142 
those offered by the Chaldteans in Abram's time, but not by 
the Egyptians. 
152. In Mr. G. Smith's Chaldcea/n Genesis, p. 156, there is 
a direction given in the story of Atarpi, “ to cut something 
into portions, and place seven on each side," which may 
refer to a similar ceremony. 
153. If this paper were not already quite long enough, 
there are other points in the Life of Abraham which I 
would have illustrated in the same way. It is possible that 
I may ask the Council at some future time to allow me an 
opportunity of returning to the subject. Meanwhile, I trust 
that the time already devoted by the members present may 
not be thought wasted, and that much more light may be 
thrown on the subject by the discussion which will follow. 
The Chairman (Rev. R. Thornton, D.D., Y.P.). — It is now my pleasant 
duty to convey our thanks to the Rev. H. G. Tomkins for his very interesting 
paper. After one or two communications have been read, the discussion will 
be open. 
The following letters were then read : — 
“ April nth, 1877. 
“ Dear Sir, — I have twice read, and carefully considered, Mr. Tomkins’ 
paper. All the authorities from which he quotes I have gone over in the course 
of study, and my own general conclusion entirely coincides with his. Both he 
and I can only wait for some more, and more direct, documentary evidence 
lor tracing the career and the religious influence of Abraham, and for sketching 
the history of Canaan, &c., from the call of Abram to the mission of Moses. 
From the material which Mr. Tomkins has studied, and others also, I have pro- 
duced a series of notes, which will very shortly appear in two small volumes, now 
nearly ready for issue by Messrs. Bagster, and on which, I trust, other students 
will from time to time advance. — Permit me to remain very truly yours, 
“W. H. Rule.” 
“ Erdington, 13 th April, 1877. 
“ Sir, — I thank you for the invitation to your meeting on Monday, but 
I must deny myself the pleasure of accepting it. 
“I need not say that it gives me great pleasure to know that such an Institute 
is in existence. I cordially sympathize with its objects, and should like to be 
a member, but ‘ non cuivis homini contingit adire.’ 
“ If the writer of this paper is aware of my contributions to the ‘ Zeit- 
schrift fur Agyptisclie Spracke,’ it is not likely that anything I could say would 
be of use to him, since lie does not notice them. But if he is not, I venture 
to think I could supply him with some notes, though too late for Monday 
morning’s discussion. For instance, I have long held that jron is ‘con- 
federacy’; that it is the confederacy of yan# ‘four,’ Ancr, Eshcol, and 
Mamre (which ‘ three were confederate) with Abram* ; and that Arba was not 
‘a great man among,’ but ‘a great fortress of, the Anakim.’ 
“I have much matter in writing about Biblical subjects, which may see the 
light or not, according to circumstances. Perhaps I may publish my ‘ Idcnti- 
