The bee., 1883-11-10
Ancient Memphis.

Memphis was one of the oldest of the
world s great cities. 1t was built on the
banks of the Nile when all Europe was a
savage wilderness, and its inhabitants bar
barlanS living in huts and caves. The
great city grew up under the rule of the
Pharaohs to be q scene of busy trade, al
most as thickly populated as London or
New York. To-day its site can scarcely
be traced. But four thousand years ago
Memphis was city Of palaces and temples.
Pharaoh was lodged more splendidly than
Louis XIV, and CheOps provided himself
with the most magnificent of tOmbs. One
OF the Memphian temples is thus described:
He seemed to be in Memphis, his native
city and entering the temple of Isis, saw
it shining with the splendOr of a thousand
lighted lamps; all the avenues of the
temple were crowded with people, and re-
sounded with the noise of the passing
throne" The inner shrine was supposed
to be the residence of the goddess. To
Memphis, perhaps, came Joseph, the gen
tie Jew, to become the ruler of the land.
There came his brethren and the Israeli
ties, to buy corn. Here the Jews passed
their four centuries Of captivity from it's
palaces they bore Lff the Jewels and gold
shore they set out on their march; from
the gates of Memphis the furious Pha-
raOh followed with chariot and horse, to
perish in The treache-ous sea.
Nowhere can be f1n-d more striking in
cidents than are connCv sed with this desc
late narrow part Of the shore of the Nile.
Moses, perhaps, fOats1 la his basket near
by, and VOL his life with the smile of in
G. Il. Al
of the plagu es, Of the terrible de-b[zess, of
the years of plenty aud the years of want
1t hOurished In splendOr and wealth for q
period that lakes the ages OF most cities
seem trivial. New York is not more than
$50 years old, London about SOC /; Mem
phis fOurished for more than 5000 years.
1t has passed away, but one Of its labOrs
can never apparently perish. Cheops, one
of the Memphian Kings, built the largest
OF the pyramids, and near it arc several
others not much less in size. A pyramid
was no doubt royal tomb. Various ex-
plantations have been given of the origin
and purpose of these wonderful buildings.
Some suppose them intended for astrOnOm-
ical purposes others suggest that they
were designed to mark the dimensions Of
an inch, and fix the system of computing
distances. But history and tradition as
aert that they were the tOmbs Of the Mem
phian Kings.-Haper' Young People.
A coLtt in Georgia has recently rendered
a decision in which church people are IN
terested A Baptist society building new
church planned steamboat excursion to
increase the building fund. The owners OF
the boat engaged for the occasion did not
eli their part Of the contract, and those In
charge Of the excursion sued them fo1
reach of contract. But the defendants set
81 their plea that church organization
las no authority to conduct excursions as
means of making money, and, therefore,
capiot enforce any bargains 1T may make
In pursuing an unlawful line Of business
The Judges held that the plea was good.
That a church must derive its income from
such property as it may own, and from
voluntary contributions. 1t may make
barpains Incidental TO an excursion OF the
congregation, undertaken for devotional
purposes, celebrations, or recreation; and
possibIv might hire a conveyance needed
to carry from place to place persons sent TO
solicit contributions; but it may not en-
.age in the carrying business, with the
general public, for profit.