Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-26

The Ten Lost Tribes.

me Zen LOST lEtbtSs
To he Editor OF The Journal.
Ia ny communication on this subject
which appeared in The Journal of June Is
I showed that Mr.. George Wilson'S inter
probation of the name Israel was contrary
TO the authority he adduced in his favor,
viz, philoIogy. But II the meaning given
by him to Israel was f~anciful, his inter-
probation of Elohim God, and Yahaveh
Ocrd or Jehovah) is the very antipodes
of their true Specification.
God in Hebrew is FL or Eloah, singular,
and Elohim, plural. Its etymology is adj
mittedly involved. and its true root mean
ing not fully known, perhaps. Still, what
concerns us is not so much its etymologi-
cal Specification as the meaning attached
to, and the application OF, the term by the
Hebrew writer's. And on this head there
is little doubt among scholars. 1t is adj
mitted that as a verb FL means to inter
pose, or intervene, by the exercise Of au-
thoritative power, as in the case of Saul
] Samuel xiv. "a. As a particle oeiOre
verbs il also signifies nterposltion, or pre-
vention. II is sometimes Joined by yad'
hard. as the symbol of power. Heathen
nations worshiped the heavens, the source
Of all power so far as earth is concerned,
under the name of FL. Applied TO the true
God it expresses His omniscience as well
as His omnipotence, and of His dwelling
as above all gods Gen. Xiv;-lS; Ig)-God
LlDEA lAHh AAAbA AAN 10
one wishing TO have a clear conception OF
its meaning will do well to consult Dr.
William Smiths dictionary of the Bible on
the subject. The popularity of Elohim Is
that though It Is a plural noun, 1t Is gem
orally used with a singular verb when
speaking of God. This proves, ACCORDING
TO some scholars. that in the Godhead
there is a plurality OF persons, implied III
the noun, and a unity of substance,
expressed by the verb1"A Trinity n
Unity" in fact. l should like to know Mr..
George Wilson's view on this important
point. The second meaning OF the WORD
is that the plural form, Elohim, Is used 10
denote the sum of all the powers of ma
ture, actual or potential. as resident in the
Divine Being. Undoubtedly the Hebrew
conception of God CElohim( was mat OF
omEipotence. The opening words OF Gen.
IL. plainly show this. They are Bereshith
Din the beginning bara (created) Elohim
(GodD
the calling Of matter into existence out
of nothing. or the elaboration OF a pre-
existing ethereal matter into its present
elemental state, or the evolution OF sys-
tens out of nebulae, such as Is now prop
ably going on I'm the milky way ana otner
parts of the universe, We are OF necessary
forced to admit the exercise Of power that
passes human thought. Go through every
verse from the first in chapter 1 10 the
third in chapter ii of Genesis, ana the one
prominent idea in the successive acts OF
creation ever present to the mind is Ihe
exercise and manifestation OF power. Inc
act of creation. the production OF nshI
the disposition of land and seas, the form
alton of sun. moon and stars, the gener-
alton. evolution and distribution OF lie,
till man appears. the wonder ana gl0ry
Of the universe as Darwin expresses 1t
All bring God before the mental view as
the Cod of power. Such was the view OF
the Hebrews, such. was the view OF moses
aticn: and such must be our view, II We
would have a right conception OF the
Now. contrast this Biblical view with that
az Mr. Wilson: THE religion of II was
an optimistic one. He was the father OF
ali life. 1t is the religion. Of happiness;
Of ontim;sm. Of the love Of life: that all
creation is good that man and woman
3 are made for each other and their highest
and most blessed office is TO reproduce their
own kind. and fiji the earth with them
Now. on what authority does Mr.. wilson
make that statementE he Is 4 WelL-rtad
man. and I should be glad to see hin for
tify his assertion by some respectable au-
thority. But, as 3 matter of fact. there Is
not a single word in the whole. thirty-four
verses of the narrative which bespeaks
God as the father of life"-that Is not in
timated till the fourth verse OF chapter IL
nor Is there a single reference IN the whole
account OF creation to a religion OF OPP
timism,' or any other kind Of religion.
God Is the AUTHORIZATIONS In His rela-
tions TO life, as In His relations to matter.
In another paper. I shall have pleasure in
presenting hat aspect OF the suhject-God's
power in the sevenfold manifestations OF
iife-if YOU can spare the space.
Now. let us turn our attention to the
name Jehovah" translated Lord, in the
EnEllNn NFLHAOl- buA - ~ iAtAiAiAAllalN Z
marks upon the spelling Of Gods sacred
proper name may be useful to the general
reader. Subsequent 10 the Babylonish exile.
hut prior TO the translation of the Hebrew
Scriptures into the Greek Septuagint. there
arose a superstitious objection among the
Jews to p~ronouncing the proper name of
cod Instead. therefore, of the name Yah
veh they used the word Adonai or
Lord. Then, instead OF its own proper
vowel points, Yahveh had the vowel points
of Adonai read into II. the result being
Ychovah. Then the Germans. responsible
For so many errors besides. spelled the word
with an initial J. but q Y pronunciation
and the English. adopting the German
spelling, but p~ronouncing the initial let
O. Ter according 10 its sound in their own
sInbabet. Produced the altogether faulty
ana wrong pronunciation. Jehovah. This
IS only an instance Of how English speaking
paople emphasize and propagate other Ger
man errors. especially In theology.
Yahaveh Jehovah, Lord, is made M OF
two words, Yah and Haven. Yah is some
times used for Cod name. and Is consider
ed 10 refer to the divine essence, or unity
OF substance of the Godhead. In COM
bination with other syllahles to produce a
now word. il is simply represented as Y
1Yod). as in Nisrael. as pointed out in my
previous communication. Haven. the sec
oud syllable in Nahaveh. means life. As A
verb Il IS rendered to be. 10 subsist. TO
continue. and as a noun, being. existence.
ing necessarily existing Of and from him
SELF (Spearman. Parkhurst. etc.) on the
authority of Tregelles twhere is there a
hGtterQ we can say: "Yahaveh. the name