Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-01-03
THE IRON HORsEIy PALESTINE.

dala is being built. The road pro-
ceeds along the shore of Lake Ii
berias TO where the Jordan enters
the Lake. From here it follows the
western bank Of the Jordan TO
Jacobs Bridge, where it crosses the
river to the east hank, and thence
northward 10y Lake Hooleh TO Ban
las, thence along the old Roman
road to Damascus. the inland term
linus Of the road.
The length Of the main line from
Aeca to Damascus Will be about 100
miles. There will be branches to
important points along the way.
The work is in the hands Of Eng
lish capitalists, whowill expend So
100000 on 1t. In Damascus n
system OF street cars will be estab-
lished. Owing to the narrowness of
the streets the work will be difficult,
but that 1t Is practicable and will be
profitable has been demonstrated.
An extension from Banias to
Beyroot is also protected. Beyroot.
the Syrian seaport town, is now a
prosperous city Of So, 900 people, with
gas and water works, though fifty
years ago it had but 1000 people.
The road from Jaffa to Jerusalem
will soon be finished. The loco
motives for this road were made in
Philadelphia, and are now i'm Jaffa.
The changes that are coming upon
the "Holy Land" are evidences
that the Almighty will use the de-
veiopments of modern times in the
restoration Of "the covenant peoplev
to the land Of their fathers. Indeed,
the Improvements Of the age are all
prompted by His Spirit "the light
Of TRUTH" which reveals to man
that which will benefit and exalt.
This is a wonderful period in the
history of the world. Not only are
agencies and appliances new to
science and art coming forth rs fast
rs the mind can grasp and man can
utilize them, but the works and
relics Of the past are being uncovered
anu the mystery shroudiug tbs lives
Of the ancients is dispensing. This
is the "dispensation Of the fulness of
tines" when all things are to be
gathered in one, the past and the
present be aggregated. and all know
ledge, truth and wisdom Ice culmi-
mated to prepare for the glorious i'm
mediate future = the millennial
glory, the golden age.
In regard to the uncovering OF re-
mote antiquities connected with the
LAND Of PROMISE" the Washington
Star has an article which We here
append. 1t is one Of the latest dis
coveries and speaks Of events that
happened In the days of the
Pharaohs, and throws light upon the
form Of government that then
existed in Palestine, which is soon
To be traversed 10y the modern iron
horse:
1.-THE Smithsonian Institution has
just received information, not yet
printed or made public in this coun-
try, of the recent discovery at Tell-el-
Amsria, in Upper Egypt, Of a number
OF tablets relating TO the history Of
Jerusalem and dating back 600 years
earlier than any record hitherto
known. When it i understood that
these tablets OF stone are letters passed
between the King of Jerusalem and
the Pharaoh OF Egypt 400 years be-
fore the birth Of David, who WAS the
father of Solomon, some notion will
be formed of their extreme interest
These letters were written, so DIR.
Cyrus Adler told n writer for the Star,
about tho year 1900 b. c., and cast a
l ETthN llktlA 49, '~t.&~&OAlNo VI i@EN ~
al that ancient epoch. This, 0r ~~,,ssc.
was long before Jerusalem'was cap
tured by the Jews
AT that time Palestine was a feder
alton OF independent cities, each o
which, like Jerusalem, was governed
by 'prefect'--this word meaning
literally king of n city, Neverthe
less, these towns paid n tribute to tn
Pharaoh, and il was in relation to thi
tribute that several of the letter
found were addressed to the ruler o
Egypt by the King Of Jerusalem
Abdi-Taba. In them he tries to eN
plain, with due respect, that he oc
: cupics a more independent position
l than the other projects. and ought T.
3 be treated accordingly. For example
E in one missive he says:
r "Behold, this city Of Jerusalem
neither nv father nor my mother ha
given unto me, but the call Of a Nigh
, ~ King"
This refers to the ancient custom !
Palestine by which rulers were somt
times chosen in consequence OF a SUI
: posed divine call and without an
e hereditary law. Having been sun
E moncd to his throne by the Deit,
Abdi-Taba argued that he should /
8 treated more lenicntly with regard |
v tribute. In another OF the letters i
y says
q "Bchold, neither my father nor m
n mother has appointed me to this plae
} but the mighty King has made n
:, enter into the house of my fathers
That the mighty King" spoken
was the Deity is proved by the IA
that TO Him as authority is referred q
u oracle inscribed upon another table
, which says tha.: AS long as a shi
Is sails upon the sea, so long will Mes
II potania and Btbylonia conquer
n The chief aim OF the three other Ie
II tiers written by Abdi-Taba il to n.
,e the Pharaoh for military all again
d foreign conquerors invading Pale
A. tine, and especially the district
re Jerusalem. These warlike stral
gers he calls people Of Habi
in other words, they were Hebrew
1t seems hardly probable that Il
Hebrews As nation should have 1
n vaded Palestine at SO early a date. Al
I z. l. -.