Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-07-19
CONCERNING LIFE.
No. 3.

Confined from OXFORD DEMOCRAT OF July 81
There is no history or even tradition Of
the first inhabitants of Europe, Africa or
America. Their numbers, occupations,
modes OF life and progress in civilization
can only be inferred by the rude implements
made of stone, scattered almost over the
entire surface of our globe. The relies OF
long past ages, such As knives, hammers,
pouiards. hatchets, arrow heads and many
other implements have been discovered In
America, from Patagonia to the Arctic
Ocean; in Europe, from the Mediterranean
10 the shores OF the Baltic; in Asia, from
Palestine TO the Mayla Archipelago.
These articles so made aud widely dis
persed indicate great degree of degraGa-
ton and barbarSm. They were probably
cannibals, for the bones of children have
been found bearing the unmistakable i'm
preston of human teeth.
Very numerous and ancient relics are
found in Northern France on the river
Some, on the banks OF which DR.. Lub-
book says, ranged savage race Of hun
ters and fishermen almost, If not quite, as
far as the rivers themselves that re-
mote period, roamed in the forest, the
mammoth, the two-horned, woody rhinoc-
eros, the ferocious hyena, the cave tiger,
and great cave bear, shuling from his
rocky den, fearing no adversary.
Prof. Denton, in his description of prl-
meyal man says, "hls complexion was
dark as an Indians, his beard scanty,
while his uukempt hair hung down in
snaky locks, so that with his sloping fore
head, he seems like the carricature of 4
man instead OF an actual human being .
The lowly condition of some Of the primi-
tive races admits of no doubt, therefore II
Is claimed that they are In no way derived
from the children of Adam.
Sir John Lubbock denies that civil
lized man has degenerated into the savage
state, and maintains that existing sayases
are not the descendants OF civilized ances-
tors, but that their normal condition was
one of barbarism, from which some races
have advanced towards civilization.
The progressive period of men has been
divided into the stone, the bronze and iron
ages, the latter indicating 4 higher state
of civilization than the former. The
Mound builders, who inhabited the Miss
issippi valley long before the red man made
his appearance belonged to the bronze or
copper age, and were partially civilized.
They used implements made OF copper OBJ
tanned from the regions of Lake Superior,
where relics have been in mines Of that
place The lake dwellers OF Europe whom
Herodotus described two thousand years
ago, belonged TO the stone and bronze
| age The ancient inhabitants OF Peru, be-
fore its occupancy by the Incas, and many
centuries prior to the Spanish conquest
were of the same period.
Bunson thinks man has been on the
earth 1900 years, while Owen, by examl-
nation Of sediment on the delta OF the
Nile, concludes he has existed In efrit-
lied state more than $4,000 years.
1t is affirmed by some learned authors,
that the Bible plainly teaches incidentally
the existance of man when Adam, the
head Of the Caucasian race, came upon
Earth, the final finished work OF the great
Creator.
The fossil remains Of man, found in va
rious parts Of the earth, denote high an
tiquity, and low degree OF intellect. The
human remains regarded as the Oldest yet
discovered, were found in the Neanderthal
cavern, Germany, the Engis cave, Belgium,
and the fragments Of skull from Bohemia.
The former is regarded by naturalists as
the most brutal of all known skulls. Prof.
Hitchcock says there is no well authenti-
Gated case where the fossil remains Of man
has been found before the Alluvium, the
uppermost strata Of the earth; hence !: Is
inferred by some that mans existence Is
limited according to the chronology oi
Moses yet it is disputed by others leaving
the age of man to be more fully determined
by future investigations. Geology has
tracked the march of time along the steps
of ages and clearly shows that different
forms of animal life were created, precise
| ly in tho order, as related by Divine Au'
thority in the book of Genesis.
SCIENTIST.