The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-26

date of the era of creation, the year 2794 from the creation being given as the date of the death of Moses, and from that year starts the new caicu- lation of the jubilee. That Dr. Caster explained, was omitted from the Bible.
 It then describes how Joshua was commanded to proceed to the entry of the Promised Land. Joshua ordered the counting of the people, which also did not appear in the Bible.
 Then 1t states that the spies went to Jericho and on their return gave a report to Joshua and the High Priest Eleazar. They crossed the Jordan. preceded by the ark. ard put up the stones in Gilgal but there was no mention of the "reproach of Egypt A new story Is given of the sin of Achaan. This differs from the Bible acvount. In the latter Achan is stat ed to have stolen a mantle According to the new book he stole a golden idol from temple and his guilt was discovered by the stones on the breast piece or the High Priest getting dim ana losing their luster when the name or the guilty man was pronounced The story of the strategem of the capture Of Al Is related, but no men ton IS made of Joshua holding up the lance. The Bible, by the way. says that Joshua sent 10000 men against Al. whereas the new book says that he sent only 5000,
 In the fight with the combined told in the Samaritan version of Iosb, uas Invocation to the sun to stand seiii on Gideon and the moon in the valley of Ajalon. The history pro- ceeded, said Dr. Caster; on the same lines as the Bible until the division of tne land among the nine tribes and a One of the most interesting stories In the book describes how Joshua was saved before Jericho The version goes that the two and a half tribes returned beyond the Jordan with King Nobah appointed over them. Joshua was at tackled ny King Srebach. and his army trapped or encircled by seven walls of Iron made by the wizards and en- chanters in the service of Shebach
 Joshua prayed to God A dove came to him; he tied a letter to it's wings, and 1t bore the message to King Mo- bah. who. with his tribes, came to Joshua's resc Ie. The priest Phlneas blew a trumpet once, the walls fell down. and Joshua defeated Shobach
 Many of the points wherein the Sa- maritan text differed from the Bible were found also in Josephus. and also l nothcr Jewish rabbinical writings, a further proof that Josephus did not fn- vent the legends as he was supposed 10 have donc. The original of ths newly-recovered Hebrew version, Dr (. Caster said. must have been composed at least kv9 years before Christ
 pr. Caster. chief rabbi of the Span- ish and Poriugeee Jews In England. has been closely connected with the Samaritans for many years. and when in Samarja had free access to theis libraries While he was visiting Nablus last year the High Priest gave him a manuscript which proved to be chron. icle or brief history of the Samaritans from the entry of the Children of Is- rael into Palestine under Joshua up to the present time. From the verger he received another manuscript, almost identical with that which the High Priest had given him.
 At first he did not pay much atten- ton to 1t. but a careful examination convinced him that 1t was an authentic copy of the old Hebrew original It must he considers. have been regarded d by the Samaritans as a book of au- thority for the calendar started from the indications in 1t. It could not have been translated from the Greek, be- cause it agreed entirely with the He- brew, while the Knowledge of the He- brew language among modern Samart- tans is very limited.