American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-11-26
HISTORICAL VALUE OF THE PENTA-
TEUCiI.


ly puzzle philosophers now-and for
which no solution is possible apart from
Bible history; not only this but it is
the only reliable narrative of period
fof two thousand fvo hundred and fifty
three years. The history of two thou
sand three hundred and sixty-nine wears
of this time is comprised in tho book
of Genesis.
! 1t seems from the fifth chapter Of
Genesis that Mcthuselah was cotem-
Iporary with Adam about two hundred
and fifty years, with Noah about six
hundred, and one hundred with Shem.
Shem lived one hundred and fifty wears
into the time of Abraham--so that A.
braham had the story of the first
things only second hand from Adam
himself. AS the Oldest historian of the
world was Hebrew, we see the i'm
lportance of this close connection of the
nation with the father of the race, and
also one apparent reason for the great
age of the antedeluyian patriarchs
was necessary to a faithful transmits
sion of history. Their average age
was eight hundred and fifty years each.
The tradition of the food is more
widely spread than that of any other
event of tho worlds history. All ma
tions agree in its outlines, and very
many in the minute details, as the ac-
counts of the raven and dove, but
what this widespread tradition signi-
lies we should have guessed in vain but
for the graphic pen of the Hebrew his
torian. 10 him, too, is the world in
debted for the great outlines of prime
tive history, without which the modern
student would lose himself in the lab
arynthlne way. He has described the
division of the earth after the flood
how Europe and Northern Asia fell to
Japheth, Central Asia. to Shem, and
Africa to Ham, Shem Was the pro-
genitor of the Hebrews, Arabians; Syr.
lans, Persians and Lydians. Japheth
was tho father of the Caucasian races.
The tradition Of the Arabs ascribe to
HIM eleven sons, who were the parents
OF as many Asiatic tribes or nations. -
Ham was the father of Cush, whose
descendants appear to have setted in
Southern Asia and Ethiopia; of Miz-
rain, whose children peopled part
Of Africa, of Phut, who also was the
head of an African race !; and of Ca
naan, from whom sprung the Phpnic-
ians.
The history Of Moses alone gives us
an account of tho origin of language
oftho great AssyrianEmpife, of the cal
ing OF the Hebrew people the, oldest
living nation of the world. This is the
earliest authentic record of war, about
1913 B. c., between Ch6derlaomer
and the Pentapolis Of Sodom. OfMo-
ses account Of the destruction of Sod
ON and Gomorrah, the writer says
I'VE have recently been furnished with
a striking proof Of the historical accu-
racy of the Pentateuch, even in those
parts OF the narrative, which partake
OF the miraculous, in the results of the
United States Exploring Expedition
to the river Jordan and the Dead Sea,
conducted by Lieut. Lynch of the Ma.
Wy. "We entered" SAYS the intclli-
gent commander of that expedition,
upon the sea, With conflicting opinions.
One of the party was skeptical, anoth-
er, l think, professed unbeliever in
the Mosaicql account. After twenty
two-days' close investigation, if 1 AM
not mistaken, we were unanimous in
the conviction of the truth Of the Scrip
tural account Of the destruction Of the
cities of the plain"
Lieut.. Lynch considers that the in.
ference from the Scripture account.
that the chasm which is now filled by
the Dead Sea, was u plain which was
sunk and overwhelmed, when those cit.
les were destroyed, is fully sustained
by the extraordinary character of the
soundings obtained in that sea. The
bottonf of the larger and deeper por.
ton lies fully thirteen hundred feet
below the surface. A rayino runs
through it in line corresponding with
the bed Of the Jordan, from which the
interoficc is obvious, that the channel
OF the Jordan, sank down, or rushed
into the chasm made by bitGminous
volcanic explosion, tho waters helping
rather than ducnching the conaagra.
ton, The sinking Of the plain Of Che
Jordan formed bed for . lake si&ty
or seventy miles long, from ten Is
eighteen vide.
| 10 tie sacred historian we are in.
dcbted for the earliest history Of that
etrange people the Arabs, whose anon.
alous character would be unexplana-
bic without the light thrown upon it
! by his narrative. Tho nrrnnmnnt hn.