St. Landry democrat., 1886-03-06
Alta 0t1S.
Times Democrat.

Times Democrat.
4 few years ago Mr.. Ignatius Don
nelly, Of Minnesota, startled the rei.'
gious world by the publication of d work
which seemed to conclusively prove
that thousands OF years ago D vast IS
land, or continent, situated in tho .bo'
som OF the Atlantic Ocean, between En'
rope and America, and that was
inhabited by p highly civilized
people, suddenly sunk forever beneath
the dee p waters.
No sooner had Mr.. Donnclly's work
made its appearance than it was bitter
lY assailed by religious bgots Of all de-
nominations. One critic styled it ''the
vagaries OF a Grecian tramp clothed IN
81 bcautitn! literary karb by an lrisl!
crank SoloDs narrative was Stlsst1a-
tized as Il Travellers romance, while the
dreamy and speculative character OF
| I'latos writings were cited to prove
| that the story of the lost Atlantis must
have originated in superlatively iinngl-
native brain. The orthodox triumph
antly pointed to the Hebrew record.
stoutly demanded that it's literal inter
! probation should be r5ceiged. and as
serted, that as but about 5000 years had
elapsed since the creation oi the world
and the appearance Of Adam and Eve,
and that as the Bible says nothing OF
the previous existence Of Atlantis, So
Ions Plato and Donnelly.s accounts of
the lost island must be received cum
grano sails, or indul."ut!y regarded as
the Yasarics OF superltna gtn;ttlEt minds.
About three wears ago the celebrated
alcbHologis;, Dr. Piongeo;l, found IN
scribed on the walls of Ixmal and Chi
chen liza, in Yuc;.tan, the Gid story of
a a nd l. ,E fN,,stl ,,.t 4 h.tt
But the Maya mother of the human race
was composed of steruer material than
tue Hebrew Eve. She rejected the or
ange offered by the serpent and drove
him from her presence. Cay. OF Cain,
the called lirsC murderer, appears IN
an altogether different light. Instead
OF being IL sullen and jealous agTlcultu-
rist, he was an Intelligent ard pleus
priost. Instead OF killing his brother,
Chaakmol t.Abell, he tried to save him,
but tile worthless brother, Axe, prevail
ed, and Chaakmol (AbcD, in spite OF
Gays heroic efforts. WAS treaciicrousFy
slain.
In prosecuting his inquiries among
the sculpturcd ohelisks and stones of
the ruined cities Of Iucatan, Dr. Plon
gcon several times came across un-
doubted hierog!ypll!cat records OF the
previous existence and the subsequent
destruction of a vast Albanian island
or continent. Upon the publication Of
his discoveries the doctor naturally en-
Counterel storms ot opposition and ad-
verse criticism. Again the orthodox
again demanded its literal interpreta
tion. So the iunoyating doctor and his
accomplished wife and assistant were
Immediately Eauked among that illus !
trius society OF scientific crtnks headed !,
by Solop, Plato, Donnelly, Darwin, !
Crapor and Spencer.
But, unfortunately for tho position
assumed by the literal interpreters Of ,
the Hebrew "Gcnesis." recent archa,!o- ,
gicaI researches in Nicaragu qua sccm to
youcI, for tho Truth Of the narrative
of Suon. the fragment Of Plato and |
the bold theSEies of Donnelly. Late /
Central American new spapCr> teen |
with account of the discovery of two !
stones and a huge cock that are cover !
with Iiieroglyplics and Pbmnician iu-
ScriDtions. One of the stones presents Il /
map of the world with the lost Atlantis,
in that vast spree now cover
Ell by the North Atlantic; the other
astronomical representations,
which, from the positions of the con
SIClihllpHS hTfIltttus Lei
que extreme antiquity. These stones
were found forty feet below the sur
face. on the island OF Inpateca, by the
celebrated arcl,nologist, Prof. Mayer.
Of COURSE the discovertr must expect
10 meet with the same. opposition and
SAME orthodox contempt and scorn that
has reeettIy pursued DonnelIy and
Plnnge but it is fairly safe to assume
that he will manage to survive this ter
riblc infiiction, and will console himself
with the reflection that his enraged an
LagonstS will never he able to explain
away the Inscriptions found on the tenn
pie walls OF Uxmal, Cllichen, liza and
Papaulta, and will rejoice in the Thought
HAT as the world grows older its iDhab-
tants become wiser and less crcdufous,
md that q great many superstitions now
by the vast many headed
will, iu the near future, be rciegatcd to
lie company Of exploded ancied mytfo
ugicai myths.
DR.. w. =. FficrsOn oss the Read
Question.
III. soto Democrat. Il
The following is al interview between
,uI Reporter and Dir. w. 5. Frlerson, ;
resident of the Police jury for this ;
r.. n Z