r that it must die, it
builds itself a nest of frankincense, and myrrh, and other spices, into
which, when the time is fulfilled, it enters and dies. But, as the flesh
decays, a certain kind of worm is produced, which, being nourished by
the juices of the dead bird, brings forth feathers. Then, when it has
acquired strength, it takes up that nest in which are the bones of its
parent, and, bearing these, it passes from the land of Arabia into
Egypt, to the city called Heliopolis. And in open day, flying in the
sight of all men, it places them on the altar of the sun, and, having
done this, hastens back to its former abode. The priests then inspect
the registers of the dates, and find that it has returned exactly as the
500th year was completed" (1st Epistle of Clement, chap. xxv.). Surely
the evidence here should satisfy Paley as to the truth of this story:
"the open day," "flying in the sight of all men," the priests inspecting
the registers, and all this vouched for by Clement himself! How reliable
must be the testimony of the apostolic Clement! Tertullian, the
Apostolic Constitutions, and Cyril of Jerusalem mention the same tale.
We have already drawn attention to that which _was seen by_ the writers
of the circular letter of the Church of Smyrna. Barnabas loses himself
in a maze of allegorical meanings, and gives us some delightful
instruction in natural history; he is dealing with the directions of
Moses as to clean and unclean animals: "'Thou shalt not,' he says, 'eat
the hare.' Wherefore? 'Thou shalt not be a corrupter of boys, nor like
unto such.' Because the hare multiplies, year by year, the places of its
conception; for as many years as it lives, so many _foramina_ it has.
Moreover, 'Thou shalt not eat the hyaena.'... Wherefore? Because that
animal annually changes its sex, and is at one time male, and at another
female. Moreover, he has rightly detested the weasel ... For this animal
conceives by the mouth.... Behold how well Moses legislated" (Epistle of
Barnabas, chapter x.). "'And Abraham circumcised ten and eight and three
hundred men of his household.' What, then, was the knowledge given to
him in this? Learn the eighteen first, and then the three hundred. The
ten and the eight are thus denoted--Ten by I, and Eight by H. You have
Jesus. And because the cross was to express the grace by the letter T,
he says also Three Hundred. He signifies, therefore, Jesus by two
letters, and the cross by one.... No one h