THE SAMARITAN PASSOVER OF THE YEAR 1861. 221 



after the return from Babylon — and that it became known through 

 the action of Ezra the priest and scribe, who, with the scribes 

 under him, first made copies of the Law for general use in 

 synagogue worship in the square character ; which, if in use before, 

 was chiefly in use only at the Temple and by the priests. It may 

 be that the square was the sacred character and the so-called 

 Samaritan or "coin" character was the secular character used for 

 ordinary purposes. And it may be that the celebrated Samaritan 

 Pentateuch was a copy — purposely made in the secular character, 

 for use of the Samaritan heathen (as they were), and obtained for 

 them from the then existing Temple at Jerusalem — by the priest 

 whom the King of Assyria sent to "Teach them the manner of the 

 God of the land." Should this have been the case, we may have in 

 the great Samaritan Pentateuch a more or less accurate copy of 

 the original Law of Moses preserved in the Temple of Solomon 

 until its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. The actual antiquity of 

 the Hebrew square character is a point not yet decided. Some, 

 with Dr. Neubauer, hold that it was gradually evolved after the 

 Captivity. But it is important and interesting to notice that in tlie 

 days of Our Lord, the Eolls of the Law used in synagogue worship 

 were written in the square character. For when Our Lord said 

 (Matthew v) that " not one jot or one tittle should pass from the Law 

 till all be fulfilled," He clearly had in His mind the Yod jot or 

 iota), the smallest letter of the Hebrew square alphabet, whereas 

 the Samaritan Yod is every bit as large as any other letter of their 

 alphabet. And in the Tittle Our Lord refers to the hair lines put 

 at the top of some of the Hebrew square letters (called in Hebrew 

 Tagin= "crowns "), which are so written only in MS. rolls intended 

 for use in Divine worship at the synagogue. 



The Secretary (Professor Edward Hull). — I have a letter 

 from Dr. Chaplin (written from St. Leonards-on-Sea), which I will 

 read — " Dear Professor Hull : thank you much for sending me 

 copies of the interesting papers by Canon Garratt and Canon 

 Hammond. With regard to the cross piece for the spit which is 

 passed through the body of the lamb, of course it is only to prevent 

 the latter slipping down and touching the bottom of the oven." 

 This is the point Dr. Chaplin wished to explain. 



I. am sure we are much obliged to Canon Garratt and Canon 

 Hammond for their exceeding kindness, and I have, personally, to 



