THE MYSTERY OF STONES.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1934, Page 19 (Supplement)

THE MYSTERY OF STONES.

THEIR USE AS THRONES. People sometimes wonder why common stones were so often worshipped in the past, when they were used as thrones or set up as symbols of power. Quite probably it was because ancient man was far more impressed by the meteorites which fell to earth than we are to-day. , When we see a so-called shooting star, we still make a wish that, is only another form of prayer—pagan prayer—which we do not expect to be answered, yet hope that by some peculiar means it will be. Then we forget that stony, metallic body, heated to incandescence by friction in passing through the atmosphere. Great numbers of these meteorites fall to earth daily, and if we stop for a moment to think about them we are filled with wonder and longing to know more about the mysterious universe of which our earth is but an atom. Meteorites contain not only the same Materials' and chemicals as earth, but also strange substances not to be found on our planet, and the ancients believed them to be stones fallen from heaven, from Jupiter, or whatever god they worshipped. Large or curiously shaped stones became in time emblematic of the d-ity. As a square was a holy form signifying north, south, east and west—the ancients believed the world to be square—square stones were the oldest of idols, the limbs and heads being added much later. Consequently stones were used as thrones, because a king was considered to be divine, or at any rate partly divine. The ancient places of worship such as Stonehenge, and many others in different parts of the earth, point to the majesty with which stone was invested. Stone was familiar to man long before he dug in the earth and discovered gold, iron and precious stones, all of which he endowed with powers. With ’regard to the meteorites, or* fallen stones, Pliny mentions one which was worshipped in Thrace, and there were many others dedicated to Diana, Zeus, Venus and the sun. Even gold was tried by the touchstone, and eagle-stones were supposed to possess amazing magical virtues. These eagle-stones are clay ironstones, which are found in the nests of eagles, and it is said that the birds cannot hatch their eggs without them One ancient writer explained their presence by saying that they stuck to the coats of slaughtered sheep which the eagles carried to their neste. They were supposed to work almost every kind of miracle. The familiar “stumbling stone” has a curious origin. Among the Jews was a certain sect that used to walk without lifting the feet from the ground. As a consequence they were always dashing their feet against stones, or stumbling over them.

“Leave not a stone unturned,” was the crafty answer given by the Oracle of Delphi, when consulted regarding the treasure which Mardomius, the Persian general, left behind after the battle of Plataea. Polycrates searched in vain until he consulted the Oracle, but after obtaining that curious answer he found the treasure. The Jellicce Sisters. News comes from London that Lady Norah Jellicoe, whose engagement was recently announced to Mr. E. W. R. Wingfield, is in a Winchester Nursing Home recovering from an operation for appendicitis. Her sister, Lady Myrtle Balfour, who is the wife of Mr. Lionel Balfour, the aviator, is in the same nursing home, recovering from a severe illness. Countess Jellicoe hurried back from France to Winchester in order to be near her two invalids, who are now well on the road to recovery.