Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-05
E SCIENTIFIC WITNESS.


less paid special attention to the ex-
tended report, given in this paper OF
the very able and interesting lecture
which was delivered by Dean Penni-
man. of the University Of Pennsylya-
mia, on "The old Testament in the
Light Of the H. OF L. Excavations In
Babylonia." Among other instructive
explanations given By the learned
speaker Of occurrences related In the
Old Testament and confirmed by tab
let's and other relies recently uncov-
cred In the explorations at Nippur
the antiquity Of ancient civilizations
was very clearly portrayed and the
following remarks made by the speak
err are OF particular interest TO the Lat
ter-day Saints. lie said
Jerusalem was not a Jewish city un-
I'll several centuries after the occupa-
tion OF Palestine by the Hebrew ma
ton, and existed long before under the
name Of Salem--how far back Is not
yet known. He then referred TO Mel
chsedek whom the Scrlptural narra-
lineage or beginning or end Of days.
This has been hard to understand, but
II is now cleared up by the tabet or
cuneiform historical records which
show that this being without parent
age or days referred Ia Melchlsedek's
priesthood which WAS from everlasting
and does not refer to any such thing as
exemption from the ordinary procTe-
alive processes OF human kind
The language attributed 10 the writ
err OF the eplstle to the Hebrews that
Melchsedek, king OF Salem. priest Of
the Most High God, to whom Abraham
paid tlthlng, was:
without father, without mother.
without descent having neither begin
ming OF days nor end OF life, but made
like unto the Son Of God. abldeth
priest continually Heb. vii: 3.
That has been a source OF contro-
versy. or ut any rate OF mystery. for
many centuries. But the matter was
set at rest for those who received the
Gospel as restored through Joseph
Smith the Prophet. by the explanation
that the beginnlngless and endless
qualities spoken of, refer to tho Priest
hood held by Melchlsedek and not to
the Individual. That Is clearly set
forth IN the Book OF Mormon. which
was translated and published many
decades before the discoveries were
made Of the tablets mentioned by Or.
Penniman. The Book Of Mormon was
published In 1922 The following pas
sages are found on page 278 OF that
book:
This High Priesthood being after
the order Of His Son. which order was
from the foundation of the world; or
IN other world. being without begin
ming OF days or end Of years. being
prepared from eternity to all eternity
according to His foreknuwledge of all
things.
Yea, humble yourselves even as
the people In the days OF MelchIsedek
who was also high priest after this
same order Of which ! have spoken
who also took upon him the high
priesthood for ever.
An account Is also given Of the man
ner I'm which Melchisedek established
peace In the land OF Salem which en-
titled him 10 the name of the 'Prince
Of Peace" and it Is added
''Now there were many before him
md also there We're many afterwards,
but none were greater therefore Of
him they have more particularly made
mention"
IT Is further explained that Mel
chisedek was king Of Salem and in
hcritcd the throne from his father,
Now 1t Is remarkable that the tablets
obtained by the excavators recently,
made from burnt clay I'm the timo OF
Abraham establish the truth Of that
which we have quoted from the Book
Of Mormon. and understood by be-
levers In that work ever since tho
Church Of Jesus christ Of Latter-day
Saints was organized The PRIEST
hood held by Melchlsedek was greater
than that given 10 Aaron IN the time
OF Moses, the latter being but an APP
penduge to the higher II was called
the Melchlsedek Priesthood. because
Melchisedek was q most remarkable
possessor Of that authority, as Aaron
was Of the lesser Priesthood which
was called after his name aud that Of
Levi.
This IS all explained In section lo7
OF the Doctrine and Covenants, and we
refer 10 It now to show that the in
teresting point brought forth by SCI
ence in the beginning Of the twentieth
century, was FIRST made known IN these
latter times by tho Prophet Joseph
Smith In the early part OF the nine
teenth century Thus. discoveries on
the Eastern hemisphere, as we'll as ON
this Western continent contribute "a
the testimony in favor OF the truth OF
the Book OF Mormon.