Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-02

trusted slave to a Greek aristocrat, he
spent his leisure hours in the contempla-
ton of the legend upon his siSnet, This
shall pass away, and in pleasant dreams
of other and happier days.
'Of SardiS. his capital. which We must
visit if we would understand its former
glory and realize its strategic impor-
tance, there are several things to tell as
Croesus was not its only king, and it
was great and famous long before his
day.
The original name of Sardis was Hyde,
and its inhabitants Ntfe Semitic, as In
deed We're most of Che Inhabitants of the
peninsula of that day Two OF, the most
important of discoveries are accredited to
Sardis. The first is the art OF dying wool.
an art which has grown in Importance
with the centuries. The second lis the in
Vention of the flute for up to the time
when some Lydian musician formed an
instrument OF music from a single pipe,
the music OF the world had been largely
string music, as the shepherds whistles
or pan pipes were too harsh to be of
any certain value.
Sardis was captured in the seventh CEN
tury Il. c. by the Cimmcrians: by the
AthenianS in a century later: by Cyrus as
We have told YOU; ii voluntarily surren-
dered to Alexander and was destroyed by
Antochus in the third century Il. c.: be-
came Roman province, and after pass
ing through exactly similar experiences
with all of the cities OF Asia Minor. it is
a
or Salikii small and unimportant. never
having recovered from the utter destruc-
ton visited upon it by Tamerlane i'll 14U2
\. d.
religious history for Sards has left us
the ruins of some magnificent temples.
The city was the special shrine OF Cy-
belle. whose cult was much like that of
Diana at Ephesus. She was called The
Great Mother and the ruins of her tenn
pie testify to its size and beauty.
Came Persia, bringing Zoroastrianism,
and Greece and Rome with their kindred
deities Christianity early found its way
To >ardis and in the Apocalypse we find
that one of the letters to the seven
churches OF Asia is written to Sardis
and not in a very comp .imentary strain.
There We're important Christian churches
there in the early centuries but not
after the departure of the defeated Cru
saders in about 1910.
To sit upon the Acropolis of the ancient
Sardis, to dream over the mighty ruins
all around. to realize that the river in
the distance is the Hermus. and the little
stream that joins it near the site or the
ancient palace is the IactolOs, to remem-
Der that Homer wOve this city and these
streams into his desCthlesS songs, Will in
, itself repay IT'S for the journey. TO catch
the spirit of those early nations who,
! longing for power to do great deeds,
brought their war chiefs and noble sons
to the sacred lake of Coloe. that. bathed
in its waters, they might be inVulnerable
and immortal. To follow the rise and fall
of the kings and cults of thirty CEN
turtles. in connection with this spot, and
TO sean the roster of noble names, whose
mere enumeration would fill this page.
who have added 10 or taken from its
glory: this is To make SardiS worth a
visit. But as We sit and dream, or roam
among these fame-eHshrined hills, two
voices come 10 us with Il kindred mes
sage of warning and encouragement.
The first is that of Scion: commencing
as the inscription upon the signet of
Croesus. This shall pass away. and
his added Interpretation. In prosperity
it will admonish thee, and in adversely
il will cheer thee.
The second IS the voice of the risen
Christ, He calls to the seer of Patmos:
Unto the angel of the church of Sardis;
write: | know thy works, that thou hast
a name. that thou Invest and art dead.
Be watchful and strengthen the things
which remain that are ready to die
He that overcometh, the same
shall be clothed in white raiment. and Z
Will not blot his name out of the Book
of Life, but | will confess his name be
fore My Father. and before His holy
angels
. YES Croesus was rich. FOR Cyrus took
from his capital over $t0l.Upo'o worth