The Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels

by Janet Martin Soskice, Janet Martin Soskice

In 1892, two sisters, identical twins from Scotland, made one of one of most important scriptural discoveries of modern times. Combing the library of St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai, they found a neglected beneath an unpreposessing life of female saints, they detected what remains to this day among the earliest known copies of the Gospels, a version in ancient Syriac , the language spoken by Jesus. The Sisters of Sinai is the enthralling account of how two ladies in middle age and without university degrees uncovered and translated this text, bringing a great biblical treasure to world attention.

Janet Soskice takes us, via the lives of Agnes and Margaret Smith, on a quintessentially Victorian adventure. It is partly a physical when Westerners generally feared to tread in the region, the sisters Smith traversed the Middle East, sleeping in tents, enduring temperamental camels and unscrupulous dragomen, and facing uncertain welcome from monks deceived by earlier travellers. It is also a journey of the in an era when religious faith was under attack, when new discoveries in science and archaeology were rewriting the accepted understanding of the Bible’s origins as well as those of humankind, a great contribution to knowledge was made by two whose only natural advantage was an astonishing gift for languages, modern as well as classical. Finally, and most movingly, it is a progress of the human spirit. Unwilling to let their lack of formal training or the disdain and jealousy of male scholars stand in their way, Agnes and Margaret became renowned scriptural authorities, in joyful pursuit of their lifelong passions for adventure and learning. Here, rousingly recounted, is the story of two unlikely and unsung heroines of the continuing effort to discover the Bible as originally written.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Religion, Travel, Middle East, Book Club

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Janet Martin Soskice is a Canadian-born English Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher. Soskice was educated at Somerville College, Oxford. She is professor of philosophical theology and a fellow of Jesus College at the University of Cambridge. Her theological and philosophical work has dealt with the role of women in Christianity, religious language, and the relationship between science and religion.

Her book The Sisters of Sinai details the history of the discovery of the Syriac Sinaiticus by Agnes and Margaret Smith.

Author can be found in both of these locations:
Janet Martin Soskice
Janet Soskice

Reviews

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back when I was an undergraduate I spent two years living in the "Colony", the sprawl of buildings owned by Clare College at the foot of Castle Hill. The central building of the complex is a late Victorian mansion called Castlebrae, which had the following inscription on a plaque in the front hall:

This house was originally the home of
DR AGNES SMITH LEWIS (1843-1926) and
DR MARGARET DUNLOP GIBSON (1843–1920)
Inseparable twins, tireless travellers, distinguished Arabic & Syriac scholars.
Lampada Tradam. [Let me hand on the torch]

I never went much to Castlebrae but was always intrigued by the plaque and hope that some day I would find out the story behind it. Thanks to Janet Soskice's book, I now know much more: the Smith sisters, Agnes and Margaret, born in Scotland and fabulously rich, developed a strong interest in the roots of ancient scripture and had the means, motivation and ability to cultivate the monks of St Catherine's monastery in Sinai, where in 1892 they discovered a palimpsest which contained the oldest Syriac text of the Gospels known today. Then in 1896 they alerted Jewish scholars to the existence of the Cairo Genizah, which is still being transcribed in Cambridge to this day. For these efforts the University of Cambridge gave them no official recognition at all (it was not until 1921 that women were even awarded degrees for which they had qualified, and not until 1948 that they were given formal equality with men in the university). They also founded Westminster College, which nestles at the corner of Madingley Road. Janet Soskice has made it a fascinating story of women infiltrating the intellectual establishment (granted, rich women who had no children and no need to actually work) in the social and geopolitical context of the day. Strongly recommended.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twin sisters Agnes and Margaret Smith had a fairy-tale succession of happenings in their lives that left them wealthy, well-educated for women of their day, and with nothing standing between them and their dreams of adventure and contributing to biblical textual criticism. What they found, on their first trip to St Catherine's Convent was a long-forgotten palimpsest of the Gospels in Syriac. (Despite the provocative title "Hidden Gospels," the Gospels they discovered were not Gnostic, but canonical. The most significant thing was the age (older than most texts, a huge discovery for the day) and some textual content, like the shorter ending of Mark. I would prefer an adjective like ancient or Syriac rather than hidden. They dedicated the rest of their lives to untangling its knowledge and preserving historical texts. They traveled to St Catherine's, on the Sinai peninsula (at the traditional site of Moses and the burning bush), a total of six times, on camels for days across a desert, after they were 50 years old. They published many books, from novels to memoirs to textual criticism. They both received three honorary doctorates in a time before many universities, certainly not their home of Cambridge, even granted degrees to women.

