New Britain herald., 1928-10-27
MANY STAMPS SHOW l
 SCENES FROM bIbLE|

Events Of Historical md Rt usious Significance Art Picturd
 Common. ordinary postage stamps may seem a far cry from the Bible. but there is far more connection between the two than the fact that both are in every day use in every country of the world. For many . postage stamp has . religious sub- ject as it's design, while the pictures or other features of hundreds of the little ''pieces of paper" have religious connotations which are apparent to those who study stamp designs at all closely. Practically the entire history of Christianity can be traced on these diminutive "stickers." while many strange gods and goddesses of other religions are to-be found. There are even . score bearing direct relation to the incidents related in the Old and New Testaments them. selves .
 The one of these which reaches furthest back into the past ts . stamp of the latest issue of Palestine picturing the traditional tomb of Rachel, wife of Jacob and mother of Benjamin. Whether or not the building shown actually is the tomb is questionable, however. as Rachers story is 70 far back in Bible chron- ology that definite pointing out o9 her burying place Is considered un-- likely by many. Syrian stamps re- gently issued under French adminis- tration show two views of Klamath, one of the Canaanite cities mem toned in the Old Testament
 There are four conceptions. of the Madonna and Child. Hungary. whose patron saint is the Virgin Mary, has placed her and the infant Jesus on it's highest valued stamps for tho past eight years. The final issue of Bavaria has a rather futuristtc por- trayal of the same subject. while the Alpine principality of Liechtenstein. which has recently come to promi- hence through devastating floods used a similar design on . set com- memorating the SOth birthday anni- versary of its relgninE prince. The Saar basin, now in French hands. has it's own stamps and two of them show the Virgin and Child as carved for . medieval wooden charm
 Jesus is shown preaching to his l disciples on series of Italian stamps commemorating the founda- ton of the Society for the Propa- gation of the Faith. The Latin tn- scription, "Praedicate evangelium omni craeturae." is shown on these. Translated, it is the famous dtctum to go forth into the world and preach the gospel to all creatures" Four of the aeven corporal worka of mercy regarding which Jesus said,
 Even as ye do these unto one of the least of them. so ye do it unto me-" are picturized on ' get issued by Germany in behalf of it's poor The designs are from paintings by
 Moritz Von Schwind for the restora- tion of Martin Luther's home, Wart- 1 burg castle. and show feeding the
 hungry" giving drink to the thirsty" ''clothing the naked" and nursing the sick"
 Views of many Biblical towns are found on recent issues of Syria and Lebanon. Among them are two oi I Damascus and one of Antioch. where the term Christian" was first used 1 during visit of Peter and Paul
 Paul's native city of Tarsus is to be seen on another.
 Paul's voyages about the Medi- terranean are recalled by two stamps for the Island of Malta. then known as "Melita." The ship carrying Paul as a prisoner was wrecked of this island, according to the New Testa. ment, and Paul was washed safely ashore. He is seen on one stamp ! standing on the shore surveying the sinking ship and other survivors struggling in the water. while an asp that attempted to bite him from behind is collapsing into a fire.
 The other stamp. recently issued carried a picture of Publius. who was chief man of Malta and whose father vas healed by Paul. Pu1lius re- warded Paul by giving him the necessities for renewing his voyage and later became the first bishop of Malta.
 The names of two of the disciples are found in those of a pair oi countries which have issued stamps St. Pierre and Miquelon. a French possession in the West Indies. is one of these, .'St. Pierre" being the French form of St. Peter. "St Tome Principe" found on the bottom of stamps emanting from that Portuguese colony. bring tO memory st. Thomas, the doubter who had to feel Jesus wounds to believe his reapparition real.