"THE STONE OF DESTINY "

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2925, 10 November 1916, Page 3

"THE STONE OF DESTINY "

FROM BETHEL TO "WESTMINSTER, At tho Y.M.C.A. Inst evening Mrs. Walter Asliton delivered a very interesting lecture on tho history of the coronation stone, wliich Biblically was known as "The Stono of Destiny," and which the speaker claimed is tno selfsame stone on wbioh Jacob rested his head at Bethel or Luz, when lie beheld the vision of a ladder reaching up to lieaven. This stone, slio argued, was one which was. to havo formed a part of tho gate of Luz, hut was rejected, typifying the first coming of Christ, when He was "despised and rejected of men." With many applicable quotations from the Bible, Mrs. Ashton told how it was revealed to Jacob that kings should como out of his loins, whose peoples should be as the dust of the earth, and traced the line down to a Princess Royal of Judah, who went forth with Jeremiah the prophet, taking with her the sacred stone as evidence of her royalty. It was Jeromiah who, with the Princess, travelled to the appointed place, free jfrom invasion, 'in the isles of the sea. He reached Ireland when that country was governed by four kings (in 588 8.C.), and it was the supreme one of the four, the King of Ulster, who married the Eastern Princess (as history related). Many people in our own day were named after the names of prominent people, and it was curious to note that Jeremiah as a name was as common as Patrick in Ireland, denoting that a Jeremiah must' havo been eminent in the lan 3at one time, it the marriage and coronation the stone was used, and at her death the Princess was buried beneath a great mound called tho Hill of Tara. Most people know of "The Harp that Once Through Tara's Halls." That was_ tho harp of David, brought by Jeremiah to Ireland, ana which ever since had been emblazoned on the Irish Flag. Fifty-four kings of Ireland had been crowned at the Hill of Tara, all descendants of; the Princess of Judah. From there tho stone was removed to Scone, in Scotland, whero it rested for 800 years. When Edward I conquered Scotland in 1296, he heard of the wbnderful stono, and had it removed to London. When peace was restored, Scotland wished for, the return of her sacred relies. The regalia was returned, but when the Commissioners ventured'to remove the stbne all London rose in revolt against the action, so the stone remained in London, sinoe which time there had been no further attempt to movo it. Mrs. Ashton said that in this country and elsewhere we had heard of Mr. Lionel Curtis's proposal of "a company of nations," which she fully believed would be the fulfilment of the promise to Jacob.

Mr. Robert Hall occupied th"e chair, and proposed a hearty vote _of thanks to the leoturere for Eer illuminating address on a subject of x great interest. NEW ZEALANDERS AT HOME London, September 14. Mr. Graham Sliphio has been staying at The Hermitage, Taplow. \ Mr., and Mrs. F. Waldegrave, of Wellington, are spending a short holiday in Scotland. Sister Anne D. Campbell, N.Z.A.N.S., of Christohurch, was in London last week on leave from Brockenhurst. Mr. A. J. S. Richardson, of Cambridge, has joined the No. 2 Cavalry Cadet Unit, Kildare, Ireland, and went into camp on September 1. Lieut. Duff has' come over from Egypt, and'is with his sister at The Hermitage, Taiplow. Mrs. Stopford and Mrs.'Church arc also staying there to bo near Taplow Nursing H0m0..-. Pte. ■ Shelton, who, prior to the war, was manager of Messrs. Wright Ste•phonson!s, at Goro, and-who has been lying very ill at the New Zealand Hospital, at Walton, is now milch better.

Mrs. G. E. Simeon, of Wellington, who' was with the Bed Cross in Egypt since last October, is now in London awaiting instructions about going to the "Western front. Mrs. Simeon has seen the two worst Zeppelin raids in London. In that of last year. slio was as work in a munition factory canteen. She was also within rango of the airship brought down in North London by Lieut. Robinson. Among New Zealand members of the Y.M.C.A. the movements of New. Zealand secretaries are of interest. ' Mr. W. A. Hislop, of Dmipdin, is in Lon-. don doing inquiry work ponding the arrival of Mrt A. Yarney, general secrotary, expected from Wellington. Mr. A. X/. Baumgart, of Noreewood, has taken charge of the work at Brockenhurst. Mr. J. Hay, who did such good work in Cairo, has been some time in France, and he is to be'ioined almost immediately by Mr. A. W. Stuart, of Mount- Eden, and Mr. W. G. Hannah. The activities of the Y.M.C.A. in Etypt may he said to have passed their high tide since the, removal of so many troops, but there are still four New Zealand secretaries actively waged there. Messrs. P. Velvin, F. Wilkinson, and F. Parry are'all- in the Canal zone, while Mr. Alec Menzies is in charge at Esbekiah Gardens, Cairo. The Y.M.C.A. acknowledges with thanks receipt of £10 from the sale of sock' booklets.

At the Y.M.C.A. Booms on Wednesday evening the members of the Manx Society met to bid farewell to Police Sereeant Lewin, who has been transferred to Gore, Mrs. Lewin, and family. 'A' very social evenirc was snent. Items were contributed by Dunn. Oates, and Lewin. Misses •Toughin. Corfin. and Lewin, and Messrs.- Quayle, Qnine, B-ichVrdson. and Bobinson. The secretary, Mr. J. J. Watterson (in the absence of the president. Mr. -T. E. Cork ill), presented Mrs. Lewin with a silver cake dish as a token of esteem. Sergt. Lewin suitably responded.