This book scratches the same spot that My Life in France by Julia Child does. Middle-aged women coming into their own, living vibrant lives of creativity, scholarship, and partnership is perpetually pleasing to read. Soskice writes their story exceedingly well. It is exciting, even a page-turner, in ways I didn't think a book about text criticism could be! I haven't studied it since college, and it was fun to be in that headspace again. However, I did not find that my minute knowledge supported me at all; Soskice explains everything very well without expecting too much or too little of her readers. She not only plumbs the writings of the sisters, but also their traveling companions and friends, presenting a wide range of impressions. There are many photographs, reprinted in enviable quality, that help visually place the people and settings.

The Sisters of Sinai was recommended to me many times, but I was in the right mood this week. I found it extremely enjoyable and will be recommending it to many. Overall, it is an enviable work of popular history, an invigorating true story about some redoubtable Scottish Presbyterian ladies.

[Lyndon · Rating 4 out of 5]

In one sense, this is a charming tale of two sisters whose passion for 'truth' led them to learn ancient languages, travel through deserts, negotiate academic squabbles, and discover folios previously unknown to modern scholarship. On another level, this is a story of how work from the fringes often re-orients the center of social and religious life through the work of a faithful few. The church should always be in reform (so saith Karl Barth), and the heart of reform (be it how we read scripture, or understand the mysteries of God) is often located at the edges of religious establishment. The sisters and their discoveries testify to this.

[Readnponder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a rare surprise for me. I don't normally read history or adventure or biblical textual criticsm, but this book contains elements of each. This is the TRUE story of twin sisters, Agnes and Margaret, who lived during the second half of the 19th century. They were born in Scotland and raised Presbyterian. Due to Providence (who is an unseen but very real character in the story), they end up inheriting a fortune. Women were not permitted to attend university in Victorian England, but this did not stop the twins. They were self-taught, especially gifted in languages. They also loved to travel.

Although each was married for three years before becoming widowed, the twins spent most of their lives together. On a journey to St Catherine's monastery on Sinai, Agnes discovered a manuscript of all four gospels in Syriac (a form of Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke) which pre-dated anything known at that time. She steamed the pages apart over a camp kettle and photographed them. Upon her return to Cambridge, she showed the prints to professors in paleography and linguistics. It was the real deal, and soon another trip to Sinai is planned, this time with three Cambridge scholars in tow.

The twins had an amazing life hunting down ancient manuscripts in Cairo, Jerusalem and Sinai. They learned translation and editing. They wrote volumes of books and gave lectures. All along, they take note of a Greater Providence at work in their lives. Sometimes the twins' Presbyterianism bumped up against the Greek monks' sacramentalism. Here too, the twins grew in their understanding of other branches of Christendom.

