The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-09-01

DuleuC0 ana ali OHElStcAuOA
has been exercised because the
sacrilege of stealing the Ark Of
the Covenant was wrongfully imputed
to Captain the Honorable Montague
Parker Of the First Life Guards OF the
English army. and a party Of archeol
ogists whom he commanded. He was
aided and abetted, it was alleged. by
Lieut.. Robin Duff. an officer OF the
Second Life Guards and relative OF
King George v.
Assisted by the connivance of the
Turkish government and by brides to
Moharnmedan soldiers. the English.
men are accused of rifling the sacred
bowels of Mount Moriah. the site OF
the Temple Of Solomon and Of the
Mosque of Omar at Jerusalem. and OF
making OF with the Ark, after I'm.
earthing the venerable Golfer from its
purported place of concealment for
more than twenty centuries. The ex.
plorers, according to news cablegrams,
were pursued to the coast by the hue
and cry Of scandalized Moslems. and
echoes of their pious indignation are
reverberating through Europe and
America.
Horrif1ed clergymen have predicted
that some such fate would overtake
the English officer as befell the men
Of ,Bethshemesh. of whom 5000 are
declared in the Old Testament to have
been smitten of the Lord because GER
tain of their townsmen ventured to
look inside the Ark: or as happened to
Uzzah, who put forth his hand to
steady the holy chest when 1t rocked
upon its cart. and who was slain ''for
his error" by Jehovah. In his suddenly
kindled wrath.
Explorers Invited to Continue Work.
The outcry Of sacrilege has not been
completely quieted by Capt. Parker's
solemn declaration that he found no
Hebrew antiquities whatever beneath
the Mosque of Omar. and that he was
not searching for the Ark. but for the
tombs Of David and Solomon. A con-
elusive REPUTATION Of the accusation Is
the fact that the Turkish authorities
have invited the Englishmen to renew
their excavations next autumn. For
Jerusalem and its relics are as hal
lowed to Moslem as they are to a
Jew, because Mahomet Is reputed to
have begun at the Holy City his tabled
expedition to the Seven Heavens.
Besides, 1t is the opinion Of most
students Of the Bible that the Ark was
probably destroyed when the temple
was burned by Nebuchadnezxar. and
that 1t had certainly disappeared be-
fore the composition Of the book II
Maccabees
Speculation as to the present exis-
tence Of the Ark II perhaps due to
the remarkable phenomenon Of its
abrupt disappearance from Holy Writ.
In one verse Of the book Of II Chron-
icles the Hebrew palladium Is restored
with rejoicings to the Temple OF Solo
mon. In another verse Of the same
chapter It Is dismissed. as with wave
Of the hand. in the words: "And there
It Is until this day" Except meta
phorically or incidentally. the Ark ID
but once again mentioned In the Bible.
While most scholars believe that the
Ark was lost Immediately before or
during the Hebrew captivity in Baby
Ion. some hold that It was taken by
the conQuerora to the capital city Of
the Chaldees. But. II 30, 1t was almost
certainly restored when the Jews were
reinstated In Jerusalem. In 520-16 B. c.
Others declare that the Ark was not
taken into captivity. but was hidden
away IN the secret chambers OF the
temple. In the apartment where wood
was kept. and It IL related that q Ger.
tain priest. while working In the apart
meht, noticed that some stones pro
jected above the others. He no soon
or began to tell the story to fellow
priest than he expired. That was re-
garded ~ sure sign that the Ark
was buried In that place.
However. II the Ark was really t.
ken 70 Babylon. which most scholars
doubt. It seems TO have been returned
to Jerusalem. according 70 the sequel
relatad IN the book a. Nsra.
Il Il possible. some writess say, that
tho Ark had declined In esteem amons
the Hebrews themselye9 during ~
oalanities which befell their nation.
Psrhape also ~ baders may N.Y.
ta1eh alarm over thes houorg q WI.
111p pd16 q ~ Az from IT, AZ