ORDINARY MEETING.* 



Martin L. Eouse, Esq., B.L., in t the Chair. 



The Minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, 

 the Secretary (in the absence of the author) read the following paper : — 



THE MINERALS AND METALS MENTIONED IN 

 THE OLD TESTAMENT. Their ■paramount influence 

 on the Social and Religious History of the Nations of Antiquity. 

 By Chev. W. P. Jervis, F.G.S., Member of the Italian 

 Geological Society, Rome ; late Conservator of the Royal 

 Italian Industrial Museum, Turin. 



Precious Stones, Israelitish Times. 



c.c. circum 1520. The first allusion we know of to precious 

 stones as already sought for in those ancient times is that of 

 Job. "As for the earth out of it cometh bread, and under it is 

 turned up as it were fire ; the stones of it are the place of 

 sapphires (lapis lazuli, see below, p. 262, etc.), and it hath dust 

 of gold " (Job xxviii, 6.) 



B.C. 1491. Although Moses simply records that the children 

 of Israel on their departure from Egypt spoiled the people, or 

 land, of jewels of gold and jewels of silver, the sequel proves 

 that many of these must have formed the settings of precious 

 stones, of very great value, since in the wilderness the free-will 

 offerings of the host included the twelve precious stones for the 

 breastplate of the ephod. 



Though numerous specialists have devoted the most 

 conscientious study to the precise signification of the Hebrew 



* Monday, May 22nd, 1905. 



