JACOB’S PILLOW.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 17 July 1924, Page 5

JACOB’S PILLOW.

STONE OF DESTINY. CLAIMED BY SCOTLAND. AMUSING DISCUSSION. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. Received July 17, 9.55 a.m. LONDON, .Inly 16. There was great hilarity m the Commons when Mr D. Kirkwood vas introducing a Bill to provide for the removal ol : the Scottish “Stone of Destiny” from the Westminster Abb v to Holyrood Palace. Mr Kirkwood said that according to tradition, the stone was Jacob’s pillow at Bethel when he was fleeing before his brother Esau. Jacob’s family took it to Egypt. The kings of Egypt long possessed it, and it was then taken to Ireland. He aid not know whether that was true, but anyhow the stone was Scottish sandstone, and lay at Scone for five centuries until it was brought to England by Edward I. The stone was a symbol of Scottish nationhood and a venerable relic. Scotland had tried rcj. eatedly to get it returned to Scotland, but there was sentiment in London against the return. Lord Apsley, in opposing the Bill, said tradition stated that the stone was brought to Scone to be presented to the Pope as a reward for converting Scotland to Christianity. The god Odin, incensed at another deity who had been making eyes at his wife, threw the stone at his head, but it fortunately missed and fell in Scotland. The Bill was read a first time by 201 votes to 171.