The Threshold Covenant, by H. Clay Trumbull, a Project Gutenberg eBook

481. See Smith’s Classical Dictionary, and Keightley’s Class. Dict., s. vv. “Hermes,” “Jupiter,” “Mercury,” “Silvanus,” “Terminus,” “Zeus.” Comp. Stengel’s Die griechischen Sacralalterthüm. in Iwan v. Müller’s Handbuch der Klassischen Alterthumswissenschaft, V., part 3, p. 13; K.F. Hermann’s Lehrbuch der gottesdienstlichen Alterthümer der Griechen, pp. 73, 108, note 2.

482. “This god was represented by a stone or a stump, and not with human features.” This would seem to have been a rude phallic form.

483. Ovid’s Fasti, Bk. II., vs. 641 ff.

484. Smith’s Classical Dictionary, s. vv. “Numa,” “Terminus.”

485. Smith’s Dict. of Greek and Rom. Antiq., s. v. “Terminalia.”

486. Stanley’s Congo, I., 315–317.

487. Turner’s Samoa, p. 45 f.

488. See “Beating the Bounds,” in Chambers’s Edinburgh Journal for July 23, 1853, pp. 49–52; also American Architect, Vol. X., No. 293, p. 64 f.

489. Wallace’s Russia, p. 366 f.

490. Cited in Thompson’s Elements of Political Economy, p. 110.

491. Schrader’s Keilinschriftliche Bibliothek, I., 63, 69, 87, 99, 109, 131, 133, 135, 141, 143, 147, 155, 159, 161, 165, 167, 169, 181; II., 19, 35, 54, 89.

492. See pp. 105–108, supra.

493. See, for example, Schrader’s Keilinshriftliche Bibliothek, I., 69.

494. Rawlinson’s Inscriptions of Western Asia, I., 17–26, col. 1, lines 63–69.

495. Brugsch’s Egypt under the Pharaohs, I., 8 f.; Villiers Stuart’s Nile Gleanings, Pl. xlv., p. 276.

496. Brugsch’s Egypt under the Pharaohs, I., 182 f.

497. Brugsch’s Egypt under the Pharaohs, II., 81 f.

498. Ibid., II., 78 f.

499. Trumbull’s Kadesh-barnea, p. 341, note.

500. Plutarch’s Lives, Theseus, 25.

502. Justinian, Inst., Lib. I., 12, 5.

504. Stanley’s Congo, I., 1–11.

505. See Penn. Mag. of Hist. and Biog., VI., 412–434.

506. Carlyle’s History of Frederick, II., I., 71–74.

507. Rawlinson’s Inscriptions of Western Asia, I., 17–26, Col. III., ll. 84–89.

508. Brugsch’s Egypt under the Pharaohs, I., 81.

509. Brugsch’s Egypt under the Pharaohs, II., 82.

510. “The Shih King,” in Sacred Books of the East, III., 343, 392, 399, note, 420, 422 note.

511. Lacouperie’s Western Origin of the Early Chinese Civilization, pp. 79. 81.

512. See p. 7 f., ante.

514. I have this on the testimony of those who have often witnessed it.

515. See Gen. 15 : 1–21.

516. On this point I am assured by missionaries and other dwellers in Persia.

517. Morier’s Journey to Constantinople, p. 75.

518. Ibid., p. 84 f. See, also, Morier’s Second Journey through Persia, p. 93 f.

Again, when the Shah of Persia was to enter Teheran, he was received outside of the walls, by prominent officials, with much ceremony. As he approached

519. Morier’s Second Journey through Persia, p. 387 f.

520. Layard’s Nineveh and Babylon (Am. ed.), p. 35 f.

521. Ibid., p. 37.

522. My informant, an eye-witness of this incident, was not sure whether it was a Prussian, an Austrian, or a Russian prince.

523. Burckhardt’s Travels in Nubia, p. 157.

524. The recognition of this truth is a reason for the infibulation of female children among primitive peoples. (See, for example, Captain J.S. King’s “Notes on the Folk-Lore, and some Social Customs of the Western Somali Tribes,” in the London Folk-Lore Journal, VI., 124; also Dr. Remondino’s History of Circumcision, p. 51.)

