The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-08-18

upon their heads" II is known Oil
Kings IS, ~ that King Hezekiah
brake in pieces the brazen serpent
that Moses had made; for unto those
days the children Of Israel did burn
incense unto it."
Before the beginning of our era.
Jewish scholars began to seek expla-
nations for the disappearance Of the
Ark, thus proving that 1t had previous
ly vanished.
One legend of the Talmud is that
Solomon constructed a secret cave in
to which the national fetish was to
be borne in time of peril. and that Il
was there concealed by King Josiah.
before he was defeated and slain by
King Pharoah-nechoh Of Egypt. Some
Of the rabbis held that the Ark would
reappear with the advent OF the Mes
sish. and others that 1t had been mira
culously taken up into heaven. The
latter belief is reflected In the Apocal-
ypse of John. The Mohammedan doc
tors believe the sacred chest was
thrown into Lake Liberals and that
on the day Of the last judgment It viii
swim to the surface.
Adopting for a moment the improb-
able conjecture that the Ark survived
the restoration and was placed In the
second temple, II would not be diff
cult to conceive what was it's final
fate, IL one recalls the number OF
times Jerusalem was sacked between
the rebuilding OF the walls and the
complete razing of the Jewish capital
by the Romans.
II is certain that the Ark was no
longer in Jerusalem when the city
ended its long agony by the Roman
sword and firebrand in 70 A. ID.
Neither is II credible that the Ark was
hidden in any OF the secret chambers
and caves whichS honeycombed the
ground beneath the city. Nor is II
probable that the Ark. had II still been
in existence. could have escaped the
pious curiosity of the Christians when
they became the rulers of Jerusalem
under Constantine. in the fourth cen.
fury OF our era
No Trace OF Ark In 1000 Years.
For 460 years the Moslems held the
city. but. with this prolonged oppor-
tunity, did not recover the Ark, which
was almost as holy to them as to a
Jew. Godfrey of Bouillon, the Cru
sader, captured Jerusalem in 1899. put
10000 Moslems to the sword. burned
the Jews In their synagogue and plum
dered the Mosque of Omar. For IS
years the Christians held the Holy
City. until Saladin retook II In 1887.
During none of these revolutions was
trace of the Ark discovered. Nor
has 1t been found during the eight GEN.
turtles that the Turks have been mas.
tiers OF the Holy Land.
All Sunday school pupils know the
story OF the Ark. II was built under
the supervision of Moses. on plans and
specifications infinitely supplied by Je-
hovah himself. 1t seems at times to
have acquired the power of locomo-
ton. and to have flown as a guide be-
fore the Israelites In their wanderings.
THE Ark Of the Covenant went be-
fore them In the three days journey to
search out a resting place for them.
And 1t came to pass. when the Ark
set forward. that Moses said Rise up.
Lord. and let thine enemies be scat
tered And when ii rested. he said,
Return, o Lord. to the many thous.
ands OF Israel" (Num. 10. 33-35-36)
When the priests bearing the Ark
set their feet In the River Jordan, the
waters parted and the Israelites jour.
neyed over dryshod. Carried about the
walls Of Jericho. its magic influence
undermined the Notifications until
they crumbled at the blast of a trum-
pet. Captured by the Philistines AID
set up beside their god. Dagon. the
Ark compelled the stone image to bow
before it and fall shattered to the
earth. while Dagon's worshipers were
smitten with plaques OF bubonic fever
and mice.
David. one Of the most astute of
politicians recovered the chest from
the Philistines. In his Joy and per-
haps In his desire to impress his sub
tects with the sanctity of the fetish,
the King danced before II with all his
might" Michal. his wife and the
daughter Of Saul. saw King David
dancing and leaping before the Lord.
and she despised him In her heart"
For this impiety she was condemned
to sterility. David's son. Solomon. set
the Ark in honor Of his new temple.
and from that day to this. save for the
passage In II Maccabees quoted above.
the holy chest has disappeared from