Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-19
LIGHT ON THE BIBLE.
REWARDS OF EXPLORERS
AND ExCAvATORS.
Valuable Testimony to the Trutl,
Of Scripture from Baby
lon and Assyria.

Oh scripture from BaDy-
lon and Assyria.
tcorrospondcnceof the Richmond Dlspatch.l
A few years ago wrote for the col
umns OF the DISPATCH an account OF the
remarkable discoveries in Assyria and
Babylon, and now shall continue the
series OF articles which was then begun.
During the last four years explorers
snd excasators have been busy, and
their search has been bountifully re-
warded. New cities have been. un-
earthed and hundreds OF inscribed tab
let's, seals, and cylinders have been
found. and rs their strange looking signs
are translated they tell story that is
truly wonderful. In fact, the entire ac-
count of Assyrian and Babylonian
discovery is one Of the most charm
ing romances of modern literature.
1t is thought strange indeed that these
two nations, who occupied the birth
land of Abraham (Chaldea) and who,
prosecuted and finally enslaved the
neiehboring lsraelites, should rise ut this
late date 10 declare that the Bible of
their old enemies is trustworthy and
true.
GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES.
To those unfamiliar with the recent
eastern discoveries, let it be said, that
during the present century the land
lying between the Tigris and the Eu-
pirates has proven to be the graveyard
of two mighty empires--viz., the Assy-
rian and the Babylonian. The former
ended with the fall OF its capital, Nine
yeh. in COO Is. G. the latter with the
destruction of Babylon in 538 b. c.
The two kingdoms were thought to have
been blotted from the face OF the earth,
but during recent years they have burst
their prison-doors and como forth to tell
their own story. Hundreds of cities
have been unearthed with their orna-
mented buildings, monuments and
tablets, and the inscriptions upon them
have been translated.
Many cities yet lie almost untouched,
waiting for the spade Of the excavator,
and the work OF exploration is now IN Its
infancy. Every day some new disclosure
is made and scholars are kept on tiptoe
of expectation.
The chief point Of interest about these
discoveries is the light which they cast
upon Old-Testament history and this
paper will mention several Scripture
passages which have thus been illumined
and confirmed.
UR OF THE CHAuDEEs.
The Bible student remembers that the
city where Abraham was born and spent
his boyhood days, and from which he
was lured by the Divine promise. was
:" Ur Of the Chaldees." This city has
been found and excavated. Temples
and other buildings have been unearthed
and their inscriptions have been trans
lated. The manner OF this discovery
was as follows For many years the at
tention Of travellers has been attracted
TO mounds OF ruins on the west side OF
the Euphrates, but not until recently
has any explorer boldly struck his spade
deep into these curious hillocks and un-
earthed their long buried secrets. From
these resurrected remains comes the In
formation that they mark the birth
place of the old patriarch. This city
where Abraham spent his youthful days
Is revealed as enclosed in walls of oval
shape and filled with large population.
in Abrahsm's day il was great CONF
mercia centre aud the capital OF the
mighty Cbaldean empire. IdOatry OF
the vilest kind, attended by all forms of
magic and witchcrait. reigned supreme,
and in such poisonous atmosphere
the future friend OF God, the
Al. IL.
his boyish impressions and grew up to
youth and manhood. At the ruins OF
Urabout one hundred business tablets
have been unearthed. and their descrip-
ton O. the commercial life of the city
explains the remarkable business talent
displayed by Abraham in his later life.
The Bible represents him as very
wealthy in cattle and gold, and his
transaction with Ephron, the Hittite, ut
Hebron (by which ne secured the cave OF
Macpelah) shows his skill in the arts of
trade. Think of reading to-day bust
ness communications written in the very
time, and some of which possibly fell
under the very eye, Of the youthful
Abraham.
Other tablets discovered at Ur tell Of
gated by canals and protected by
dykes.
The very name "Abram" has been
found among the inscriptions as the
name OF a court officer OF king who
ruled over this territory several centu-
ries later.
Another tablet contains a business
contract, one OF the witnesses being
"Abuha, son OF Ismiel the father OF
Abuha bearing here the Same name as
Abraham's son 1shmaeD.
sABaoS, KING OF AssYRA.
Isaiah Xxx, /, reads as follows: In
the year that Tartan came to Ashdod
when Sargon, the King Of ASSyria.
sent him) and fought against Ashdod
and took it, etc." Until the present CEN
tury this was the only mention IN any
history of the name of Ssrgon as King
of Assyra. The strange absence of this
name in history caused many critics to
discredit the Scripture record and to
affirm that no such person as Sargon
ever ruled over Assyria off he was
real character" said they, "then some
of the lists OF Assyrian kings written by
Greek or Latin historians would contain
his name" Such was their defiant claim,
and friends of the Bible had no opposing
testimony to offer.
But within recent years strange
thing has happened. A French archeolo-
gist, NJ. Botta by name, while exca-
waiting one day at koyunjik, the site OF
ancient Nineveh. heard something which
kindled his CURIOSITY and caused him to
strike his spade into new spot of earth.
A visitor to his camp told him Of some
peculiar-looking mounds at the village
OF Khors abad, and thither NJ. Botta sent
q force OF excavators. So successful