526. See “Satapatha Brâhmana,” 1. Kânda, 2 Adhyâya, 5 Brâhmana, 14–16, in Sacred Books of the East, XII., 62 f.; also “Satapatha Brâhmana,” III., 5, 1, 11, in Sac. Bks. of East, XXVI., 113.

527. “Satapatha Brâhmana,” I., 3, 1, 18; I., 9, 2, 5–11, 21–24; II., 1, 1, 4, in Sac. Bks. of East, XII., 74, 257, 262, 277; also “Satapatha Brâhmana,” III., 3, 1, 11; III., 8, 4, 7–18, in Sac. Bks. of East, XXVI., 61, 211–214.

528. See Rig-Veda, II., 36, 4; X., 18, 7. Comp. “Satapatha Brâhmana,” I., 7, 2, 14, in Sac. Bks. of East, XII., 194; also “Satapatha Brâhmana,” IV., 1, 2, 9; IV., 1, 3, 19, with note, in Sac. Bks. of East, XXVI., 260, 269. See, also, Hopkins’s Religions of India, p. 490, and note.

529. Compare Sir Monier Monier-Williams’s Brahmanism and Hinduism, pp. 33, 54 f., 223 f., and Wilkins’s Hindu Mythology, p. 233 f.

530. Sir Monier Monier-Williams’s Buddhism, pp. 371–373. This writer, speaking of the prominence in India of the symbolism of the linga and yoni combined, ascribes it to the theory of the two essences, “Spirit regarded as a male principle, and Matter, or the germ of the external world, regarded as a female.” He says: “Without the union of the two no creation takes place. To any one imbued with these dualistic conceptions the linga and the yoni are suggestive of no improper ideas. They are either types of the two mysterious creative forces ... or symbols of one divine power delegating procreative energy to male and female organisms. They are mystical representatives, and perhaps the best impersonal representatives, of the abstract expressions ‘paternity’ and ‘maternity,’” [and their conjunction in marital union]. (Brahmanism and Hinduism, p. 224 f.)

531. This legend is found in Pirqe de R. Eliezer, Chap. XXX. The Hebrew words saph and miphtan are here employed for “threshold.” It is also given in Maçoudi’s Les Prairies d’Or, chap. 39, p. 94. Here the Arabic is ʿatabah, for “threshold.” See, also, Sprenger’s Life of Mohammad, p. 53 f.

532. See Lane’s Arabic-English Lexicon, s. v. “ʿAtabah.” and Dozy’s Supplément aux Dictionnaires Arabes, s. v. “ʿAtabah.”

533. Buxtorf’s Lex. Chald. Tal. et Rabb., s. v. “Pethakh.” See, also, the Talmudic treatise Niddâ, “Mishna,” § 2, 5.

534. See, for example, illustration in Maspero’s Dawn of Civil., p. 657; also Sayce’s Relig. of Anc. Babyl., p. 285.

535. Wilkinson’s Ancient Egyptians, III., 3, 8, 14, 18, 21, 22, 31, 36, 37, 40, 41, 45, 46, 60, 63, 66, 87, 100, 107, 109, 115, 118, 122, 129, 133, 135, 137, 146, 156, 158, 163, 170, 172, 175, 177, 179, 180, etc.

536. See Perrot and Chipiez’s Hist. of Art in Phœnicia and Cyprus, I., 80, 320. See, also, Layard’s Nineveh and its Remains, II., 168–170 (Am. ed.); and an article by Hommel, in “Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archæology” for January, 1893.

537. Hearn’s Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan, II., 397, note; Lowell’s Occult Japan, pp. 270–273.

538. See Bancroft’s Native Races and Antiq., III., 504–506.

539. Voyages of Capt. James Cook, “First Voyage” at May 14, 1769. Also Voltaire’s Les Oreilles du Comte de Chesterfield, Ch. VI. See Appendix.

540. See Cook’s Voyage to Pacific Ocean, volume of plates; also Ellis’s Poly. Res., II., 217.

541. See Exod. 12 : 1–20.

543. Exod. 12 : 21, 27.

545. Exod. 2 : 23–25; 3 : 7–10; 5 : 1, 2; 6 : 1–7; 10 : 21–29.

546. Exod. 11 : 4–7.

548. Compare Josh. 2 : 1–21; 6 : 16–25.

549. See, for example, Judg. 19 : 27; 1 Kings 14 : 17; 2 Kings 12 : 9, 13; 22 : 4; 23 : 4; 25 : 18; 1 Chron. 9 : 19, 22; 2 Chron. 3 : 7; 23 : 4; 34 : 9; Esther 2 : 21; 6 : 2; Isa. 6 : 4; Jer. 35 : 4; 52 : 19, 24; Ezek. 40 : 6, 7; 41 : 16; 43 : 8; Amos 9 : 1; Zeph. 2 : 14; Zech. 12 : 2.

