San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-22

Metal Shields, Headdfeesee, Etc. - Some
Relies Of These Old Warriors May Be Found
&C, 1875 American weekly Inc Great Rights
A RMAGEDDON, the most famous battlefield of
~ ancient times, will be excavated and explored
by an American expedition backed by John
D. Rockefeller, Jr.
Plans are being perfected at the Oriental Museum
of the University of Chicago by Prof. James H.
Breasted, the famous Chicago archaeologist to be-
gin work on great scale in the near future Over
four hundred workmen will be employed in addition
to the regular staff of scientific experts Professors
D. F. Higgins, of the University of Chicago, and c.
s. Fisher formerly of the University of Pennsylvania
will be associated with Prof Breasted, and will start
for Palestine shortly to make preliminary surveys of
the ground and select suitable camp sites.
What will they find at Armageddon? That is
perhaps the most interesting question in the world
just now to students of Bible archaeology. Here lie
the bones and weapons of soldiers who fought and
died at Armageddon for ten thousand years back.
Here Assyria Egypt, Greece and Rome struggled for
the mastery of the ancient world.
Armageddon typifed the very idea of battle to
The Israelites. st. John, in Revelation spoke of il
as the place where the Almighty, before the last
judgment would bring together all the forces of
good and evil for the final battle.
"And he gathered them together into place
Sand there were voices and thunders and light
nings; and there was great earthquake, such as
was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty
an earthquake, and so great
"And every island fed away and the mountains
were not found"
In the sense of a mighty conflict between good
and evil, President Roosevelt brought the word
Armageddon into more popular familiarity in the
most famous of his speeches.
Many devout Christians esneciav those called
Fundamentass, believe that all the survivors of the
human race will literally be brought together at
Armageddon for last battle before the Judgment
Day. is, of course, hard to believe that all the re-
naming Americans will have to travel far to settle
their affairs.
Armageddon is a continuation to the southeast
ward of the Mount Carmel highland, where Elijah
was carried up to heaven in chariot of fire. The
word Armageddon means Height of Megddo," the
latter being city that stood here in ancient times
Below the height is apass which links the plain of
Esdraelon on the east with the plain of Sharon on
the west Esdraelon is the plain in which lies the
sacred city OF Nazareth scene of the Saviours youth
Sharon is the great plain which runs along the entire
coast of Palestine on the Mediterranean.
Southwark along the plain of Sharon was the
overland route to Egypt Westward of the coast
were Greece and Rome, the early civilizations of
Europe Eastward Of the plain of Esdraelon were
the best ford of the river Jordan and the route 10
P.ayna, Babylona and the populous lands of Meso-
potamia.
Hence. contending armies constantly met at
Afmageooon, and the soil is choked with the weap-
ons and the bodies Of ten thousand years II was in
the pass at Armageddon, commanding the way from
Sharon TO Esdraelon, that the contending armies
usually met for the crucial encounter
The armies that met at Armageddon fought not
merely for the mastery of Palestine but of the whole
civlhzed world. At the time of King David the
great powers Of the world were Assyria and Egypt
II one OF these great rivals went out to fight the
othef tney were most likely to meet at Armageddon
When Greece and Rome rose to world dominance
m turn they sought control of Palestine in order to
dominate Asia Minor and Egypt, and many were the
oatIles fought at Armageddon in those periods
Palestine has been well called corridor lead
ing from Asia to Africa. Even to-day England main
tains control Of the country in order to assure her
position IN Asia and Africa 1t is significant that the
last important battle, by which General Allenby
drove the Turks out of Palestine in the late was
fought at Armageddon.
In the Old Testament Armageddon is always
called Megddo. The first reference TO it is in the
book OF Joshua the great Jewish leader who led the