Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-10-06
ANCIENT fORrlflCATIOSs.
A Testimony 10 the Truth Of the
Book Of Mormon.


Gen. Harrison, sometime President
OF the United States, Ia reported 10 tho
lIslorIcal Society Of Ohio, Vol. ], y,
ai2, as saying that: "rheso fortified.
tions were not erected for q defense
from n sudden Invasion, for the
height Of the wall and the nolidity OF
their construction show that the dan-
ser they were 10 guard against was
ever present. The three mounds
have visited have military character
stamped upon them which cannot DO
mistaken"
no the thoughtful explorer and
Archaeological these silent witnesses OF
ancient feuis and conflicts between
mccs that have long since passed away,
present n succession Of p,izzlipg enlg.
mas. But these would be- solved u
people would accept tho reliable tesu-
mony aud proofs that cxiet, and NOT
reject them simply because they arc
unpopular. A,
Since tho records concerning the
aboriginal races Of America, their DER.
walton, manners, religion and social
condition, contained In the BOOK OF
Mormon, has BEEN given 10 the WORLD
numerous witnesses Of most astounu-
ing character have app-afed TO testify
Of the genulnoneas Of the history
They have come, too, Ike tue record,
from the ground, "whispcring out OF
m. dust.T While one class Of learned
mcn-tb. religious clats--haye been
denying the truth and rcspootability OF
the Hook Of Mormon annals, another
class have been seriously labofing u
bring TO light tho most powerful aud
palpable proofs Of the reliability OF the
ntatoment OF the exhumed record.
The explorers came TO the conclusion
that 0war was evidently an important
subject Of thought with the mound
builders"
Why was war subject Of thought
with those ancient nations? The strife
was evidently Of n civil and AN uuin-
territorial character. There are no signs
Indicating incurslona OF foreign IN.
yedors, or OF armies Of different races.
There ARE no anatomical characteris-
Ties In the remains proving that tue
conibAtant. were OF different nationals
tiles. Mr.. Morton, Philadelphia, 1889
published n work on Cranid ADlerioaid
or a comparative view Of the skulls OF
various aboriginal nations OF North
America, IN which he remarks that
unity OF physical type exists among
All tho Inhabitants OF both Americas,
with the sole exception OF the Esqui'
mauK.
Another weighty fuct In support OF
the theory that single race peopied
ali the Atlantic coast OF America Is
found in tho annlogies between tho
language OF tho anclent Inhabitants
ofthose regions. DR.. CTevsux, an In
dustrlous laboTcr In the scientific HELD
and whose lie was sacrificed IN the
cause--wo learn that he was murdered
nv Ia. Tohas--noted marked similar
ity between the languages OF tue ma
lives Of Guiana, the Upper amazon,
the Antilles, and that OF the ancient
Inhabitants Of Rio de Janeiro' tbuIi,
Soc. Anth., 1851, y. bJi)
While many important diversitie. In
color. stature and other physichl
features, NJ well rs egrees IN moral,
soolul and artificial status existed anu
although they were broken up INTO
numerous tribes, yet all the most re-
liable writers agree that they had ono
common origin. ,
The Book Of Mormon relates thai
under the direct command and gull,
anee OF the Almighty small colony o.
the ancient inhabitants OF eastern
Asia emigrated 10 America about the
time VI the building OF the Tower OF
Babel. After peopling vsst urea OF
the American csntinonl, eNten1ihg
through period OF seventeen hundred
years, the people became 9heoeulnely
low and depravei, LOST every
cultured civilization. They engaged
in the most dreadful wars aud savage
conflicts which included the entire
populatlon--even women and children
and resulted In tho total destruction
OF tho rncc. THESE extefminatinH
wars carried on not lees than iiiteen
million souls.
These early Inhabitants or America
were named Jaredites, alter the nain'
NJ the founder OF the colony. Ihey
lived principally Ia North America
The nations contemporary with then
were the BAbylOnians, Clhldeanh, anf
Egyptians. And whatever remains a
the present day Of the Jaredites mus
bear the MARKS Of their primitive oil
gin. But the relies OF Thu
Jatcdites would not be likely
10 consist to any great extent OF iortin
cations and walled cities, since thei
founders left tho plains OF Nimrod be
fore tho inhabitants OF the early WORT
had divided into separate and rlva
nation. In the days VI The departur,
otthe Jatedlte pilgrims, war and mill
tary engineering had not become tn
proud boast Of great nations. Jare'
had seen, probably, some examples o
ancient masonry, temples, pyramid
and palaces, masonic structures built U
endure through the carth's tempora
existence. Jared Ind perhaps not onll
seen, but bad actually easisted II
building tho great hislnrioa
tower, hut IT is not likol!
thnt he hid ever seen a battle
mtntod tower, defensive fort, or ilell
earth.worh What II the result OF diVl
sion and rival interests and purposes
The characteristic Of Jared'a conteni
p0arles were reunion and oentFallz
ton ofpurpose and effort.
After the settlement OF the countrl
by the Jnredites the people lived II
peaoe and their leaders were rightoou