The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-09-30

Inc CreaClOn OIL Lue
world, and also the effect of these in
scrlptlons upon the Bible. In many
respects these tablets corroborate the
hebrew account, as contained in the
Bible, but in others they give an entire
~ new version, and bring forth many
fresh and important facts. The tablets
were found under the ruins of the great
palace of Sennacherib by Professor
smith, the famous English Assyriolo-
glst, where they had lain hidden from
the sight of man, for more than two
thousand years.
Sennacherib sent messengers and
copylsts to all parts of the world to
gather up the important documents
bearing upon the origin Of the world,
the birth of man and the deluge.
These were brought to the palace in
Inc great chambers built especially to
preserve them. Some of these mes
sengers were sent to the then ancient
city of Borsippa, in Babylonia, where,
IN the Temple of Nebo, they found
wonderful tablets relating to the crea-
ton, which were supposed to have
ceen written about $500 B. G. These
tablets were written in the cuneiform
language and were even then in a
somewhat mutilated state
Six of these tablets have now been
recovered. On one point namely, the
creation of the sun, moon and stars
they give a radically different account
to that contained in the Old Testament.
they place the order as follows: First,
the stars; second, the zodiac; then the
seasons, the equinoxes,. the solstices,
the night, the month, the day, and
last, the sun. In the Bible this order
Is just reversed, the Hebrew account
giving it as follows: First, the sun,
second, the day; then the moon; the
night, and, last, the stars
The six tablets were probably writ
ten in a uniform order, each contain
Ing the story where the other left it
on. AS nearly as can be determined,
they were written in the following or
der:
Tablet description of the Pre-Crea-
tive State and the First Day.
Tablet 2-The creation of Light and
/ the war between light and dark
ness.
Tablet 3-The victory of the former,
and the separation of Heaven and
Earth; the Punishment of the
Dragon of Chaos to the depths of
the underworld.
Tablet 4-The Creation of the Earth
and Vegetation
Tablet 5-The Creation and the Order
ing of the Heavenly Bodies.
Tablet 6-The Creation of Cattle and
Creeping Things and the Creation
of Man.
The First Tablet.
The portion of the first tablet that
has been deciphered reads:
AT that time, on high, the heavens
were unnamed.
2-Below, on the wide earth, a name
was not recorded.
orator.
1.-The chaotic sea was the bearing
mother of them all.
5-Their: waters, as one, were folded
together.
6-The corn field was unharvested: the
: pasture had not sprung up
7-When as yet the gods had not come
forth any of them.
ga name was not recorded: order did
not exist.
9-Then there were made the great
~ gods.
11-Until they spread.
12-Far extended were the days. until
the gods An-Sar and Ki-Sar were
made.
13-The god Anu.
The numerals at the left Indicate
the lines as they were inscribed upon
the tablet.
The tablets then go on to tell that
the great serpent of chaos and night
was slain. The imprisoned earth was
released and divided from the heavens.
and three great gods came forth to as
sumo the government of it. The first
of the three gods was named Anu. and
bore the title of Father of all the
Gods The second was called Bel.
and he performed the duties of guar
dian of the country. He was the es-
tablisher of riches, wealth and posses
sions. and also lord of the mountains.
The third god was named Ea. He was
the lord of the ocean; the protector of
good men; the lord of the house of
knowledge; the lord of the far-seeing
eye; the lord who knows all things.
The tablet relating to the creation OF
animal life and Of man is very much
mutilated. The portion of it that has
been deciphered, however, compares
with the sixth day in the Hebrew ac-
count and tells of the creation Of cattle
and creeping things. The lines read:
When the gods in their assembly
had created great beasts.
They made perfect the mighty
monsters. s.
They caused the living creatures
to come forth.
THE cattle of the field, the wild
beasts Of the field and the creeping
things.
Sd For the living creatures.
s38 6-T-,- Garlic and the creeninu things