THE MORNING STAR IN THE GOSPELS. 



259 



Crescent. "\Miat really happened was that the cross was removed 

 ^nd the crescent remained. In the same way, it is manifestly 

 incorrect to talk about the Crusades ha\dng been conflicts between 

 the Crescent and the Cross, because the former was probably not 

 €ven known to the great majority of the Saracen hosts. 



Charles I., King of Naples and Sicily, a son of Louis VIII., of 

 France, in 1268 founded a Christian Order of Knighthood named 

 the Crescent. This Order died out, and was re-instituted, at Algiers, 

 by Eene Duke of Anjou, brother and heir of Louis III., King of 

 Naples, in 1464. The badge was a crescent of gold, on which was 

 the word " Loz," enamelled in red letters, the import being " Loz 

 (laus) en Croissant " — Praise by Increasing. This semi-religious 

 and semi-military Order had for its objects the honour of God, the 

 defence of the Church, the encouragement of noble actions, and the 

 glory of the founder; but it did not survive the death of its 

 resuscitator. 



We may claim that in length of time since it was first used the 

 crescent has been more of a Christian than a Mohammedan badge ; 

 and I may add that the crescent, generally surmounted by the cross, 

 is to be seen on some churches in Eussia, this being considered a 

 proof of the Byzantine origin of the national Church of that 

 empire. 



Mr. RorsE. — I should like to ask Colonel Mackinlay for the 

 allusions to the Sabbatic year which he spoke of. 



I should also suggest a different way in which to read the passage 

 in Peter. Speaking of the inspired revelation of God, Peter says : 

 ^' Whereunto ye do well if ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a 

 dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts." 

 This is the way we read it — with the emphasis given by this 

 punctuation. But, if it were read in the way I propose, there 

 would not be the difficulty of the appearance of the star seeming to 

 be confined to our hearts. The teaching is that we ought to be 

 guided by the Bible as a lamp until Christ — a far greater light — again 

 appears. But if it be read this way — " "Whereunto ye do well that 

 ye take heed," then, in parenthesis (" as unto a light that shineth in 

 a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise "), and then, 

 resuming the main clause, " in your hearts " — the meaning would be 

 ^' Unto which ye do well to take heed in your hearts, until the day 

 dawn and the day star arise." That I think is trulj^ the meaning. 



