Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-01-24

AOuS customs IldI pTeFdlieu DIS lOuS
ago as 1000 B. C. survive to the pres
ant day in the practice of astrology,
chronology, clairvoyancy and the in
expectation of dreams has been
brought to light by DIR. Morris Jas
row, Jr., of the University of Penn
sylvania, who returned recently after
4 summer spent abroad making re-
searches into the religions of the an
Gent Assyrians and Babylonians, says
he Philadelphia Ledger. DR.. Jastrow,
Incidentally, has disclosed some inter-
,.sting data about the ancients, and
ihows in his Interpretation of the clay
f..blets of Nineveh that the people of
that period accepted as religious truth
that science today brands as super
ftition.
The divination of events to come
sormed a great part of the religion
Of the ancients, and in their accom-
alishment of this end they employed
many objects and adopted numerous
strange customs. Among the objects
considered the most dependable in the
'iivination of the future were the liver
Of the sacrifical animal, bowl con-
tanning water and oil, dogs, serpents
and the observation of tine sun, moon
and planets. The rites of divination
we're sacred, and formed part of the
raining of the priests. Occurrences
N the lives of the royal family also
we're considered to be fraught with
meaning, and from these predictions
we're made as to the future fate of the
country.
At Work for Year.
Il have been at work for the last
year and half on the divination texts
Of Babyionia and Assyria," said DIR.
Jastrow, "and the material which l
have had at my disposal has been,
with few exceptions, from the Great
Royal Library of ancient Nineveh,
where it was placed by the Assyrian
King Ashurbanapal, who ruled from
626 to COG B. C.
The desire to foretell the future
was natural one, as 1t was an i'm
Polling factor in all ancient religions,
giving rise to special classes of pro-
phets and seers, supposed to be en-
dowed with special powers. The same
desire for divination continues to play
a part in life. The chief of our sig
nal service at Washington is but the
logical and more practical successor of
the astrologers, clairvoyants and
phrenologists still carry on their re-
spective trades, using methods not
unlike those which formed a part of
the equipment of the ancient Babylon
ian priest. The publishers of dream
books continue to reap a profit upon
many of the interpretations set forth
in the days before Christ, and many
persons living in the present day
doubtless accept such interpretations
quite seriously.
Read Future In Lambs Liver.
Under the class designated as
omens the most important feature
is that which is represented with the
texts which deal with the inspection
of the sacrificial animal Before en-
gaging in battle with a hostile nation
or tribe. in instances of serious ILL
ness and before entering upon any I'M
dertaking of Importance, the priests
of the temple were consulted, and an
animal; usually a sheep or lamb, was
selected to be offered as a sacrifice to
the gods. The liver of this animal
was subsequently removed, and,
through careful inspection of this or
gan, the future was read.
THE selection of the liver of the
sacrificial animal for this inspection
was because of the belief that had pre-
vailed throughout antiquity, that the
liver was the seat Of the soul. Ac-
cording to the accepted belief of the
period the liver represented the divine
part Of the animal.
"A long gall bladder was interpret
ed as pointing to length of days. II
any of the markings on the liver re-
sembled a weapon of any character
the consequence was thought to be
war. II the marking occurred on the
right side a favorable outcome was
prognosticated. while If 1t occurred on
the left side the result was supposed
to prove disastrous.
Some Official Recipes.
CAS- a specimen of the official re-
cipe for divination of this character
may be mentioned the following, as re-
corded by the scribes of Nabonidus,
the last king of Babylonia, who ruled
from 555 to 539 B. c.:
IF the systic duct is double on the
liver, the king also will be long"
" If the hepatic duct is double on
the right side, the gods will assist the
king in his rulership.'
" If the left side Of the gall blad-
der is tight, the enemy Of the king
will be crushed
" If the gall bladder is tight on the
right side, and loose on the left, the
kings army is safe and the enemy
will be defeated
" II the upper lobe is in good con-
dition, the one bringing the sacrifice
will be fortunate
"A gall bladder swollen on the left
side, marked on the left, short systic
duct, and hole in the right lobe, were
regarded as bad signs, and augured iii
for the one Offering the sacrifice.
s"This form of diyining the future