which occur under the same Hebrew word with books, namely,
ספר, are mentioned the more rarely, the farther we go back into
antiquity. An epistle is first mentioned, 2 Sam. xi, 14, &c. Afterward,
there is more frequent mention of them; and sometimes an epistle is
meant, when literally a messenger is spoken of, as in Ezra iv, 15–17. In
the east, letters are commonly sent unsealed. In case, however, they are
sent to persons of distinction, they are placed in a valuable purse,
which is tied, closed over with wax or clay, and then stamped with a
signet, Isaiah xxix, 11; Job xxxviii, 14. The most ancient epistles
begin and end without either salutation or farewell; but under the
Persian monarchy the salutation was very prolix. It is given in an
abridged form in Ezra iv, 7–10; v, 7. The Apostles, in their epistles,
used the salutation customary among the Greeks; but they omitted the
usual farewell at the close, namely, χαίρειν, and adopted a benediction
more conformable to the spirit of the Christian religion. St. Paul, when
he dictated his letters, wrote the benediction at the close with his own
hand, 2 Thess. iii, 17. He was more accustomed to dictate his letters
than to write them himself.
The name _Epistles_ is given, by way of eminence, to the letters written
by the Apostles, or first preachers of Christianity, to particular
churches or persons, on particular occasions or subjects. Of these the
Apostle Paul wrote fourteen. St. James wrote one general epistle; St.
Peter two; St. John three; and St. Jude one.
An epistle has its Hebrew name from its being rolled or folded together.
The modern Arabs roll up their letters, and then flatten them to the
breadth of an inch, and paste up the end of them, instead of sealing
them. The Persians make up their letters in a roll about six inches
long, and a bit of paper is fastened round it with gum, and sealed with
an impression of ink, which resembles our printers’ ink, but is not so
thick. Letters, as stated above, were generally sent to persons of
distinction in a bag or purse; but to inferiors, or those who were held
in contempt, they were sent open, that is, unenclosed. Lady M. W.
Montagu says, the _bassa_ of Belgrade’s answer to the English ambassador
going to Constantinople was brought to him in a purse of scarlet satin.
But, in the case of Nehemiah, an insult was designed to be offered to
him by Sanballat, in refusing him the mark of respect usually paid to
persons of his station, and treating him contemptuously, by sending the
letter open, that is, without the customary appendages when presented to
persons of respectability. “Futty Sihng,” says Mr. Forbes, “sent a
_chopdar_ to me at Dhuboy, with a letter of invitation to the wedding,
then celebrating at Brodera at a great expense, and of long continuance.
The letter, as usual, from oriental princes, was written on silver
paper, flowered with gold, with an additional sprinkling of saffron,
enclosed under a cover of gold brocade. The letter was accompanied with
a bag of crimson and gold _keem-caub_, filled with sweet-scented seeds,
as a mark of favour and good omen.”
ספר, are mentioned the more rarely, the farther we go back into
antiquity. An epistle is first mentioned, 2 Sam. xi, 14, &c. Afterward,
there is more frequent mention of them; and sometimes an epistle is
meant, when literally a messenger is spoken of, as in Ezra iv, 15–17. In
the east, letters are commonly sent unsealed. In case, however, they are
sent to persons of distinction, they are placed in a valuable purse,
which is tied, closed over with wax or clay, and then stamped with a
signet, Isaiah xxix, 11; Job xxxviii, 14. The most ancient epistles
begin and end without either salutation or farewell; but under the
Persian monarchy the salutation was very prolix. It is given in an
abridged form in Ezra iv, 7–10; v, 7. The Apostles, in their epistles,
used the salutation customary among the Greeks; but they omitted the
usual farewell at the close, namely, χαίρειν, and adopted a benediction
more conformable to the spirit of the Christian religion. St. Paul, when
he dictated his letters, wrote the benediction at the close with his own
hand, 2 Thess. iii, 17. He was more accustomed to dictate his letters
than to write them himself.
The name _Epistles_ is given, by way of eminence, to the letters written
by the Apostles, or first preachers of Christianity, to particular
churches or persons, on particular occasions or subjects. Of these the
Apostle Paul wrote fourteen. St. James wrote one general epistle; St.
Peter two; St. John three; and St. Jude one.
An epistle has its Hebrew name from its being rolled or folded together.
The modern Arabs roll up their letters, and then flatten them to the
breadth of an inch, and paste up the end of them, instead of sealing
them. The Persians make up their letters in a roll about six inches
long, and a bit of paper is fastened round it with gum, and sealed with
an impression of ink, which resembles our printers’ ink, but is not so
thick. Letters, as stated above, were generally sent to persons of
distinction in a bag or purse; but to inferiors, or those who were held
in contempt, they were sent open, that is, unenclosed. Lady M. W.
Montagu says, the _bassa_ of Belgrade’s answer to the English ambassador
going to Constantinople was brought to him in a purse of scarlet satin.
But, in the case of Nehemiah, an insult was designed to be offered to
him by Sanballat, in refusing him the mark of respect usually paid to
persons of his station, and treating him contemptuously, by sending the
letter open, that is, without the customary appendages when presented to
persons of respectability. “Futty Sihng,” says Mr. Forbes, “sent a
_chopdar_ to me at Dhuboy, with a letter of invitation to the wedding,
then celebrating at Brodera at a great expense, and of long continuance.
The letter, as usual, from oriental princes, was written on silver
paper, flowered with gold, with an additional sprinkling of saffron,
enclosed under a cover of gold brocade. The letter was accompanied with
a bag of crimson and gold _keem-caub_, filled with sweet-scented seeds,
as a mark of favour and good omen.”