The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-12-23
ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE.
BY PROF. w. M. SIMPSON.

greater results in the future than have
been accomplished in the past. This
proposition applies to every depart
ment of enterprtse-busiGess, social
and religious in active life. Art and
nature are made to blend in the pro-
duction of wonders not possible in
either separately. Mechanics and art
have their imretus In human power,
but all are based upon certain, cardi.
nal principles of nature without which
no artificial thing or action could exist
or be produced. The Creator himself
displayed the character Of an artist In
the creation, for man was skillfully,
as well as wonderfully, made" but
He impaired to him the foundation
principle when He breathed into him
s'the breath of life" Mans organism
was made complete from the first,
The principles of human life are fixed
yet the operations of them produce
results that are transient and irregu-
lar. But often the natural and
mechanical are so closely allied that
the sharpest discrimination fails to
determine which of the two produces
given results. Hence it is that the
origin of language is delicate ques,
ton. The evidences with regard to
its human or divine institution are so
evenly balanced that it has never been
determined; but perhaps something
concerning it will remain fo- the re-
hottest ages of the future to speculate
upon. The most eminent linguists
and distinguished authors of the past
as well "a those of the present day,
have given the subject their attention,
adducing the evidence of fact and logic,
without decided turning of the scale.
Consequently, we sustain about the
same relation to the subject that they
did, only with the advantage of their
research and conclusion, In our favor.
If, indeed, language is human inven-
ton, man needs no other evidence of
his superior rank and dignity in the
scale of being. But we find in it a
divinity man does not possess, and.
therefore, could not impart to it;
sublimity not found in bis artistic
genius. And We also find a perfec-
tion in its adaptability that could not
have been impaired TO it by the human
skill of invention. In its fitness to
his social relations it is perfect. The
measure of his wants is fIIl-he needs
no more.
That God bestowed the faculty of
speech upon man is pretty generar,y
conceded. This, stimulated TO action
by desire, produces thought, and a
consequent necessity for its expression
originates language. Faculty implies
ability and ability, power. Intuitive
desire. a thing of circumstances or
condition, gives activity to the power
and produces q result likeDed unto
itself. In perfect state man stood
erect in the presence of his Maker,
yet speeches because be had never
spoken. Has his mind conceived q
thought? Not yet. 1t rests serenely,
without an impression. But it was
not ordained to remain so long, for
the Deity addressed him in an exam
pie of spoken language which. doubt
less, set to action for the first time the
faculties of the human mind. God
said to Adam and Eve: Behold, l
have given you every herb bearing
seed, which is upon the face of all the
earth, and every tree, in which is the
first of tree yielding seed to you it
shall be for meat. And to every
beast of the earth, and to every 70 vi
or the air, and to everything that
creepeth upon the earth, wherein
there is life, L have given every green
herb for meat"
The infant possesses the faculty,
but it cannot speak. 1t must first
have practically gradual development.
Thought must precede utterance-
language-which is the necessary ex-
preston, or in other words. thought
is indicated before utterance is made.
and the necessity for the latter gives
rise to language. That language is
susceptible Of endless improvement,
is not questionable; hence, if we
consider it wholly divine institution
we look for perfection in IT which it
does not poss IS. The faculty is per-
feet, but fail to see that faculty is
language: This faculty, an attribute
of the mind, is divine. and was be-
slowed jus. as were all the other facuI- |
ties of the human intellect. By the
use of these gifts man invents ma
chinery; but the mental force that
produced it is one thing and the ma
chinery quite another. Then, is Ian
guage human or divine? Is it wholly
Is it not of both?
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