Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-08
ASCENT OF MAN.
Interesting Extracts from Course Of Lectures
Being Conducted by Rev. E. E. Eewbert.

The lectures of Rev. e. f. Newbert on,
= The Ascent of Man. which have been
given, Sunday evenings, at the Unitarian
church, have been well attended. and the
interest is we'll sustained. There have
already been three lectures in the course,
and in this brief account it is impossible
to give moro than the barest outline OF
facts for which the lecturer gave evidence
In detail
In his discussion of the differentiation of
man from the animal, Mr.. Ncwbcrt en-
phasized the growth in intelligence due
to the upright posture, the free use of the
hands and the development of speech. As
important factors, he also argued the use
Of fire and the idea of human infancy, IN
one, we see mans most important con-
quest over nature. In the other, we have
the beginnings Of the moral sense in the
evolution of the family.
Man had not many places Of origin.
For the best of reasons, ethnologists place
the origin of man In Euro Asia. here
was never a first pair, as there was never
a first man. Rather. man descended from
an apelike group of animal ancestors. The
assumption is that he remained within the
area Of his origin until be was truly
human in physique and mental endow-
ment, and that he gradually dispersed from
his primeval home over the earth modi-
fed in color and general racial charac-
teristics by his environment. As to mans
antiquity, it probably falls within 500, 600
years. 1t may be much greater. Accord
ing to the best authority, the glacial epoch
began $40, 600 years ago and ended $4,000
years ago. Primitive man in Europe and
America was certainly inter glacial and
probably pre-glacIal. The so-callcd
" Rivcr-drift man" left his rough stone
weapons In Europe before the Alps came
into being, or England had become
separated from France or Scotland from
Scandinavia. This man had no pcrma
nent abodes. He was q wandering hunter,
having the most primitive rough stone
weapons. We have no evidence that he
buried his dead.
Next come tho "Cavcmen of Europe,
men of a much later age, but probably the
river-drift' man in higher stage of cul-
ture. His weapons are still of rough stone,
but less ponderous and more penetrating.
He is still a hunter and warrior. He
knows nothing Of agriculture, and has no
domestic animals. But he made his home
in caves and buried therein bis dead.
He made use Of fire, and had rude funeral
rite, in which we find some notion of a
future life. Art and religion had their
beginnings here; at least neither appears
before. Pottery may have had Its origin
here also, but there are no records. This
cave man left many records of himself and
his modes of life. These we appropriate,
and they become the materials Of story
ever more interesting to the student, We'll
has a recent writer said
The generations of the past escape not
our pursuit We rifle their graves, measure
their skulls and analyze their bones we
carry to our museums the utensils and
weapons, the gods and jewels, which sad
and loving hands laid beside them we
dig up the foundations Of their houses and
cart off the monuments which their proud
kings set up. Nothing is sacred to us and
yet nothing is vile and worthless.