Smyrna times., 1890-11-19
JOB as a Steam Engineer.

The last place in which one would
naturally look for a description of the
modern steam engine would be the
book of Job. Yet recent author has
presented in a large octave volume of
1862 pages his conclusions on this verv
point. They are to the effect that the
entire steam plant, railway organiza-
ton, boiler and engine practice. are
treated of by the inspired writer We
aIlude to the work of Mr.. Samuel O.
Trudell, entitled "a Wonderful Dis.
cOvery in the Book of Job" If the
authors view of the case was adopted
a new chapter in the history of the
steam engine would be supplied. and
the Marquis Of Worcester would have
to yield to Job as the pioneer in steam
engineering.
BehemOth and the Leviatban bav.
always been fertile subjects of contro-
verSy. The whale and hippopotamus
respectively have been adopted bv
many commentators as the animals re-
terred to. But Mr.. TrudeU goes be-
yond the most daring innovator and
IN revised version Of the passages re-
latlhg TO these monsters finds allus-
IONS to the steam engine of to-day. 4
description of the method followed i'm
MS new Interpretation will give the
best idea of this most striking effort i'm
the field of biblical criticism.
The author, fully to support his the
ory, has been compelled to furnish a
new rendering Of the parts Of the book
OF job which he uses. Accordingly we
lind a translation given Of the pasSaoes
IN chapter AL and XII which relate
10 the BehemOth and Leviathau. Tho
claim IS made without reserve thar if
Is the modern steam engine in its diff
lerent forms that is there described II
IS evident that our space does not per-
NIT US to give the full basis of the ar
gument. The separate words are
made subjects of as many chanters
and the analOgies traced between tba
descriptions in the poetry of job and
me more prOsalc steam mOter are re-
any surprising. The most curious de-
taIIs are traced out, such as the supply
OF water to the boiler, the upright
smoke-stack, and even the manip1la-
tlOn ol the stock of railroad companies
Is found described. The size and nun.
per OF pages IN the volume give the
best evidence of the work bestowed nv
the author upon his labor of love.
II may be worth while to cite from
the special translation appended M
the book some of the most striLiug
passages. The account begins cbaDter
Nj, V. 10, Behold now one with
great neat, he will consume
iodder as well as cattle do" which is a
pretty talr description Of steam en-.
glne. A little further on. V II il
says, His tail will set upright like a
cedar This, the author concluds re-
ier5 to the smoke-stack. In Y. I8 we
ma, His hollow bones are tubes Of
brass, his solid bones are bars Of iron"
which IS very good embodiment of
modern engineering practice. In Y.
=, winch the special translation rem
ders, ." lie will rest beneath lirht shel. /
ters ana beneath roof of fbrOus reeds /
and clay, the author finds allusion to .
non-conductIng covering for boilers .
and steam pipes. Going on to the next .
chapter we find V. 6 thus rendered
Companies will feast upon him thev .
Will share him among speculators :,
which 1t is needless to saw fits the casa
OF modern railroad comDanies and
spectators exactly This is one If
OF the extraordinary parallels Of the
work. 1t IS perhaps equalled by Y
Of the chapter, where the hook in the
monsters nose is construed as an allu.
SION to the piston rings of locomo.
ave, and where the Jaw bored tbrouob
with its piston rod The bad effects
DI an engineer allowing his water IN
I run down Is given in the same chapter.
' 70 From dryness rendering him
urlouS, he will not have power to
the curved vault being
caused to break up and also the ar
nor ms, OF course, means that the
engineer must watch his water GAUGES
'r there will be an explosion.
FOR portiOn of V. %, chapter Nj.
ma for '. a Immediately following
he author furnishes the followino,
translation: Behold he will absorb q
liver and will not fret
he will gather it up in his
Ountalns by means of traps and with
perforated nozzle" Our author in
ms finds described the action of
lump with its valves (traps). and the
perforated suction pipe with a screen
! It's end to exclude solid particles
4ven the coupling together of a train
i cars Is found in V. l of the next
napier: "ThOu wilt extend Leviatban
7ith hook, or with a snare which
hou wilt cause his tongue to press
own" The tongue our author be-
ewes is representative of the conn
ng link, and the hollow drawhead d
nd pin is the snare" The caulkin0 :
the seams of the boiler is found in i
= 10 OF this chapter: "His strength i
epends on courses of shields closed c
p tightly with a seal" Our author r
nds nothing clearer than that the d
are boiler plates, and the $
seal' the caulking iron. He reserves h
oWeVer, the possibility that the steam c
yeter is the sealing mechanism. v
This much is enough to give an idea !,
the book. The author has been his |,
wn Hebraist. The Semitic student Il
nd author Rabbi Benjamin Sold. of
altim0re, testiies to his high opinion f,
Mr.. TrudelPs transatiOns It must r
Iso be said in conclusion that the sub
'ct is treated throughout with full fl
yidence of critical discernment and 1
-horlous investigation. - Scientific a
merican.