The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-11-27

| lean people, ana, 1or tn2t matter, the IN
now called Bins Nimrud. or Tower OF
| Nimrod. after a Nohanmedsn tradition.
| l visited it when N charge OF the Wolfe
| expedition, and photographs OF IL were
taken by our photographer. Mr.. ]. II.
! Haynes.
II was the Babylonian style TO build
| the temples in the form OF pyramids. IN
stages. the separate stages being in hon
| or Of different planetary gods. The
| Egyptian style Of enamelling the whole
face of the pyramid did not prevail in
Babylonia except in the earliest period
The extraordinary thing about the Birs
Nimrud tower is that while most OF it is
now reduced TO a rounded hill, the brick
OF the upper stage were in some great
conflagration melted together in a solid
vitrified mass, which has in some way
been broken. perhaps by lightning, and
1t is spill. from top to bottom, and pieces
weighing many tons have fallen to the
ground and lie about the base or have
rolled down the hill.
1 think it improbable that this was the
Tower Of Babel OF the Genesis writer.
That was more likely the much larger
pyramid temple, or Ziggurat, Of Babylon.
now called Babel, the measurements OF
which, taken from an old inscription.
were published by George Smith. It is
now an immense hill Of burnt bricks. re-
built by Nebuchadnezzar, and has long
been used as a quarry.
/ regard the story Of the Tower of
Babel, told in Genesis, as one Of the
most interesting religious folk lore tales
current among the Hebrews which has
been most happily preserved 20 Us by the
sacred writer. 1t is not to be taken as
veritable history. but as a religious story
one that has the same grand Inonotheis
tic character as the stories of the Crea-
ton and the Flood, with which II is asso-
oiated. and which was, like them, admir-
ably adapted for the religious instruc-
ton of the Hebrew people. Offering a
marvellous contrast to the puerile myths
os the surrounding nations.
No Babylonian counterpart to the
Genesis story OF the Tower Of Babel has
yet been found in the BaIoylonian monu-
ments, nor and reference to II, though
it Is likely TO burn UP at any time. One
supposed reference to il is the error OF
an early translator, before the inscrip-
ton could be correctly read The word
Babel comes not from a word meaning
confusion, but from the BaIbylonian
Bab-ilu, Gate OF Cod
DR.. Henry Mason Baum's views ars
as follows:
The account given in Genesis M., 19.
is orief historical record of an import |
emit event in the early history Of the
human race. There is nothing incredible.
in It. II was doubtless the first great ,
attempt at temple building. II was the
spirit OF pride that was checked by the
interpositfon OF the Almighty. And We
have reason to believe that the people
were already departing from the wor-
ship os the only true God
The part OF the account that seems
to De stumbling block 10 many is that
relating TO the multiplying Of tie Ian
guage. We have today the various Ian
guages Of the different races and the |
more ne study them TIE more We ara
convinced ahat they had common or
igin. All this would seem to agree with |
the starting point Only once has there |
been a like event in the history Of the |
world. an5 that was on the day Of Pen |
tecost IN Jerusalem, w.7en the reverse /
Of the confusion OF language took pace.
Those who believe the New Testament |
account Of the day of Pentacost must OF J
necessity believe the O.d Testament ac-
count OF Babel
While the fixing oS the exact location
OF the Tower OF Babel is imInaterial,
there is strong presumptive evidence in
favor o: the ruins of Birs-Nimrod "a
few miles from the ruins OF the royal
buildings ot Babylol) marking the site
OF the tower. II mas beer, according 20
Bsbyl0nian records. the ste % a temple
from the renotest antiquity. In this
respect IL is without a rival OF course,
the present ruins are OF the temple re-
built By the great NeouchaaneZz ~.
We shall have 10 accspc the story u
the Tower o. Babel as a true historical
record until something nzs been found
,iisyrovinz 4. The bu-ien % proof does
not lie with those who believe n t1e
Biblical statement, but with hose gA0
regard i a. legend.
To me the Only incredible .Iing IN
connection with the story - the attempt
of some writer's - he Bible 10 make
:; appear as a legend incorporated Into
the book % Genesis az late p-riod-
But our friends nave been 20 frelues-ly
buried Il Egypt and Ba5yionis by toe
spade % the excavE1o- that II is getting
ID 5e difficult f1r sce-n % keep tne.-
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