupon be presented to his ally
and companion in arms, the king of
Arabia, the famous pieces of gold as
his Share of the plunder.
Nearly 1000 years later Melchior,
the apocryphaI successor of the Ara
bian monarch, brought them as a
gift to chin that was called the
King of the Jews.
1t would seem that the ingenui-
ty OF our visionary archaologists
might be overtaxed to further con-
meet the itinerant coins with the sub
sequent events of the New Testa-
ment, wherever money plays a part,
but they stumbled 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 field, where they were
afterward found by a shepherd. Not
daring to disclose his good fortune
lest he be suspected of dishonesty
and the money be taken from him,
he kept lit by him for many years.
In his old age, being afflicted by in.
curaole disease, he besought the aid
of the Christ, who healed him.
AS Il 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 betray-
al of his Master.
The fact tina. the reward agreed
upon to be paid to Judas is spoken
of as 80 pieces of silver seems to Of
fer no difficulty. 1t is explained
upon the ground that the transla-
ton "silver" is used as the generic
term for money, like argent" in
French.
When, tortured by remorse, Judas
returned the money to the priest,
they used it for the purchase Of the
potter field to bury strangers in, J"
since which time all trace Of the
much travelled money has been lost.
Chicago Tribune.
Causes Wonder in Europe.
The spectacle of nntting $50. .O0O,-