The author keeps the story moving. She does not get bogged down in detail, yet you can tell the book was meticulously researched.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agnes and Margaret - what a pair. I had read a good review of this book in the New York Times months ago but never bought it. When my good friend the Rev. Mary Earle recommended it and lent it to me, I was really looking forward to reading it mostly because these were women adventurers in the late 1800's. But what I discovered in reading about the twins' fascinating lives and travels there was so much more to experience in this book since Janet Soskice put their discoveries into the cultural context. I have taken some seminary courses in textual criticism but the dating and importance of extant manuscripts was made real to me by the author's depiction of the various personalities in this field. This book has so many fascinating facts about the burgeoning scholarship. The author skillfully portrays the interest in the ancient texts of the East during this period. Interesting, too, was the lack of educational opportunities offered women but the Scottish sisters, Agnes Lewis and Margaret Gibson, were remarkable in their mastery of ancient and modern languages and earned the respect of those with higher degrees.
I also gained some understanding of the role of providence in Presbyterian thought as understood by Lewis and Gibson. For example, they benefited from a large inheritance and felt like it was "their destiny" in turn to benefit the world by translating ancient gospels and other ancient manuscripts and because of their great means to purchase manuscripts that were flooding the market. They also were unafraid to engage in uncomfortable and hazardous travel across the Sinai, take dangerous ocean voyages and other ventures because as they saw it, if it was their time to die, it was God's decision and preordained. (Presbyterian "que sera, sera").

[Tree Riesener · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful read for someone who is a an armchair traveler and enjoys tales of Biblical history. Two Scottish Victorians take off for the Sinai, cope with sand and camels, charm the reclusive monks at St. Catherine's Monastery and manage to be credited for their discovery although male scholars are sniffing around and trying to usurp their place. Excellent writing as well, lucid prose and a lively style. Pull up your chair to the fire and spend a happy Sunday reading.

[Mary Ronan Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sisters of Sinai is a book about the Codex palimpsestus Sanaiticus. No, wait! Don't turn the page. The story of the discovery of this earliest version of the four Gospels in Syraic (early 4th century) and the painstaking work of bringing it to the notice of the academic world of Biblical study is an adventure story . . .

To read the rest of my review go to my blog at:

http://maryslibrary.typepad.com/my_we...

[Les Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting biographical book which is both informative and enjoyable. Also of interest is the selection of their slides provided by Cambridge University at:
https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/PH-WE...
Highly recommended

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book! It is well written and an excellent read. I had never even heard of these sisters (Agnes Lewis & Margaret Gibson). Their lives were exciting and their scholarly contributions on the highest of levels. According to sources, they were fluent in 12 languages, including Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, & Arabic. In the mid and late 1800's they traveled Egypt& Sinai 5-6 times without their husbands -- unbelievable. They made friends with the monks at the St. Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai desert and were able to find one of the oldest accounts of the Gospels on a palimpsest and went on to translate it. On a later visit with a Jewish friend, Schecter, they helped him gain access to a genizah of the oldest and most complete medieval Jewry accounts. They had exercise ropes installed in the ceiling of their home, Castlebrae, and were very physically fit. They funded Westminster College, Cambridge. They often bought up property and let it out for miniscule amounts to those in need. Their stamina and intellect are jaw-dropping. Wow - how impressive their lives were!

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twin sisters living in Cambridge, traveling to Egypt to work with ancient biblical manuscripts, pushing boundaries in the academic community? Yes, please.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many years ago as a fan of historian Barbara Tuchman, I ran up against the term "Popular Historian" The phrase is usually spoken with a sneer. This is popular history. Enjoy it and let the academics seethe.

There is something quintessentially Victorian Age British about two middle aged Scottish women -twin sisters no less - leading theirown expedition into the waste lands of Palestine to locate a long lost Biblical treasure. It is simultaneously anti-stereotype. Janet Soskice relates the story of the twin sisters. Here I quote from Wikipedia in part to introduce to you how unlikely they were:
Agnes Smith Lewis PhD LLD DD LittD (1843-1926) and Margaret Dunlop Gibson LLD DD LittD (1843-1920), nés Agnes and Margaret Smith (sometimes referred to as the Westminster Sisters), were Semitic scholars. Born the twin daughters of John Smith of, Scotland, they learned more than 12 languages between them, and became pioneers in their academic work and benefactors to the Presbyterian Church of England, especially to Westminster College, Cambridge.

Their father insured that they had a good education. This was not typical of the era. He had challenged them to learn foreign languages and the reward would be travel to those foreign countries. This was not typical.. They had no formal standing as scholars yet they would be remembered as among the most important scholars of biblical texts for more than their lifetimes. Clearly not typical.

