The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-28
Dean Penniman, Pennsylvania
University, Lectured on Sa-
cred Book Last Night.
INTERESTING EXPLANATION
EXCAVATIONS in BABYL0NlA
Audience Was a Large One and
Lecturer Accorded Pro-
found Attention.

Intensely interesting, more especially
to the archueologst and biblical student
was the lecture given by DR.. Pcnniman'
deon OF the college department of the
University of Pennsylvania, in the audi
torium OF the Free Public library Monday
night. The subject WAS an entertaining
one. Tho Old Testament In the Light OF
the University OF Pennsylvania EScaVa-
tl0nS In Babylonia." The audience was a
large and fashonabl. one, and the dis
tinguishcd lecturer was accorded pro-
found attention.
History of Our Race.
DIT PennIman. after referring 70 the fact
that the people of the old Testament
were an intensely human people, said;
The excavations that have been made
in the Nineteenth century and are Stlll
in process OF being made In Egypt Pal
estIne and In that great land called Baby
lonla, result In giving us interesting In
formation concerning the history OF the
human race during periods which we ohly
think OF as exceedingly remote but
which. In the light OF the human inter
est of the inscriptions seem TO us singu-
larry close.
Old Testament Modern Book.
THE Old Testament is considered by
many as belonging TO an indefinite
period said the lecturer, but the old
Testament Is In many respects to be re
gardcd as a comparatively modern book.
We do not know the date OF the crca-
tion,' he said. but We do knew that
man existed on the earth long before
that represented as the biblical date iUOi
h. g. But a few years ago the tenth
and eleventh chapters OF Genesis was oil
we knew OF the periods previous, but re
searches have enlightened us on many
things. Excavation shows the existence
OF many large, populous and highly civil
ICED cities long before the time the call
came TO Abraham to be the founder or
the faithful. Abraham came before us at
a period when the world had reached a
high degree Of civilization
Deals Chiefly With Jews.
Continuing Dr. Penniman said: The
old Testament deals chiefly with the
jews, and only incidentally with other
nations. They found in the records OF
other nations mention OF the Hebrews
only just as there was n contact between
statement OF the Old Testament CON
hrmed by Assyrian Kings, and vice versa.
As matter OF fact a good many dis
crcpancies disappear In the light Of
fuller knowledge. Many OF those men
toned in Genesis have been recorded
as myths. Their names arc now found In
Old Testament was transcript OF a
transcript. and no one knows how far
back the transcript goes"
Book With Special Purpose.
The lecturer then gave an exhaustive
review of tho ancient peoples their lead
ers, conditions and general habits He
explained the hierarchial system OF Gov
ernment. and the monuments which
throw light on the Old Testament MIN
rod he described not as a mighty hunter.
but rs a great political power. The tow
er OF Babel described Us reaching up to
heaven. was corrected by the speaker as
being an eXtTnVagunt Orientallsm, just
as much hyperbole is the description
"skyscraper" OF today The Old Testa-
mcnt Is a book with a special purpose"
said the speaker. and 1t Is not believed
10 be universal history. Behind II must
be placed the records as they are found
from time to time OF what happened be
fore In remote antiquity"
Dr. Pennlman. continuing, detailed in
full the excavations being pursued, de-
scribng how one city superposed upon
another was discovered. The records and
the mode in which they were made and
the translatlng were described. The lee
turer had with him on the stand two tab
let's, one of the time OF Abraham and
the other contcmpoTancous with Moses
both relating to business transactions
which he read. He also said that they
had in the museum at Philadelphia N rec
ord which related the trial OF a city on
cial for delinquencies in duty In CON
vations do not give parallel accounts OF
all Bible things. but where they do they
are wonderfully correct In corroboration
OF the Old Testament"
Banquet at University Club.
Dean Pennman visited the Latter-day
Saints university Monday morning and
briefly addressed the students After the
lecture Monday evening the dean was In
formally entertained TT a banquet In the
University club. given by the Pennsyl-
vania Alumni Association Of Utah