Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-05-02
WHERE DID THE ARK
REST?


s REST? :
The story Of the Ark OF Noah il n
Of h most interesting Of all biblical
stories, for 1t gives the history OF h
living, moving things Of the earth and
how they were preserved from the
flood. After the deluge the Ark is sup
posed to have rested on Mount Ararat.
from which Noah and his family and
the other occupants saved from the
elements distributed themselves over
the earth.
Did the Ark rest on Ararat? There
mas been much controversy regarding
this by biblical scholars. Whether the
tradition which makes Ararat the rest
ing place OF Noah's Ark is OF any his
torical value Or not. there is at least
poetical fitness in the hypothesis, mas
much as this mountain is about equally
distant from the Black sea n the
Caspian, from the Mediterranean and
the Persian Gulf.
Another tradition-accepted by the
Kurds. Syrians and Nestorians-fxes
menia. on h left bank Of the Tigres.
near Jezire. as the Ark's resting place.
There so-called genuine relics of the
Ark are exhibited n q monastery and
mosque OF commemoration were built.
but the monastery was destroyed by
lightning In 776 A. d, and the tradition
has declined in credit. Around Ararat.
however. gathered many traditions
connected with the deluge.
Near Ararat IL the burial place OF
Noah's wife, and in q village near the
great chasm was h spot where Noah
planted the first vineyard, and where
was built the m%onastery of st. James.
But, according to the Babylonian ac-
count. the resting place Of the Ark was
"on the mountains OF Mir" which
some writer's have identified with
Mount Rowanduz and others with
Mount Elburs, near Teheran.
The limits Of the biblical Ararat are
not known. but they U have in.
cluded the loft Armenian plateau which
overloOks the plain Of the Araxes on
the north and that Of Mesopotamia on
the south. 1t is only natural hat the
highest and o striking mountain in
the district should have been regarded
as that upon which the Ark rested.
The mountain itself is known as
Ararat only among Occidental geog-
raphers. The Armenians call 1t Mas
sis, h Turks Aghri Dagh and the Per-
slams Koh-i-Nub. or the Mountains Of
Noah" Thus far 1t has been impos-
sible to trace back to an early date an
Independent native tradition. Appar-
entity the local legends which have
clothed 1t with mystery, and which
would place upon 1t the remairs OF the
original Ark. are based upon the MAS
sage IN Genesis. and have been largely
induced in comparatively recent times
by the influence Of western Christian
Superstitious fear and natural diff
culties prevent the ascent of the
mountain by natives; but its top has
been frequently reached by Europeans,
q nd ito nonv00S001 noOarvSQ rNf{00 h0VsQ
been noted. Its cone ia the crater OF
an extinct volcano, and because Of its
great height it is snow-capped
throughout the year.
One hundred n twenty days before
the deluge Noah planted cedars from
which he afterwards made the Ark,
and according to view the Ark con-
sisted OF 800 cells, each 10 yards long
by 10 yards wide. n according to an
other it consisted OF 900 cells, each six
yards long by six yards wide.
paedia," says: 1.-The mountains to
which local tradition points is 80 very
high, and it's sides so very steep, rug.
ged and dangerous. that we cannot
conceive 1t to be the spot where the
Ark rested. The safe descent OF all
the Inhabitants Of the Ark from its
summit would seem to be a miracle
almost as great as their preservation
from the waters of the deluge. The
Scripture narrative leaves the spot un-
determined and only says that the
huge vessel grounded at length on n
Of the Armenian mountains"
This writer argues thai no mountain
peak was intended by the expression IN
/ Genesis. and declares that this is con-
armed by the fact that great differ
ences Of opinion prevailed among the
nations of ancient times as to h spot
where the Ark rested. There is such
a: diverse opinion on the subject that
It remains one Of the most interesting
Of the mysteries Of antiquity.