Beirut, Botany, and Bible Scholarship

1. Beirut, Botany, and Bible Scholarship the contributions of George Edward Post (1838-1909) to Bible dictionaries and his interaction with Harvard botanists

2. Lytton John Musselman

3. -The Post family George Post’s education Civil war service- -Bible botany His link with Harvard- Postscript-why is Post important?

4. We can find George Post’s memory several places in Beirut.

6. But we must begin in New York City where Post was born.

7. George Edward Post 1838-1909

8. Sprung from a distinguished family of scholars

9. George Edward was the son of Harriet Beers and Alfred C. Post.

10. His father, Alfred Charles Post (1806- 1886), was a well known surgeon. He studied under his uncle, Wright Post.

11. Wright Post 1792-1821 Wright Post was one of the teachers of John Torrey, father of North American Botany.

12. Alfred Charles Post 1806-1886 A. C. Post was president of the New York Medical Missionary Association

13. Alfred Charles Post 1806-1886 In addition, he was a director of the Union Theological Seminary and an elder in the Church of the Covenant

14. Alfred Charles Post 1806-1886 Was his father’s theological interests one of the things that motivated George to become a minister?

15. Post died in Aley and is buried in Beirut

16. Three of his infant children are also buried here.

19. Missionary, Teacher, Surgeon

20. A living legacy of Botany His son, Bertram Van Dyck Post, wrote an early flora of the Bosphorus Bertram’s grandson, Wilfred McIlvaine Post, is currently a botanist in Tennessee!

21. George E. Post studied Latin at age of six. Graduated with honors from City College of New York in 1854 at age 16. A. M. degree in 1857.

22. M. D. degree conferred in 1860. Ordained a minister in 1861. Graduate of Union Theological Seminary, 1861

23. Enlisted in the Civil War, commissioned Chaplain of the 15th Regiment, New York Volunteers in 1861.

24. Military record of Post

25. Saw action in the Virginia campaigns

26. Near Fredericksburg

27. And in battles near the Chickahominy River

29. In a written history of this regiment, reference is made to Post

31. A different side of Rev. Dr. Post is shown in the “food dispute” involving the allegation of better food being given to officers.

32. Chaplain lectures on digestion

33. The “food dispute.”

35. 1863 July—resigned as chaplain September—Married to Sarah Read November—Arrived in Tripoli ??—D.D.S., Baltimore College of Dentistry

36. He was 25 at the time! Settled in Tripoli,began medical practice and study of Arabic.

37. Post was appointed Professor of Surgery and Botany in 1869. He remained in this position, under various titles, until his death in 1909. George Post in the 1870’s.

38. Edwin Lewis George Post and the “Lewis Affair”. Edwin Lewis was Professor of Chemistry and Geology. The faculty of the Syrian Protestant College in the 1870’s. Unlike Post, Lewis was a popular teacher. He was chosen to give the commencement address in 1882.

39. In his speech, Lewis spoke of three great scientists of the age: Lyell, Pasteur, and Darwin. Darwin was “. . . an example of the transformation of knowledge into science by long and careful examination and accurate thinking.”

40. An uproar ensued. Lewis was censured by the mission society running the Syrian Protestant College. Students went on strike. Faculty resigned in support of Lewis. Most prominent among those resigning was Cornelius Van Alen Van Dyck who had worked closely with Post.

41. C. Van Dyck was Professor of Chemistry and Surgery (not to be confused with William Van Dyck, his son, also a professor of surgery.)

42. Cornelius Van Dyck was one of the greatest scholars in the Middle East and translated many books into Arabic, including the Bible. His translation remains one of the most widely used in the Arab world.

43. Van Dyck had more than a passing interest in botany and participated in an expedition to the source of the Jordan River in 1877. His familiarity with plants and work with Post led to a Bible translation more botanically accurate than many.

44. The resignation of the Van Dycks in support of Lewis threatened the future of the Syrian Protestant College. Post took a strong stand against Lewis’ supporters including his friend and colleague, C. Van Dyck. Student strikers support- ed Van Dyck against Post.

45. Student complaints against Post charged him with: “cruelty, avarice, . . .injurious to the peace of the college.” One of their demands was the demotion of Post to the rank of instructor.

46. George Post and Bible botany William Smith’s DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE; Comprising its antiquities, biography, geography, and natural history. Revised and edited by Professor H. B. Hackett, D.D. with the cooperation of Ezra Abbot, LL.D. 1880. Boston: Houghton, Osgood and Company. The Riverside Press, Cambridge.

47. Post was a contributor to the American edition of this popular encyclopedia.

49. Post’s notes were added to many animal and plant entries although he also commented on other topics.

50. This is his note added to the original entry for hyena.