Upon the death of their father they became independently wealthy. In choosing to express their religious values, they learned ancient biblical languages. The goal for this final exercise would be to find and translate what was, except to very few an unknown possibly earliest edition of the Gospels the: "Syrus Sinaiticus."

The Sisters of Sinai, takes us through the adventures of two middle aged, amateur self determined and strong women. Alternately they would face down Levantine dragomen and self important scholars and earn the trust of the isolated monks of the ancient Saint Catherine Monastery deep in the Sinai Desert.

My reporting cannot do justice to the combination of human drama, victories and tensions of the life of these women as told by Soskice. There is a certain irony that the women were motivated by sincerest religious passion, entirely in line with their age and milieu yet so much of their work was done at the expense of the limits we suppose to have been the norm for the women of that same milieu.

This books works well on several levels. The sisters earn our respect. Paying attention means learning much about biblical scholarship. A wide variety of related topics get intelligent discussion. The politics of scholarship, ancient artifacts and even old Jewish traditions are well described. All this and the style is entertaining.

It is not too much to conclude that the Smith sisters were heroes. Their history as related in this book is worth your time.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Agnes and Margaret Smith were born into wealth, allowing them to adventure unencumbered by practical concerns, but more fortuitously for the twins, their father had a remarkably progressive outlook on childrearing for a mid-nineteenth century Scotsman. John Smith supported his daughters’ education—unusual for the time, they were educated alongside boys—and Smith imbued in his young daughters a fascination with foreign languages and culture. The sisters were encouraged to live independently, and more independence was thrust on the girls after the death of their father, and with late marriages and early widowhood.

Soskice’s account makes it clear that the sisters didn’t squander any of the opportunities they were given. They are most famous for discovering and assisting in the translation of the Syriac Sinaiticus, the earliest known version of the Gospels (4th century) written in Syriac and a key to understanding the early evolution of the New Testament. But before and after this feat, the women spent years traveling across the Middle East, tramping through unforgiving desert, working in remote and inaccessible archaeological sites. It’s hard to imagine a more radical life for two nineteenth-century ladies of privilege.

[Etta Mcquade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say enough about these two extraordinary women who, not typical Victorian and not college educated (because women were denied college entrance in the 1800s), mastered French, German, Italian, Spanish, along with Arabic, Greek, Hebrew and Syriac, traveled by camel, slept in tents, unaccompanied, to the Middle East six times, the first time in 1868, discovering in 1893 at Mount Sinai in Egypt an ancient manuscript of the Four Gospels written in antiquainted Syriac. They photographed 400 pictures of the manuscript, helped translate them, found other valuable manuscripts, wrote over 20 books, hob-nobbed with scholars, and received honorary doctorates from three universities. Both married late in life, Margaret at 40, Agnes at 43, only to have their husbands die after three years. Their discovery of the Syriac Gospels is considered one of the most important manuscript finds ever. Incredible story with incredible research and deftly written.

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could give this a 2.5 I would. The story is amazing, Scottish twin sisters make one of the great 19th century discoveries of early Christian literature by preparing themselves as language scholars so when they make their journeys to the Sinai they know what they have found -- despite Cambridge's big red NO! to women at the time. The telling of the story, however, was a mixed bag. I'd heard of these sisters and was prepared for a great can't put down tale, but the first part of the book left me feeling like I'd been eating stale Wonderbread, nutritious but flat. But the book came to life for me when the sisters made their first visit to the Convent of St. Catherine at Sinai, and the combination of professional intrigue, archaeological suspense, and the often surprising culture clashes kept me glued to the page.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done biography/history of two Scottish twin sisters who broke all kinds of barriers yet remained staunch traditional Presbyrterians to the end.

Anyone who is interested in intellectual history in the 19th century, particularly how new findings in linguistics and science affected a world convinced of the literal truth of the Bible, would enjoy this. It is also interesting as a tale of two very intelligent and practical Scotswomen who undertook the physical and intellectual challenges few men attempted at the time, in order to accomplish their religious aims--no feminism involved.

