Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-30
BABYLON'S MOUNDS.
1Hs INTERESTING THINGS THAT
THEY HAVE TO TELL
A New witness 10 the Biblical story Oh
the Tower of Babei-Prophecies
FULFILLED, &c.

| Wilton for the Dspatcn.l
J let rs return TO the land OF baoyionia'
| for its mounds have yet many interesting
tb,ncs 10 tell. The country OF Mesopo-
taoia. between the Tigris and Euphrates
rivars. was IN ancient times the seat OF
two empires-the Baby lonian in the north
md the Assyrian IN the south. ihat
which invests these countries with sucn
interest and Importance Is the TACT tna'
they were the captive homes OF the CHOSEN
neonle OF God. Into Assyria was car
ried Israel and INTO Babylon was car
ried Judah. From those exile prisons OK
the Hebrews are now breaking forth rays
of light which wonderfully illumine ana
confirm many statements and narratives
of the Old Testament.
THE TOWER or BABEL.
Almost every child is familiar with the
pinle story about tho building OF the Tower
~ Rabel, the confusion of tongues, ana
the sudden stoppage by God OF the WORK.
That such an event never occurred mas
been asserted by many sneerlng critic.
The record, like the account OF Jonah and
the whale, Daniel and the lions den. has
been ridiculed o. one OF the absurdltles OF
the Old Testament. Friends OF the BiOle
they had despGired OF ever finding any dl-
rect proof of the occurrence outside OF
the Scriptures. Such proof. however, has
ut last been discovered. Ii was
found at the very place where tho
tower was built-yiz., at the city
Of Babylon. Babel and Babylon are
names for the same place. In fact. both
names are found upon the ruins of BABY
Ion. While the Hebrew writers OF the Old
Testament lived far away IN the west, tho
recent witnesses concerning tine rearing
md destruction OF the tower have been
resurrected IN the very home Of the build
ers. In "A mound OF Babylon several tablets
have been brought TO light upon which IS
engraved some interesting testimony about
the famous tower. The tablets are badly
mutiated and the inscriptions (origlnelly
very lengthy have been deciphered only
in fragments. These fragments read as fol-
lows:
Babylon corruptly 10 sin went, and
Small and great were mingled on the
mound"
Their work all day they builded,
But 10 their stronghold in the night
EAtIely an end God made.
In HIS anger also His secret counsel
He poured forth;
He set His face to scatter.
He gave command to make strange their
speech;
Their progress he impeded."
I'm that day He blew and for (alD
future time,
The mountain twas demoI!shedD:"
Greatly they wept for Babylon;
Greatly they wept."
Thus the Old-1estament story Is con-
frmed by a newly-resurreoted witness from
the very spot where the tower was built.
HEZEKIAH AND THE KING OF BABYLON.
III Kings Xxx, II and l3, read: AT that
time (the time OF Hezekiah's ilness)
BerOdGch Baladan, the son OF Baladan
King OF Babylon. sent letters and present
unto Hezekiah. for he had heard that
Hezekiah was sick. and Hezekiah harkened
unto him and showed them all the house
of his precious things, the silver and the
gold and the Spices" etc. An important
event for the little kingdom of Judah must
have been this visit Of an embassy from
the great king of Babylon. The. Old TeSta-
ment describes 1t IN some.detail. Do the re-
surrocted RUNS of Babylon bring any infor.
nation c0ncerningltg IL may be answered
that up to the present time no direct
declaration OF such an event has been
found. but several interesting facts have
been brought to light. inscriptions have
Hezekiah was King of Judah Babylon
was ruled by Merodach Baladan. They
also state that this king was fearing
an invasion from his enemy. the
Assyrians, and rs a consequence was eager
ly casting his eyes around for some friend
ly neighbor and ally. That he would
turn TO Hezekiah is rendered almost cer-
tain by the fact that Hezekiah also was at
this time on bad terms with Assyria. This
is seen from the statement in II. Kings
that HsZeklah rebeled against the King
Of Assyria and served him not.") Thus,
while we find no direct statement in tho
inscription of an embassy from Baladan,
King OF Babylon, TO Hezekiah Gas men,
toned in the Blble). yet we have already
found writings which declare that con-
temporary with Hezekiah was a Baby
lonian king by the name Of Baladan and
that Baladan was on the hunt for some
friendly ally against AssYria and we
know from Scripture.t that HezekIah, being
himself unfriehdly toward Assyria, was
the one most likely at this time TO offer
valuable aid.
NEDUcHADNEZZAR. KING OF BABYLON.
Prominent among the figures of ancient
history stands Nebuchadnezzar, King of
Babylon. HIS name il found upon many
pages Of the Old Testament and his ca