The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-13

sc11re. II was a common belief among
the ancients that all blessings were be-
stowed by benevolent gods and all trib-
ulations dispensed by malevolent deities.
As the evil gods were feared the desire
to propitiate them caused them TO be
worshipped more than ~wero the kind
hearted ones. Plaques were often sup
posed to be sent in the form of swarms
of flies and the god who sent them was
called their king or lord. This title is
expressed In the word belzebub or beelze-
bub, Il name by which we recognize Sa-
tan or the evil one.
Beelzebub means Lord of Flies
The Targums closely associate Nimrud
with the early life of Abraham. The king
had read in the stars of The birth of a
child who would eventually overthrow his
power and religion. He built a house 60
ellis high to which he commanded all male
children 10 be brought and murdered.
When 10000 children had thus perished
the angels besought God to stay the
slaughter. Il slumber not; ] sleep not
was the divine answer. "Ye shall see that
this atrocity shall not pass unpunished. >"
70 save her child Abraham's mother
fled to cave where the patriarch was
born and left God sent Gabriel to the
infant who sucked milk from the angel 3
forefinger but other accounts say that
the child nursed all five of Its own fingers
getting water, milk. honey, juice of dates
and butter from each one respectively.
Abraham became a man in 10 days and
at first worshipped the sun until he saw
il set when he said God "can never set" 4"
Then he worshipped the moon with the
same result. IT was TO Nimrud that he
announced the existence of the true God.
When he entered the palace Ill the idols
Nj 4 -.
throne remaining in conVulsions for two
hours According to the Arabic legends
Nimrud was named Amraphcl and he at
tempted to destroy Abraham by having
him cast into a fiery furnace. Ii was so
hot that as the men who We're TO thrust
the patriarch in could not approach the
flames without themselves being burned
Satan showed Nimrud how to make a
cataput by which Abraham was shot
into the fire. But the Father of the Jews
was unharmed and for three days and
rights he walked about the flames un-
scathed More than this, Ninliud ascend
ed a high tower that he might look down
into the furnace where to his surprise
he saw garden OF flowers and foun-
tain playing amid the flames and beheld
Abraham seated on the grass beside the
spring of water conVersing with an angel.
When the fire died out the wood which
constituted the fuel though charred.
budded and burst forth into flowers and
fruit. Nimrud was astounded and loaded
Abraham with presents.
The Arabs also say that Sarah. Abra-
hams wife, was named Jisha and al
though She was the most beautiful wom-
an in tile world her husband was so
modest that he had never seen her face
and did not know Of her beauty until he
CHANGED TO see her reflection In the water
as they walked together by the side of
a river When he learned how beautiful
lis wife was he placed her In a closed
box before he passed into Egypt and told
the custom house officers (for it seems
they had duties To pay in those days. he
would pay for a box of silk. When they
Questioned further the husband offered
to pay for silver, then gold and finally
for gems, but in the alteration the chest
was broken open and Saran discovered
as its true contents
This was food enough for my imagi-
ration as | watched the glorious sunset
behind the Weird configuration of Brs
Nimrud. | saw the walls of ala baster.
the FURNISHED brazen gates aud the broad
espa Sfdes Of polished ivory. To my
mental vision the great banquet hall with
its houl1s. It's music its mirth, its tink-
ling glasses OF gold and crystal. its mazes
OF dancing girls. its notes of harp and
pipe and trumpet and its pendemonium Of
symposiac merrlment appeared in vivid
reality.
| heard the roar OF the lions of the
court, the whimper OF the wild beast and
the rumble of the war chaliots wheels.
! saw the dazzling dome of the illumued
palace. the swaying foliage OF the hang
ing gardens suspended in mid air TO as
suage the grief OF home-sIci< queen. the
Median Princess Amytis. the spraying
fountain and the altar of perpetual fire.
Before my eyes floated the vision OF a
king, his lords. his wives and his con-
cubines drinking wine from golden ves-
sells and praising the gods If gold and
silver, OF brass of iron, of wood and or
81 one. and TO my ears CANE the cry OF
horror when that same king and the as