Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-02
PENDULUM OF INFlDELITY.

MCHdeolOBlCdl ItsedINh HaS pi""h"'
TO light wealth OF Information relating
10 the times of the sacred Scriptures.
Among the relies recently found In the
ruins Of Babylon are many dating, It is
believed, from the reign Of Belshazzar,
the BabylonIan ruler whose doom was
written on the wall of the palace. In
flaming letters, and who was slain after
night OF revelry and sin.
The very spot whore once stood the
palace OF Nebuchadnezzar and Rel
shazzar, is now being uncovered by Ger
man scientists Among the relics
found are the remnants OF the throne,
bits Of statuary, silver vases, gold
bracelets, earrings necklaces, and ivory
combs. All these relies show the high
grade Of civilization the Babylonans
had attained, Among the highly inter-
esting objects found are, what are sup
posed to be Belsha2sar's seal, his drink
Ing cup, bronze mirrors used by his
wives, lamps and articles Of furniture,
What Is still more interesting, II Is
thought probable that, as the work OF
excavation goes on, some Of the golden
vessels. carried away by the army Of
Nebuchadnezzar from the temple of
Solomon. may be found. For II will be
remembered that Belshazzar ordered
these once sacred vessels brought to
the banquet hall, that he and his guests
might drink off them, and undoubtedly
they were left when the jewellers had
10 flee In panic from the burning palace
1t Is interesting to notice the swing OF
the pendulum Of scientific opinion az
regards the value OF archaeology MS
evidence for the authenticity Of the
Scriptures At one time 1t was con-
tended that the Scriptures were not
worthy Of credence, because they were
not corroborated by secular records.
That was before archaeologlsts had
uncovered the testimony OF antiquity.
Then the research commenced, and
was well rewarded. As the sites Of the
ancient cities of Palestine, Egypt and
Babylonla were uncovered, the Bible
was confirmed II was even found that
I'm many instances the Bible writer's
were more reliable than the later pro-
fame authors. who were under the ne
cesslty Of relying largely ON tradition
For time II appeared as II skepticlsm
and unbelIef had been silenced for
ever, by the witnesses brought forth
from the very dust OF the earth.
But not no. Today the contention
Of inndellty is that the Plble II but
plagiarlzed from ancient records. II
Is no longer possible TO deny the COR
roboratlon Of the Bible by oontcmpor;
airy records and monuments. but 1t
Is still possible to say that IT. Is but an
evolution" OF preceding lower forms
OF religious literature, Inhdelity can
stlll maintain that It contains no
revelation" but that It's ethics It's
rites, It prophecies, are but adaptations
from the ages that preceded It That
Is virtually the position which Delitzsch
and others appear to take, Believers,
II viii be noticed were once challenged
to prove their claims by the testimony
OF archaeology They accepted that
challenge; the proofs were given, Then
they were told that the proofs de-
manded, instead OF sustaining The BIZ
bic rob It OF all It's divine splendor,
Archaeology, they now say Is not the
friend but the foe Of the divine claims
Of the Scriptures,
Can thoro be any greater inconss-
tency? The fact s that when the BIZ
bic IL compared with contemporary
records, II Is found to be In every es-
sential different from them, As has
been lately pointed out by writer on
this subject, the Babylonan accounts OF
the work Of creation and Of the deluge
are saturated with heather notions
about gods, and their relations to the
world and to mankind which stand out
in bold contrast to the lofty conception
Of God embodied In Genesis, This very
fact shows that Genesis Ia the older and
the more original report, although It
may not have been set down In writ
ten form by, or under the direction Of
Moses, until after the Babylonlan ac-
count had been impressed on the tab.
lets OF Babylon. The claim that the re-
llglous contents OF the Old Testament
are only the natural product Of mans
religious genius can not be supported.
Even II 1t should prove true, as De-
lltzsch claims, that the name "Jeho.
yah@ Is found In the cuneltorm liter
ature. that would only emphasize the
primitive purity OF the Semitic religion.
Actual facts do not prove an evolution