The Sword, the Stone and the Mirror

I’ve been trying to find a certain resource but have been unable to locate where I read this little tid-bit, so please forgive my tardiness with this blog. Between trying to get the yard cleaned and planted between rain storms and trying to find this reference, I’ve put off writing. Well, today is a good day to speculate.

Arthur is said to have had three wives, all named Guinevere. According to several scholars, as much as we can tell, the name means “priestess.” In fact, as we have seen, most all the names we come across in these legends are titles.

But THE Guinevere, the mistress of Stirling, Scotland, queen to Arthur was, according to Norma Lorre Goodrich in her book, “Guinevere,” was a powerful woman who had land and authority, and carried symbols of her own. She was likely Pictish and one of the symbols of her rule and wealth was a mirror. As far as I can tell, that mirror, combined with the sword and the stone were the over-riding symbols of the kingdom.

Interestingly enough, one day while reading some obscure reference, the one I can’t find, I learned that the ancient treasures of Japan were a sword, a curved gem and a mirror. It is said that these were actual objects, symbols of the imperial house of Japan, but they were lost.

Huh!

So, clear over in Scotland, we have a kingdom symbolized with a sword, a stone and a mirror. And clear over in Japan, we have a kingdom symbolized with a sword, a stone and a mirror.

Now, let’s come to America and “legends” of the Mormons. Joseph Smith took out of the ground, not only the gold plates, but a sword, the sword of Laban, stones, the seer stones he used to translate with, and what he called a Liahona, a ball of curious workmanship, a compass. These items were symbols of a long lost American civilization.

The sword of Laban and the seer stones relate to our topic, but what about the Liahona? As far as I can tell, one had to look into the ball to receive its instructions. Those instructions reflected the faith of the people of Lehi as they traveled to the promised land, much like a mirror is intended to reflect truth, whether we like what it tells us or not.

In the Book of Mormon, the book of Jacob, there is given the parable of the Olive Tree. It tells of a great tree that is dying. The Lord of the vineyard, in an effort to save it and preserve fruit to himself, cuts out all the dead branches and burns them, cuts out at least three living twigs and plants them elsewhere in the vineyard. The parable is likened to the house of Israel at the time of Isaiah and Jeremiah. The House of Israel, steeped in idolatry, was spiritually dying, but three living branches were exported to other lands. We know from the Book of Mormon, that one was here on the American Continent. Where were the other two?

Huh!

I just think it’s interesting, that’s all.

By the way, much thanks to my mom and dad, who keep asking, “Have you posted that blog yet?”