El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-30

HHE recent discovery of an ancient
tablet confirming the Bible story
of the deluge has been welcomed
by those orthodox Christians and Jews
who have faith in the historical aecu-
racy of the old testament as further
justification of their stand against that
form of higher criticism which denies
or doubts nearly all of the ancient hero
tales of the Hebrews.
The translation of the deluge tablet
by Dr. Helprecht of the university of
Pennsylvania is regarded as long step
forward in the campaign of .archeolog-
zeal research that is being carried for
ward with such rich fruitage in Egypt
and the Holy Land. Orthodoxy points
out that it is remarkable coincidence
that when higher criticism seemed to be
most successful in attacking the truth
Of the Bible, the strongest kind OF evil
dence should be forthcoming in vindica-
ton of its historical accuracy.
Systematic Research.
The 18th century marked the begin
ming of the systematic archaeological re-
search and pathological study which re-
suited in the higher criticism" and
which also is now being used by the
faithful to refute all doubts and criti-
cisms Beginning with the finding OF
the Rosetta stone by Napoleon's expe-
dition to Egypt and coming down to the
present day there have been many dis
coveries and translatiOns Of hitherto
unknown and unreliable documents and
monuments which bear out and confirm
Bible history.
The higher critics, some of them de-
structive and some OF them processing
to be constructive, have based much OF
their criticism upon archaeological work.
also, but the orthodox believers now
claim to have the better of the contest.
The record of triumph of research to
the credit of the believers in the Bible
is a long one. For instance, the critics
attack the 14th chapter of Genesis, say
ing that the Battle Of the Kings therein
celebrated was no more than myth in
vented to glorify the reputation Of
Abran- But the archeologist has found
tablets of that time which practically
bear out the. story in all its Details. Ur
of the Chaldees was but d mythical city,
said the critics. But the psychologists
have located that ancient city which was
the birthplace of the Patriarch.
Mysteries of Egypt.
When the 18th century began not a
word of the inscriptions of the temples
and monuments of Egypt and Assyria
could be read Then came the discovery
of the Rosetta stone with It's inscrip-
ton in three languages which afforded
the key to unlock the mysteries Of
Egypt The hieroglyphics were decipher-
ed, the language was learned and the
whole story of the political and social
life of ancient Egypt was retold to man
kind after 1000 years Of silence.
Even more wonderful is the story Of
the opening UP of the mysteries Of Baby
lon and Assyria. On the great rock of
Beheston, over 1000 years ago, Darius
caused to be inscribed in three Ian
guages the record of his triumphs. This
ton is 800 feet above the base
In 1916. Mai. Henry Rawlinson, a
British army officer. climbed up to this
inscription and copied 1t, thereafter
publishing complete translation.
Later the mounds of dust which cover
ed the ancient sites of the cities Of
Babylon and Nineveh, were located. and
they gave up the secrets of the past
By aid of the Rawlinson discovery the
entire language became known, its
grammar reconstructed and its records
made available Since that time thou
sands of inscriptions have been trans
lated, and the Orthodox claim that this
application of the acid test Of archeol-
ogy has proved the Bible story to be
made of the pure gold of truth.
Riddles of the Past.
The layman has little notion OF the
vast sums Of money and the great
amount of patient toll being expended
to read the riddles of the past. nor has
he any adequate knowledge of the great
results that have rewarded this ex-
penditure Of means and pains King
Edward and emperor William have
taken great interest in the work. the
British monarch as the patron of the
Palestine exploration fund and the Ger
man kaiser as the finincial hacker of
the German researches in Mesopotamia.
The United States does not lag be-
hand, there being a dozen American
societies constantly engaged in the
work
The recent discoveries on the Nile
Island of Elephantine, consisting of
papyri deposited in the British museum.
have added no mean testimony to the
truth Of the scriptures Many Biblical
critics have insisted that the Book 9
or Nehemiah and Ezra were more or less
apochryphal.
The Elephantine inscriptions. accord
Ing to learned Psychologists. dissipa te
these doubts by most forceful evidence.
Tney are said to show that the kings
OF Judea sold their subjects to the Eeynt-
lans Tor warriors. taking horses for
their own use in exchange The Book Of
Ahikam, hitherto known only by name
Is proved to have actually existed and
many extracts from it were foupd in
the Elephantine papyrf
In the excavations at Memphis the
palace or Aperies, the Pharoah Honhrs
granite and porphyry, is from & to