Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-31
Some Things You Want to Know
Archaeological Research.

Wte recent discovery Of an ancient tablet
eonfrhing the Bible story OF the delugo !
pas been welcomed by those orthodox
Christians and Jews who have faith In the
Historical accuracy OF the old Testament
rs further Justification OF their stand
against that form Of higher criticism
which denies or doubts nearly all OF the
Yancient hero tales Of the Hebrews The
translation OF the deluge tablet by DR..
HeIprecht Of the University OF Pennsyl-
vaniR Is regarded a long step forward
In the campaign OF archaeological research
thai is being carried forward with such
q. rich frJtltage in Egypt and the Holy Land.
rU,fthodoxy points out that It is a remark
ablA coincidence that when higher criticism
seeAied to be most successful in attacking
the truth OF the Bible, the strongest kind
of evidence should be forthcoming in vim
dication of its historical accuracy.
The nineteenth century has marked the
beginning OF the systematic archaeological
research and philosophical study which TO
suited in the higher criticism" and which
also Is now being used by the faithful to
, refute all doubts and criticisms. Beginning
with the finding Of the Rosetta Stone by
Napoleon's expedition to Egypt, and com
ing down to the present day, there have
been many discoveries and translations Of
hitherto unknown and unreadable docu-
ments ana monuments which bear out and
confirm Bible history. The higher critics
some of them destructive and some Of
them protesting TO be constructive, have
based much OF their criticism upon arch
eoiogical work, also. but the orthodox be-
lievers now claim to have the better OF
me contest
y Ghs record OF triumphs OF research to
I IA epadit q the believers in the Bible is a
scA1 on& For instance. the critics attack
" tn Ggugta1nth chapter of Genesis, saying
that elWshuiaaaI q thsr iEiREs -thsrsin cele-
\ brated ~as - more thafiya myth invented
p 20 glorify the eepptation OF Abraham But
the archeologist has found tablets OF that
time which practically bear out the story
in all It's details ur Of the chaldees was
but . mythical city, said the critics. But
the areheoiogists have located that ancient
city wtiicn was the birthplace of the
patriarch.
When the nineteenth century beEan 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 its inscription in three
languages. which afforded the key to un-
lock the mysteries OF Egypt The hIero-
glyphics were deciphered. the language was
learned and the whole story of the political
and social life OF ancient Egypt was retold
70 mankind after 1000 years OF silence.
Even more wonderful is the story OF the
.pening up OF the mysteries of Babylon
and Assyria. ON the great rock Of Behes-
ton, over 20OO years ago. Darius caused to
he Inscribed IN three languages the record
Of his triumphs. This rock IS 100 feet
high and the inscription is 800 feet above
the base In 1886 Major Henry Rawlinson,
a British army officer, climbed up to this
Inscription and copied II, thereafter pub
fishing a complete translation. Later the
mounds OF dust which covered the ancient
sikes OF the cities OF Babylon and Nineveh
ere located, and they gave up the secrets
e.f the paAt. By aid Of the Rawlinson dis
- sovery the entire language became known.
dts grammar reconstructed and its records
made available. Since that time thousands
o. inscriptions have been translated and
the orthodox claim that this application of
ths acid test OF archaeology has proved the
Bible story TO be made Of the pure gold OF
The layman has little notion OF the vast
S6ms Of munsE and the great amount of
patient ton being expended 10 read the rid
dies Of the past nor has he any adequate
knowledae of the great results that have
rewarded this expenditure Of means ana
pains KING EdWard and Emperor VIII
liam hava taken great interest IN the. work
the British monarch al the patron OF the
Palestine exploration fund and the German
kaiser hs the financial hacker Of the Ger
man researohes IN Mssopotamia. The
United states does not lag behind, there
being q dozen American societies ana uni
veraities roonstantly engaged In the work.
The roeet discoveries on the Nile island
Of Elephantine, consisting OF papyri de-
posted In the British museum. have added
no mean testimony to the truth OF the
, Scriptures. Many Biblical critics have in
sisted that the books Of Nehemiah ana
Ezra were more or less apochryphal. The
? Elephantine Inscriptions, according 70
learned Egyptologists. dissipats these
Adoubta BY most forcefnl evidence. They
are said 70 show that the kiulss OF Judea
sold their subjects 10 the Egyptians for
warriors taking horses for their own use
IN sxchauEe- The book OF Ahikam. hitherto
: known only by name, Is proved 70 have &C
tuaily existed and many extracts from q
were found q the Elephantine papyr II
the excavatiqns at MemDhis the palace oi
has bsan found and positively Identified
thus demonstrating the truth OF the refer
ences - jeremiah
EBBahs4unsthe very palace os Nebuchad
aezsar has been laid bare BY the pick an,
! fahovel of ne areheologist The Germai
work IL pzoceeding regularly. but IL Is be
ed that years win be required to un
: All thd founadtions Of the building,
ssociated VIII the palace OF the greai
king That the task Is huge one Is indl-
Gated BY the fact that some Of the vail
unearthed are twenty-four' yards thick
Wat - supposed 70 have been the roya
st3s dininG nom. where BelshazEar be
heid too lale. the handwriting on the wall
has been eEcavated- In connection Will
fhs fsaNt Sf BelshaE1ag d . interesting Il