Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-09-17
THE nEBIE-rHE RIVER OF EGYPT.

ANAlAC 49,
toned historical assertions made by
prophets of old strengthens alike the
faith of Jew and Christian. Hugh
MiIler's geological discoveries only
gave force to his profound Christian
faith, and learning and scientific In
quiry have only made the first chap
ter of Genesis the sublimest historical
poem vi ehanted in tents, deserts,
temples, churches or by the tireside.
These reflections are suggested by In
cidents connected with the construc-
ton of the Suez Canal, leading, as
they did, to the discovery OF geolog-
ical and historical truths touching that
puzzle of biblical commentators,
known as the "River OF Egypt" The
boundaries of Egypt are defined IN
the book of Genesis, and it is now
satisfactorily shown that there was no
inaccuracy in the statements OF
prophets who said, IS God
promised it, that the River OF
Egypt constituted the western
boundary of the Holy Land. Just
what was asserted by biblical writers
was meant; and they, to whom it was
addressed, cOmprehended it thor
oughly.
1t is written, "Untc thy seed have
1 given this land from the River Of
| Egypt unto the great river, the Eu-
phratCs." The word NdhGT, river, and
not Yeor, the name Of the Nile, is
used. In Exodus the same western
boundary of Judea is designated as in
Genesis. "I will set thy bounds from
the Red Sea even unto the sea OF the
Pbilistines 1.-THE Mediterranean).
These two geographical descriptions
are in purpose identical. In the Book
of Joshua the western landmark Is
spoken of as "Sihor," which is before
Egypt.D The word sihOr having ref
erence to "marshes' now penetrated
by Lesseps' canal. In the Book OF
Numbers, there is further confirma-
ton of the statement that the "River
of Egypt" was not the Nile. Moses
tells his people 1.-THE border shall
fetch a compass from Azmon unto the
River Of Egypt and the goings out OF
it 1.-THE debouchemen) shall be at the
sea-" Those who listened TO MosC5
and traced the boundaries he defined
would v have dreamed Of con
founding the western confines OF
Solomon's Kingdom with the river
Nile. The words of Joshua, "unto
the River of Egypt and the Great
Sea-" have reference only to the Medi-
terranean and the river Of old whose
course is defined to-day by the Suez
canal. When Solomon, as recited in
the Book OF Kings, gathered his peo-
pIe at festival-''al Israel, a great
congregation from the entering in Of
Klamath with the River of Egypt
there were no Egyptians, nonefrom be-
yond the Red Sea, participating in the
solemn pomp Of oriental glory. The
fact that in a remote age there was a
| continuous sheet of water connecting
the two seas, termed the "River Of
| Egypt" becomes unquestionable.
Physical facts, and the marshes pene-
trated by the canal, demonstrate the
| truth Of the assertion, and, more won
deriul still, the disappearance Of this
"River Of Egypt" and Obliteration OF
its channel by desert sands, were sub
iects of prophetic defamation. Isaiah
xix. 5, 6, says: And the waters shall
fail from the sea, and the river shall
be wasted and dried up, and they
shall turn the rivers far away-the
brooks of defense shall be wasted and
dried up" Egypt's amazing wealth
in the olden time was not, es we have
been led to believe by the present
physical aspect of the country between
the Suez canal-the River Of Egypt
and the Nile, derived from CONNER
ciaI intercourse with cities that lined
the shores of the Mediterranean, and
all that i~ncalculable power which
reared the pyramids and lifted up
monumental cities, whose massive
ruins still excite the wonder of u
race, was not derived from those who
"Went down to the sea in ships"
From the River OF Egypt to the Nile,
and further west, there ives once a
plain, rich in all that conduces to ma
tioRal and commercial greatness. But
the prophetic declarations OF the
hoary old seer we're fulfilled; the
River Of Egypt disappeared; desert
sands swept over its marshes; it was
nwasted and dried up" True enough
there was similitude in many physi-
cal aspects of the Nile and Of the River
Of Egypt, and the two are now and
then COMPOUNDED in biblical song and
story; but ages before History awoke
and gazed with dreamy eyes into the
shadowy past, the River Of Egypt,
recreated by modern art and toll, gave
to the fathers of the PharaOhs a de-
gree OF wealth and commercial power
unrivalled in ancient or modern
times. Poets who sang the story OF
Judean glory, with that license which
makes a day a succession Of
ages, and a succession OF days
a succession of ages, as illustrated in
the first chapter OF Genesis, gave ac-
curately the order of events. They
now and then c~onfOunded the two
rivers, the Nile and the River Of
Egypt, and biblical critics, until the
achievements of Lesseps directed the
attention of antiqUaries and Of men
of learning to the question, suggested
doubts as to the accurate execution OF
Jehovah's promises to the Hebrews.
These questionings of prophetic truth
are heard no more, and, day by day,
as science and historical research ex-
tend their explorations and discov-
cries, we are the more impressed with
the beauty and justice of the poets
commendation OF the Bible:
Book of Books, Of all the best,
Give me e., NJ all the rest;
Other booLs may souls betrsy,
But his can never lead sstray."
Atheists and deist3 have uttered ell
ouuence in vain. AS was said by a
famous BIRTHS reviewer, there
gathers around 1t a dense 'cloud Of
witnesses"-frop ac'ns of Ninevah
o,d tho vallevn Nile. from the