The Russellville Democrat., 1890-05-01
WORSHIP oF sERPENTs.
facts Demonstrated by the Discovery Q

facts Demonstrated by the Discovery oi
 Inc serpent Mound of Ohio
 That such a work, so carefully de- signed, and constructed under such diff faculties along this narrow ridge termi- mating in the high rough cliff, was planned and built under some powerful influence, we can but believe. And what other than religious motive can be conceived? Have we not here the eyi- dence of the former existence of that ancient faith, which, rising probably in the East ages before historic time, held millions of people under it's terrible sway; and, spreading over Asia, Africa and Europe, has not yet been wholly supplauted, in India and Africa, by later faiths2
 That the serpent was prominent in the religious faiths of the Americans is be- yond question, and that to certain extent, in combination with phallic and solar worship it extended from Central America to Peru and Mexico, can not be doubted, whatever it's origin. Its existence in Yucatan is shown, as in Cambodia, by sculptures on the ruined buildings which can only be properly designated as tenn ples. We know from history and art that this form of worship existed in Mexico down to the time of the Spanish invasion and conquest, and that it still survives in the rites of the Zunis and Moquis, and probably other of the Pueblo tribes.
 To this southwestern region, with its many Asiatic features of art aud faith, we are constantly forced by our investi- gations as we look for the source of the builders of the older works of the Ohio valley. With these considerations in mind, and with the knowledge that structures similar to this in Ohio exist ed in the Old World, where the serpent and other early faiths had their greatest development will it be forcing the facts to argue-unless all religious symbolism IS merely coincident, vague and mean ingless. which seems an absurd position to hold-that in the oval em bankment, with its central pile of burnt stones. in combination with the serpent. we have the three symbols everywhere re- garded in the Old World as em- blems of those primitive faiths? Here we find the linga-in-yoni of India, or the reciprocal principles of nature guarded by the serpent; or life, power, knowledge, and eternity. Moreover, it's position east and west, indicates the noarishing source of fertility great sun-god whose first rays fall upon the altar of stones in the center of the oval. So that here we have associated the symbols which in Asia would be ac- cepted without question as showing the place to be pballo-solar shrine com blned with the serpent faith It's very position on the high cliff terminating Tn the rough overlapping rocks, washed by the spring torrents, and near the three forks of the river, is to be consid- cred when comparisons are made. This combination of natural features proba- ply could not be found again in any part of the great route along which the people must have journeyed from the Mexican Gulf, Is this all to be taken as mere coincidence in the development of faith in America and the Old World? There seems to be too much here to admit of such a theory; and when other facts, in other lines. PNihe Ai tht cdtut lt IS play ing false with our reason to be too skep- tical. Agreements, nay, identities, would then mean nothing in science, and comparative studies would be use- less. Ferguson, in his Tree and Ser pent Worship" mentions the existence of serpent worship on some of the Pa cifc islands, and refers to its possible transmission across the Pacific to Amer iea, and says if it is proved that this worship is indigenous in the New World, we are thrown back on the doctrine that human nature is alike everywhere, and that man in like circumstances and with like degree of civilization does always the same things and elaborates the same beliefs. It may be so, but I con fess 1t appears to me that at present the evidence preponderates the other way" (p. 39l. When this careful author thus expressed his views, he was not ac- quainted with the details now DO inted out in the combinations of the Ohio ser pent shrine. Prof F. w. Putnam, ir Century.