The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-01-07
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sought by their own devices to create
system, or rather systems of religion,
which have only resulted in widening
and deepening that immeasurable chasm
which lies ready to engulf those who
willfully accept wrong in the place of
right, falsehood instead of truth.
This subject loses none of its import
ance when we consider the reckless
teachings of those, whether they be
professed scientists or professed theolo-
gians, who have essayed to be leaders of
thought, while they evince their unfit
ness for the responsible position, and so
frequently illustrate the truth of the
words so warningly uttered by our Sa-
vior, ''If the blind lead the blind, both
shall fall into the ditch" 1t was to
blindness such as this that Jesus came
to give sight, but "they will not"
We shall not find it necessary to an
appropriate examination of the subject
to notice any of the idolatrous nations
except those occupying the most exalted
positions as to science and the arts.
That profound historian and rhetori-
clan, Rollin, justly remarks, at little
concerns US to know that there were
once such men as Alexander, Caesar,
Aristides, or Cato, and that they lived
in this or that period; that the empire
of the Assyrians made way for that of
the Babylonians, and the latter for the
empire of the Medes and Persians, who
were themselves subjected by the Mace
domains, as they were afterward by the
Romans"
The AssyTians are the most ancient
people of whom profane history speaks
with certainty. Nimrod, the founder
of this mighty empire, "in the year of
the world III, that is to say, lis years
after the deluge," was, we are informed
in Genesis 1919, mighty hunter before
the Lord, and we are told in verse 10 OF
the same chapter that "the beginning
of his kingdom was Babel" afterward
called Babylon. Profane history applies
to him the appellation of Belus, who
was afterward worshiped as a god under
that name.
| From the sacred record we find that
Nimrod and Abraham were nearly con-
temporaneous-their births occurring
l52 years apart-and placed before US in
that position, they are a striking por-
traiture of of the results of wrong and
right choosing. 1t is reasonable to sup
pose that the former, being the elder,
had quite as good facilities for under
standing "the way of the Lord, to dc
justice and Judgment" es did the latter,
who won by his humble obedience the
title of FAITHFUL" while Nimrod did
not hesitate to surround with high and
strong walls the very work which God
had shown, by confounding the speech
of those engaged therein, to be dispIeas.
ing to Him. The former an example
of self-lOve and desire for temporal
advantages, carried even to the con.
temning of the Deity; the latter, gov.
erned by exalted principle which mani.
tested itself in acts of obedience and
self-humiliation.
Babylon and Ninevah, towering In
their massive strength, glittering in
their gorgeous embellishments, the for.
mer with its quays and bridge; the lake
banks and canals made for the draining
Of the Euphrates; the palaces, hanging
gardens and the temple of Belus; the
latter "an exceeding great city of thret
days Journey" its walls hundred fee
high and of such thickness that thret
chariots might go abreast upon then
with ease; this prodigious work fortified
with fifteen hundred towers two hundred
feet high, was the work of Nimrod anC
his successors. Besides the riches o
the temple of Belus in Babylon in stat
utes, tables, censers, cups, and other sa
cred vessels, all of massy gold, ther
was, among ether images, one forty fee
high which weighed a thousand Baby
lonish talents. The sum total of tn
riches contained in this temple amount
ed to above twenty-one millions ster
ling. All this treasure was devoted Il
the worship of a deceased mortal, whil
to Sardanapalus, the last prince of tn
first Assyrian empire, was erected
statue bearing this inscription, "Eat
drink, and be merry; everything else i
as nothing"
The second Assyrian empire, arising
from the relics of the first, grew il
power aud arrogance, as we'll as riches
until it assumed the right to dictat
terms to those who acknowledged fealt.
to the God of Heaven. Ssnnacherib
! essaying their destruction, being me
r by the invisible power Of Jehovah, hi
, vast army, in whose strength and ap
: pointments he exulted, of whom on
| hundred and eighty-five thousands per
: ished by the sword of the destroying
: angel, was compelled to return to Nine
yah in aff1iction and disgrace, God hav
: ing, as the Scriptures express his condi
2 ton, "Put ring into his nose and a bi
{ into his mouth" thus leading hin
? through the very countries which ha
? just witnessed his imperious bearing
! His wickedness and cruelty were 8
e great that he was slain by his son
. while worshiping before his god, Mis-