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part of the building. Thirdly, the inscription may have been meant-the [handwritten: ςήματα] are contrasted with stones,iron, copper,and steel, as a protest against the vanity xxxxx of of erecting buildings. Sermons of this time often protested [handwritten: 26] against the sin of building large xx houses and structures. However, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx if the vanity of erecting buildings, a favorite topic of the sermons of this period,was the intended meaning,the [handwritten: ςήματα] ably have been contrasted with silver and colored stones such as are mentioned in a mosaic inscription of Gerasa -with something more expensive and colorful than such prosaic substances as stones and copper and steel. These three interpretations are mentioned only to be refuted because they may possibly be true, and if not completely true, then partly so. The possibility that this inscription may connote in part xxx any or all of these three hypotheses may not reasonably be excluded.
If,however, the large stones etc. are considered symbols of xxxxx paganism, then the contrast with the [handwritten: ςήματα] [handwritten: Χριστος] becomes more meaningful. In xxx general terms, the inscription would proclaim that the building was Christian and not pagan and was, in some way, connected with a change from xxxxx paganism to Christianity. A passage from the dialogues of Ps.~Clementine is apposite,
[handwritten: [handwritten Greek inscription: οἰκον ἑδεισε μαθητάις πρωτοστάταις - ... καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκκλησίας ... ἀρχιερέως κοσμοῖς ... ]]
65 figures hard to readstruck struck outadded written in above” jug ditto, and what it repeatsword reading not certain