MR. G. A. BROWN AND HIS "QUANTITIES."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6814, 19 September 1883, Page 6

MR. G. A. BROWN AND HIS "QUANTITIES."

TO THK EDITOR. Sir, —I was present last evening at the Opera House, and listened with much, interest to Mr. Brown'a dissertation on the meaning of the words " everlasting punishment. " I must decidedly find fault with the lecturer's pronunciation of the Greek word "kolasis," meaning punishment, or in its ; original and pure signification, " pruning." He pronounced the word as it it Spelt "kolassis," whereas,the word is "kolasis," with the short quantity over the letter "a." There is a Greek word "kolasma," derived from the same root as. the previously quote.d word, but my ears did not deceive me in the word as pronounced by the learned gentleman. YVhen Mr. Brown again poses in public as a Greek i scholar, I should recommend him to be on I his guard as to Greek quantities and pronunciation,. as there are hearers in the house quite Competent to detect him tripping.. Might I suggest to Mr. Brown one or two instances or illustrations in addition to those so forcibly put forth by him as to the presumedly limited interpretation to be put upon the words "everlasting," "eternal," "forever," &c. The adverb corresponding to the noun "aion," and the. adjective " aionios, " is " aei, " meaning always, forever, a word Which Mr, Brown did not Communicate to his audience last evening. JNow, the ancient Greek poet Aeschylus on hja tragedy of Prometheus, speaks of "ho aei kraton," meaning " whoever is ruler," using the word " aei," or ever in a very different sense from that which is generally attached to it in modern, times. Where the words " forever and ever" occur so frequently in the sacred Writings, may it not. be inferred that a very different meaning was intended to be conveyed by the ancient writers from that generally ascribed to the expression in our modern days. Again, in ancient' Roman days the word " aeternitas " was constantly used as a title of the Roman Emperors, like "divinitas," "majestas." Pliny speaks of " rogatus per aeternitatem: tuam," alluding to the Roman Kmperor at the time of his writing. The words " aeterna urbs " —the eternal city—were always and. invariably applied to Rome, and in this connection the word eternal could only refer to the grandeur, magnificence, and learning of thq ancient qity iti connection with all other cities.—l am, &c., Glasguensis. Auckland, April 1", ISS3.