, 1876-03-12

Err, not Moses, WAS tho anthor of Of the Pento-
teuch, Thcze ia no doubt that Ezra had access
to the original ancient tablets, and, as the great
osl editor and bihliophile OF the HebIews' thar
ho was thoroughly veraed in ChAldale nterstore.
Int this becomcA subordinate issue II 1t be
proven that the whole CAaldnic cosnogony and
mythology vas On record before the birth OF
Moses, aud WAS common ttndisionM property
before Abraham migrated from ur. This con-
troversy ought not to DO Irecipltatea on the
that re shall not have to wait long for data vast
II more perfect and comprehensive.
In tho interest Of impartial investigation and
vigorous exploration would suggest that the
controversy. when concluded upon all the facts.
may lcayo the parties in statu quo. Astronomy,
geology, chemistry, and more recently zoology,
Iaye each n turn sent = thrill Of slarm and au-
fagouism through the theological ranks, and re-
suited in no little useless controversy, and yet
the theological system stands fast What harm
would result it it should appear that the present
theological forms per1aded the grand civiliza-
tions of tho East before the days Of Abraham
Would It even be foct bofpte unknown? That
ra.iye&ad but unknown Chaldnlo seer and bard,
the author Of the Book ot Job, was probably
anterior to Moses, possibly anterior to Abraham
And that typical priest Of Elohim, Of whose
great character We get but q glimpse. the child
loss Melchlsedec, WAS contempnraneous with the
patr1arch. Indeed the accepted theory OF tho
Church and Of tho inspired writings recognizes
= 1UA hI1Na61&sH " L06 k11uC1pA65 AQA Il0E1uLY
NJ the decalogne from Adam downward, and q
knorledse OF the history of tho creation as we'll.
Enoch, Noah, Moses, Ezra md, from the ha-
lnauisarian view, Christ and, from the Protestant
view, Luther, come into history as 1estorers Of
the standard of truth and morality, at tho close
II the respective periods OF increasing ignorance
md vickedness. In this view tha sacred books
nt the Hebrews aEe regarded as the restoration
pf ttse lost and the gathering together and puri-
Gcation of the true which had been corrupted
hnd distorted. From t1is it will he perceived
that the new revelations Of archaeology are not
esements OF disturbance, but fall naturally
into their place in the prevailing The
CRY Of the Church &c may therefore et-
pect to find that the sactod books of
1he Hebrews coutain the purcst gems OF Cbai-
taic iterature-that they Will CONTINUE 70 stand
uu1iva1ed, az they do now. Tho Chntdalc ie-
Gcud3 OF tho creation survived only from the
ucciden& ct tbsir INSCRIPTION upon pixies OF terra
Gotta aud their eutosubtnent for more thun
t1onty centuries. Tho Hebrew Scriptures have
autvived ali conflicts aud catastrophes, though
Inscribed on penshabIo pspyrus and parchment,
and they haye survived above ground in the bent
of the conflict. Floods, tires, VarE tho destruc-
tlon OF cities, libraries. and natioue,-thev havo
nsen over all, and dlctated Law, morality, and
politics to the world. 1t is not likely that the
sleeping legends will rise from thu dust OF the
Euph1ates to cast the king Of books from its
throne and wrest its sceptfe from it.
It tho reader shall bo disposed to criticise the
use I have made OF the name
Cbaldns, OF to inquire why it is not also permit
ted in our use Of it, to cover also the Hobrow
stock, the reply is-for brevity aud conyenience