The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-13
PETROLEUM IN MACCABEES.
Confirmation of the Accuracy of So
Called ApOcryphaI Writings.
New York Sun.

An interesting confirmation of the accu-
racy i'll practical matters of what are called
the apOcryphal Scriptures may be found in
a consideration of the modern uses CT pc
trOleum. One of the very earliest mentions
of this natural product is in the second
chapter of ii MaccabeeS, although HerOd-
otus is said to have referred to this rock
OIL about 200 years earlier The fact that
no commercial use of the oil was made does
not prove that the existence of it was I'M
known, for the existence of petroleum was
known in the United States for many years
previous 10 1883, when it first became COM
mercially important. If an enterpri3ing peo-
pie like the Americans allowed the oil to lie
INFESTED for half century or more it IS no
matter OF wonder that the people Of Persia
ignored its presence.
At all events the account in Apocrypha
has such stamp of truth about it that the
contempt of the distinguished commentator
Bishop WAGE, seems hardly warranted. The
history of the Maccabees is contained In five
books, of which the Protestant churches call
the first two only apocryphal. In Book 2,
Chapter l., Verse 49, we read
For when our fathers were led into Per-
STA, the priests that were then devout, took
tho fire of the altar privity and hid it in all
hollow place of a pit without water. where
they kept 1t sure, so that the place was un-
when it pleased God, Neemias being sent
from the King of Persia. did send of the
posterity of those priests that had hid it to
the fire; but when they told us they found
no fire, but thick water.
Then commanded he them to draw it up
and to bring it; and when their sacrifices
priests to sprinkle the wood and the things
laid thereon with the water. When this was
done and the time came that the sun shone
which afore was hid in the cloud, there was
a great fire kinded, so that every man mar
veled.
And the priest made a prayer while the
sacrifice was consuming Now.
when the sacrifice was consumed Neemias
commanded the water that was left to be
poured on the great stones. When this was
done there was kindled flame but it was
consumed by the light that shined from the
altar. So when this matter was known il
was told the King of Persia that in the place
where the priests that were led away had
hid the fire there appeared water. and that
NeemiaS had purified the sacrifices there
with. Then the King, inclosing the place,
made it holy after he had tried the matter.
And Neemias called this thing naphthar
which is as much as to say cleansing. but
many men called IL nephi."
To one acquainted with the natural springs
from which petroleum flows in the pc
troleum regions it seems at least probable
that the thick water found where the
fire had been hid by the priests was petrol.
cum a spring of water that brought uI
petroleum To form thick scum over the
pool. For when the naturally produced Pc
troleum OF the present day is thrown over
wood 1t WILL as every petroleum producer
knows, serve to make the wood burn more
fiercely. And then, to the great fire that
was kindled when the sun came out from
behind the cloud 1t is TO be REMEMBERED
that the thermometer rises TO more than
$40 degrees Fahrenheit in the direct rays OF
the sun on the plains of Persia, and that the
lighter parts of crude petroleum are infiam-
mable at that temperature. Moreover, the
priests may have used the sunglass, that