It also makes a fascinating read about travel and politics in the Levant of the second half of the nineteenth century. Those people were tough.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A splendid non-fiction read. What fascinating twin sisters and what a difference their faith, determination and grit made in discovering and preserving one of the oldest texts of the New Testament. The book should be made into a movie. I'm astounded that two wealthy twin sisters (at that time unmarried) would journey across the Sinai on camels in the late 1800's to go to the Monastery of St. Catherine's to prove the authenticity of scripture.

[Joant · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read history, I like it to read as a story, and also to educate me. If it spurns me onto learning more about the topic, all the better. This one did. Great characters in Agnes and Margaret, Victorian era women and scholars; history told in cultural context; a bit of Biblical scholarship;and an amazing story I did not know. A fine book.

[Jenny Savage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful read due to the author's ability to take her extensive research and craft a highly readable story that was already interesting and intriguing on its own merit.

[Jody Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating read about two women who make several discoveries of lost Biblical manuscripts - the most profound being the earliest editions of the 4 Gospels. It is astounding what these women endured, traveling throughout the Middle East in the late 1800's and early 1900's. They are truly women to be admired. They accomplished so much at a time when women were encouraged to get married young, raise a family and run a household. They traveled, hired their own guides, became proficient in numerous languages and learned how to care for and translate ancient manuscripts. They were tow sisters who knew their mind, were confident and enjoyed adventure!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part erudite biography, part rip-roaring travel account.

This ticked every box: historical, devotional, anecdotal. It's got all the ingredients for a narrative circus: middle-aged Scottish Presbyterian twins, Bedouin caravans, secretive monks, Cambridge back-stabbing and Egyptian river cruises. The whole thing is smartly told and even better researched - clearly the result of some sleeves-rolled-up rummaging through the archives, rather than just a slick write-up of someone else's PhD.

I had no idea of the significance of these ladies and their discoveries. They were more than just adventurers: scholars of the highest calibre and pilgrims of deepest faith.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ This book was so good!! I was not expecting to like it. It was a gift from my MIL and didn’t particularly pique my interest but I had to read it in case she asked about it. :) I loved it! The writing was great and the narrative made the book go by fast. I learned a lot about the history of the Christian gospels and the Middle East at the end of the 19th century. Would recommend!

[Jenna Watson]

Never have I ever wanted to learn ancient languages so much

[Bethany Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book about the lives of two truly incredible women!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sisters of the Sinai is a biography of two very remarkable twin sisters whose father died and left them lots of money. Agnes and Margret were from Scotland and did not believe in spending money on frivolous things. Most of the action in the book takes place in the late 1800's. The sisters grew up in an era when women not encouraged or had access to an education beyond high school.

However, these two Presbyterian women had a love of learning. They both married only to have their husbands die within a few years of their marriages. Both married academics. They heard from a friend Ramel Harris a noted scholar about St. Catherine's monastery in the Sinai desert. In their 50's and early 60's, they made several trips to the monastery riding camels across the desert and traveling by boat and train from England. They slept in tents. They established a very good relationship with the monks who gave them access to their library and manuscripts.

The sisters schooled themselves in many languages Greek, Hebrew, and a language similar to Aramaic the language that Jesus spoke. Agnes discovered a pampliset of the gospels in this language at the monastery. She noticed that a Lives of the Women Saints had been written over an earlier text which was that of the gospels. This find was very important because it placed the first known written edition of the gospels within, I believe 200 years of Jesus' death.

These women continued to read, study, and contribute to scholarship in this area until their deaths. They founded Westminister College in Cambridge.

Truly remarkable women. Truly remarkable achievements.

