EVIDENCES OF THE MIGRATION OF ABEAM. 141 



the more societies like this do to spread a knowledge of what is 

 done — the more service will be rendered to the cause of religion gene- 

 rally, and the sooner will truth gain the day. I think that no one 

 who reads these evidences in anything like a proper spirit will doubt 

 what is said about Abraham in Genesis, and, now that criticism on 

 Biblical subjects is so strong, it is very important that that criticism should 

 be met, as fiir as possible, by testimony of an independent character. 

 Babylon has been partly excavated ; but a great deal yet remains to be done, 

 and at a meeting like this it is a fitting opportunity for urging the necessity 

 of continuing the excavations that have been carried on there and else- 

 where; for, if this be not done, the records obtained from the tablets 

 remain incomplete. If we look at the Deluge tablets, as they are called, 

 we see that they are only very fragmentary. They are made up of fragments, 

 many of them are not so big as one's hand, others not so big as half a hand ; 

 and there is no doubt that, where we have only halves, the other halves 

 are yet to be dug up. If we had Mr. Eassam here, he would tell us more 

 about it. I have merely thrown out the suggestion as one deserving con- 

 sideration. Meanwhile, I ofter my thanks to Mr. Boscawen for his able and 

 interesting paper. 



Eev. W. Wright, D.D. — I shall not venture to detain the meeting at 

 any length, but would prefer to limit myself to congratulating this Society 

 and Mr. Boscawen on the way in which the paper he has read has been 

 received, not only here to-night, but by scholars who are thoroughly 

 acquainted with the subject of which it treats, who have received proof 

 copies previous to this meeting taking place. The general agreement 

 of Professor Sayce, aid my friend Mr. Budge, with the chief points 

 of the paper gives ground for satisfaction. I think, after what we 

 have just heard, we may continue to repose confidence in the old 

 Book. When certain discoveries are made, men are found rushing 

 into the " Temple of Truth " and declaring that the old fabric is falling 

 to pieces. By-and-by, scholars examine the evidence, and find that, after 

 all, it really bears out and confirms the testimony of the Scriptures. We 

 are here to-night on what is really the battle-field of Biblical questions. 

 Any of those present who have read the article by a devout and 

 good man in the January number of the Expositor will admit that 

 Mr. Boscawen has made his appearance on the very battle-ground 

 of the present day. We are now dealing with scientific inquiry into facts ; 

 and I think that one of the most satisfactory statements in Mr. Budge's 

 speech was that in which he drew our attention to the fact that Mr. 

 Boscawen had not brought forward all the evidence he might have adduced 

 — that, although he had furnished an amount of testimony that was very 

 satisfactory, there was a still greater store of evidence to be divulged. 

 I would here refer to what Rev. H. G. Tomkins calls the " Hittite land." 

 There is in that part of the East a great vista of mounds that have yet to be 

 explored. Indeed, one can hardly realise the richness of the artificial remains 

 covering the whole of that country. At present we are only getting a few 

 VOL. XX, ^ L 



