Recent Testimony of Archaeology to the Scriptures. 43 lusions of hope. Every identification limits by so much the field of historical criticism. When the progress of identifica tion shall reach completion, the work of historical criticism will be finished. CONCLUSION. The present status of the testimony from archaeology to Scripture, as these latest discoveries make it to be, may be pointed out in a few words. NOT EVOLUTION. 1. The history of civilization as everywhere illuminated is found to be only partially that of the evolutionary theory of early Israelite history, but very exactly that of the biblical narrative; that is to say, this history, like all history sacred or profane, shows at times, for even a century or two, steady progress, but the ,regular, orderly progress from the most primitive state of society toward the highest degree of civiliza tion, which the evolutionary theory imperatively demands, if it fulfill its intended mission, fails utterly. The best ancient work at Taannek is the earliest. From the cave dwellers to the city builders at Gezer is no long, gentle evolution; the early Amorite civilization leaps with rapid strides to the great engineering feats on the defenses and the water-works. Wherever it has been possible to institute comparison between Palestine and Egypt, the Canaanite civilization in handicraft, art, engineering, architecture, and education has been found to suffer only by that which climate, materials and location impose; in genius and in practical execution it is equal to that of Egypt, and only eclipsed, before Graeco-Roman times, by the brief glory of the Solomonic period. HARMONY WITH SCRIPTURE. 2. When we come to look more narrowly at the details of archaeological testimony, the historical setting thus afforded *>r the events of the Bible narrative is seen to be exactly in
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