The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-07-06
STORY OF JONAH

VtVut VI JVuVUU
- ~
Professor Paul Haupt Comes to
the Rescue With Proof
That the Much-Debated Bible
Narrative Was Right.
Science has come to the rescue Of
Jonah. Science and the higher criti-
cism have been severely denounced by
those who pin their faith to literal
reading of the Bible, but now science
comes forward. in the person of Pro-
lessor Paul Haupt of the Johns Hop
kins University TO prove that the
much debated Bible narrative was
right.
The story Of Jonah and the whale
has always been one of the favorite
subjects Of those who would like to
prove that the Bible stories were
myths. They have pointed out that
there are no whales in the Mediter-
ranean, and never have been, and
that the whales gullet was so small
it could not swallow potato, much
less a man. Professor Haupt presents
conclusive evidence not only of the
presence Of whales in the Mediter-
ranean in Jonah's time, and also of
their ability to. swallow the prophet
whole.
More important still, he shows that
whale was the only vehicle Jonah
could have employed in those times
to travel in three days from Joppa,
where he was thrown overheard, to
Alexandrietta, where he was cast
ashore.
1t would have taken two weeks for
such journey to have been performed
by travelling overland on horseback. A
ship would have taken longer than
three days to. have made the voyage
from Joppa to Alexandrietta, because
at that. time ships sailed only in day.
time. always casting anchor at night
Here is Professor Paul Haupts
statement: ..
Four years ago remarked that a
competent archaeoogist must have
more than a bowling acquaintance with
all branches Of science. His philologi-
cal equipment enables him merely to
read the records of the past: but even
the translation Of an ordinary histori-
cal text presupposes a large amount
of knowledge, not only of philology,
history, chronology, geography, eth
nology. but also zoology, botany and
mineralogy.
pointed out some conclusions ]
had reached on the basis of minera-
logical considerations. with regard tc
two Important Apfobiems in archaeology
king Solonot's mines and Alexan-
der the Greats expedition to the East
Acting. on the same basis, have
reached other conclusions concerning
another geological problem. namely
I'Jonah's whale. We all know Jonah
the prophet, was commanded to go to
the East to preach repentance in Nine
| yah. but he boarded a. vessel at Joppa
and tried to go west instead. to Tar
shish,, in southern Spain. The Bible
tells us he was thrown overheard and
swallowed by whale, which vomited
him out again after three days and
| three nights, alive and we'll.
1t has been repeatedly pointed out
that whale could not swallow a man
and that even if he did. no man could
live for three days inside of such ar
| animal.
George A. Smith pref1xes to his re.
marks on the Book Of Jonah in the
"Expositors Bible' the statement:
"And this is the. tragedy of the Book
of Jonah, that a book which is made
the means of one Of the most sublime
revelations Of truth in the Old Tesla.
ment should be known to most only fol-
its connection With a whale"
The original text speaks only Of E
great fish. The popular conception
that Jonah was swallowed by a whale
is based on Matthew xii. 40. Jesu:
says: can evil generation seekett
after a sign: and there shall be nc
sign given to it but the sign of the
Prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was
three days and three nights in the
whales belly, so shall the Son Of Mar
be three days and three nights in the
heart Of the earth. The men of Nine.
yah shall rise in judgment with .thi!
generation. and shall condemn it.; be.
cause they repented at the preaching
of Jonah; and behold greater thar
Jonah is here.