It is said that a certain Bavarian statesman once proposed to the Elector of Bavaria a scheme for feeding his soldiers at a much cheaper rate than formerly. This was simply the advice that they should be compelled to chew their food thoroughly. He said that by this means a small quantity thus eaten would afford more nourishment than a large meal hastily devoured. On the same principle, wise men have held that it is more nutritious to digest a page than devour a volume. Our advice is: Read less, read nourishing matter, and digest what you read. A half a dozen pages of Schaff's Church History, or three pages of Lange's Commentary, well masticated, will give you food and strength wherewith to travel over life's journey many days. A dozen volumes of this kind are a library in themselves; they are worth more for real substantial use than hundreds of the trashy popular books of the day. These works are not simply adapted for the use of ministers. It is true, many German commentaries are above the comprehension of the laity. Olshausen, Ebrard and Gerhard abound too much in critical disquisitions and technical terms for the use of the "common people." But this English version of Lange is almost wholly free from these objections. Young people will find it to their great benefit to read the Scriptures with the aid of this work. They will find it to their benefit to read it now, when the memory is still retentive, and the heart more tenderly receptive. In the Church History they learn how Christians lived, labored, rejoiced and sorrowed, fought and fell 1500 years ago. And by studying the lives and faith of the great men of those earnest times they will catch the inspiration which imbued them with such power. It will be a pleasing no less than profitable task. "For what can be more delightful and profitable than to revive, for the benefit of the living generation, the memory of those great and good men, who were God's own chosen instruments in expounding the mysteries of divine truth and in spreading the blessings of Christianity over the face of the earth." The above works can be had at Charles Scribner & Co., 654 Broadway, New York, and at S. R. Fisher & Co., 54 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia, the Commentary at $5.00, and the Church History at $3.75 a volume. White Hall, Pa. ACROSTIC. BY MALVINA. Guide of a youthful pilgrim band, The Guardian. VOL. XIX.-OCTOBER, 1868.-No. 10. THE FRANKINCENSE-TREE. HEBREW, Lebonah. BY I. K. L. LATIN, Boswellia serrata or tharifera. The frankincense of the Bible is a gum mentioned without any positive information as to the nature and characteristics of the tree that produces it, or as to the country of which it is a native. There is a great variety of opinions on this subject among ancient writers, many of whom evidently knew this tree only by hearsay, or the uncertain accounts of travellers. Some maintain that it is a product of India, whilst others, and among them Pliny, just as positively assert that it grows only in Arabia Felix, in the province of Saba, where a privileged class only have the right to touch it-a right descending by hereditary succession; for which reason the persons enjoying it are called "holy." Professor Hooker says that frankincense is the produce of Juniperus lycia, which does, however not appear to be a native of Arabia. Pliny too, seems not to know how to reconcile the conflicting accounts coming to his country concerning this tree and its gum. He says: Even the appearance of the tree is not agreed on. Theophrastus (we translate from an extract given by Winer) speaks of it thus: " They say that the frankincense tree is not large, being about five cubits high and full of branches; it has a leaf similar to that of the pear tree, though smaller and very much like grass in color,† resembling the rue. The whole is as smooth-barked as the bay tree. Others again say that the frankincense tree is like the mastich tree, and the fruit like mastich berries, but the leaf is somewhat red." Diodorus Siculus says: "In size the tree is small, but in appearance somewhat like the white Acantha * *Some editors of Theophrastus read ápía instead of art, which would make it "similar to the oakleaf." Pliny quotes this description from Theophrastus who flourished B. C. 371-286 -about 400 years before that naturalist. VOL. XIX.