The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-01-12
Friday, 18th, Revives Debate
On Origin of the Superstition
Most Students Believe "UnucSy Member, Was Derived Ffopi
Religious Symbolism Others See Basis FOR
II in the Stars

The recurrence this mouth OF The
trlditiuually luminous dste. Friday.
the 18th" raises again the question
~ 90 the origin and explanation ~
the superstition concerning % as ln
uHiuckv number. u is 81 of the
most widespread and persistent ~ alt
suporStitinnF. surprising even that
about ~. Swithin's DAY. since ID -
believed hy many 10 he much Older.
Certain u IL thm b,iirfs ln the magi-
cal qualities and pawer= of numbers
date hnch to houry u%nttpuity, und ~
ia among the numbers which a-trnio-
GER ana othcrs took into thcir rcck-
uniug
Tho number three probably has
been employed more ihuu ans other
In religious symbolism. though seven
has also Frequently been thus om-
played The extraordinary Waihc-
NAUTICAL properties In 40. -. not
imaginary. but real have been She
thoiur ct countless essays % hus
n.cn reserved Tor ta to- hc imugiunrilv
Invested with evil nraiitio. though 30
has also 90 times been regarded hs
a fortunate number.
The lore of numbers as developed
hy the ancient chaid"nus Greeks Ee
mnns aud Jews was intimately cpn
ncctcd with the pscudu-sciencc Of as
trniogy and rNurossos the mnthr-
mutically computed results ur influ-
onccs OF tho laws Of uuture In this
way some numbers have appeared 49,
the expression at divine qualities as
the fixed forms OF the fundamental
laws of creation For his rcuson thr
Guosfics and Noo- plRtoni-fs attributed
10 them magical powers Ana j. wut
us b. believed. thus that he super
sutton arose roncerning the unlucky
character of the Wprihet ~ froM
astronomical proc'ssc~ aa reflected M
the traditions of the children ~
ismcl
The o. tribcs IL ia held. correspond
ed with tho ~ mouths ut Tie sulm'
year But in tho lunpr year pa Fo
an. 10 months. and ln this diHHrrce-
meut hetweon the we cHloudnfa q
diHverned the reason Tor docmihE 30
uniurky. A- the lunar cniuudar wuf
iu time dropped Tor the solar. The
hirto,uth month ct tl" FORMER dl
appeared and rom thut iurt Wf'
derived the superstition thnt the
thirteenth person ur % thirteenth
object WIS doomed tu misfortune
Among tho israUhtos OF old this Hn
perstltion was greatly emphasized iy
the circumstance that In their nu-
. NANNNtMN ENfNNNNN NNNf NNNNNNNN HN Mf
Ing the uumber ig was Identical with
that incoming death
rhe notion cherished by some ,lat
the legend concerning the number
arose from the uumher uf thuH' Nlo
sat down az the Last supper and ha,
10 denotes Judas lscnriot who
hanged himself must Doc dlfnIs-ed fi
quite nutonahlc ~ b. truc tlai there
were l3 at the supper But % b
obvious tina % was No other tiHti
losus Christ who wis the thirteenth.
aud % is ~ course q fuCf of reCpri
thut o. was Jesus. ana NOT Judas. who
nrsi died after the supper surely b
would not do to reckon 49, unfortun-
atc one who WIS thus t-rRditionaiiy
identified with the saviour 81 the
World
There also are those who seek to
derive tho superstition from the ol,
Morse mythology. accord mr. go Whioi
Daidur The sun god. had % die hr.
cnuse there were 90 gods ln M" circle
iu Nalhalln
There ago ON The uthor hand
Itlase who iusist ihai the dread ni
the number 80 be- Of modern origin
unknown tn the unclcuts certain u
b. that many years ago there w"r'
those vino regarded the number W'
fortunate Among Them was Pope
Gregory tho Great. who every morn
, ing gave "a mral To o. poor personf
ono morning LosttH appeared n-
b. thirteenth mcmh,r or tho company
ana thereafter % was hold o." hv
! lucky aud blessed number
p Kiug Louis NiH or France perhap.
: because De was tho hiruouth kin u
% that name. regarded the number VIII
the greatest possible reverence IL
called himself l.uNH dc Bourbon au'
his wife Anna d'Autrichp, fur th'
reason thnt ench at those namc con
tanned Just - letters. The two wee
married ~ the Of ~ years an
i throughout his reign tho King IN
a. Vuriahiy sclccied The thirteenth dh.
e. Of The month for great enter
4 prise which ne was undertaking
Even ON HE dcathhed De- chung to li
belief In his lucky number roIoic