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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (April 12, 1903)
How Early Christians Lived in Egypt j.-to? -vsu v w ST. PETER. A8 DEPICTED ON A VERT OLD ALTAR CLOTH FOUND AX FAYOUM. EGYPT. i fir Jcwsr EGYPTIAN CURTAIN SHOWING DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN. ' H OW DID the early Christian live in ancient Egypt 2,000 years ago? Of course, we could have no in- HfttMH formation on this point from the " Bible, nor could we expect any Information from profane writers of the times. In fact, very little has been known about the Christians of that period until within the last few years, when some dis coveries were made in the sands of Egypt. It had been known that Juet.as Joseph and Mary fled 'with the Infant Jesus into the land of Egypt to escape the persecu tion of Herod, so did the followers of Jesus naturally flee to this, the nearest laud in which they could escape their foes. Many of these early Christians settled In the region of Fayoum In middle Egypt, about forty miles from Cairo. It was In this district that the famous Logia Iesou were found by the Egypt exploration fund those remarkable "Sayings of Jesus." which aroused so much discussion all the world over. The discovery of these few sayings, al though they added little to the sayings of Jesus already recorded in the New Testa ment, served as an Inspiration for further research. Christian cemeteries were around Fayoum in profusion and It was not un reasonable, to expect that within some of the coffins might be found papyri ante dating any known Christian manuscripts. These researches disclosed the fact that a thriving colony had been planted there and that these Christians were so devoted to their faith that they preserved a mass of religious writings as well as articles made by them for religious ceremonies. The latter show the Greek Influence which waa powerful In Egypt then. One of the notable discoveries was that of a wood carving which, to judge from the holes In It, at one time hung over the altar of some Christian church perhaps as a votive offering In acknowledgment of a special deliverance from their foes. Al though it is only eighteen Inches high and ten Inches wide at the base, the carver had genius which enabled htm to tell a whole tale of trial and suffering In that age. Warriors on foot and on horseback are shown before towers with a circular portal between them. The soldiers carry drawn swords and bucklers, and the cross borne by one of them shows that they -are de fenders of the faith. They are repulsing an attack of barbarians on a Christian stronghold. This carving Is even older than the fa mous ivory carving In the Louvro which was found In Egypt and which shows St. -Mark sitting among the faithful. 4 , Together with this remarkable carving the authorities of the Royal museum at Berlin, who own It now, have gathered some striking linen hangings, yellowed with the . ages, which served as curtains or altar cloths in early Egyptian Christian sanc tuaries. One of them is devoted to a picture of Daniel In the Lion's Den. This theme is found again and again on the walls of tho catacombs and was a favorite with the early Christians because in the story of the deliverance of the Jewish martyr they saw the omen of their own deliverance from the trials and tribulations of their time. In this picture the figure of the youth Daniel stands in the center between two lions At his right U a bearded figure holding out something toward Daniel. This evidently is Intended for Habakuk bringing food to the youthful prophot. Daniel him self is clothed in rich garments. He stands unterrifltd, with hands uplifted In prayer. On the tapestry can bo seen thj fragment of a figure which evidently was winged and probably represented the Angel of the , Lord The Greek Inscriptions on the curtain speak of the martyrdom from which God has saved the true believers, and it is supposed that this tapestry was probably made and placed in the church by Egyptian martyrs who escaped their persecutors. Another Interesting curtain-or altar cloth Is represented by a fragment which, though poorly preserved. Is extremely valuable.- It represents Peter -on bended knee receiving his authority from Jesus. Peter Is repre sented with curly hair and a large nimbus about him. Over his head are representa tions of th miracles performed by Jesus, t V. . I '. - ' i ..- f : t ' L . 1.' : i 1 .r-s i uf,. . 1 : : . a I r . - "J f Ail' iV1- CHRISTIANS REPELLING BARBARIANS FROM AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN WOOD CARVING. especially that of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. The figures of Jesus evidently was In the center of the curtain In a sitting posture, but very little of it hu been preserved. . Another Old Testament subject is found on a curtain which was discovered by Dr. Reinhardt and taken to the same Berlin museum. It Is not surprising that these early Christians dealt so much with the Old Testament, for In the early ages they had not yet separated themselves from Judaism, being merely a sect of Jews who believed thst the Messiah had come In the person of Jesus. . On the curtain found by Dr. Reinhardt Is a picture which no one would recognize as being Intended for Moses were It not tor the rude uncial Inscription which gives his name. Greek art displays Its influence In this picture of a beardless Moses, for the Greek Ideal always was the beardless face. Here Moses seems to be receiving a roll ' from another figure and It Is be lieved by the specialists to be a representa tion of the Revelation of the Law made through Moses. The English Egypt Exploration fund and the expedition under Prof. Reiasner sent out by the University of California, have found many papyri in the Fayoum district which threw much light upon the life of the Christians of the serond and third cen turies. They make It possible to recon struct something of the life ot the people. ' Prof. Blcknell printed "one of the frag ments found In tho. Fayoum district. It wss a fragment of what he claimed was an earl aource of tho gospel. The translation Is: "....to eat according to custom. All of you ahall be offended In this night accord ing to the scripture; I will smite the shep herd and the flock shall be scattered. When Peter said, 'and if all, yet not I.' Before the cock twice crow thou shalt today three time deny me." This Is much shorter than the narrative found In St. Matthew or St. Mark and prob ably was the way In 'which the gospel was known to the earliest Christian, although there Is a possibility that It may be merely a quotation used by an ancient priest whose notes have now come to light. In 1892 M. Bourlant published three, doe uments found In a tomb In upper Egypt. They were a narrative of the crucifixion, an Apocalyptlo fragment and a part of a Greek text of the Book of Enoch. The first two probably are- portions of the Gospel of Peter and the Apocalypse of Peter which are referred to by some church authorities of the second century as then existing. Two especially Interesting documents are "llbelli," that la, certificates showing that the holder had made sacrlflco to the pagan gods, according to law. These "ll belli" were given by commissioners during a persecution of Christians. One of them reads: "To the Commis sioners cf Sacrifices of the village ot Alex ander Island from Aurellus Diogenes Bata bus, of tho village cf Alexander Island, a man of' 6'i years ot age, with a scar on his right eyebrow: "I have always continued sacrificing to tho gods and now in your presence I have sacrificed according to the decrees and have poured libations and eaten of the sacrl flees, snd I ask you to sign this petition. Fare you well. I, 'Aurellus Diogenes, have resented this petition." The signature ot the five commissioners and the date follow this: "In the first years of Imperator Caerar Galus Messlus Quln tus Traianus Decius Plus Felix Augustus, on the second of the month Epiphi." This places the date of the certificate at June 26, 2o0 A. D., according to ouc reckoning. In the Declan persecution five commis sioners were appointed to visit every town and village and compel everyone to appear before them and offer sacrifice. Those who sacrificed received a certificate like the one mentioned; and many who did not sacrifice obtained one from the magistrate by giving bribes. Among the various documents dating from this period many, bear distinctive Christian names. ' They show that the Egyptian Christians took an active part In the business of the land of their adoption, acting often as bankers. Invitations to weddings are Issued In (Continued on Fourteenth Page.)