Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-06-26
THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION.


Reference has been made formerly
in these columns TO DR.. Augustus Lac
Plongeon's exceedingly Interesting
work Queen Moo ana the Egypihh
apbinx. The volume Is the result oil
diIigent study of the Antiquities o'
Yucatsn and much research on the
vast field of arci % llogy. The learneu
author traces the origin OF the an
eieut civilizations of Egypt, Chaides
and India back TO Central America,
where the Maya empire ones uf'
ished. He furnishes proofs, by por-
traits < carved In stone, that there
was communication between west
srn Asia and the American
continent ut least as early
az I've hundred years before the bir'n
OF Christ, and given the Maya version
of the destruction Of the land OF Nu'
Plato's Atlantis.
Every chapter OF the book has
fascinating interest to all VINO seek
knowledge about the remote pas'
which is yelled 10 mystery. For IN
stance, DR.. Plongeon proposes very
plaus.ble answer to the puzzling ques-
ton OF the origin and meaning
Of the name the Asiatic pee
n,c give to that country. The
Hebrews called 1t Mlzraim, ana
the Assyrian. Muzur, and go op'
forms OF come word Of which the lei
tefs M. z and r form the rodicals.
None have hitherto been able to hnu
tho etymology OF the word, but Dr.
Plopgeon eays with confidence that 1t
lie Of American origin. In the Maya
language, he says, the origin
of the word is found and means ITO
uproot trees,"a name appropriate TO
Eeypt. where the trees bavs been
cleared of by the foundations oil the
Nile, carrying debris all over the
country.
Speaking of the relationship be-
tween the Maya Language ana
the Chaldeap, Dr.. PlOngeon hnds
traces of the former even in the
sacred literature OF the Hebrews. he
says that from the time the Semitic
tribes established themselves In At
syria, the ancient tongue was forgotten
and became the property oil Tue
learned classes almost exclusively, as
Latin was In the West in the middle
ages. In the seventh century b. o.,
Asurbanipai tried to revive 1t and
ordered copies Of the old treatises to BIT
made and also an Assyiiau translation.
1t eeems, however, that later even
the "wise men" had forgotten the
Language. Thus, when Mt the banquet
OF Beishazzar, a mysterious writing
was discovered on the wall, only Dan
lei could interprete 1t. L. has gener
ally been supposed that these word
were Chaldeau, but DR.. PloDgeon as
serls that they are pure Maya, havinl
the meaning that Daniel gives t.
them. In the ancient American dia
lect the words would bt: "Manel
Name, tee, uppab," and are thus ex
plained; "Manel," thou art past, o
finished; "mHne," thou art bought. @
weighed; "tec," light, not ponderous
and "uppah," thou wilt be broken il
two.
In the same way, the author finds
In the dying words OF our Savior,
sentence in the cid Amrfican Ian
guage. In the Gospel 1t is rendered
GEL, Ell, lsmah sabachthani, whicl
none OF these staining near the crot
seems 10 have understood. DIR. Plor
geon says 1t Ia Maya and writes
thus: "Hele, Hele, lanai zabac Ia nj,
OF which the Interpretation is: Nov
now, 1 am fainting; darkness cOvel
my face" equivalent 20 the dyin
words recorded by John: "It
finished."
DR.. PloDgeon does not profess
present theories but aims at placin
ancient America In the historical ran
that belongs TO this continent. II
labors in this direction must be col
sidered epoch.makiug. He has &c
tainly lurnel the key to the gates
knowledge, and when the vast fiel
beyond shall have been sufficiently E!
plore1 to furnish safe foundation Il
theories. IL is probable that much
that " hich now 10 stamped az scientif
fact will be known in another ligh
and that much mystery will RENAL
so no longer. We believe that Dol
Biblical history and Book OF Mormc
history will recelvs new corroboretiy
evidence, perhaps not enough
convince those who prefer to dout
but sufficient to still more strengtht
the faith OF believers and to rend
"sgnoelicism" without excuse.
Lst,er-day Saints Dr. Plongeor
arci 60 logical labors are especial