The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-27
PRICELESS WRITINGS FOUND.
Christian and Pagan Manuscripts Un-
earthed at Oxyrhyncus.

Cairo, June 15.-Once more Dr.
Grenfell and DR.. Hunt have made
valuable discoveries in the mounds of
Oxyrhyncus, quite equal in import
ance TO those which so fascinated the
world Of scholarship nine years ago.
The Egyptian exploration fund has
done wonders already, especially in
ance Of those so-called "Logia"-
"the sayings of our Lord"-one of
which at least has g. strange and,
unique value. In 1897, out of a mess
OF papyri dug out Of the ruins of
Oxyrhyncus, which was one of the
chief early Christian centers in Egypt,
and is situated some one hundred
and twenty miles south of Cairo, was
extracted a fragment containing eight
sayings of the Lord What exactly
they constituted has been much de-
bated by scholars since. Harnack
maintains that they come from the
lost Gospel Of the Egyptians. Others
suggest that they are excel pts from
primitive Gospel-probably written
in Hebrew in the first instance;
while others again speak OF them as
though they formed a part Of a sort
of original nucleus Of the four can
onicaI Gospel. Most Of the eight
saying added little or nothing to-
the Biblical lore of the world, but the
one numbered five was Of first rate
interest and Importance strange
text in which Christ says, "Raise the
stone and thou shalt find Me, cleave
.theSwood and there am l." To these
Sayings is now added fresh and
highly interesting contribution.
Among the newest finds of DR.. Gren-
fell and Hunt is a vellum leaf, forty
fve/lines IN al, from the manuscript
of a lost Gospel. The subject ac-a
cording to the latest decails is a visit
of Jesus, with His disciples, to the
Temple Of Jerusalem, and an encoun-
ter with Pharisee. The Phararisee
rebukes Christ and his followers be-
cause they have omitted the necessary
and proper ceremonial Of publication
before entering the Holy Place.
Christ replies with a discourse on the
difference between the external and in
ternal purity. This Of course, is not
dissimilar from the Gospels Of Mat
thew and Luke; in the new fragment
there are several words not. found in
the new testament, while the writer
displays considerable familiarity
with Jewish customs, and also with
the topography Of the Temple Of
Jerusalem The nature and value of
the Gospel from which this passage
comes, however, is not known nor
can more be said on the subject until
the fresh Oxyrhyncus papyri are pub
lished next year.
But this is not the only valuable ele-,
ment in the new discoveries. There
is a fragment from Pindar-a novel
form Of composition for the Theban
board, for it consists Of odes Of suppl
cation or Thanksgiving, addressed to
a god, and not a paean, such as those
with which all are. familiar, in honor
OF some athletic victor. There is also
a part Of a tragedy on the subject
of Hypsiple, supposed to be by Euri-
pides; and, strangely enough, a part
of a new history Of Greece has been
unearthed, which il is hoped, will
throw fresh light on the Pelopon-
nesian war.
Some of the manuscripts, dating
rom the second or third century, but
thrown away, apparently, in the fifth
century, belonged, it is clear TO an
owner Of library, and amongst
them are fragments of sappho and.
Bacchylides.