Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-08-17
DALLAS HERALD.
kIRERT JOSSELYN = Editor.
The Ebb and Flow of Civilization,

that the civilization oftho world Is advance
ing and will continue TO advance inde6-
nitely until the world itself is destroyed.
We can see no reason for this general be.
lief. What we know Of history should
bring us 10 q different conclusion. That
teaches us that the world and its inhabi
tants are continually changing. The world
! is now nothing like what II was three
thousand years ago. II has undergone
wonderful chapges-so, toe, have IT'S people.
Countries, which were once blest wi III
favorable climate and fruitful soil, are
now deserts and almost unfit for the habi.
tations of men, while other portions, once
deemed uninhabitnble, are rhronged with
living beings and give evidence of high,
state of civilization and refinement. Men
ha yc, changed as well as the world they
live in. Nations have been born and risen
to manhood and strength, and gone on 10
old age and decreptuds, and faally died,
ms have the individuals compris ng them.
This is the evidence of history. No lar
ger portion of the world is civilized now
than in former times, though the localities
of civilization are changed. Once the
greater portion Of Asia and the northern
portion Of Africa were civilized, while
Europe and America were In state OF
barburism Then civilization commenced
It's westward march. rst the Isles OF
Greece, and Greece itself then Italy and
Spain and Gaul, and the most of Europe,
Great Britain about the last. But as the
West grew lighter, darkness settled DOWN
upon the East. For centuries after the
breaking up of ancient ci ili1ation, the
most of the world was involved in semi
ba, ,barsm. These have been called the
dark ages. Will such never recur again ?
We think they will. In the midst OF all
our boosted progress, in the midst oil Nil
our modern greatness in science, art and
literature, there turks the embryo of dis
ease, decay and death. Doubtless the
proud Assyrian ald the refined Egyptian,
in the olden time, thought as men ROW
think, that the PROCESS OF humanity could
not be staid-,hat its course would be on.
ward and onward until mn approximation
10 perfection would be reached. But such
is not the will oil God. We know not TO
what height Of civilization and enltght'
ment the descendants of Adam had ut.
taiued when they commenced to build the
tower OF Babel, piing and running II up
towards the starry shenyene, in all their
pride Of knowledge and power, bur we
know that the Almighty confounded their
speech and put q stop to their labo's, scat
tering them over the facu of the earth. II
is a great mistake to suppose that we are
SO much ahead of the civilization ofan
criert days. Much of modern invention |
is only recovery of what was once known,
forgotten and lost. The more close the
researches into the remains Of antiquity, |
the more certainty OF it's great develop.
ment mud advancement results, and is ac-
knowledged by the we'll informed. We
are only where others before us have been
perhaps in some things higher, in 9TH
ers lower, but not as whole, more perfect
and where they now nre, we shall be in
the st,ady, ceuseless march of time, anl
the nations and the civilization, now ex-
listing, will be lost, as they have been, and
darkness and barbarity will reign ohce
N ore over the greater portion OF the world.
The history of humanity is briefly this
IL .ises riom mere physical power into the
light Of knowledge. Formed into nation,
II 1ourshes and progresses inSaIl mental
acq liremcnts unit! it reaches the poilt of
ph, sical decay. That comes when the
highest state of civilization, 50 called, IS
With wealth urd luxury, vices
Of all kiLds take root, and grow and ex-
pand until every virtue is oveishadowed
and uies. There is an equal decay OF the
physical and moral qualities. Mankind
become enervaled, degeneratcd and unfit
to continue their species or keep up the
civilization OF their age. A change be-
comes necessary, and relapse into bar.
barism follows, 10 recruit the physical
powers, cut of hich in time they immerge
once more into knowledge aud light and
virtue. Thus it has been and thus it will
be, in the varying circle Of eternity, until
time shall be no more.