The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-02-28
OPHlR Is FOUND,
SAYS DR.. PETERS.
Land o. Coils Where SolomNn
and David Cot Riches is in South.
ern Africa.

Dr. Carl refers, so well known In
connection with the opening up
OF Africa. has started on a lecturlng
tour in Germany with two objects in
view-frst. 10 win recruits 10 the
cause of German expansion In the
Dark Continent; second, 20 prove
that he has found the famous gold
land of Ophir.
The reader who has forgotten
where the word "Ophir" occurs will
find II in the Biblical books OF Kings
and Chronicles. One thousand years
before Christ King David and the
ships which brought back from thence
gold and precious stones. ivory and
valuable timber, which these magnifi-
cent rulers employed in building
their gorgeous temples and palaces.
Peters began 10 think OF this sub
tect after he had discovered an old
Flemish man of the eighteenth GEN.
tury on which he saw the word
"Ophir" printed across one Of the
least known districts OF Southern
Central Africa. The first thing that
struck him was the similarity Of the
names Africa and Ophir. There was
first the Arabic word Afr (Ophir)
which when Latinized became Afer.
1t was an easy transition from Afer
10 Africa. He thought further and
deeper and began 10 read Christian
tradition. All pointed TO South
Africa.
The ancient literature he read
made Peters also acquainted with
the fact that at all ages since Solo,
mons time Ophir had been sought
in numerous parts Of the world-in
Arabia, Persia. Mesopotamia. India:
II had even been sought in America
and there are ancient Spanish records
which state that among the early con-
quistadores of Peru and Mexico were
found not only Ell Dorado but Ophir
as well.
Suddenly II occurred 10 Peters
that the famous gold land must be in
the neighborhood Of Simbabie in
Southeast Africa. 1t was an inspira-
ton.
He was attacked for this belief
and theologians and others with a
different theory cast on him the re-
proach that he was not a Semitic
scholar.
But he maintained that he was
right. The ships Of Solomon, he
said. passed through the Red Sea and
skirted the coast Of Africa until they
arrived at their port. And they GER
tainly must have brought back mil.
lions in gold. 1t might not have been
enough 10 satisfy the nav OF America
In the present crisis, but for those re-
mote days il must have been extraor-
dinarv.
Only Africa could have produced
that quantity OF gold. Arabia end
India have never produced gold in re-
markable quantities.
In his description OF the Zambesi
territory Peters SAYS he has seen in
Vulnerable traces which compel him
to believe that there and nowhere
else was the land of Ophir. Forsaken
mines by the score are there, and no
less than 1000 places where gold
has been dug at depths OF from thirty
10 forty feet. Ruins OF towns and vii.
lagos, remains of temples and palaces
speak eloquently of the past glories
OF the region.
They point, moreover, to Phoeni-
clan origin. Mighty terraces and
towers raised by the hand OF man are
still traceable. These builders were
certainly of a race SUPERIOR 10 the
negro. One still finds in the graves
remnants Of things which point to the
worship OF Baal.
But Peters weightiest argument is
that in the Septuagint translation OF
the Bible Ophir is called Sofala. and
the Arabs TO the present day call the
yZambesi district indifferently Sofala
and the land of gold. New York
World.