The Indianapolis journal., 1885-07-20

the only ones that throw any light upon the pre-
historic antiquities of those countries-it is i'm
possible to assume that there was any marked
line of demarcation between the bronze aud stone
periods, implements of both classes being found
promiscuously mixed together, though in vary
ing proportions, indicating undoubtedly different
states of civilization but not in accordance with
any chronological sequence" The excavations
elsewhere have met the same unsatisfactory re-
suits. Unsupported by evidence this pretentious
theory stands only in name.
The valley of the Nile has also been called
upon to yield up its buried relics for testimony
in this case. Deep in the alluvial deposit there.
was found fragment of pottery ard on it, an
exqusitely carved Egyptian honeysuckle. The
British Museum was notified and Baron Bunsen
set out post haste for the site of discovery. Meas
uring the strata of deposits, he announced that
the man who moulded that piece of pottery, and
carved that Egyptian Eoneysucke,
lived $4,000 years before Adam. Within ten
suckle was unknown before the days Of Alex
ander the Great. Every theory that has stalked
beyond Adam and attempted the demonstration
of prior man has come back smashed to ruins.
The other branch of evidence, evolution, does
no more than afford suggestions on the subject.
True, popular apprehension has it that evolution
speaks on the origin of man by the authority Of
an exact science, but the great authorities on
evolution do not so claim. Even Mr.. Darwin
yielded up his position, under an impeachment
the iustrious lights of this school agree with
him. Mr.. Beecher reflects the actual conclusions
of evolution when he says: ''The ascent of man
from the great family of apes is not thing that
has been proved; it is not a thing that is appar-
emily yet provabe." l know many Of these
men 60 right on affirming the upward march of
development, each species an egg that has
hatched a higher existence, and definitely as
sumo that there has not been break in the
series from protoplasm to Ralph Waldo Emer-
orHR And horA ic uhnw a
mischief is done. The world needs to under
stand that claiming to operate along the line of
demonstration, as against faith this great
philosophy reaches this worldmportant
conclusion by an assumptions! They are forced
to admit missing links in this series, which
are so completely missing that it is an impu-
dence toward philosophy to assume that they
ever did exist. But MIR. Beecher comes to the
rescue by admitting the failure of their evi
dence, but asking a truce on his own terms, say
ing: 1--WE hold the theory in suspense, waiting
for further light"
SO, then, on the evidence, science teaches US
nothing concerning the origin of man-abso-
lutely nothing. Young man, now in the inn
pressibie years of your life, when the world is
on the march to the new, when the clatter of
culture rings in your ears, when agnosticlsm
strikes against the landmarks of mans greatest
blessings, when the whirl and swirl, and confu-
sion incident to the days progress blllows about
you, and in the midst of it science, falsely used,
is made to do battle against the word of God
now, when you may be impressed by these
things to the shattering of your faith in God
and your souls unrest remember they all agree,
and Mr. Beecher agrees with them, and he can
do religion more injury than thousand scen
tistsremember they all agree that the origin Of
man from the lower animals is not proved, and
a thing that is apparently not provable.
After taking it for granted that human life
was entered on very low plane, Mr. Beecher
properly shows that ages of time would be re-
M n
fndings-out, into social forms. govern
ments and divine principles That first sermon
is the finest bit of work he does in the en-
tire course, and without reference to the justice
perence is of priceless value as an educator
much of our findings out comes in no other way
and we all agree that it is long and costly sys
tenn. He also INDUCES in clever disquisiton
on the powers of the mind, in which he aug
mentS to our understanding, the insuperable diff
Guilty the early mind encountered in receiving
higher ideas, unless it had been first we'll
grounded i'll their elemental FORMS through
ages OF findings out by actual contact quote a
few sentences: 1.-THE inferior being must be de-
veoped in the elemental forms of knowledge
which superior attempts to convey. You can
not make man understand justice who has
never learned to be just. Words have no mean
ing to man who has no knowledge of the thing
meant. GU must learn something about the
matter first There must be some similarity to
God developed in the consciousness before the
mind can understand the annunciatons respect
ing Gods character and design" Now all this
philosophy is true Mr.. Beecher's mistake lies in
the assumption of humanity's low plane.
Adam was the first of mankind. An examina
ton of the early chapters Of Genesis reveals that
this mind theory was Gods working system.
Trace the line Of education as given here in
succinct FORM The plane on which man en-
tered life was fairly high; his physical condition
was vigorous and perfectly developed; morally
he was pure and intellectually strong;
he lacked experience, but that did not affect his
capacity. His environment was most favorable
to his development; he dwelt in Paradise, and
God habted with him. God enjoyed His child's
sovereignty and gave him dominion over the
earth He taught him to labor; he was to dress
the garden and keep it. The beasts passed be-
fore him in obedient review that he might name
them and take rule over them. The family
circle was created she shall be bone of thy bone,
and flesh of thy flesh. Love was fostered.
Duty, which is the seed of all human develop
ment and the core of all human greatness, was
set forth by series of IMPLICATIONS; and
disobedience revealed retribution, regret re-
morse, repentance and reformation.
Here we have a perfect system of education
and perfect educator. Adam moved through
the disc Of every relation in life, with the pos
sble exception of government; and governments
are but an extension of the principles that rule
in the family. He had even stood face to face
with the Divine when He made annunciations Of
his character and design. How many days or
years this tutorage continued is matter of small
moment. Adam was not a barbarian: he was
the companion of God. and was like God. God
taught him with object lessons, by contact, and
through experience. Moses history of the educa
ton of man in Eden agrees with the known laws
of the mind and disagrees with Mr.. Beecher
only when he produces man in low savagery and
antiquity. But it is at this point Mr..
Beecher's evidence breaks down, and his posi-
ton is supported only by theory. The desert
of antiquity with missing links and without
relics may be eliminated from the geography of
the past.
History, tradition, relics, do not discover
time when there was not prosperous cviliza
ton on the earth, although it may reveal con
temporary savagery. The early civilization that
studded the banks of the Nile. with the pomp
and circumstance of glorious life. was as brill
liant as the Augustan Age or the court Of Louis.
when it dazzled all Europe. Our experience,
history tradition and relics, agree with Moses
as to an ever present civilization.
'1n111. - IL.