AN ANCIENT LETTER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 465, 7 August 1909, Page 4

AN ANCIENT LETTER.

BRASS MKDAI, OF OUR SAVIOUR. In 1702 the late Rev H. Rowlands, author of Mona Antiqua, while superintending the removal of some stones near Aherfraw, Wales, for the purpose of making an antiquarian research, found a beautiful brass medal of our Saviour, in a fine state ol preservation. On one side is the figure of a head exactly answering the description given by Publius Lentulus of our Saviour, in a letter sent by him to the Emperor Tiberius and the Senate ot Rome, On the reverse side it has the following legend or inscription, written in Hebrew characters, “This is Jesus Christ, the Mediator or Reconciler” or, “Jesus, the great Messias, or Man Mediator,” and being found among the ruins of the chief Druid settlement in Auglesea, it is not improbable that the curious relic belonged to some Christian connected with Bran the Blessed, who was one of Caractacus’s hostages at Rome from a.d. 52 to 59, at which time the Apostle Paul was preaching the Gospel of Christ at Rome- Two years afterwards, in a.d. 61 , the Roman general Suetonius extirpated all the Druids in the island. The following is a translation of

the letter alluded to, a very ancient copy of which —taken from the original at Rome—is in possession of the family of Kellie, afterwards Lord Kellie, now represented by the Earl of Mar, a very ancient Scotch family.

“There hath appeared in these our days, a man of great virtue named Jesus Christ, Who is yet living among us, and of the Gentiles is accepted as a prophet, but His disciples call Him ‘the Sou of God.’ He raiseth the dead, and cures all manner of diseases; a man of stature somewhat tall and comely, with a very reverend countenance, such as the beholders both love and fear; His hair the colour of chesnut, full ripe, plain to His ears, whence do.vuwards it is more Orient, curling, curling and waving about His shoulders. In the midst of His head is a seam or a partition of His hair after the manner of the Nazarites. His forehead plain and very delicate; His face without spot or wrinkle, beautified with the most lovely red ; His nose and mouth so formed that nothing can be reprehended; His beard thickish, in colour like His hair, not very long but forked ; His look innocent and mature, His eyes grey, clear and quiet. In leproving He is terrible; in admonishing, courteous and fair spoken ; pleasant in conversation, mixed with

gravity. It cannot be remarked that anyone saw Him laugh, but many have seen Him weep. In proportion of body, most excellent, His hands and arms most delicate to behold. In speaking, very temperate, modest and wise. A man, for His singular beauty, surpassing the children of men !”