Are Bagpipes To Blame For Babylon's Ruins?

Northern Advocate, 28 October 1948, Page 3

Are Bagpipes To Blame For Babylon's Ruins?

(By A. J. McCarthy) NO attempt is being made to prove that bagpipes caused the destruction of Babylon, or that their notes resulted in the razing of Nineveh. That must be understood from the start. Nevertheless (or, notwithstanding) it cannot be denied that some sort of pipe was played in these cities before the terror came and destroyed everything in sight. Yea, even the pipes.

As a result of the publicity the bagpipe has been getting lately a wellknown Whangarei citizen made a note of the Biblical references to pipes, and sent them in to the Advocate. These, together with other data collected by further research, have resulted in what (if you are a Scot) you are now probably not reading. In the third book of Daniel there is a reference to Nebuchadnezzar's band. One, Wm. H. Grattan Flood, says of this that the Hebrew word ‘sumphonia’ is erroneously translated ‘d'ulcimer’’ in the English Bible. Biblical scholars are now agreed says Mr Flood, that ‘sumphonia’ means “bagpipe,” not “dulcimer.” Must have been Scottish Biblical scholars. “Assyria had its form of bagpipe, as is evident from a still remaining sculpture on a monument, and so also had Nineveh,” Mr Flood goes on.

place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe,” Samuel 1, 10 (5). Pipes, whether bag or not, must have been powerful instruments in the days of Solomon. We find by reading Kings 1,2, (40), what happened when the pipes got going. The reporter states that “all the people cabae up after him, and the people piped with pipes so that the earth rent with the sound of them.” Those pipes sound very much like the Scotsman’s solace. More modern writers, like Matthew, for instance, also refer to the pipes. In his report on the teachings of the Master, who likened his generation to children sitting in the markets and calling to their fellows, he wrote: “We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced.” Mayhap prejudice against the pipes was already beginning to appear. ST. PAUL WRITES St Paul, a citizen of no mean city, and a man who could never be accused of mincing matters, or beating around the bush, goes in to the matter a little more fully than the others. “And even things" without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction of the sounds, how it shall be known what is piped or harped?” asked he. Well, surely anyone can tell the sound of a pipe from that of a harp. One has a beautiful sound, not to be compared with the other. Speaking of Babylon city, which had been destroyed, Paul makes the following comment: “And the voice of harpers and musicians, and of pipers and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee.” The pipers got their deserts at last, it seems, It will be noticed that the harp is often mentioned with the pipes in these quotations. Nowadays harps are seldom heard, except at a Marx Brothers movie. What then, has happened to the harp? Is it the prerogative of the angels only? The cold fact remains, however, that pipes and harps are divorced from each other these days. Did some harp-hater of the Highlands hurl all the harps into Loch Lomond centuries ago, or is the explanation merely that the instrument does not make enough noise? This brings up an interesting speculation. Will history repeat itself again? Will pipe bands at some future dark date in the history of mankind take up harp playing and mingle the plunking of the harp with the screech of the bagpipes? Shades of Babylon! An ominous note arises here. Was that why the city was rained with fire and brimstone? It certainly is feasible.

THE WALLS FALL It is disquieting—to say the least — that both Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar had his band, and Nineveh, are now no more. It is too long ago now to be sure what led to the destruction of Nineveh. Biblical scholars say that the blasts of several trumpets caused the walls to fall down. Apparently an army surrounded the city, and at a given signal—“ Blow the Blower” or something —each trumpeter gave a mighty blast of the bugle. ■ Whether the trumpeters were trying to outdo the pipes on the other side ol the wall, and the trumpets won, is something that will never be known now. Only the ruins can tell, and they won’t talk. Those who find the noises made by modern trumpets something to be deplored, will agree that an army of Harry James’ at full bore would not be conducive to maintaining the status quo!, at Nineveh or anywhere else, t

PIPES AT PARTIES . As the piano is the recognised instrument for a party these modern times, so the pipe was regarded in the days of Isaiah, who says in chapter 5, verse 12, that “the harp, the viol, the tabret and the pipe, and wine are in their feasts.” Isaiah goes on to tell the people that “Ye shall have a song and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe,” Sjurely he he wasn’t referring to a tobacco pipe? “Therefore mine heart shall sound like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes,” he explains. “When thou are come thither to the city, thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high