The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume] (Mesilla, N.M.) 1877-1879, 1878-07-06
Abraham's TOmb-Is 1t under the
Mosque Of Hebron?

In the May number Of the Princeton Rs.
siess, DR.. Philip Schaff gave an interesting
account Of the disputed scripture Iocalities.
which he visited last year, during 4 tDur
through Palestine and the Sinsitie Peninsula.
One OF these sacred plsces, which cannot Be
determined with absolute certainty, l. Mach
pelar, the field and cave bought by Abraham.
OF the sons OF Heth. for family burning
ground. 1t Is known, however, to be in or
near Hebron, the oldest city Of Palestine.
and in all probability, according TO Jewish.
Christian and Mohammedan traditions, lies
under the great mosque of Hebron, which e
one Of the four most sacred mosques in the
world, those Of Mecca, Jerusalem and d.
mascus ranking with it. The spot itself 9 is
concealed from the eyes Of Christians and
Jews, and perhaps even the Mohammedana.
In that rocky cavern, supposed to be IN
der tho pavement floor Of she Hahsnn &os.
que, were deposited the bodies Of Abraham
and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca. jacob and
Leah, and Afterwards of Joseph. We learn
from Scripture that two of these, the bodies
OF Jacob and Joseph, were embalmcd in
Egypt, according to the manner of the Egyp-
tians and all the circumstances Of the ease
would make IL quite certain that this en-
balming, virtually done under royal author.
lty, was in the best possible mode Of the art.
The high probability therefore Ia, that those
two ancient bodies are in existence today.
resting, quiet and unseen, in their original
sepuIture. DR.. SchaG says: Perhaps aA
no distant future the embalmed body Of
Jacob viii be found there ia good state of
preservation. The body Of Joseph is also
said to rest there, having been removed
thither from Shechem, near Jacobs Well,
where it was originally deposited, and where
q monument still marks the SPOT
What revelation Of wonder it would be.
and what demonstration Of the historical
verify of the Masonic writings, If these ve-
nerable bodies should indeed be found there.
With what voice Of hiSfory would these
two silent witnesses speak from their long
hiding place, II it should some day tzrn out
TO be true that the embalmed faces of Jacob
and Joseph may yet be seen BY visit to
Palestine. As Or, Schaf well suggests, this
and many other points connected with the
sacred places might have been brought 10
light along ago il any other nation In Europe
OF even any other huif=Ciiviiizea people in the
wovid had held possession Of Palestine a.
cept the Turks. 1t is one Of the enigmas Of
Divine Providence that this relentless And
animprOvable MOhammedan power should
be permitted for four censaries, and is still
permitted chiefly BY the aid Of Protestant
England, to trample in the dust all the sacred
classic lands, and keep out all progress for
ever Much has been said of late about tho
great Pyramid as witness for the Bible.
Ia ttiF estimation, the actual presence Of tho
two embalmed bodies in that hidden cave Of
Machpelah, if indeed they are there, would
do far more TO establish the historic trptA Of
the Bible than any thing which has yet BEEN
/ discovered in the Pyramid. id.--TAs~sov.