Transactions. 1 3 



3. Kims ill Scotlaiid. 

 By Mr James G. Hamilton-Starke, M.A., F.S.A. 



The ingathering of harvest has been an occasion for rejoicing 

 among all nations since the most primitive times. As the 

 customs of the Jews are the oldest of which we have an authentic 

 record, we find in the Old Testament that among their festivals 

 there were two connected with the harvest season — the grain 

 harvest (tirst of barley and a little later of corn), ending some- 

 time between April and June ; and the vine harvest in October. 

 The pagan nations of Greece and Rome held similar festivals ; 

 but these were revels, without any expression of gratitude to 

 the Divine ruler of the universe. The early Christians, who 

 held these festivals with a religious observance, when taunted 

 by the heathen as to the newness of their scriptural customs> 

 retorted that they were to be found in the " writings of 

 Moses." In the Pentateuch we find the Divine command for 

 harvest feasts, which were to be proclaimed as holy meetings ) 

 and the contrast between these and pagan ones is thus well put 

 by Dean Milman in his history of the Jews. " The third of 

 these feasts took place in autumn at the end of the vintage in 

 all southern climes, the great time of rejoicing and merriment. 

 If more exquisite music and more graceful dances accompanied 

 the gathering in of the grapes on the banks of the Cephisus, the 

 tabret, the viol, and the harp which sounded among the vineyards 

 of Hebron were not wanting in sweetness and gaiety ; and 

 instead of the frantic riot of Satyrs and Bacchanals tlie rejoicing 

 was chastened by the solemn religious recollections with which it 

 was associated in a manner remarkably pleasing and picturesque.' 

 This religious element is strikingly brought out in the Book of 

 Ruth, where the operations in the field at barley harvest are 

 fully and beautifully described. We see the wealthy and religious 

 Boaz as he enters the harvest field say to his reapers, " The Lord 

 be with you," and their reply "The Lord bless thee." After the 

 interchange of this devout salutation he inquired of his headman 

 who superintended the reapers — young men and maidens— Who 

 is this damsel '? And on learning Ruth's name and errand he 

 gave orders that some of the grain should be pulled out of the 

 sheaves, so that she might " without any rebuke " get more than 

 the other gleaners, and she was allowed to glean until both the 



