West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-04-10
A REMARKABLE FIND.
Tn, Tablet Lately recovered from II

Thp Enblet Lately Recovered from the
buins OF the Temple at Jerusalem.
While many ruined citics have been
explored, and various memorials of tho
past brought to light, Jerusalem, the
Holy City, has been passed by. TO DO
Away with this rcproach to Christian
people, and In order to make scicu-
titc exploration of the Holy Land, the
Palestine Exploration Fund" WAS
formed in England, and party
of Royal Engineers was sent out 10
explore the ruins of Jerusalem.
Much of interest was the IL ult OF tins
investigation. but very few memorials
of the past or inscriptions wevo
brought TO lighC On examining the
east wall of Herod's Temples on one of
tho stones were found three le,terA
painted IN red. On stones in other
parts ipcised characters wcro seen re-
sembling the letters II and y.
On making this discovery Inc cNplor-
ing party communicate with the Pal,
estine Exploration Fund. aud the late
Emmanuel Doutsch, an Oriental scholar
then employed in the British Museum.
was sent to examine the inscriptions.
He pronounced the character, Phn'ni-
clan. some of which were quarry signs.
but the exact meaning could no. be dc.
termincd
The most important discoveries was
made 10y Clermout Ganncau. who was
a Commissioner OF the Society While
examining u portion OF the Tomplc, he
had occasion TO pass through grave
yard near the spot and not cing slab
on the ground, hc cleared AWAY the soil
ON its face, and found there an inscrip-
ton in Greek, not pure Greek, but such
as was used in Jcrusalem On de-
ciphering tho inscription he uud 10
read: "No foreigner TO proceed within
the partit on wall and enclosure around
the sanctuary; whoever is caught in tho
same will ON that account be liable TO
incur death"
Josephus, i'm describing tho Temple,
saws; When You went through these
first Cloistcrs into the second court of
the Temple, there was partition made
of stone all around. whose lc ght was
three cubits; its construction was very
elegant; upon ii stood pillars at 9 lual
distances from one another declaring
the law of purity, some in Greek and
some in Latin letters, that no foreigner
should 90 within that sanctuary. and
was asccnded to by fourteen steps from
the first court. >"
Here. then, after being buried nine
teen centuries, came TO light once more
this warning tablet OF ltc -ods Temple.
which forbade all foreigners to penc-
tratc beyond the Court OF th' Gontiles.
In this court were the an mails required
for the sacrifices. and other sacrlicial
requirements which were sold for tho
purpose. The moncy-changcr7 sat here,
and once when they intruded beyond
the limit the Saviour drove them out of
the Temple.
On one occasion Paul took with him
To Jerusalem an Ephcsiau named Tro-
phimus IL is not known whether he
introduced him into the lsracltc court
or not, but this was the supp Ds'tion of
The Jews A great uproar cusilcl. and
Paul was roughly handled by the mob,
being rescued with great difficulty by
the Roman guard.
This tablet explains Il passage in the
Epistle 10 the EphcSians to the effect
that Christ had "broke down the IA ddle
wall of partition between us. - that is,
Christianity was offered To Jews and
Gcntilc5 alike. Paul had seen this tab
let threatening death 10 all strangers
that dared 10 pass beyond Inc partition
which separated the Court Of the Gen
tiles from that of the Israclitcs The
tablet, placed OF the partition, was
plainly visible. and doubles was in
the Apostles mind when me- use the
simlc
La the Temple Of Solomon omly Jew3
were admitted, but when Hrrod rebuilt
the Temple, anNious TO cOucilate The
Egyptians. Romans and Greeks resid,
ing in Jerusalem. lic added IN outer
court in which they could assemble. bat
the warning tablet T pared them for
the consequences II they penetrated be.
yOud.
II will bo seen. by reference to the
table, that all the letters are in capi.
tails. and. with few exceptions, th
words ARE not divided, but run into cich
other This tablet l. the most impor.
tant OF the di,coverie- We, ma IL 90
Jerusalem - DcmOycsEs 3 NOaihtu