The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-11-26
Babyl0n.

The third lecture in the course at the First
Baptist church was delivered last evening by
Rev. Mr. McWhinnie, pastor of the Free street
church, his subject being Ancient Babylon and
nations of the Eaphrates Valley. The lecturer
remarked in commencing that the subject of
ancient history had received but little atten-
tion in our schools for the sources of history
have been so little known that students have
turned from what they looked upon as myth
cal to the better known and more sure records
OF modern history. But the advance that has
been made in the discovery and explanation
of ancient records has given new interest to
the stud of history and called the attention of
the learned world to its calculation. The lee
turer wished to confne himself to the discus
sion of historical discoveries of the last thirty
years, especially those of Layard in the vi
elnity Nineveh. His explorations revealed the
position OF the city itself--the chambers of the
palace of Sennacherib, and in these are found
the library and records Of the king and king
dom, revealing to US the actual life of the pee
ple All these discoveries confirm wonderfully
the statements of the Bible, and tell US
much In refence to ancient history.
Looking upon the map we find in the east
two great valleys-that of the Nile and of the
Eophrates The valley of the Euphrates was
only about 900 miles long, and this was the seat
OF the Chadean and Babylonian empires, and
of these the lecturer spoke, counting them one.
Between the kingdoms of the Nile and Ea-
pirates there was q perpetual struggle for su-
premacy. Who were the Chaldsans? We
fnrr, 60 tha e
find there the enumeration of the names IF the
founders of the three great races of the worlds
inhabitants. What dull and dry list of
names do we find in this chapter. But in the
light of recent discoveries this brief record has
become one of the most important and sugges-
tive chapters ofhistory to be found in the earth's
records; and every name comes to us freighted
with meaning; and surely nothing but inspira-
ton could have enabled Moses at that early
period of human history to give so accurately
the great subdivisions Of the human family.
Take for illustration a single name Modern
science has revealed to us that Conner repre-
sented the character Of predatory and war
like race known in later ages as the Cimbri
whom Caesar warred with. But to return to
our question. The Bible says that the Chal-
dean race was a Cushite race, but modern
scientists affirmed that it was a Semite race.
Now the revelation of the exhumed librsry in
Nineveh proves that the Bible is right; and
modern science admits that the genealogy
given by Moses was accurate In the names Of
the cities spoken Of we recognize none Of later
history, and in them all modern explorers find
the name of Nimrod ever present. Chedorlao-
mer was another name that has come down to
ns-the one with whom Abraham had battle.
m mn m md mr. md opo;1, of Az
pie, jars, stone ware, flint instrun ents and
brick tablets for historical records. The Chal-
deans invented letters, and made great ad-
vances iD astronomy and astr0ogy But in
time these people went into the upper Eu-
pilates valley and founded the later Assvrian
empire But we will refsr to the later Chal-
dean empire of which Babylon was the capital
The vast walls of this city 10 ruins were the
source of the building materials of later cities.
This city had at least 100 square miles Of area
with its % bronze gates and its adoruments,
temples, palaces and bridges The palace of
Sennscherib was especially magnificent, the
outer wall OF the square in which it was buil
b5ing seven miles il circuit. The hanging
gardens were also wonderful structures The
great temDle of Belus was ia the city, 600 feet
hlgh the loftest religious structure ever erect
ed. In the Inscriptions and records brought to
light are seen manifold evidences of the pride
OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, and we find remarkable
confirmation of the book Of Daniel. One 9th
er building We shoald mention agan-the tow
er of Belus or Babel, which was commenced at
the time of the flood and rebuilt in the GAYS of
these kings. But the character of the people
deserves word. They were a nation OF mer-
chants, skillful artisans, but cruel in war,
C aim and honest But their time of punish
ment arrived, and Cyrus. the Persian, came
against them, and by the strategem of turning
the current of the river he took the city, and to
this cruel people came just punishment for their
pride and impiety. Bot what lesson can we
learn from all this? Many men have in years
past doubted the statements of tina Bible in re
ference to these early nations; but all recent
explorations confirm the words of the Scrip
lures, and honest lovers of science nov &C.
that the Bible record ID true; and
80 history and geology, and in fine all the
sciences, are united in their testimony to the
truth, accuracy and divine inspiration of the
Rihla