mighty oracle of the valley of the Nile.

It is reported that Clovis, the first Christian king of France,
marching against Alaric, king of the Visigoths, sent nobles with
presents to be offered at the tomb of St. Martin, and with
instructions to endeavour to bring him a favourable augury, while he
himself prayed for supernatural help. His messengers had no sooner
entered the sacred place than they heard the priest chanting: "Thou
hast girded me with strength for war; thou hast subdued under me those
that rose up against me." Encouraged by this favourable prognostic,
Clovis girded on his armour, engaged in battle, and gained a complete
victory.

Peter de Blois, who lived in the twelfth century, says in a letter to
Reginald, whose election to the see of Bath had long been strenuously
opposed, that he believed he would soon be established in his diocese,
for he (De Blois) had dreamed two nights successively of being at
Reginald's consecration; and also, that being anxious to know the
certain meaning of his dreams by lots and the psalter, his dreams were
confirmed by the words turning up to him: "Moses and Aaron among the
priests."

St. Consortia, in her youth, was passionately courted by a young man
of a very powerful family, though he knew she had formed the design of
taking the veil. Knowing that a refusal would expose her parents to
many inconveniences, if not to positive danger, she desired a week to
determine whether she would become his wife. At the expiration of that
time her lover came to know her answer. "I can neither accept you nor
refuse the offer," said she; "but if you agree to it, let us go to the
church and lay the holy gospel on the altar, and say a joint prayer,
then we will open the book, to be informed of the divine will." He did
as suggested, and the first words that met the eyes of both were:
"Whosoever loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me."
This was enough: the lovers acquiesced in the decree, and she became a
nun.

Responses were given in the heathen temples through certain objects,
such as the tinkling of the caldrons at Dodona, the rustling of the
sacred laurel, the murmuring of streams, or by the action of sacred
animals. In the Egyptian hieroglyphic texts the gods speak in an
oracular manner, and their consultation by the Pharaohs is mentioned.
Oracles were used by the Hebrews. Their oracles were by word of mouth,
dreams, visions, and prophetical sayings. They were al