2. But there is another suggestion. In ancient times the white stone was often the symbol of acquittal. In the symbolism of colours, which, as having its ultimate root in the impression of pain or pleasure made upon the senses, might almost be called natural, and is, as a matter of fact, all but universal, white, in its brightness and purity, had been associated with joy and glad- ness, with victory and triumph. So, in a practice which, though originating, it was said, with the half-civilized tribes of Thrace or Scythia, had become general, days of festivity were noted with a white, those of calamity with a black, stone. Thus, when the vote of an assembly as to the guilt of an accused person was by ballot, white stones were the symbol of acquittal, black of con- demnation. It has, accordingly, been contended, with at least much plausibility, that this is the significance of the "white stone " in the promise now before us. The conqueror in the great strife with evil, whatever opprobrium he might incur in the sight of men, whatever sentence he might receive at the hands of an earthly judge, .would be received as justified and acquitted by the Eternal Judge. Yet, on the other hand, it can scarcely be said that the symbol of a mere acquittal would be an adequate expres- sion of the reward promised to him that overcometh. A verdict of " not guilty," which, on this interpretation, would exhaust the meaning of the promise, could hardly take its place as co-ordinate
1 R. 0. Treucl*.
REVELATION ii. 17 105
with the " crown of life," or with " the tree of life which is iu the Paradise of God."
11 The Greek commentator Andreas sees allusion in the words white stone to the white pebble, by placing which in the ballot- box the Greek judges pronounced the sentence of acquittal (■^ri<poi (fu^ouffui, they were therefore called), as by the black of condemna- tion ; a custom expressed in the well-known lines of Ovid {Metam. XV. 41, 42) :
Mos erat antiquus, niveis atrisque lapillis, His damnare reos, illis absolvere culpae.
But, not to speak of a grave fault common to this and almost every other explanation of these words which is offered, this one is manifestly inadequate; the absolving pebble was not given to the acquitted, as this is to the victor, nor was there any name written upon it.^
3. Once more the reference may be to the tessera hospitalis, the tally or token of hospitality employed by the ancients. At a time when houses of public entertainment were less common, private hospitality was the more necessary. When one person was received kindly by another, or a contract of friendship was entered into, the tessera was given. It was so named from its shape, being four-sided ; it was sometimes of wood, sometimes of stone ; it was divided into two by the contracting parties ; each wrote his own name on half of the tessera ; then they exchanged pieces, and therefore the name or device on the piece of tessera which each received was the name the other person had written upon it, and which no one else knew but he who received it. It was carefully prized, and entitled the bearer to protection and hospitality.
Some such tessera, or ticket — a stone with the name of the guest written on it — was given to those who were invited to par- take, within the precincts of the temple, of the feast that consisted wholly, or in part, of the meat that had been offered as a sacrifice. On this view the second part of the promise is brought into harmony with the first, and is made more directly appropriate : he who had the courage to refuse that tessera to the feast which defiled should receive another that would admit him to the supper of the Great King.
» R. C. Trench.
io6 VICTORY AND INTIMACY
K Plautus, in one of his plays, refers to this custom. Hanno inquires of a stranger where he may find Agorastocles, and dis- covers to his surprise that he is addressing the object of his search.
" If so," he says, " compare, if you please, this hospitable tessera ; here it is : I have it with me."
Agorastocles replies, " It is the exact counterpart ; I have the other part at home."
Hanno responds, " 0 my friend ! I rejoice to meet thee ; thy father was my friend, my guest ; I divided with him this hospit- able tessera."
" Therefore," said Agorastocles, " thou shalt have a home with me, for I reverence hospitality."
4. Closely associated with the stone of hospitality was the stone of friendship. It was a tender custom in classic times which has not quite died out of a prosaic modern world. Two friends would sometimes plight friendship in a beautiful way by dividing be- tween them a small tablet, oftenest in the form of a small piece of white marble or ivory. It is done sometimes to-day, at all events in country districts, with a ring. Each portion of the broken tablet bore upon it a symbol known only to the friends. When once this token had been given or received, the friends were bound to one another for ever, and not for life only, for the broken fragments could be handed from father to son, and no matter how many generations had passed, if the holder of one half of the tablet presented it to the holder of the other half, he could claim from him shelter, protection, defence in the courts of law against all adversaries, and every privilege that the first holder could have claimed. So Christ seems to say. He that conquers shall plight troth with Me. He and I will break the tablet of friend- ship together. We will bind ourselves together for time and for eternity, " for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health." If he claims My help he shall have it, freely, ungrudgingly. I will be his Friend in everything. He shall live with Me. We will sup together. I will divide all I have with him. All the treasures of God shall be his. All that is Mine shall be his.