Oldest among civilizations of which we have any sure record is that of
Babylonia. Among the foremost scholars in that realm is Dr. Hilprecht,
formerly of the University of Erlangen, and now Professor of Assyriology
in the University of Pennsylvania. His prominence is recognized in
Europe as fully as in America. His labors, in the field and in the
study, in connection with the successful Babylonian Expedition of the
University of Pennsylvania, and his monumental work, still in course of
publication, on the Cuneiform Texts brought to light by that expedition,
have added to his reputation on both sides of the ocean, and confirmed
his high standing among the best scholars of the world in his special
department of knowledge.
It was while on his way to Constantinople, to examine the latest “finds”
in Babylonia brought to the Imperial Museum there, with which museum
Professor Hilprecht has an official connection, that he examined the
proof-sheets of “The Threshold Covenant.” Of the work in its entirety he
writes in generous appreciation as follows:
“Your latest book, ‘The Threshold Covenant,’ accompanied me on my trip
to Constantinople. Before we had crossed the Atlantic I had studied it
three times from beginning to end. I take the first opportunity, at
Southampton, to send you these lines, in order to express to you my full
appreciation of what you have offered to the scientific world in your
magnificent work.
“If in your former book, ‘The Blood Covenant,’ you made [as was
suggested by an eminent German theologian] the first successful attempt
to write a theology of the blood, you have given us in your most recent
work a thorough investigation on the significance and history of the
primitive altar upon which blood was shed by men entering into a
covenant with God or their fellow-men. Surely your two books ‘The Blood
Covenant,’ and ‘The Threshold Covenant’ belong together, and should
therefore be studied together. One supplements the other, and the former
furnishes the key to a full understanding of the facts presented in the
latter; and so again on the other side.
“It must have cost you decenniums to gather all the material which you
lay before the reader in such a systematic form. All the nations of the
world, civilized and uncivilized, ancient and modern, seem to have
contributed their share to your stately structure, which has my full
admiration. Viewed in this light alone, your book will always prove a
regular storehouse of knowledge for students of primitive rites and
religions, and of various other kindred subjects.
“It is, of course, impossible for any specialist in one certain line to
fully estimate the hundreds of new features presented in your recent
work. It would be bold on my part, at least, to express an opinion on
questions with which I am not entirely familiar. As, however, you treat
facts which bear closely upon my special line of investigation,–the
oldest history, languages, and civilization of the Euphrates valley, and
of their rites in general,–I can heartily assure you that, according to
my examination, you have proved your main points beyond question.
“It is first of all sure that you are the first who fully recognized,
and in fact rediscovered, the world-wide importance and fundamental
significance of the threshold in all ancient religions. You have
re-established an ancient rite which was practically entirely forgotten
by modern scholars. By restoring the threshold to its proper place in
primitive religions, you have rendered a great service to comparative
religion, archeology, and even philology. Many a statement by ancient
writers was obscure to us, many a word puzzling as to its original
etymology and significance, and not a few facts brought to light by
recent excavations remained incoherent and mysterious, because we had
lost sight of the significance of the threshold, which, very
appropriately, you style the first altar of the human race.
“In reading your book I could not help wondering that all these
combinations which appear quite clear and plausible now were not made a
long while ago by other investigators. The earliest inscribed monuments
of ancient Babylonia, dating from the fifth millennium before Christ,
are door-sockets which bear ample witness to the correctness of your
theory. Professor Hommel’s recent ingenious analysis of the Assyrian
word for “to pray,” which was a result of his study of your ‘Threshold
Covenant,’ is one of the strongest evidences in favor of your arguments.
Our own recent excavations of the lowest strata of the temple of Bêl in
Nippur, which takes us back to 7000 B.C., testify in the same direction.
“Of the greatest importance for the study of the Old Testament religion
is your doubtless correct explanation of the Passover. It is entirely in
harmony with ancient customs, with philology, and with common sense.
According to the old interpretation this rite hangs, so to speak, in the
air, without any connection, and yet we know from many other instances
that Old Testament rites of the Hebrews stand in the closest possible
connection with those practiced by surrounding nations. In the light of
your investigations I regard it as an established fact, and as one of
the chief results of your labors, that Jehovah in entering into covenant
with his ‘bride Israel’ did not invent a new rite, but took one with
which his chosen people were already familiar, and gave to it a new and
deeper significance in its new use and relations.
“Your final chapter, ‘Outgrowths and Perversions of this Rite,’ is
likewise full of thought and new suggestions. One cannot help wishing
you might have gone beyond the scope of your book and expressed yourself
more in detail as to the precise connection in which tree and phallus
worship stand to the threshold in each of the principal ancient
religions, and what _rôle_ the snake played in the further development
or determination of the primitive rite so excellently discussed by you.
There is no doubt in my mind that all these different rites, however
independent of each other they may appear in later times, are but
different outgrowths of the same original root and later perversions of
original uplifting thought,–search for unity between men and God. But as
you yourself have given only brief indications of this, I wisely abstain
from entering into details.
“Permit me to congratulate you upon the completion of a work which, in
the nature of things, must attract the general attention of scholars.
Whatever may be the interpretation of certain details contained in your
book, the one fact remains sure: it will always be your great merit to
have penetrated into the long-forgotten secrets of one of the most
ancient rites of humanity, and, by pointing out its great importance for
and its connection with other rites, to have constructed a solid basis
for further investigations, and to have put loose facts together, and
given them a well-defined place in a regular system.”
It is undoubtedly true that the fresh material from the excavations at
Nippur will furnish additional illustrations of the main thesis of this
work. Dr. Hilprecht will be sure to note these.