-19 (a thorny tree) of Egypt, but its leaves are similar to those of the willow, and it produces blossoms of golden hue." There is a thorny tree or shrub growing on the mountains of Arabia, the leaves and fruit of which greatly resemble those of the myrtle. It produces a gum which passes under the name of frankincense, but which is much inferior in quality to the genuine gum of that name. Some writers maintain, that the genuine frankincense is not, and never has been, a product of Arabia; but that, growing in India, it was brought to Arabia by merchants. through whom it afterwards reached various countries of Europe. Modern researches have shown, that there are several varieties of frankincense, one coming from the countries bordering on the Red Sea and the other from India. That Arabia produces the frankincense is clearly taught by the prophets, and even the mode of conveyance is described by which it was brought to the Holy Land: "The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense." Isaiah. lx. 6. "To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba?" Jer. vi. 20. Many profane authors assert the same thing. Garcias ab Horto writes that there is a forest of frankincense trees in Arabia thirty miles long and fifteen wide. Strabo (Geog. l. 16, c. 4) says that Kattabania, a region of Arabia Felix, produces frankincense, and that it and other aromatics are exchanged with the merchants that visit that country. From Arabia it easily found its way to Palestine. When Alexander the Great had conquered Arabia, he sent a ship loaded with incense to Leonidas, his former tutor. That, however, was certainly not the only country that produced this precious substance. In India frankincense is obtained from the Boswellia thurifera, a tree somewhat resembling the sumach, and inhabiting the mountains. It attains a good height, having pinnate leaves, the folioles or leaflets of which are "pubescent, ovate, acuminate and servate." The appearance of the tree was highly pleasing. Simon, the high priest, is said to be, "as the branches of the frankincense tree in the time of summer" Ecclesiasticus 1. 8. It produces very small pale-brown flowers, disposed in simple axillary racemes. From incisions made in the trunk of the tree, a balsamic juice distils, which soon hardens into a gum-resin. This is the frankincense of commerce, or simply incense, called also olibanum. It comes to us in semi-transparent tears, of a pale-yellow or yellowish white color, and possesses a warm acrid, bitter taste. Its indurated drops or tears, the Greeks call chondroi libanotou, grains of frankincense, and the Latins thuris manha, or manna incense; and when it is crushed, micathuris, or crumbincense. Levit. xvi. 21. That which is collected from young trees is beautifully white, pure and more efficacious than that which exudes from old trees, though the latter has the sweetest smell. Hence it is an appropriate emblem of moral whiteness and purity. Ps. li. 7; Dan. xii. 10. The first incense is gathered, according to Pliny, about the rising of the dog-star in the most intense heat. Incisions are made into the bark where it is thinnest and full of juice. An unctuous foam bursts out which soon concretes. The incense which accumulates during Summer is gathered in autumn; it is the purest of all and is of a white color. The second gathering takes place in Spring, the incisions having been made in the Winter. This comes out red and is not to be compared with the other "In some incense. Theophrastus, from whom we translate freely, says: cases the tree is wounded with an axe, and in others the incision is more lightly made. In the former case the tear (ôázpvov) falls off; in the latter, it adheres to the tree. Sometimes a mat of palm is laid under it, or the ground is simply beaten level and firm to keep the gum clean. That which adheres to the trees is scraped off with knives; wherefore also there is some bark in it."* Ancient authors divided frankincense, according to its form, into several sorts. Olibanum Indicum came packed together in large lumps or masses of a bluish black color, sprinkled here and there with white and yellow spots. Olibanum mammosum was of a yellow color, and was s▸ called because in distilling from the tree, one drop stopping short and another following close upon it, adhered to, and united with it, until the mass attained the form of a woman's breast. The masculum appeared in small round grains, generally two together, of white or yellowish color. This is the sort which Dioscorides calls drãɣovias and says it holds the first place, being round by nature. The fourth sort was called Orobias, because the shape of its grains was like the seed of the vetch. The fifth was the manna thuris above noticed. An uncut piece of frankincense looks white, but having been crushed it is fatty within. When it is chewed, it excites the saliva and renders it white. Being very inflammable, it takes fire easily and burns with a bright strong flame, sending upwards heavy clouds of aromatic smoke. On this account it was employed in ancient temples, and still continues to be used in Catholic churches. Morning and evening, it was offered on the golden altar in the temple at Jerusalem, representing the prayers of the saints, and