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— the Sepharwaim of the period before the Deluge — but also because 
some details of the history of Nebuchadnezzar and of Alexander the 
Great could not be understood without some knowledge as to the site of 
Sepharwaim. Now, however, Mr. Rassam has discovered it. His further 
discoveries made in the temple of the Sun-god at Sepharwaim (Aboo Habba) 
enable us to go back much further into the history of mankind than we 
could have done before. Mr. Rassam has found an inscription which gives 
us the date of one of the oldest known kings, Naramsin, son of Sargon the First. 
The inscription fixes the date of that king at 3,800 years before Christ* It is 
remarkable that this is the same date given by Egyptologists to Menes, the 
first historical king of Egypt. We can now give almost the whole list of 
kings from that time down to Nebuchadnezzar and Alexander the Great. 
There are only, perhaps, twenty or thirty names wanting. I can only add 
on behalf of all my German Assyriological friends that we are greatly in- 
debted to Mr. Rassam for the invaluable service he has rendered to science. 
Mr. Rassam. — Mr. Boscawen, who has not been able to attend this 
evening, has sent me a paper touching upon some parts of my lecture, but 
I fear it is too late to read it. It can, however, be added to the discussion. 
The Chairman. — The deep importance of such discoveries as Mr. Rassam 
has made commends itself to every student of the Bible, because, although 
the truth itself does not want any light thrown upon it, as far as that 
truth is concerned ; yet there are, nevertheless, passages somewhat obscure, 
and upon which, doubtless, great light has been thrown to-night. In 
the East I have frequently met Mahommedans who have tested the 
question with regard to the truth both of the Koran and the Scriptures, 
and who have pointed out the similarity of the two, as if the Koran were 
the older book of the two. I was astonished to find that Mussulman 
priest, with whom I discussed the respective merits of the two books, 
took great interest in the Scripture missions, and used especially to 
catechise the children in the Bible. I asked how it was that he who 
believed that the direct line of descent came from Ishmael and not 
from Isaac could look on the Bible as he did ? He said he had studied 
both books, and he believed that Jesus Christ was a great man, but that 
Mahomet was a greater ; but he thought that in the end the White Throne 
would rest in the Heavens, and that Mahomet would give way to Jesus 
Christ. This shows what extraordinary notions become established in 
people’s minds without any foundation to build upon. 
Dr. J. A. Fraser, I.G.H. — There is one point referred to in the paper 
which seems to have been felt as a difficulty, as well in these Oriental 
inquiries as in regard to what we sometimes see in our own land, — and 
*This inscription is also referred to by Mr. Boscawen. Dr. Delitzsch 
did not read his promised paper — see next page — on his theory of the 
Chronology in question, upon which it is desirable there should be no 
hasty decision. — Ed. 
