Naugatuck, Connecticut
Rev. William M. Nesbit, Ph.D., Minister
15 Frederick Street
Phone 4236
Dearest Betsey-girl;-
Mama is chortling with the Choir -- and I am waiting until 9 o'clock to call for her. We have just partaken of the Fidelity Bible Class Pitch-in Supper. (By the way a man to whom I phone concerning it understood that we were going to have a "Pigeon Supper".)
I certainly was glad to get your notes on Ezion-Geber. I should say from them that it must have been very interesting. There is a thrill in hearing a man who has been bringing back to the land of the living these relics of the far-off past telling of his own discoveries. It reminds me of the time when Rogers gave the first announcement to the world that a Hittite inscription had really been read. He made the announcement as the climax of a lecture on the Hitties [sic] in the chapel-room at Drew in my Junior Year.
Speaking of the Hittites -- I agree with Prof. Adams that there is no reason to suppose that the Hyksos were Hittites. All the evidence that there is indicates that they were Semites. There are some scholars who seem to be obsessed with the idea of finding Hittites everywhere. Some years ago I read with a lot of amusement and some exasperation the declaration of a Biblical commentator that the Phoenicians were Hittites -- about that the French Canadians are Spanish or that the Pennsylvania Dutch are Poles. The Hittite Empire proper covered a large part of Asia Minor and Northern Syria. There were Hittite garrisons in Southern Palestine. The kingdom of Minanni in Upper Mesopotamia was Hittite. The Hittites captured the city of Babylon and overthrew the First Dynasty of Babylon (the house of Hammurabi). But this seems to have been all.
[Previous section was typewritten; at this point, the text switches to Papa's handwriting.]
Perhaps someone now will suggest that Hitler is a Hittite.
I have this day despatched [sic] your hat, beautifully buttressed with wipers. so keep your eye out for it.
By the way, Mrs. Fassett told me this evening that Howard has been so home-sick that he has been running home each week-end. (Of course, this is on the QT). Glad to hear that you and Sally are going to trip the light fantastic. I have finished this in the Waterbury P.O. - with Mama waiting in the car.