MOST SACRED RELIC.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9831, 24 June 1914, Page 7

MOST SACRED RELIC.

THE CORONATION STONE. THE OBJECT OF SUFFRAGETTE WRATH. (By J. Liddell Kelly.) The limit of suffragette- hysteria lias surely been reached in tho outrage just reported, when an attempt was made to destroy the historic Coronation (..'hair in Westminster Abbey, with tho ancient "Lia Fail - ' or Scone of Destiny under its seat. Fortunately, no great damage was done to the sacred edifice or to the mere sacred and more ancient stone, and peoj le of a superstitious bent may therefore incline to the opinion that they have been miraculously preserved from injury. A truly marvellous story attaches to tire rough block of stone under the seat of the Coronation Chair— a story that originates in the mists of tradition, and is continued in recorded history that goes back to some centuries before Christ. Historians staie that, the stone was for long ages held in high estimation in Ireland, as being that on which the Kings were crowned at Tara; that ui the 6rh century it was taken to .Scotland for the coronation of Fergus as King, was deposited at Scone, and was for centuries held in high regard by the Scots: that it was taken from Scone in 1526 by Edward I. to Westminster Abbey and fixed under.the seat of the Coronation Chair, where it has •■nice remained. V* hat manner of stone is this (hat is held in sucii veneration? It is an oblong block, of a bluish steel colour, mixed with vein.; o! r'\l. It measures about 264 inches long by lei inches broad end 10 inches deep. At each end there is lir.ed a large iron li.ig, much worn and rusted. These rimts appear to have been intended for use as handles in carrying the stone from plnco to place. There has been fierce controversy as to ill- geological character of the stones one h ei of partisans alleging that it is of T. kind only found in Palestine, while others mai!.;:,;:ied .that il r- identical with rock- found in Scotland and Ireland. I The fact appears to be that if. i? a kind of -ycl* :ii,rt might be found anywhere—"a! i.aiiuy, granular stone, chiefly of tjuartz," According to Scottish tradition, this rough, commonplace stone was the veritable Pillow of Jacob at Bethel. The late Professor Toiten, of New Haven. Connecticut, claimed on the strength of Hebrew history and Talmudic trad'tion that it w::s also the -tone on which Abel offered hi? acceptable sacrifice, the altar on which Abraham was prepared to o.'fer up Isaac, th" rock that Moses smote at Horeb and •.:-. Kadcsh-Barnea, and tho literal "stone that the builders rejected." which occupied a position of honour in Solomon's Temple. 11 o also held it to be proved that it was taken to Spain and thence to Ireland L»\ I tho Prophet Jeremiah, when he fled from j Jerusalem by way of Egypt with the daughters of Zede'kiah, the bst King of Juduh. In Wynioun'i "Chronykill of Scotland"'| IIiCQ A.D.). it is stated that tiiJ stone was 1 used as a throne in Spain, wheroo it rame| to Scotland by way o[ Ireland It is add*.! that the legend of the r-tone. in Latin, is: i

"In fallat Soli f.itum Quoqumque in locatuni In vv::in.;t lapidom. Reguaro tencntur i! idem." This :.- tranjlat>d bv Sir Walter Sc tt as folbws: - Ctiless the Fntts be f lithiess grown, \ii.i prophets' words are va;?-, Wle'ie'er is found this sacred >tone The wandering race shall reign m The Wandering Race are identiti»d a> th.' Scots-Sotae, Scuits, or Scythians Greek, ''scuthai." - who iniiabited Irehmd in the rldtn day-, when i iiisfail, the Isle of Destiny, was th.e leadi '.' scit ' f ]■:■ ■: ing and ( ivilisatio!! in \V.\;ter.i [■•,:■■ o.v I; is believed I>\ m.v » Ui;.t the-e w,..nde:vrs ww ..nirinallV J--v's, and •!:!r Royal line is trac, -i backwnrd tn David of Dniel .":! forward to David, th, present Prince ol Wales ! Apart from tradition and legend, there e suiiie : cnt in the authentic hist, ry i.l the St'ine of Destiny to give it unique ilistincli in.. Tie l extraordiiwry .uoer ui ••: in \vhi< h ii i: .s been he'd in "th ■ three kingduns' i. r orcr-twatii.>u«Oß«i years almcftt argues on the part of or.r forefathers n firm belief in the traditions which ass ?iatc it with the prophecy of Jacob that "the -eeptre -iiall not d 'part Ir ..n Judah" M i with Paiiiel's prediction of 'he Stone King- .! ::: th:M is to hear universal sway in "iiic hi-l '!..>>." 1; is very significant that when the Kngli hj, by the Treaty of Northampton [1328] undertook to restore to the Scots all thai had been lak'.i from them, they refused io return the old ragged stone, thni:<rh ii,«",' eheerfuliv gave up the Scottisn records and K ival Regalia. It is added by the historian that "the Scots would hnvo preferred to have lost all else and saved u" oi, ; ' -i »ne). Another extraordinary fad not generally known is tint the Irish K r.ians formed n i. inspiracy to steal the Stone of Destinx from Westminster Abbsy, believing that if they could secure its reniov?! t.. Ireland the distres-ful country would have i's independence under its own kings. Mij r Henri l.e t'aron. the Government spy, in iiis l;ook "Twenty Years in ihe Secrei Service," tells the story of the ploi and how it was discovered, and frustrated. It thus seems thai Emrlish, Irish, nr.d Scots alike believe that this stone i? in some way r guarantee of dominance m those who posse.-.' it, Cer'-iidy tho sceptre has remained iv ith blnglar.d oyer since ;he stone was removed from Scene to Westminster, and from ilia; d.;t ■ every Knglish nnd British monarch has been crowned whilo silling over the historic slab. The snlfragetto bombs have only slightly damaged the stonn and the chair to which it, is attached. There is presumptive evidence that tie'' attempt to demolish these articles was intended to mark the hostility Jol the "wild women" to the Throne: for ; since thy were refused an audience by the , King they have publicly hissed when his name has been mentioned, und one has uttered the exclamation: "We have no King !" The recent insensate outrage is thus r. testimony to the fact that-, even todry, tho Stone of Destine. i» ■ lowed aa nn emblem of Kmpire. The Knglish have the reputation of being r severely practical people, find will doubtless resent any imputation of superstitious veneration for n mere bit of stone; but, if thoir cherishing of this battered slab is not superstitious, what, is it ?