mouth of the mask formed trumpet-shaped. Hence they were called per-sona from the sound coming through. "Strange as it may sound to modern ears," says Bishop Meade, "the Greek stage came nearer than anything else to the Greek pulpit; the people hung on the lips of the lofty, grave tragedians, for instruction touching the origin, duty, and destiny of immortal beings. It was the express office of the chorus, which held the most prominent place in the ancient drama, to interpret the mysteries of Providence ; justify the ways of God to men, and to plead the cause of truth, virtue, and piety. Hence it was usually composed of aged men, whose wisdom was fitted to instruct in the true and right, or of young women, whose virgin purity would instinctively shrink from falsehood and wrong. Greek tragedy carried men back to the origin of our race, up to the providence of the gods, and on towards the retribution of another world."

to

In the course of a comparison of the Greek and Roman classics, in referring to the writers of the first plays, Dr. Bethune says: "It remained for one in our own language to combine the supernatural grandeur of Eschylus, the chastened sublimity of Sophocles, and the truthful tenderness of Euripides, with the pungent wit (and, alas! too often the conceits and the grossness) of the licentious friend of the young Alcibiades ?"

Speaking of these first plays, Professor Tyler says: "No Calvinist was ever a more strenuous asserter of the doctrine of decrees, than the chorus in these dramas; at the same time no Methodist ever offered up more frequent or more fervent prayers." One of the plays says,

"That which is fated may come to your praying."

The great doctrines of hereditary depravity, retribution, and atonement, also plainly appear in them. Like other pagan

"Theology of Eschylus and Sophocles," by Professor Tyler.

writings, however, they are inconsistent, confused, and contradictory as regards the only true God. Being produced shortly after the first philosophers had begun to enlighten Greece by their purer doctrines, it may have been on account of these comparatively pure teachings, introduced into his plays, that Eschylus came so near being stoned to death. In the writings of the ancients are found many ideas, which, being revived from time to time in a new form, we are apt to consider new. Thus Cromwell's celebrated saying, "Trust Providence, but keep your powder dry," appears in Eschylus in another form: When Thebes is defended, "The people must pray indeed, but look well to the fortification." The Scripture injunction has always been, “Watch and pray." The reproduction of old ideas caused a French wit to exclaim against the ancients as plagiarists, "Confound the fellows, they stole all our thoughts before we were born."

1

At an early period the theatre became, in a measure, a political arena: great questions of state were discussed in it by the help of the ancient myths. Afterwards Demosthenes, Pericles, and others, by their oratory in the great assemblies of the people, swayed them at their pleasure. It was to the theatre the Ephesians "rushed with one accord" when the tumult was raised against Paul by the workmen of the shrines of Diana. Like all human inventions, even when intended for good, the theatre, instead of making the people more religious, soon became by its teachings, its surroundings, and its associations, a school of vice and crime. In all ages, and in all countries, its tendency uniformly has been to corrupt the morals of the people. The heathen condemned it; and everywhere it now constantly requires the watchful eye and the strong arm of the law to restrain its evil influ

ence.

1 Acts xix. 29.

THE

CHAPTER XLIII.

FIRST MONEY-ANCIENT COINS.'

HE use of the almost blasphemous expression "the almighty dollar," shows the hold which money has on the hearts of men. The Scriptures tell us "The love of money is the root of all evil."" Not money, but the love of it; "covetousness which is idolatry."

It is not surprising, therefore, that money has held an influence in history. How small a sum sufficed to form a link in that chain, which ended in the redemption of the people of God! "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time, Judas sought opportunity to betray Jesus."

4

Let us take a glance then, at the representative of that power, which exerts such an influence in the world; namely, money; particularly ancient coins, or first money.

The study of coins has an interest much beyond the mere gathering of tokens, or of the cents of the different years, for which some persons have a mania at the present day. Ancient coinage is closely connected with ancient history; verifying it, and shedding light upon it. There is no reason why cents of the dates of 1799 and 1804 should be more valuable than those of 1798 and 1803, excepting, that they

1

1 Those interested in coins will find "Humphrey's Coin Collector's Manual” a valuable and interesting work on the subject; also, “ Ackerman's Introduction to Ancient and Modern Coins."

21 Tim. vi. 10.

3 Col. iii. 5.

4 Matt. xxvi. 15.