THE DISCOVERY OF A "GOSPEL OF ST. PETER."

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 9775, 29 October 1900, Page 1

THE DISCOVERY OF A "GOSPEL OF ST. PETER."

11l wao juib a yoar ago that a number of mouldy papyrus minu<oripto woro pur« ohasod In o tiro, E^ypb, for tho groat library of ilia Univorsi'y of Sciasburg, In Goimany. Wbou thoao papyri woro oxanilnod it w.m found that Among them woro two leavoa wrilton In Ooptio, tho lator form of tho ancient Egyptian Innguago, nnd that whioh wai op-ikon during tho ouly oenturioa of tho Ohclstlan ora. Pfofo8"or W. Splegolborg, of tho Straaburg University, ono of tho best known Egyptologists lv Gormnny, put tho fragmoctß Logi^tbor nnd deciphered fchoir moaning tiffcor nn' immonoo nmoant of labour, Dr K. Schmidt", an oxperb in Gospol manu'Oriptß nnd o'arly Chilatina lltora« ture, thtiti studied them, and rcoognisod thi'so luavog aB fragments of n now nnd hl.horto anknovrn go.pnl. Originally tho pigos woro 8 n tail and Ola wldo,|but nono of ihoso woro comploto. Upon further examination ib was dt-c (Ud, from tho form of tho writing and Homo of tho wjrda nnod, that thoso p^gei wero wiibtoa In fcho fifth oen'tuy, or firmowhero botwoen tho yoaru 40.) imd 500 A.D., bub ib w.is ,'Uso apparonb thab they woro tr.inslatlons of a Groek orlglnnl, for miny of tho worda had boon b, orrotrod from tho Groek. Thoao two faefcq provod tho extremely anolont origin of tho minu«crlpt, Tho boholais ngrocd that tho dato of tho i,ext> moat bo tho oooond oontury, whloh U carllor than iho oldosi known mnnueorlpboftlio LMblo— tlml of tho V-itloiu, which d»»toa from thi\ fourth contury, , Long and deep Htndy lt)d tho Btudoma to t ho conclusion i hut i hoy ari) p»ri of tho lout Gospol to tha li^yptun', of whioh no bianHlation or put liuj hitherto boon found, 'ill hough Ib ia monttoutd nnd quoted by early fathoia <f tho ohuroh. Tno faof. that ie was written In 0 pcio was ntiong ovidenoo thab this T»fl ao. JG^ypt) was tho lofogoof many Ohrlatiuia duimg U)« (irHb and tticonl oontuiifo, Ib wai ospocMly notoworthy that ab tho top of two ot tho piigpw woro written Ojptlo figures moaning 157 and 158, Thii indicited thab thoy vrcro leavoa from wlub must) hivo boen a larg-j bonk, nuoti hi a oumpleto go'P'il or lifo of O.n'sc would bo. Ie haa not yot been popMblo to find whero tho loavoa oimo from, or wlrU thoir hiitory h« boon during tho mmy centuries In whioh thoy havo lain hldcUn, bub on onnrgotio flearoh will bootrriod on,— -Now Yoik Journil.