118 
death, received by the gigantic guardians into the nether 
world, as the orb sunk into the far western sea beyond the 
distant land of Martu, where Abram's destined lot awaited 
him. The planets had each its own divine name and character. 
Sulpa-uddu, Mercury, the star of Nebo, was “prince of the 
men of Kharran,” the city which would be the second home of 
Terach and his house. Jupiter was the star of Merodach, 
patron of great Babylon.* But it would seem, beneath this 
sidereal cultus lay a more ancient Turanian system of elemental 
powers and magic rites used without special sanctuai’ies. 
M. Lenormant has even identified Urukh as the founder of a 
Cushite religion in Chaldaoa, expressed by the stage-temples. f 
25. At all events, it is clear that bv the time of Abram’s 
birth Ur was the scene of great religious and political 
development, and probably of conflict. In the midst of all 
the manifold departures of men from “ the Living God,” the 
“ wreck of paradise ” is yet veiy discernible in the legends 
based on truth which bear witness to the Creation ; the revolt 
of the evil spirits ; the innocence, temptation, and fall of man ; 
the Deluge and salvation of Noah and his house ; the Babel- 
building and dispersion of mankind. No less do we find holy 
usages of divine origin, such as sacrifice, prayer, and worship ; 
the seventh day held saci’ed as a day of rest, and called, as 
Mr. Boscawen has told me, “ day of rest of the heart,” J 
and the whole course of public and private life in all their 
details hallowed by the sanctions of religion. The principal 
victims were the ram and the bull, the most valued subjects 
of man, as indeed the first and second signs of the zodiac 
bear witness. To these a fearful addition must be made. I 
speak of human sacrifice, which (as Mr. Sayce has shown §) the 
Semitic tribes learned from the Accadians. A sacred ark was 
used in Chaldgea in very early times, as in Egypt ; for in the 
6th tablet of the “ Izdubar ” series “ the ark of his god 
Sarturda ” is mentioned. || 
26. The great foundations of revealed truth in the relations 
of man to God are more and more disclosed by research. The 
consciousness of sin and its desert and punishment ; the origin 
of temptation and transgression ; the fear of death ; the 
reverence and yearning for righteousness, and belief in its 
* Sayce, T. S. B. A., iii. t La Magic, 295. 
+ W. A. I., ii. 32, 1. § T. S. B. A., iii. 120. 
|| Assyr. Disc., 175. Long lists of these arks are given in W. A. I., ii.. 
and they appear to have been sacred barges like the boat of the Egyptian 
Osiris . — Note by Mr. Boscawen. 
