23 JANUARY 1897, Page 24

The Non - Christian Cross. By John Denham Parsons. (Simpkin, Marshall, and

Co.)—Mr. Parsons seeks to prove, in the first place, that the instrument of execution on which our Lord was crucified was not a post with a cross-bar, and, in consequence, that the Christian symbol really owes its acceptance to pre-Christian usage. As to the first contention, we cannot but think that the instrument used was that which was common among the Romans, the crux, either commissa (like T) or immissa—i.e., with a pro- jection for the titu/us—or decussata (like )0. There is no reason to think that the single stake was used. As to the pre-Christian cross Mr. Parsons has collected a variety of interesting in- formation.