Isaac Hollister Hall

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Isaac Hollister Hall ( December 12, 1837 in Norwalk , Connecticut , † July 2, 1896 in Mount Vernon , New York ) was an American orientalist , Bible scholar and epigraphist .

Life

Isaac Hollister Hall was a son of the theologian Edwin Hall (1802–1877) and his wife Fanny Hollister Hall. The father was since 1832 pastor of the First Congregational Church in Norwalk (Connecticut) and worked from 1854 to 1876 as professor of theology at the Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City .

Isaac Hollister Hall studied at Hamilton College in New York and worked there after completing his bachelor's degree (1859) as an assistant to the astronomer Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters . In addition to his work, he continued his studies, obtained in 1862 on the Hamilton College master's degree and was at the 1865 Columbia University for Doctor of Laws PhD . He then practiced as a lawyer in New York and privately studied the Old Testament and the oriental languages. In 1875 he received a professorship at the Syrian Protestant College in Beirut , later the American University of Beirut. On the trip there, Hall stayed for a long time in London, Paris and Turin and studied the local collections of Cypriot inscriptions . In Cyprus itself he examined many previously unknown inscriptions and helped the antiquity collector Luigi Palma di Cesnola to expand the collection of Cypriot inscriptions in the Metropolitan Museum of Art through targeted purchases .

In the library of the Syrian Protestant College Hall discovered in 1875 a copy of the New Testament in the Syrian translation by Philoxenus of Mabbug , which contained passages of this important text level of the Bible that were believed to be lost. Hall made the manuscript known and later (1883) published three of its sheets as a facsimile . The manuscript itself eventually came into the possession of the Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York . Hall received an honorary degree in philosophy (Ph. D.) from Hamilton College for his discovery on June 29, 1876 .

After his return to the USA (1877) Hall settled in Philadelphia and worked there as an editor ( associate editor ) of the newspaper The Sunday School Times . He introduced the Biblical Research section for The Independent newspaper . He continued his scientific studies and entered the American Oriental Society , whose Vice President he was later elected.

In 1884 Hall accepted a position as curator of sculpture and antiques at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where he spent the rest of his life. He took part in the meetings of the local Greek Club . At the Metropolitan Museum he made another significant discovery: in the so-called Williams Manuscript he found the previously unknown text of the Antilegomena , an ancient scripture critical of the Bible that turned against the apostles' letters. Hall published a facsimile of this manuscript in 1886.

The American Philological Association elected him president for 1887/88 . In 1892 he received an honorary doctorate (Litt. D.) from Trinity College Dublin . Hall died on July 2, 1896, at the age of 58. He was buried in Auburn , where his parents' grave is also located.

Fonts (selection)

  • Cypriote Inscriptions of the Di Cesnola Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City . In: Journal of the American Oriental Society . Volume 10 (1875), pp. 201-218
  • with Frank Stockton Dobbins and Samuel Wells Williams: False Gods: Or, the Idol Worship of the World. A Complete History of Idolatrous Worship Throughout the World, Ancient and Modern. Describing the Strange Beliefs, Practices, Superstitions, Temples, Idols, Shrines, Sacrifices, Domestic Peculiarities, Etc., Etc., Connected Therewith . Philadelphia 1881
  • American Greek Testaments. A Critical Bibliography of the Greek New Testament as Published in America . Philadelphia 1883
  • with Frank Stockton Dobbins and Samuel Wells Williams: Error's Chains: How Forged and Broke. A Complete, Graphic, and Comparative History of the Many Strange Beliefs, Superstitious Practices, Domestic Peculiarities, Sacred Writings, Systems of Philosophy, Legends and Traditions, Customs and Habits of Mankind Throughout the World, Ancient and Modern . New York 1883
  • Williams manuscript. The Syrian Antilegomena Epistles . Baltimore 1886
  • with Frank Stockton Dobbins and Samuel Wells Williams: Gods and Devils of Mankind . Philadelphia 1897

literature

  • Journal of the American Oriental Society. Proceedings . Volume 18 (1897), pp. 377f.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rev Edwin Hall, Sr (1802-1877) - Find A Grave Memorial ( en ) May 1, 2010. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
personal data
SURNAME Hall, Isaac Hollister
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Hall, Isaac H.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American orientalist, biblical scholar, and epigraphist
DATE OF BIRTH December 12, 1837
PLACE OF BIRTH Norwalk , Connecticut
DATE OF DEATH July 2, 1896
Place of death Mount Vernon , New York