166 



E. WALTER MAUNDER, ESQ._, F.R.A.S.^ ON 



not Afterwards I found that the hour meant 11 hours after sunrise, 

 which that day was about 4, so I had a wait till after 3 p.m. From 

 this one sees in what close touch the near (and indeed the far) East 

 has ever kept with the heavenly bodies. 



I am glad Mr. JMaunder has been careful to print that dangerous 

 word Mosaic with a capital M. I was present at his election some 

 years ago as the Secretary of the Victoria Institute, and Professor 

 Sayce then pointed out to me the great value of the capital letter. 

 He had come up to lecture on the Mosaic origin of the Pentateuch, 

 and the Times unfortimately printed " mosaic " with a small m," 

 to the Dean's great distress. 



The learned lecturer pointed out the great unity of thought that 

 pervades the Hebrew Calendar, and also its Mosaic authorship. But 

 although Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, 

 he did not derive his luni-solar and unique calendar thence, for theirs 

 was purely solar. He derived it from Jehovah alone. Xow the 

 calendar with its casual intercalated month was suitable enough 

 for the leisurely pastoral people of the near East. In the west we 

 have a different calendar altogether ; but it is well worthy of remark 

 that whatever our belief or unbelief all our letters are dated from 

 the birth of Christ. He regulates all time for Gentiles as well as 

 for the Jews, for He is the centre of the Universe and of all in it. 



Written Communication. 



The Rev. D. R. Fotheringham, M.A., F.R.A.S. : On page 147, 

 I am not sure about " appointed " watchers. The Temple authori- 

 ties seem to have expected unofficial or casual reports. Still in 

 practice, I expect they would be a fairly regular band of enthusiasts. 



On page 149, I think too much is made of a fixed calendar from 

 Nisan to Tishri. For the 1st of Tishri, the utmost that would be 

 needed would be extra care in observing the beginning of the sixth 

 month. I think, too, I am right in saying that the runners did 

 announce the appearance of the crescent on the 1st of Tishri ; and 

 it was considered so important that if the day was a Sabbath, they 

 were allowed to profane the- Sabbath in order to bring their tidings 

 in time. Still there is an obvious advantage in fixing the sixth 

 month as the runners might easily find the priests had antici]jated 

 their tidings. 



