Letter stands in only two passages of the Bible in its narrow sense of an alphabetical character {ypa^i- fia, in the plural, Luke xxiii, 38; and prob. Gal. vi, 11, 7r»;X('Kotf ypcifiixam ; A. V. " how large a letter," rather in what a bold hand) ; elsewhere it is used (for ISO, a book; ypdr/jjua, either sing. or plur. ; but more definitely for the later lleb.n'iSX [Chald.X'^.nx], 'ind? [Chald. id. also C5ri5J ; tTriaroXij) in the sense of an ejiistle (q. v.). See Alphabet; Writing.
LETTER, the, a term used especially by the apostle Paul in opposition to the spirit; a way of speaking very common in the ecclesiastical style (Kom. ii, 27, 29 ; vii, 6 ; 2 Cor. iii, 6, 7). In general, the word letter {yfjajx- jxa) is used to denote the Mosaic law. The law, con- sidered as a simple collection of precepts, is but a dead form, which can indeed command obedience, but cannot awaken love. This distinction is shown with great skiU in Schloiermacher's Sermon: Christus, d.Befreier r.d. Siinde u. d. Gesetz (in his Sdmmt. Werlce, ii, 25 sq.). The law cannot but be something outward, which, as the expression of another's wiU, appeals more to our com- prehension than to our will or to our feelings. This is the reason why the law is the source of the knowledge of sin, and does not impart the life-giving power. But that the Mosaic law was called the letter (jQapjict') re- sults from the fact of its being the irrittc7i law. So liom. ii, 27, 29: '-And shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that cir- cumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardl}-, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God." The meaning of this passage is, When the heathen does by nature that which the law requires, he puts to shame the Jew who in Scripture and by circumcision transgresses the law. For he is not a true Israelite who is so outwardlj- only, and merely through physical circumcision (as the sign of the covenant) ; but he only who is in^vardly a Jew, his heart also being circumcised, and consequently after the spirit, and not merely after the letter (or outward form). Such a one is not merely praised by men, but loved by God. Again, Rom. vii.G: "But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held ; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." Being now Chris- tians, we ought to carry the law in our heart, and not merely fulfil it outwardly as a mere letter. 2 Cor. iii, 6, v.— Bb
for the letter (i. e. the IMosaic law) killeth (brings about death inasmuch as it discovers sin, Kom. vii, 9 ; vi, 23 ; 1 Cor. XV, 56), but the Spirit (the holy Spirit imparted through faith) giveth life (i. e. eternal life, Kom. viii, 10). Once more, 2 Cor. iii, 7 : " But if the ministration of death (of the letter), written and engraven in stones, was glorious . . . how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?" The law of Moses is inca- pable of giving life to the soul, and justifying before God those who are most servilely addicted to the literal observance of it. These things can be effected only by means of the Gospel of Christ, and of that Spirit of truth and holiness which attends it, and makes it effectual to the salvation of the soul. — Krchl, Keu-Test. Handwijr- terbuch. See Law of Moses.
Letters, EncyclicaL See Literje Encyclics.
Letters of Orders, a document usually of parch- ment, and signed by the bishop, with his seal appended, in v.'hich he certifies that at the specified time and place he ordained to the office of deacon or priest the clergy- man whose name is therein mentioned.
Lettice, John, D.D., an English clergyman and poet, was born in Northamptonshire in 1737, and was edu- cated at Cambridge, where he took his first degree in 1761. He soon obtained eminence as a pulpit orator. In 1785 he was presented to the living of Peasemarsh, and later with a prebend in the cathedral of Chichester. He died in 1832. Among his works are The Conversion of St. Paul, a poetical essay, which secured him a prize from his alma mater in 1764: — The Antiqtdties of Iler- culaneum, a. translation from the Italian (1773): — The Immortality of the Soul, translated from the French (1795). See Bioff. Diet, of Living A uthors (Lond. 181(5) ; Alllbone, Diet, of Authors, vol. ii, s. v.; Thomas, Biogr. Diet. s. V.
Let'tus (Aarroiic v. r. 'Attovq; Vulg. Acchus), a " son of Sechenias," one of the Levites who returned from Babylon (1 Esd. viii, 29), evidently the Hattush (q. V.) of the Heb. text (Ezra viii, 2).
Letu'shim (Heb. Letushim', dipiiz:?, hammered, plur. ; Sept. AaTovmelp), the second named of the three sons of Dedan (grandson of Abraham by Keturah), and head of an Arabian tribe descended from him (Gen. XXX, 3 ; and Vulg. at 1 Chron. i, 32). B.C. considera- bly post 2024. See Arabia. "Fresnel (Journ. Asiat. iii" serie, vi, 217) identifies it with Tasm, one of the an- cient and extinct tribes of Arabia, just as he compares- Leummim with Umeiyim. The names may perhaps be regarded as commencing with the article. Neverthe- less, the identification in each case seems to be quite un- tenable. It is noteworthy that the three sons of the Keturahite Dedan are named in the plural form, evi- dently as tribes descended from him" (Smith). " Fors- ter supposes {Geogr. of Arabia, i, 334) that the Letushim were absorbed in the generic appellation of Dedanira (Jer. XXV, 23 ; Ezek. xxv, 13 ; Isa. xxi, 13). and that they dwelt in the desert eastward of Edom" (Kitto). See Leujijiim.