I have no prejudice against archeological illustrations of customs or of phraseology. On the contrary, I delight in them. I have for many years been on the archeological side, as well as on the critical....
“Robertson Smith took the right course, at once critical and archeological. Only he could not do everything, and he purposed to limit himself, to a great extent, to those branches of archeology which he knew at first hand, or in which he could trust the experts. He would not trust the English (biblical) archeologists, because they were not critical.
“Are you right about (God’s) ‘strong hand,’ etc., page 83? And what connection has teraphim with threshold (p. 109)? Bonomi is no critic. You are very convincing about the passover blood.
“I will write again if any special notes suggest themselves. A number of references in the Old Testament and the New Testament must be open to divers interpretations; but I habitually act upon your own principles. Phrases which seem to us simple, are often full of references which archeology alone can explain. Macte esto.”
ADDITIONAL FROM PROFESSOR DR. FRITZ HOMMEL.
Before this Supplement is finally printed, there comes a second communication from Professor Hommel of Munich, as already promised by him.[[722]] In this new communication are suggestions and words of appreciation that will be welcomed by many readers, as coming from such a source. Professor Hommel says:
“Only a few days ago I finished reading your highly interesting little book, ‘The Threshold Covenant,’ and I hasten to write to you, that I have read it with ever-increasing interest, and have learned infinitely much from it. Our views regarding the high antiquity and the unity of human culture receive entirely new light through this work; in addition, a large number of old oriental and biblical ways and customs now become intelligible and clear.
“Manifestly correct, and indeed most happy, is your derivation of the threshold cult, and of sacrifice in general, from the first human blood shed on crossing the threshold of woman; also the important explanation of the signs for life, which I have compared: Egyptian,
; Babylonian,