Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-06-29
As TO rIMfs ASD SEASONS.

a correspondent from PGrownn, Iron
county, asks the NEWS to give, " pos.
sible,,no ohto Iologicll data with fsicf-
cnco to the OK plratlon VI the six thou
santh year Of the existence Of man
upon earth, for the benefit Of those
"who ate Watching for tho coming Of
tho Savior"
The cortcspoudoH. evidently rr'of'
to tho very ancient nnl beautiful ttndl-
ton that the period from the yea 5000
to 1000 will be the oArth's millcnuial
Sabbath. Too subject IL ons Of extreme
difficulty not to ba removed Without
the HIGHT Of ditco! revelation, until the
event Itself takes place.
Students Of sacfed chronology some
times divide the Tins between the
creation aud tho blrth Of our Savior
In ak epophs. The fret Of tbcio, cIy-
cring the period from the creation 10
tho Hood, eau DO gathered only from
the Scriptures. Tho Hebrew text
makes this 1855 yeais. The aoconu
epoch. from the flood to the call Of
Abraham IL az year; the third, rom
the call Of Abraham 70 thu exodus
from Egypt, $50 yoars; tho fourth, trom
tho exodus TO the foundation O., thU
Temple Of solomon, iDI yesrs; ITO nNh,
from the foundation Of the temple to
ihol restoration by CyEui, A.. ysaft;
Ia
birth OF Christ, $50 yeau-mas.
ing total from tho ctoStion 10 tho
beginning Of tho Christian ora OF . Oli
yoArs. Josophus, according 10 Hhic1,
adds ,4J7 years making tho whole
period san, while modern Jowe IN
some reason OF other disagree with
both the Hebrew text ana with
Josephus and count only $500 from the
creation to Christ.
Josephus seems TO agree chiefly with
the Greek translation Of tho Old reala'
meni, known As tho sepIuagln,, In
which siK OF the pattiArchs before the
Hood are given an additional one
hundred years immediately after
tbs Hood tho sans humber Of years ar,
added TO the age Of Elk pRlristchs
There ealso other notable difference
Tho controversy oonosraing lh,
comparative value Of tho longcl
aud the shorter chronology II
not ended. In favor Of the former II hsi
been urged that the Hebrew text #
more likely TO have icon altered, siuo,
the Jews ut one time had n motive io
shortening the period between tho ere
alton aud Christ In tranicribing th'
Scriptures, in order TO snow that "a,
time fixed by their former exposition
for this appearance Of tho Messiah ha,
not yet come; the longer porioi OF thu
septuRgint and Josephus IL also desmc,
more consistent with historical fact
relating 70 the extended dlspesiOn o
NoRh's descendants over immcna
tracts Of land and for the establishment
Of powerful Kingdoms. The reply &
those argumOhts 10 thst the oTlgina
Hebrew text was preserved by "a
Iewswitn most jealous caro- hul tha
any alteration would more likely Occu
in translation than In a copy Of IN
original. II has also boon uolnio
out that the shorter period G8
bigns tho creation h time coin
cidont with remarkable gs,rOnomlCl
epoch, an Argument which has gtun
weight Scholars, therefore, aImi
that tho shorter period Is Us psoUAbl
hs auy other.
The chronology Of tue DJc,riuo Ru
Covenants, in the Ls0Iurea on Faith
follows closely ~ lar as d. goul
the Hebrew text, showing how II
Vesled truth was transmitted Ia ia
early ageg, Lamech being cotsmpOrsr
both with Adam and with Shum, viii
the latter wGs cotompoTRry with Abr.
ham,
The birth OF Christ 10 now general.
supposed 10 have taken place IN IN
fourth year bsfJro our ora, whlr
would make the present year 1899 a
D. Assuming 4OOi after the crsauo
IS the ysarot the birth, tho prowI
gear would be tho year 59j3 OF Il
earth since 1t was prepared a. hEbig
ton Tor man, RnG the 8lJOlh ycD
would be VI years from houce; 1t Won
expire with tho year 1892 VI our C
a. commonly computed.
rhels figures are submitted Tor VIII
they aro worth and the caution
added not to form nasty conclusions
10 "umes aud sessonsp any further ths
the revealed word warrant. Il
necessary al all times to DO prepare
for tue coming OF the Lord, anu 40 q
as diligent inquiry tends to keep Il
mind ana heart Ia touch wlte u
work Of the Almighty for the REDEEM
ton Of the race, such inquiry IL prof