, 1874-04-05
THE DIAL OF AHAX.

| ConsE11, Livingston Co., Ill, March 81, 1874.
To the Editor Of The chtea7o Tribune
+ SIR: Some one, whom know not, hHe sent
| me the DAILY TRIBUNE for Feb. %, 1874, con.
| tanning an article headed ''The Dial Of Ahaz.
aud signed by member OF the Presbyterian
Church-the number Of the church not being
| stated. presume, however, the article ia quos-
tion may have been originated by the famous
sermon lately delivered by tho enlightened Dr..
H1cKaig, Of the Ninth Presbyterian Church Of
Chicago. Whether 80 or not matters little:
Now, it is we'll known hercabouts that have
been engaged for the last few years in ferreting
myself, though not theologian, that have sue
eeeded better than most Of my predecessors
Tho Bible, as suggested by ''Presbyterian
Church." is = NEUROLOGICAL work, analogous in
most respects . the sacred books ct othor na-
tious than the Jews. 1t contains, as conceive.
the ptole1naic Astronomy complete, as it relates
to the jewish calendar, and even to our own.
We find therein the year divided into two
(sotnetimes into three) seasons. These are sub
divided into months, both lunar and calendar !;
the hisse1hle OF leap-year day every fourth year
Even more than this. 4 day added to the 3G5
days every fourth year is too much by IL min:
l0.3 sec. This even, though small at first, had
the time OF Hozekiah. the which error the author
OF tho Myth Of Ahazs Dial corrected exactly as
Pope Gregory XIII. did III his time,--!ho only
difference being that Gregory ordered that every
ceuturial yeAr that could be divided By without
remainder should not be bisso1tile, as 1t other
MISC would be.
may note that from the Council of Nice to
Gregory's time WIS something over 200 years
also that the time from the first aluson To this
subject III Genesis up to He2ekiah's, was about
Hczekiah to the Council Of Nice was littlo
short Of 200 years, according to Bible chroool-
ogy. The relations OF these three periods, how
ever, sufficiently near errors in chronology,
particularly Biblo chronology, often vary ynstly
more.
OF course we shall find all the proper ramcs
in This myth, not names Of men, but mero per-
soniticarlons. Ahaz is posscssor or "eciip-
til" aad dial degrees" the original being
mda!oth. Hence Abaz's dial should be translated
ginal reading of our English version re have
''degraes" :" for tho word s. dial"
Now, as every ycnr, by tho addition Of day
to every fourth year, would extend. By IL min
utes 1913 seconds. beyond the true time, the
shadow would so forward that much on tue dial,
aud ten days in something over 400 years. t'.a
calendographer Of the time found that Hezckis''
(sunmer) was sick unto death, that is, Ills :a,'te,
was badly deranged; for the shadow (oi til
sun) had gone forward 10 degrees (steps, dafs)
purpose Of restoring lisbealth, the shadow must
be brought back ten degrees days in the eclp-
tic, and all would be well. By this meau5 ueZe-
klah's life was prolonged fifteen years (days).
Tic word shanah Zone shine) may oe translated
days with Us much, or even more, proprietv
than years. Summer WAS probably within five
days Of its end when the correction was made
Tie day on which the eun aud moon stood still
at tho command Of Joshua was the lcap-ycar
day.
may state, in conclusion, that claim to be-
the discoyerer Of the true key BY which the whole
Bible can be correctly interpreted. Indeed, I
have already solved most OF the knotty ques-
tons of Scripture as clearly and as satisfactorily
al
tion to the world ero long. Respectfully,
MILTON WooLLEY.