Evening star., 1938-02-11

Cney are Ill agreed tnaL II mas always
been necessary to every form of ami
NAL life.
In ancient times salt was both
scarce and costly. 1t furnished the
impulse for opening up entirely new
trade routes and nearness to salt
springs or deposits has determined
the situation OF towns and cities.
Apart from its value for havoring
purposes, salt was for centuries the
best preservative and the only anti
septic known to Municipalities which
it still retains. Packing in salt in
sures that foods will keep" and salt
and-water Is the homely and handy
panacea for cuts, bruises sore fingers,
tired feet. In the world Of professional
medicine salt-and-water becomes
saline solution, indispensable as a
cleansing agent and life-giving fuid.
Fed into the blood stream it will keep
very sick people alive for weeks.
Along with air and water. common
salt, or sodium chloride to the scien-
fists, forms one OF the foremost needs
of human life
HAVING such 4 high material
1 4 value in ancient times. salt had
A corresponding religious significance,
traces Of which have been woven into
the fabric OF popular superstition. For
all its cheapness, We still don't spill
it without compunction. taking the
precaution to throw a pinch over the
left shoulder to ward of bad luck.
And we know. of course. that the
only way to catch q birdie is TO put
salt on its tail!
But if the salt have lost his
SAVIOR" 1t was because He knew
the power OF this reference that the
Great Teacher used it for illustration,
and "Ye are the salt Of the earth
vas high praise to His disciples. Salt
as an essential but costly element.
touched the life Of the peoples OF
Christ's time at every point and their
awareness of the fact was naturally
keener than ours.
Salt was eilt-edged security-more
it was money. 1t was the medium in
which MANUAL workers were fre.
quently paid, and when We talk glibly
about someone not worth his salt,
we mean literally not worth hire o:
wages
Imperial Rome. for example, paid
her renowned legionaries partly ir
salt. This was their salarium, from
which even the non-latinis1 can SCI
that salary" has evolved.
In the DAYS of her greatness Rome
had a military road specially con.
structed and always kept under heavy
guard so that the supply OF salt. sc
necessary and so vital to everyday
life, could be brought in safety from
Ostia, IA miles away.
The most ancient source OF supply
was the Dead Sea OF Bible repute
which just means the Salt Sea, and
an appallingly frequent cause OF tribal
warfare was the attacking OF cara
vans that carried this precious com
modify over the desert.
TRAFFIC in salt played no small
part in making Venice a rich anc
powerful medieval city-state, and thu
caravan trade OF the Sahara is still to 6
large extent concerned with salt.
Salt was worshiped by the Greek
and the Hebrews, the latter employing
it always in the establishing of GOV.
enant or sacred agreement between Je'
hovah and themselves. And ever,
oblation OF thy meat offering shall
thou season with salt: neither shall
thou suffer the salt Of the covenant o.
thy God to be lacking from thy mea
offering" :. The divine command 1.
definite enough! Levitcus. iii-13).
AS a social arbiter salt has had 1t!
little day and ceased to be-" but in thl
dark ages it did the duty Of published
"peerages." social registers and diplo