550. See, for example, Jer. 52 : 19.

551. See pp. 109–111, supra.

552. See Septuagint, in loco.

553. See Vulgate, in loco.

554. Philo’s Opera, Mangey, 2 : 292.

555. Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon, s. v.

556. Cited in Levy’s Neuheb. Wörterb., s. v. “Saph.”

557. This on the authority of Prof. Dr. H.V. Hilprecht.

558. Among primitive peoples it was a common thought that the first fruits of life in any sphere belonged of right to God, or the gods. This was true of the fields, of the flocks and herds, and of the family. (See, for example, Frazer’s Golden Bough, II., 68–78, 373–384; also W. Robertson Smith’s Religion of the Semites, pp. 443–446.) As in Egypt particular gods were supposed to have power over men and beasts in special localities, the first-born belonged to them, and stood as representing their power and protection; yet Jehovah claimed to be Lord over all. And now, at the close of the contest between God and the gods, Jehovah took to himself out of the homes of his enemies the devoted first-born of man and of beast, in evidence of the truth that the gods of Egypt could not protect them.

559. 1 Kings 4 : 24, “Tiphsah.”

560. See Gesenius’s Hebr. und Aram. Handwörterbuch (12th ed.), s. v. “Tiphsakh.”

561. Exod. 21 : 2–6.

562. Talmud Babyl., Qiddusheen, fol. 22, b.

563. Gen. 15 : 1–21. See pp. 186–188, supra.

564. Gen. 19 : 1–25.

565. Compare Josh. 2 : 1–20; 5 : 10–12; 6 : 12–17.

566. Judg. 7 : 1–25.

567. 2 Kings 19 : 20–36; 2 Chron. 32 : 1–22.

568. Esther 9 : 12–19.

569. Dan. 5 : 1–30.

570. Edersheim’s Temple: Its Ministry and Services, p. 196 f.

571. Edersheim’s The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, p. 197; Home and Synagogue of Modern Jew, pp. 159–161; Ginsburg’s art. “Passover,” in Kitto’s Cycl. of Bib. Lit.

572. On the testimony of Rev. Dr. Marcus Jastrow.

573. Exod. 12 : 1, 2; Lev. 23 : 5; 9 : 1, 2.

574. See, for example, Exod. 34 : 12–16; Lev. 17 : 7; 20 : 5–8; Num. 15 : 39, 40; Deut. 31 : 16; Judg. 2 : 17; 8 : 27, 33; 2 Kings 9 : 22, 23; 1 Chron. 5 : 25; 2 Chron. 21 : 11; Psa. 73 : 27; 106 : 38, 39; Isa. 57 : 3; Jer. 3 : 1–15, 20; 13 : 27; Ezek. 6 : 9; 16 : 1–63; 20 : 30; 23 : 1–49; Hos. 1 : 2; 2 : 2; 3 : 1; 4 : 12–19; 5 : 3, 4; 6 : 6, 7, 10.

575. Jer. 31 : 31, 32; also Heb. 8 : 8, 9.

578. W. Robertson Smith’s Religion of the Semites, pp. 169–176, and Stade’s Geschichte, p. 460.

579. Compare Exod. 34 : 12–16; Deut. 7 : 5; 12 : 3; Judg. 3 : 7; 2 Kings 23 : 4; 2 Chron. 33 : 3, etc.

580. Matt. 26 : 1–5; John 13 : 1.

581. Matt. 16 : 21; 26 : 17, 18; John 2 : 13; 7 : 1–9.

582. Matt. 26 : 17–30; Mark 14 : 12–28; Luke 22 : 7–20.

583. 1 Cor. 5 : 7, 8.

