Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-08-03
Wonderful Manuscript Discov-
cries.

| Ihe recent troubles in Syria are produ-
cling some very unexpected results. The
revolt Of the fanatical Druses, and the ret,
ributions provoked by the excesses to
which the insane hatred of the Maronite
Christians had led them, have resulted
in opening to the gaze of the civilized
world treasures, which but for that contest
might have still remained buried among
the musty possessions of the converts Of
Palestine. Hardly have the scholars of
the world ceased their congratulations over
the famous Tischendorf manuscript-the
most valuable literary treasure discovered
in modern times-before the announcement
is made that a rival has been found in an
Old Testament discovered at Nazareth, in
comparison with which the former appears
almost modern in its date.
This new treasure is q copy Of the Pen
tateuch, and claims to be at least twenty.
three hundred and sixty years old.
The best account of the matter which
has thus far reached us from the pen Of
DR.. Leyburn, now in Palestine, in recent
number of the Presbyterian. Il appears
that Professor Lewiston, On eminent Ori.
entsl scholal, friend of Tischendorf's,
and for twenty years Professor of Hebrew
in the University of St. Petersburg, has
for some time been pursuing his studies
with great zeal in Jerusalem, with special
reference to the University soon to be
erected there by the Russian Government.
Professor Lewiston, in his search for
old manuscripts, went to Nazareth nearly
year ago, and looked at q number,
amongst which was one they told him had
been Through fire." On examining it he
found an enforcement, evidently from a
different hand, and of later date than the
original, stating that on certain occasion
this with several others was thrown into
the fire as test Of its genuincness, and
that it alone came out uninjured. Having
returned to Jerusalem, the Professor pur.
! sued his ordinary work until some time
after the Damascus and Lebanon massa.
cres, when a fanatic Moslem from Damas.
Gus came down to Nazareth, and began to
persecute three of tho Samaritan Chris
tians there, and on some petty charge had
them cast into prison. DR.. Lewiston, who
had been consulted in the matter, inquired
of the Russian Bishop at Jerusalem if the
three Samaritans had no means of pur.
chasing their ransom.
"None," was the reply, "they are worry
poor"
"No property 7"
"None."
"Nothing whatever 7"
"Nothing-yes they have book, very
old book, and it is one which has been b,ro'
the fire J"
Professor no sooner heard this than he
saw himself in anticipation the owner Of
this rare old treasure. He at once made
a large offer for the book the prisoners
we're released and the book became his
property. On closer scrutiny of the
manuscript it was found, from an inscrip.
ton, to be, as already stated, at least two
thousand three hundred and sixty years
old. 1t is endorsed as having been in the
hands of Zerubabel, who built the second
temple.
Evan this ancient manuscript is surpas-
sed by another, which has long been known
to be in existence, known as the ''Samari-
tan Pentateuch," and which has hitherto
been studiously withheld from the eyes of
scholars, but which Professor Lewiston
has recently been permitted to examine,
and of portion of which he has made
Photographic fac ssnile copies. During
the interesting researches connected with
this famous manuscript, Dr. Lewiston found
upon it an inscription which places it he
says "beyond all doubt that this identical
parchment copy of the Pentateuch (the
samaritan) was made by grandson of
Aaron, and the grand-nephew of Moses"
We must confess that these discoveries
seem almost too wonderful for belief and
yet the statements of such scholar as
Professor Lewiston seem hardly to leave
us room to doubt their substantial cor.
rectness. Verify that little despised town
Of zebulon has been strangely honored
1t was here that Christ lived for thirty
years. 1t was here that He preached his
first sermon, and now after the lapse of
almost twenty centuries, it is Nazareth to
which is reserved the honor of giving the
most ancient manuscript copies of the Old
Testament to the world. Indeed this last
mentioned copy of the Pentateuch, if we
are to accept the dates assigned it, must
have been more than thousand years old
at the time of the Saviors birth. Who
shall say that the eyes of Christ have not
rested unon and His hands handled this