THE PASSION FOR RELICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7958, 8 February 1906, Page 5

THE PASSION FOR RELICS.

In the course of an article in Macmillan's Magazine, it is poiuted out that the passion for relics i=? not—as many people seem to think—confined to Christian people. The auuients treasured relics with a guilelessnesa not be to bo matched in modern times. For instance, when Alexander visited Troy some one offered to present him with the lyre of Paris, but he refused it, on the ground that its beautiful owner was a coward. if they would produoe that of Achilles, be would take it. The wonder is that the latter was not produced on the spot Tho tools used in building the wooden horse at Troy were exhibited in a temple of Minerva in the days of Augustus and venerated, while in a temple of Apollo could be seen the arrows of Hercules, which played a leading part in an earlier stage of the Trojan drama. The sceptre of Agamemon was lor long venerated, and offerings made to it, while as late as the sixth centurj of our year the tusks of the Galydonian boar slain by Meleager were honoured in Beneventum. Four centuries before reverential honours wore stil 1 being paid to a stone which according to Greek mythology, Chrono3 swal - lowed in the belief that it was bis baby son, Zeus. The worldly goods left behind by Mahomet were few, so hairs of his bead and beard, and parings of his nails have beea widely requisitioned as relics. A score at least of shrines containing these precious relics are centres of pilgrimage. One, on the Indus, has a solitary hair, the colour of which seems to be conclusive proof that it is not genuine, but the Mahometans are certain that it is what they claim it to be, beoause it rises and falls as prayers are offered up. Even the objectionable habit of tourists of scribbling their names v on the walls of historic buildings—a subjective form to the passion for relics—is not new. Egyptian and other monuments have been found covered with the names of Greeks and Roman travellers, often accompanied by remarks as stupid as those of modern globe-trotters. The fact is that the passion for relics is a universal instinct. It is dying to-day because the growth of knowledge has weakened it by undermining faith. It must, be dying very slowly, judging by the' exDeriences of the officers gof our cruiser squadron in the United States, who, as one of them put it, managed to save the guns. ,

E. M'Shane, who ha 9 teen arrested in London on a charge of being concerned in a burglary in Wellington, has beau extradited to New Zealand. Says the Greymouth Star:—What is probably the starting of a new export trade, at least as far as the West Coast is concerned, took place last week, when a coast faotory shipped to London, per s.s. Gothic, thirty-aeven oases of butter. Tb® shipment is an experimental one, and should it prove a success it will likely lead to furttier export trade in this direction. Some trouble recently arose in connection with telephonic matters at Tane, and the "officer in charge," considering the remuneration inadequate for the services rendered, resigned. Through tho intervention of Mr R. 13. Ross, M.H.R , the deadlock has been overcome. The Postmaster General has agreed, on Mr Ross's representations, to increase tne salary sufficiently to induce the post-mistress to continue in office. Allan Hinchcliffe and Mabel Clark, the young couple who are alleged to have taken poison at the house of the girl's parents, in Wellington, on Monday evening, are progressing favourably. Hiuoho'iffo was reported, yesterday, by. the Hospital authorities to be slowly recovering, and Miss Clark, who was treated at her*own home, is said to have already recovered from the effects of the poison. RHEUMATIC PAINS RELIEVED. The quick releif from rheumatic pains afforded by Chamberlain's Pain Balm has surprised and delighted thousands ot sufferers. It makes rest and sleep possible and a great many have been permanently cured of rheumatism by the use of this hnament. For sale by T. G. Mason, Masterton.—advt.