Page:Palestine Exploration Fund - Quarterly Statement for 1894.djvu/224

184 form of the cross potent, the frame being afterwards broken at the corners."

These words and facts answer the questions of the Rev. Th. E. Dowling in some degree, but not fully, and so the field may be considered still open to bring in more details and facts on this matter, and I would humbly beg to be allowed to bring forward some of the results 1 obtained when studying the matter.

First, I wish to mention the four "Theories" which the Rev. T. E. Dowling states to be "current" in Jerusalem. As far as I know them, they are the following:—

1. The central and larger cross represents the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, whilst the four smaller ones (in the four corners) denote the four tributary principalities of Edessa, Antioch, Tripoli, and Kerak.

2. The five crosses represent the five principal nations who took part in the first Crusade: France, England, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

3. The five crosses are the sign and seal of the Franciscan Order, the traditional custodians of the holy places, and denote the five wounds of Christ and of St. Francis.

4. Though the Jerusalem Cross was used as their seal and arms by the Latin Jerusalem Kings, and is also found on Crusading and Cypriote coins, yet the emblem is more ancient than the Crusading time, and the Crusaders only adopted it, finding it in the country or neighbourhood and answering to their ideas and purposes.

That the form of the Jerusalem Cross, with four crosslets or some other marks or figures in the four corners, is much anterior to the Crusading time, is proved by the history of the cross in general, which begins in very ancient times. For instance, in Egyptian mythology the gods are constantly represented as holding the cross by a ring which served as a handle,, as the symbol of immortality and expressing eternity, which is a wonderful coincidence with the Christian Cross and its meaning. Later, in the Christian era, this idea mingled with pagan ideas is frequent in figures; especially the anchorets painted on the walls of their cells or caves such Christian emblems as are now found in catacombs; for instance, the following:—

At Beni Hassan—

The doves sitting on the crossbeam are symbolising the atoning sacrifice of Christ with the operation of the Holy Spirit, needful to give it effect upon the hearts of men.

On the first figure two other crosses are on the ground with the doves