The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-27

Those who have been accustomed to
accepting literally the calculation tia,
the world is only about 5000 years old,
must regard the latest discovery on the
Babylonlaa plain with a feeling OF start
led awe. II may be promised, however.
tina. no fundamental doctrine of the
Christian faith Is based upon The ehro-
nology OF the Bible. That work itself does
not pretend to say how old is the world
or in what year the creation described IN
Genesis took place. The only basis for
the belief that the world was created IN
the year 1904 g. c.. Is the margina! ammo
tation in the King James version OF the
Bible. The dates formed no part OF the
original documents or even OF the
Wyclif editions. but were placed there
by the venerable Archbishop Usher OF
Armagh in the year 1855, and represent
the crude scholarship Of the day. just as
the coarse passages illustrate the coarse
language of the early English times and
not the literature and habits OF the per-
iods in which the several books OF the
Old Testament were frs; written.
The age OF the world Is yet q secret.
Hundreds OF thousands OF years have
probably passed since the sun threw of
a neoulous ring such as those now en-
circiing Saturn and cast into space the
material for world the thistle filings
off the downy flaments which carry far
afield new and independent thistlez. Man
nfp pg1g 1f ho nsf h. n b-,r
hs is becoming more successful In determ-
ming the antiquity Of man.
Far OF in the dim vista OF . receding
past mans researches discern with in
creasing clearness the monuments OF
races whose civilization has died out,
which have carried with them secrets IN
alchemy and engineering. whose existence
Is only determined by results. and races
whose names have almost been forgotten.
If IL can be proved that race existed
1900 years before the Christian era. show
ing signs OF advanced knowledge. II Is
blu, rational conclusion that at least
1000 or 1900 years were needed TO develop
primitive man into the architect, artist
and engineer. That discovery has been
made
An arch OF burnt brick has been exca-
waited from the outlet OF drain under
thu foundations OF the temple OF Bel.
among the ruins OF the ancient city OF
Nippur. or Nuirar. as It Is now called
In the northern portion OF the Babylonian
plain. 1t is laid in clay mortar and is
aggf.ihcf tn ~arfa4 utthiu fou- xyaa of
the commonly accepted date OF crea-
ton Nppur IS the oldest city known,
and Bel the oldest temple. Once Il was
on the shore OF the ocean and a river
ran through the city. but now II IS
far inland place. The discovery OF s., 90
tablets in the neighborhood OF the temple
proves IL to have been library or arch
ives and they are being spelled out slow
~ by the most pains taking labor OF the
antiquarian. Much of the value of the
story Is lost by our want OF knowledge
OF the conditions to which the narratives
refer. but enough is ascertained to place
the earliest times far back OF what Is
known as the age OF Sargon. on1s the
first known epoch Of advanced civilization.
Sargon nourished $500 before Christ. but
these discoveries set the golden age OF
Bahylouian history back 1000 years, ana
yet leave untold the fascinating story OF
tina earlier man who hvfd and thought
and died IA the primitive condition when
he was first beginning 10 comprehend ths
resources OF the world in adding comfort
10 the necessities OF the savage and first
learning To mould the clay books v hich
ages afterward became a city. and 10
make signs upon the stones which should
one day form link between the recorder
and the searchsr separated by nigh 1o.pe0