584. See pp. 3–5, supra.

586. Eph. 3 : 14, 15.

587. Heb. 10 : 28, 29.

588. John 3 : 28–30.

589. Matt. 9 : 14, 15; Mark 2 : 19, 20; Luke 5 : 34, 35.

591. Eph. 5 : 23–33.

592. Rev. 19 : 6–9.

593. Rev. 21 : 1, 2–9, 12, 22–27.

594. Ibid., 22 : 17, 20.

595. J.G. Frazer in Folk-Lore Journal, I., 275.

596. See Maundrell’s Journey, pp. 127–131; Hasselquist’s Voyages and Travels, pp. 136–138; Thomson’s Land and Book, II., 556 f.; Stanley’s Sinai and Palestine, pp. 464–469.

597. See pp. 22 f., 39–44, supra.

598. See Smith and Cheetham’s Dict. of Christian Antiq., art. “Nun.”

599. See “Blood Covenant,” pp. 310–313.

600. See pp. 22 f., 39-44, 99-164, supra.

602. See, for example, Herodotus’s History, Bk. I., chaps. 181, 182. See pp. 111 f., supra.

603. Herodotus’s History, Bk. I., chap. 199.

604. See Deut. 25 : 1–9. See, also, chapter on “Sacred Prostitution” in Wake’s Serpent Worship; and Professor W.M. Ramsay’s “Holy City of Phrygia,” in Contemporary Review for October, 1893.

605. See, for example, Squier’s Serpent Symbol; Forling’s Rivers of Life; Westropp’s and Wake’s Ancient Symbol Worship; Knight’s Worship of Priapus; Jennings’s Phallicism; Frazer’s Golden Bough; Monier-Williams’s Brahmanism and Hinduism, and his Buddhism; Griffis’s Religions of Japan, etc.

606. See, for example, in addition to the books just cited, Fergusson’s Tree and Serpent Worship; Ohnefalach-Richter’s Kypros, die Bibel und Homer; Hopkins’s Religions of India, pp. 527 f., 533, 540, 542.

607. See Dr. E.B. Tyler’s article on “The Winged Figures of the Assyrian and other Ancient Monuments,” in Proceedings of the Soc. of Bib. Arch., XII., Part 8, pp. 383–393; Dr. Bonavia’s articles on “Sacred Trees,” in Babylonian and Oriental Record, III., Nos. 1–4; IV., Nos. 4, 5; and De Lacouperie’s articles on Trees, ibid., IV., Nos. 5, 10, 11.

608. See, for example, Ohnefalach-Richter’s Kypros, Tafel-Band, pl. lxxxii., figures 7, 8; Donaldson’s Architectural Medals of Classic Antiquity, pp. 105–109; Von Löher and Joyner’s Cyprus: Historical and Descriptive, p. 153 f., Perrot and Chipiez’s History of Art in Phœnicia and Cyprus, I., 123, 276 f., 281, 284, 331 f.; W. Robertson Smith’s Religion of the Semites, p. 191.

609. Compare W. Robertson’s Smith’s Religion of the Semites, p. 437 f.

610. Exod. 34 : 12–15; Deut. 7 : 5.

611. Deut. 16 : 21, 22.

612. There seems, indeed, to be a connection between the Hebrew words, miphtan, “threshold,” and pethen, “asp,” “adder,” or “serpent,” as first pointed out to me by Mr. Montague Cockle. Although the verbal root is not preserved in the Hebrew, there is no valid reason for doubting that they go back to the same root. In Arabic, the verb is preserved as pathana, “to tempt.” Its derivatives indicate the same meaning. This would seem to confirm the connection of the primitive threshold, the serpent, and temptation. In Leland’s Etruscan Roman Remains (p. 131 f.) are citations from several ancient works, and references to current Italian traditions, showing the supposed connection of the serpent with the threshold, the phallus, and married life, that are in obvious confirmation of the views here expressed.

613. See p. 109 f., supra; also, Schrader’s Keilinschriftliche Bibliothek, Vol. III., Pt. 2, p. 72 f.

614. See, for example, Rawlinson’s Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia, III., p. 45.

615. See Erman’s Life in Anc. Egypt, p. 60.

616. Ibid., p. 259, vignette illustration.

617. See Wilkinson’s Anc. Egypt., III., 235, pl. lv., fig. 2. Prisse’s Mon. Egypt, pl. xxxvii.; also Layard’s Nineveh and its Remains, p. 169 (Am. ed.), and W. Max Müller’s Asien und Europa, p. 314.