The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-12-28
Archaeology Proving the Bible True.

Archaeology Proving the Bible True.
The records of the earth, and the inscriptions
Of recently discovered remains of the ages long
ago, are bringing to the help of Bible interpre-
tiers such data as compels them to reverse much
of what has been regarded as necessarily mytho-
logical and exalt 1t to a positive, truthful MARIA
tive of actual events. This is a gratifying. fact to
the true student of the Word, as skeptical criti-
cism is disarmed thereby, so that, as Canon
Tristram says, in the future criticism must be
subjective and objective. g The solvent of un-
belief cannot dissolved the sculptured stones and
burnt tablets of Chaldea. But skepticism, like
other organisms may still preserve her continuity,
while, PrOteus like, she develops new forms by a
process of evolution" Before the recent church
congress in England two remarkable papers were
read, one by Professor Rawlinson, and one by
Canon Tristram, the former explaining how the
recent discoveries IN Babylon and Assyria must
compel a revision Of scriptural Interpretation,
the latter, indicating how perfectly heather
records confirm the Mosaic account of creation
and the wanderings of the children of Israel.
both showing that the Bible, in it's historical
parts, must be subjected to literal Interpretation,
and that whatever results of such Interpretation
are secured, they will be confirmed even in the
minutest details. by the collateral evidence of
the archaeological records. Professor Rawlinson.
among many other excellent things, speaking Of
the former mOues OF Interpretation. Sal0
The historical books Of the Old Testament
were regarded as a bundle of myths. 1t was
held and taught that they contained not nara
tives of facts, but romantic tales, the invention
of their several authors. The tales were divided
into myths - and legends, and it was
sought to point out which were most properly to
be regarded as colored and poeticised representa-
tions of some actual occurrence, and which were
to be referred to the single source of Imagination
or invention. The theory was supported mainly
by two assertions: First, that the scriptural
narrative was in many important points absolute
ly at variance with profane history, and was con-
sequently false and second, that the manners and
customs of the foreign nations brought into con-
tact with the Jews were greatly misrepresented.
1t has, however, recently been discovered that
p%rofane history, the records Of the rocks, and
caves, and archaeological remains perfectly con-
firm the myths 3" of the Bible as historical
facts, and the "misrepresented manners and
custom of the foreign nations, - are just as stated
in the Holy Writ. We need not give detailed
proof. The fact remains and can be proved to
the satisfaction of the intelligent skeptic. The
literal historical Interpretation reasserts itself,
and will remain in possession of the field it has
won after so many years of strife.
Canon Tristram's paper was very long and we
can only briefly summarize his points. He said
Our topic is 50 What definite result as to the
Interpretation of scripture has been produced by
recent discoveries? The discoveries of arch
zoology, whether monumental or historical. have
affected the Interpretation of scripture in four
aspects First, ethnographical; second, histori-
cal: third, chronological; fourth, geographical
and Typographical.
He treated of the second, third and fourth and
showed that '' whether We turn to the so-called
legendary epoch before the call of Abraham, or
to the annalistic period following it, we now
find ourselves confronted with a contemporary
and sometimes a more ancient literature, ampli-
flying, exaggerating, interpolating, but never
absolutely contradictiDg the terse narrative Of
Genesis y He synopsised the version Of the crea-
ton. the fall and the food, as discovered by
George Smith, In Assyria and Nineyeh, which
strangely, to US, confirms the Biblical narrative.
He also showed that the Sabbath was not a
Mosaic invention, not exclusively n Semitic OBJ
servance, not ever an ordinance delivered to
Abraham to separate his family from surround
ing idolatry, but a primeval tradition, recog-
nized, be it noted, by the namite contemporaries
Of Nimrod, as instituted from the creation. The
Sabbath was recognized as Il divine institution
before the separation Of the Hauite and Semitic
families Of men. and the obligation Of observance
was acknowledged by both families. The Mosaic
account Of prc-Abrahamic history he holds was
a legendary story Of the earth and Of mans
origin, aud he THINKS God did not dictate each
word 10 Moses. but that the writer was super
naturally guided to indite that alone which was
historic truth. He recognizes considerable diff
Guilty in considering chronological results Of recent
archaeological developments, bat insists that even
here, 1t is beneath the standpoint Of our faith to
measure inspiration by applying the cold, bald
precision of western criticism 70 the hgufatIyc
expressions aud Vivid metaphors which arc the
natural outcome a. Oriental thought. or % meas
uTc il BY the position OF a dot OK a point IN the
Hebrew numerals.
On the geographical and typographical point.
be - particularly Interesting. sircs De- sh1Es
that bv recent dirs5ycrlcs tlc uate 90 uc Vau-
drrinr l~sraeiitcs hAs been travel vith untrfiJus
precision. end geographical rarycys ID thc Bible
.euds confirm tFc Scripture topography with
mathematical nicely We 41tc Juft ore para
graph here re iilusigal.,1 b. Treatment ot th-sc
mus. cptcrias iuio pT,sane italr. wah TIE
hook 81 fsshsa % oar lands. zee s-t-rv!y seed -
turtc.T guide. Use 0fl..rs OF 'hc Palestine *
~loratio. iund have iald dJ"u IA tia. ordnance
frur which 40 = few weeks WIL he ln FJur hdud-,
& 2.7TO names where previously on', 49, "l4o 49,
down. OF all among the catalogues Of Joshua,
there is scarce a village. however Insignificant,
which does not retain tor It's desolate heap or its
modern novels the Arabic equivalent for the
name written by Joshua 300 yeas ago But
it is not merely the continuance Of an " occult
Providence . of the names in tie very places
where they ought by the record 70 be 1t IS the
little touches which often stlrtle By the way IN
when tgcy carry conviction OF the time and
place Ct the sacred penman. Thus when we
read that Abraham's second encanpment - was
on a mountain east of Bethel, and that be pitched
his tent, having Bethel on the west and Hal on
the east, aud then be builded 1T altar and
when between the site Of Bethel and the desC-ate
heap, the - Tell " Of Al, We observe a valley and
in the center a lofty hill with undecipherable
-:,o &c s,v.uit whence and whence alone a