Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-11-19
A Monument 10 Adam,

All English clergyman is urging thror,,
the press the erection of roonnrooI,t
Adam, to be constructed by all nationa "
is not apparent whether he is moyed ~
tins by apprehenslons that Adam will ~
forgotten by the world, or whether Io
means to counteract the efforts which bo1o
been MADE by audacious critics, to pr0vo
that Adam is q myth, or q symboIi.oii I've
sonage, through whom the inspirp6 P ln.:
ters taught rs much as it was necessH,... WI
men to know for their good. Bnt yLSJr IoE
it be designed to prevent Adam from, I's
ing forgotten, or to raassert the fact n,ot
he has existed bodily, the idea of t ti,,'.
monument is q good thing, if it can %o
rightly managed, The provision that :,
shall be built by the contributions of al
nations is excellent. Being family of,oir
intended in honor OF the head of the foT,i'
~, it is obviously unfair that apv Of 1h,
relations of the defunct should be eyc)nJ
ed. This involves the pleasant DraIi,n;
nary duty of universal correspondence WIFI
people OF all languages. and Of teacbip,,
good many of them who live, outside 81
the pale OF historical revelations. wL,
Adam was, and how they descended fran,
him. This viii give agreeable occunat;' -,
to the authors Of the grand design. in ,,5
ditiOn TO that more Immediate dutv ~
gathering together the Christian nation.
who are already enlightened above r'
heathendom which per7ades so many Of
the outside barbarian nations. and Tho
other more practical business of gatbcrino,
in the pence and applying at least no.
ton Of it to the cost of preliminary or.
rangements and uperintendencc Tbcr,
is wide field for doing good on orarl
scale in Tho enlightening of the heofhrn,
on points Of sacred history, and of givjn,
occupation, for q considerable period. to -
few benevolent men, who arc willing. iar
the love of Adam, to devote themselves FIR
consideration, TO the duty of bringing his
family into q proper respect for
lis memory. The fund 10 lie
administered on Will doubtless be q
large one; and 1t Will be long time
IN beng collected, which will nos make
the task Of superintendent a less desira
bic occupation for lifetime. Evcry mem.
Der OF Adam 8 family will Of course sup.
scribe and as it is Il toIerabIy large one,
and no one Is 10 be neglected in tho soil
citations, the sum will Ge very great, even
at the rate Of the smallest denomination of
currency head, fer the contributors We
would not suggest that the sums assessed
should be estimated in string3 Of COwrio
shells, which aro the small currency Of AZ
RIGA, or even in French Ccntincs, being
about tho fifth of an American cent. i
monument might be erected by the pro.
ceeds OF even that subscription, winch
would be hinge beyond anything the world
ever saw, even after liberal deduction for
tho uscs Of the piop5 patrons Of the mem
Dry of the First Man. But there would be
So much difficulty il making change
at the best, and there might be
so many difficulties, especially in
the South SEQ Islands and in If.
RIGA, and among the Pagans in the East,
that 1t wOuld be wise to select sOm0 coin
of established character, like tho Amcri
can cent as the measure Of account i'm
which to calculate the proportions. Tohr
sure, We have not the cent exactly, except
as sort OF invisible standard, one uI
which comes mp now and then about post
offices, as an outward sign Of the Icgulu
ton coin, with the Old nCnd Of liberty ON
it, which has since been baniahcd ; but il
serves to describe the fifth part OF Il nickel
and is q decimal measure az convenience
Moreover, this great republic contains, ac-
cording to its own proclaimed opinion, the
most free and enlightened and prosperous
branch of the family of Adam, and should
not submit to the indignity of having the
universal testimonial, or gift enterprise to
Adam, regulated on any standard but IT,
own. We vote, therefore, for the one
cent contribution, to hc made Icy every
member Of the human family to this monu-
ment or statue to Adam gently suggest
ing that to mako the thing fair it should
be made universal, and some steps be tn
ken to compel collection from dclinQucuts.
Here is another field opened for enter
prise; and if q few wars should follow, who
would have the right to complain, that be-
lieves wars to be the appointed and ap-
proved modes Of propagating civilization
and compelling uniformity OF opinion
among mankind ?
Indeed. who knows in how many aays
the agitation Of this subject of the monu.
ment to Adam may, if cnGetically pressed.
with the vim and determination which
has turned other ideas, equally absurd, in.
to engines for moving vast masses Of men,
be made to work out great results; and, in
the interim to contribute greatly to the
individual comforts Of many meritorions
persons, who will make themselves ncccs-
sary to tho various forms of development,
1t requires, however, moro energy than
is yet bestowed upon it to get the thing il
motion; but, not to be wanting, we here
pledge our own subscription of cent, when
properly called upon to pay up.--N, ..
PiC0y1t11e.