typifying especially the merits of our Redeemer Himself. Hence frankincense is often mentioned in the Bible, mostly in the Old Testament, because it forms a part of the sacrifices. Frankincense has always been a valuable gum resin, and the frequent allusion to it by sacred and profane writers, in connection with gold, shows the importance attached to it. Among heathen nations it passed instead of money. Herodotus states, that the Arabs paid an annual tribute of one thousand talents of frankincense to Darius, king of Persia. As it was used in worship by the living and in the burial of the dead, there was always a great demand for it. The Chaldeans annually used 100,000 talents in sacrifices to their god (Baal). And Virgil says (Aen. 1: 416): "A hundred altars burn with Sabaean frankincense in honor of Venus." Herodotus relates that the Phenicians anciently brought it into Greece, where it was used in the sacrifices. To show the value attached to it and the care that was taken to prevent foreigners from approaching the trees, by investing them with imaginary terrors, we need only relate what this same author writes on the authority of those who had marched against Egypt; namely: Winged serpents of small size and spotted skins, guarded the frankincense trees, a large number being around each tree. Neither can they be driven away by anything else than the smoke of the gum. (Herod. See also Pliny N. H. 1. 12: 32, on the manner of collecting it. We give in modest Latin the supposed derivation of this name: Masculum aliqui putant a specie testium dictum. Plin. N. H. 1. 12: 32. 3: 107.) But not only was it employed in the idolatrous rites of heathen worship, in which "Thuraque dant sanctis, et verba precantia flammis," using vast quantities to supply the altars of the gods, but large stores of it were consumed on the funeral piles of the dead, and in the luxurious extravagance of senseless men. The Romans, who burned their dead, used to place upon the funeral pile "gifts of frankincense,"* together with oil and other unctuous substances to accelerate its burning. Whether the frankincense tree was ever cultivated in the Holy Land, it is difficult now to determine. From certain passages in Solomon's Song one might be led to suppose, that it had been introduced into the gardens along the hill sides of Jerusalem. "I will get me to the hill of frankincense," says Solomon. Cant. iv. 6 In "the garden enclosed," Solomon finds, besides pomegranates, with pleasant fruits and many spices, “all trees of frankincense." Cant. iv. 14. The first mention of this precious resin is in Exod. xxx: 34, where it appears as a constituent of the perfume "pure and holy," which the Lord commanded Moses to make, and to put it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation. This was the sweet incense offered every morning and evening upon the altar made of shittim wood and overlaid with pure gold. The use of it for any other than sacrificial purposes was strictly forbidden. "Ye shall not make to yourselves, according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord. Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people." Exod. xxx. 37, 38. Frankincense was also put on the meat offering, consisting of fine flour and oil, before it was offered for "a sweet savour unto the Lord." Levit. ii. 1. Its use was forbidden on sin offerings, Lev. v. 11, and offerings of jealousy. Num. v. 15. The show bread was perfumed with "pure frankincense," which clearly proves that the Jews were acquainted with the various qualities of this precious gum. Even then already counterfeiters may have been at work to deceive by their imitations. Hence the caution to the priests: "Ye shall offer no strange incense" (on the altar of incense). Exod. xxx. 9. We know that it was adulterated in Pliny's time, by being mixed with drops of white resin of an inferior quality. In the temple where so much of it was used, it was given into the special care of the Levites. The offering of incense was an office peculiar to the Priests; others were not permitted to touch the golden censers. We read with awe the terrible punishment that came upon Korah, Dathan and Abihu for disregarding this prohibition. Numb. xvi. 5. What a sublime theme for the painter's pencil is Aaron with his censer standing between the dead and the living, and burning incense as an atonement for the people when the plague was begun; and the plague was stayed. Numb. xvi. 46-50. On the great day of atonement the high priest took his censer and burnt incense as he entered the holy of holies, that the smoke which arose from it might prevent his looking with too much curiosity on "the mercy Thurea dona, Aen. 6. 225. It was a profane act to burn incense on an altar made cf b ick or other base material. Isaiah lv. 3. |