Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-08

Mohammedan the right to dig at this
place and search for whatever may still
be there OF the walls and foundations OF
the Temple Of Solomon.
And in the Valley OF Jchoshaphat. hard
by the city OF Jerusalem, is that line OF
tombs called the Tombs OF the Kings.
together with the tomb Of Absalom tho
beloved and Inflated son Of David. These,
too, will be opened in all reverence TO
ascertain the reason for calling them the
TombS OF the Kings, and to see whether
the body of Absalom is actually there.
We want TO know, to see with our own
eyes, all that we can of the great past,
OF its mighty buildings and mighty men,
and if the possibility Of realizing these
hopes comes with peace it will not be the
least Of the real gains coming from this
terrible war. The proving Of the truth
or falsity OF these ancient traditions will
go far towards helping us understand the
history OF the past. and will also aid us in
comprehending the great human side of
the men and women who are as yet mere
names with some stories clustering
around them.
Aside from che possibility that the ac-
tual mummies Of these Biblical person
ages may be brought to light their iden-
tity atteSted by indestructibe tablet writ
1ngs, there is also reasonable hope OF
finding in some of these characteristic
ancient archives pages of the actual orici-
nal tablet manuscript from which orr
Books Of the Old Testament descended
TO u.s.
The Patriarch and their descendants
Tor many generations. according 10 the
Blble, jealousy guarded their records
What Is more likely than that much OF
the original writings constituting our
Scriptures were treasured by the House
OF David, and that Solomon provided
70 fNr I,at,-
Temple.
1t has long been the opinion of scholars
mat the Pentateuch, in fact all Of the
earlier writings of the Old Testament,
were originally written in Babylonian
cuneiform characters. Therefore they
were written not in books, but
upon tablets, in disconnected episodes. at
various times each tablet writing con
tanning references to the matter on other
tablets to provide for a later compilation
in connected narrative.
Ezra is supposed to have been the com.
piler Of the tablets written by Moses.
Eventually as we know. comics Of the
connected narrative were made; hut
nothing is more unlikely than that the
original inspired tablet writings were al
lowed to be destroyed or carelessIv
handled. They We're the indestructjbJe
original writings, and would outlast In.
Vulnerable prescriptions upon paDyrus
VI oIHoi haiclidi. AS the Rev. William
c. Piercy, MA. writes in his Archaeology
OF the Old Testament
why should Moses not be the author
as he Is said to be by the tradition Of
many centuries! Why should his tab.
lets not have been preserved Just as much
as 1ammuraH's Code or the letters OF
the Paiestinian governors?"
30 the archaeo!ogists who are waiting
LOT Ehsiand TO gain control of Palestine
may reasonably ask: Where If NOT in
the iaoyrinths beneath Solomon's Temple.
would me original Old Testament tablets
nal4Taiiy be placed by the most powerful
o 0l i,eDrew monarchs. and their logical
CUSTODIAN for careful preservation? 2"
other writings, dealing with current
svehts, FAMILY histories and the manners
ana customs of the times-the most
fascinating Of human documents-have
neen found in many ancient tombs. Why
not IN the tomb of Rachel. the favorite
heroine of Old Testament romance: Of
Joseph, her son. the political genius who
wrought the beginning Of EgyDt's end; OF
Ahraham and his immediate descend ,nts.
so securely placed by the first Of the
FaIriarchs in the Cave Of Machpelah?
what wonderful prospect dependine
upon the outcome of "Armageddoni"