The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1868-10-30
prehtstOric Archaeology.
Mans first appearance upon IL

Prehistoric Archaeology.
Mans first appearance upon the
earth, or rather the time Of his first
appearance has, IN the light of
modern science, become most in
teresting subject Of inquiry 1t
scenes already established that this
event took place much farther back
than has been usually believed
Such an announcement as this would
have been much more startling a
few years since than it is now. when
it has come to be acknowledged
that the Mosaic account of the erea-
ton of the world conflicts with
science only so far asst is imperfect
" understood. The six days, in
which all things were created, has
been shown to mean six distinct
periods in which the great work was
accomplished, the appearance of
man being the last and browning
act.
The orthodox world is no longer
alarmed at tho relative attitudes of
science and theology. 1t has come
to see that time is no element in the
working of the alluise Creator, and
that by whatever process creation
was accomplished, the same power
must be acknowledged. To draw
an arg ument from q celebrated bib
lical author. Everything that ex-
lists either always existed, or it had
a beginning. Grant beginning,
and you admit a cause. An ex-
animation of the works themselves
gives the evidence of intelligent
design. Therefore, the cause is an
intelligent one. BY the same
method, all the attributes Of deity
may be discovered, so that without
the Bible, God is revealed in His
works.
Should man, therefore, be found
to have existed for six millions Of
years, instead of six thousand, the
fact proves nothing adverse to re-
vealed or natural religion. 1t
strengthens them rather. Fer GER
tainly the methods which science
reveals are more in accordance
with the nature of an infinite and
all-wise being than the .interpreta
tions which have been given to the
Mosaic record. That record states
the fact, and the order in which Gre
alton took place, and science fully
sustains the record. The precise
length of the periods, which have
been rendered days" has nothing
to do with the matter. Creation is
still going on around US every day,
every moment. A grain of wheat
is no less created now, than at the
beginning, and the same power that
created it then creates it now. But
creation is now q gradual process,
and the multiplication of species,
was undoubtedly long and gradual
work, but a work nevertheless.
The science Of philology has been
one of the instruments by which the
prehistoric existence Of man has
been determined. but we can not in
this article attempt anything fur
Their than mere recognition Of its
aid in solving the problem. The
theories Of Agassiz, and others, re-
garding distinct geographical cen
ters Of origin has also had much
weight in forming opinions upon
this subject, but the proof of the
existence of man at very remote
periods, is based upon more solid
grounds than either of those we have
mentioned. Not only the imple-
ments and utensils of man, but hui
man bones have been found, in pc
sitions, and under circumstance
which give undoubted evidence of
very great antiquity. The veteran
geologist, Lyell, has fixed the an
tiquity Of some of these remains at
two hundred thousand years, which
is considered by many as too small.
In view Of these facts, the ex-
animation and study Of human re-
mains, everywhere, are becoming Of
the greatest interest, and prehistor-
ic archaeology is assuming the pro-
portions Of q science. 1t has it's
facts, and the conclusions based up
on them are rapidly being system
atized. The "whence and whittier,
Of mankind are the most interest
ing subjects which the mind Of man
can contemplate, and although tho
latter is the one of most vital i'm
portance, there is peculiar mystery
about the origin of man which must
ever render it peculiarly fascinating
to scientific men.-Scientific Amer
lean.