Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-23

the mouth Of the cavern is superb. Patmos
was certainly a most delightful spot for the
| old preacher of the first century. Speaking
about age makes 1t natural to refer to the
present old men of Patmos. I have never
met such large number of active, robust
persons Of eighty. ninety and even ninety
five years OF age as on the Rock Revelation.
OF course I visited the island of Patmos
because 1T was there st. John received and
wrote his unique and unequaled revelation,
but aside from the sacred historical asso-
Citations. that quaint and curious shaped
bit of land eleven miles long by three hum
dred feet wide at the narrowest point, con-
tains sufficient to attract thither any per-
sons caring to visit Palestine. There are
two thousand people ali told dwelling
amidst the pumice stone and on the rich
soil of Patmos. They are variously en-
ployed, and SO religious, including the pot
ter, peasant, postman and policeman, that
these two thousand people worship God in
two hundred church buildings painted white.
There are four mona steries, two schools and
the college of the Apocalypse, the building
of which latter stands against the cave
where St. John is believed to have written
the last Book Of the Bible.
During my first visit to Patmos, made
some eight years ago, l found but one
hermit living on the island. But during
my second visit. last year found the num-
Der had increased to two. Hermits are still
men who live in the desert Eremetis. The
name monk used to mean man who lived
alone, a hermit viewed from another stand
changed from a place where a man was
monarch Of all he surveyed. Hermits still
remain and Christian hermits too 1t Is no
Christian ideal. 1t is true John the Bap.
fist went into the desert but the man of
Galilee, lest any should be misled by the
Baptist's example. led his first disciples to
a wedding. a proceeding which would have
scandalized the hermits of later days, SO
rnuch wiser than their masterf
The monks and nuns OF Patmos. not TO
speak Of the hermits, undoubtedly exert
good influence on the population. but best
thirty or forty students. have this to say
for the Influence Of the religious bodies, and
they are all Of the Greek orthodox church,
the people and not asked for backsheesh.
This was specially refreshing to one who
had travelled much in western Asia and in
Egypt. =
Then there is the great library of Patmos.
In seas like these we look for books. Hard
by is the promontory OF Athos. where
treasures are yet to be seen. On the
other shore is Pargamos, the demands of
whose library caused the invention of
parchment named after 1t. Farther north
is the historic town Of Nicea. where great
councils met, and whence Christodouolus
brought with him the idea OF founding
library for his monks to study and copy.
The collection on Patmos cannot be elder
than loss. but as nthe case Of the aVtican
ana Otner FAMOUS PIcSiVuS iA"io
scripts of far more ancient days were ac-
cumulated. Mabonidus of Babylon was not
the first nor Will Hilprecht of philadelphia
be the last to ransack the store houses or
the past for the profit of later generations.
To say nothing of the ravages Of ordi-
nary pirates western scholars have been
following the presidents set at the renals-
sance and seeking for spills to convey to
modern libraries. Three Frenchmen led the
way and many have followed after, until
considerable OF the most valuable manu-
scripts have been carried on. One OF the
most valuable of the manuscripts Is q copy
of the gospels OF the sixth century. 1t is
on parchment dyed purple, and the names
of God and Christ are In gold. Some thief
got at It, tore away several leaves and sold
them to different buyers. Two may b
seen At Vienna.