Of female education we have little account in Scrip- ture, but it is clear that the prophetical schools included within their scope the instruction of females, who were occasionally' invested with authority similar to that of the prophets themselves (Judg. iv, 4 ; 2 Kings xxii, 14). Needlework formed a large, but by no means the only subject of instruction imparted to females, whose position in societ}' and in the household must by no means be considered as represented in modern Oriental — including Mohammedan — usage (see Prov. xxi, 16, 26 ; Hist, of Sus. 3 ; Luke viii, 2, 3 ; x, 39 ; Acts xiii, 50 ; 2 Tim. i, 5).
Among moclern Mohammedans, education, even of boys, is of a most elementary kind, and of females still more limited. In one respect it mav' be considered as the likeness or the caricature of the Jewish system, viz. that besides the most common rules of arithmetic, the Koran is made the staple, if not the only suliject of instruction. In Oriental schools, both Jewish and BIo- hammedan, the lessons are written by each scholar with chalk on tablets, which are cleaned for a fresh lesson. All recite their lessons together aloud ; faults are usually punished by stripes on the feet. Female children are, among Mohammedans, seldom taught to read or write. A few chapters of the Koran are learn- ed by heart, and in some schools they arc taught em- broidery and needlework. In Persia there are many public schools and colleges, but the children of the wealthier parents are mostly tauglit at home. The Koran forms the staple of instruction, being regarded as the model not only of doctrine, but of style, and the text-lwok of all science. In the colleges, however, mathematics are taught to some extent (Xorberg, Opusc. ii, 144 sq. ; Shaw, Travels, p. 194 ; Rauwolff, Travels, vii, ()0; IJurckhardt, Syria, p. 326; Travels in Arabia, i, 275; Porter, Damascus, ii, 95; Lane, Mod. Egi/pt. i, 89, 93 ; FMf/Ushw. in. Eg. ii, 28, 31 ; Wellsted, Arabia, ii, 6, 395; Chardin, Vai/aqes, iv, 224, Langles ; Olearius, Travels, p. 214, 215 ; Pietro della Valle, Viag(j{, ii, 188). • — Smith, s. V. On tlie subject generally, see Jahn, 7^'ibl. A rch. § 106, 166 ; • Ursini, .1 ntiqnift. Hebr. scholnst. acad. (Ilafn. 1702 ; also in Ugolini Thesaur. xxi) ; Du- mor, De seholis et academ rett. //eJr. (Wirceb. 1782 ; un- critical) ; Purmann, De re scholastira .Judccnr. (Frcf. 1779) ; Seiferheld, in Beyschlag's Sylhige var. ojiusc. i,
EDUMIA
63
EDWARDS
582 sq. ; Wolf, Bill. Ilehr. ii, 917 sq. ; Hartmann, Ytr- bind. des A . T. mit den Xeuen, p. 377 sq. ; Gfrorer, Gesch. a. U re k listen/ h. I, i, 109 sq. ; Beer, Skizzen einer Gesch. der Erziehunr/ ii. des Unterr. lei den Israeliten (Prague, 1832 ; a supertieial work). See School.
Education for the Ministry. See Ministry; Theological Education.
Edumia, a place thus described bj' Eusebius and Jerome (in the Unomasticun, s. v. 'F^ov^Kt, Edomia) : " of the tribe of Benjamin; and there is still a village Eduma, 'Ecovjia^ in Acrabatine, about twelve miles east of Neapolis." From this language, Leclerc (not. in loc.) infers that Adummim is meant; but this laj- farther south. Van de Yelde finds the locality in the modern village Duumeh, S.E. of Nablous {Narrat. ii, 308) ; a coincidence first pointed out by Robinson {Re- searches, iii, 103), as Ijnng in tlie prescribed position, although not within the tribe of Benjamin (apparently a conjecture of Euseb.). It is situated on the table- land overlooking the Jordan valley, and contains a fountain and ancient sepulchres in the outskirts (Kob- inson, Later Researches, p. 292, 293).
E'diith (ni"l", eduth' ,X)recejit, as it is often ren- dered ; Sept. and Vulg. translate accordingly) stands (besides being translated elsewhere in its ordinary' ac- ceptation) as a part (in connection with " Shushan" either sing, or plur.) of the inscription of certain poet- ical compositions, indicating that the contents were of a revealed or sacred character (title of Psa. Ix, Ixxx).
See SlIOSHANNIM.
Ed'ward III, Confessor, king of the Anglo-Sax- ons, was born in Oxfordshire in 1004, and diecl Jan. 5, lOGfi. lie was canonized by Pope Alexander III, and styled ''Confessor" in the bull of canonization. The only ground for this was the fact that when, in 1044, he married Editha, daugliter of earl Godwin, he in- formed her that he would make her his queen, but that she should not share his bed. He kept this unnatural vow, and for it, in spite of a licentious life, he was sainted by the Pope.
Ed'ward VI, king of England, son of Henry VIII by his wife Jane Seymour, was born at Hampton Court, October 12, 1537. He is mentioned here rather for the great events of his reign than for his personal qualities, thougli these were excellent. Ho was crowned in 1547, and his uncle, Edward Seymour, af- terwards earl of Somerset, became Protector of the kingdom. " He was attached to the principles of the Reformation, and during his rule great strides were made towards the establishment of Protestantism in England. The images were removed from the church- es ; refractor}' Roman Catholic bishops were imprison- ed ; the laity were allowed the cup at the ceremony of the Lord's Supper ; all ecclesiastical processes were ordered to run in the king's name ; Henry's famous six articles (known as the Bloodv Statute) were re- pealed ; a new service-book, compiled by Cranmer and Ridle}', assisted by eleven other divines, ■was drawn up, and ordered to be used, and is known as the First Praj/er-hook of Edicard VI (see Common Prayer- book) ; and tlio celiliacy of the clergy ceased to be ob- ligatory"' (('hamljcrs, Enc'jclopndia, s. v.). Tiie j'oung king was in full sympathy with the Reformation ; but his ]ihins, and those of his counsellors, were arrested by his death, July G, 1553.