[Bo'ness Library Bookgroup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, we have rated this book 3/5 to reflect the opposite ends of the enjoyment spectrum from which our readers came. Those who were interested in theology and history loved the book, whilst those for whom history is not a draw read the book, but did not enjoy it. The majority of us gave the book 3 stars as good for the 'disinterested' reader. There were so many fascinating facts in this book that it tempted some of our readers to keep on til the end, even though they may have glossed over a few of the more 'boring' bits.
Before it seems like this is a 'bad' review, there were many positive aspects to this book, and it did provide a really good basis for discussion. The sisters certainly have a fascinating story, and there are so many other tidbits of information - inheritances, diplomatic hiccups, chancers on the Nile, political and sociological history - that even if one is not reading the book to explicitly discover more about the discovery of the Biblical texts, there is still a lot of material that is very enjoyable. And the author does have a charm to her writing that brings the history to life. For a couple of our readers who are religious, the book had a greater resonance than with those who are not so familiar with the Bible either as text or as guide to life. This first foray into non-fiction was certainly an interesting one, and I am very much looking forward to another non-fiction book in future.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book is like traveling alongside the twin sisters who discovered one of the oldest copies of the gospels in St. Catherine's Monastery. Unfortunatly, since the ladies are so assured of the superiority of their protestant brand of worship, the first half of the book was rather tedious. I wanted to be with the pilgrims holding candles in the Church of the Holy Seplicure instead of up in the balcony with the skeptics. I wanted to know more about the monks' Divine Office than Margaret's comment that image worship is alive and well at St. Catherine's.

However, once the sisters made friends with the monks and the archbishop of the area and began to see that their was something noble and beautiful about their way of life the book really turned around for me. Though they remain entirely Scottish Presbyterian their friendship with the monks, particularly the librarian is touching.

The main characters, Margaret and Agnes are amazing. They pick up languages with ease and so wanted to discover and translate important documents that they became experts in ancient languages, the study of ancient manuscripts and travel in the holy land. This turned out to be a fun armchair travel experience.

[Harry Freedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a great book, a fantastic example of how to take a subject which at first sight seems dry and uninspiring, and turn it in to a compelling biography. The heroes of the book, 19th century, Scottish twin sisters defy the narrow expectations of prosperous Victorian society by travelling, with no male escorts, to Egypt. This begins a series of adventures in which they pursue and discover ancient Syriac and Greek manuscripts of the Bible, becoming, almost coincidentally, world renowned scholars as they pursue their passion.

This is a punchy, well researched book. The author not only deftly penetrates the austere mask behind which the two Presbyterian women were expected to dwell, she also gives us a fascinating insight into the academic rivalries and jealousies of late nineteenth century Cambridge. (One suspects they haven't changed much today). It did feel as if the book lost its way in the final chapters, perhaps trying to add too much of a postscript; but this is more than compensated for by the rest of the narrative. Well worth a read.

[Mary Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished the book. Interesting discussion in the book group. We talked of Victorian women with money and persoanlities for travel. We talked of the power of the women who were not granted degrees from Cambridge, but were given honorary degrees from everywhere else. We talk of the choosing of what is included in the Bible and other religion's text and what was left out. Power is everything in decision making.
The style of the book was a bit tedious because Soskice seemed to keep every fact on the same level of importance as every other fact in the book. Hard to keep all the facts equally important for people who came to the book with the general background we readers had.
Book was one who will send me to other books on the same subject. Time to read about the Gnostic Gospels.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sisters of Sinai brings the extraordinary lives of Agnes and Margaret to life - vividly. The challenges and frustrations of highly intelligent, capable women living in Victorian England where their ideas and their contributions were often overlooked and minimized - intentionally or as a cultural matter of fact occurrence - when they felt 'called' to the work of studying languages, saving ancient manuscripts, and furthering the study of ancient biblical texts. This book holds a captivating story for people interested in strong women pushing boundaries, libraries and ancient texts, religious history, British scholarship - there's a lot that is covered!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable, fascinating (nonfiction) book! Perfect for "theo-nerds" like myself and anyone who enjoys what is essentially an academic "mystery" novel in a way. Dense with history, interesting personalities, suspense (of the academic kind) and adventure. The places she describes from Scotland to Sinai truly come vividly alive. Those interested in the history of Scripture and manuscripts will be especially keen to read it but others interested in religion generally should also take a look. I could not put it down and my husband is the same way as he is devouring it now that I am done!