The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-28
Relieves II was Built In the Dawn
~ Tims-Illustsrtes Certain Nh
vine Lessons-strangs Theory
Lisking Present with the Past.

Vlne AessOmp-StFWm8e AnewHS
Liskins Present with the Past.
>HE wonderful serpent mound in
" Adams county, Ohio. has been 80
thoroughly investigated and exca-
-. waited by archaeologists and their
- reports published to so great an
extent that 1t seems nothing mora
could be said upon the subject.
and yet the most curious Interpretation
of the meaning of the gigantic work that
has ever been advanced has Just come to
light. 1t fs communication TO a perl
odical of the German Baptists, that pecti-
liar sect whose tenet OF belief is simply
the apostolic example. The writer is one
Landon West. Of Adams county, Ohio, and
1t would appear as II his study of the
Bible had been much Influenced by his
close association with the ancient work.
Mr.. West premises that all readers Of the
Bible admit that the writer's of the holy
volume and its prophets lived and wrote
In the Eastern hemisphere: that all the
occurrences that had to do with the
sacred history took place In that quar-
ter of the world. yet there is here in
America a mark and inscription made by
the intelligent hand of others, who evil
IDENTIFY wished to give witness Of the first
great sad event which occurred in earth's
first family, as set forth in Genesis, iii.
There is here In Adams county. Ohio,
the figure Of large serpent drawn on
the earth's surface and showing the
thought OF life, a high degree OF intelli-
gence for serpents Genesis. iii.:1, 4, 81,
the eating Of fruit the attempt at decep-
ton and the thought or death, all as
faithfully set forth in the figure as can be
shown upon paper by, the best artists of
the day. In fact, none but experts at
drawing can copy correctly the mammoth
picture lesson set FORTH
Its Biblical Origin.
1.-THE figure Is more than 100 feet In
length; 1t is a prominent ridge thrown up
on the earths surface apparently with no
other object in view than to make a rec
ord of the sad event which Moses says &C.
CURED In the garden of Eden in the early
history OF the human family, Genesis, ill.,
It Is evidently the most ancient effort at
making record Of an event that the
world has, for there Ia no other figure on
earth Like 1t, and this one seems to de-
scribe the first error committed by the
human race, and to mark death as the
result of 1t, which proof continues yet.
This gigantic serpent Is located on G
high cliff on the east side of Ohio Brush
creek, just below the union Of the three
branches of that stream. with the head of
the figure directly toward them and also
toward the north star The mouth Of the
serpent is shown wide open and as in the
act of swallowing a large fruit, shaped as
q lemon or plum, which IL at least 100 feet
in length and nearly seventy-five feet in
width, thus showing. the attempt at decep-
tlon and the serpent as the deceiver, as
given In the word, which agrees exactly
with what is a well known fact, for SER
penis do not eat fruit.
Serpent in Death Agony.
1.-THE figure for some hundreds of feet
southwark shows the serpent as If in the
throes of DEATH. the ridge being sharply
crooked and curved in good imitation of
the death struggles of serpent. At the
lower extremity the figure Is coiled three
times round as gracefully as in nature.
thus representing death to perfection in
fact, none can set forth the sad event
that Moses says occurred In the garden
of Eden better than Is here shown In our
land, in a silent object lesson on the earths
surface, constructed long before object les
sons among men had been dreamed of. The
mystery is. how should this life-like and
intelligent picture lesson, showing the sad
event in Eden, be drawn here in the wild
forests Of America? Job says 1t was FORM
ed by the Creators hand, which Is the
most reasonable solution of the mystery
that can be offered. BY His spirit He has
garnished the heavens; His hand hath
formed the crooker serpent'-Job, xxvi.:13.
what is yet more remarkable is the
fact that the county In Ohio holding the
scene and lesson described should be nam
ed for Adam, the only man ever allowed
In the garden of Eden, and the one who
was led to share In earth's first deception.
Hence this figure may well be called that
old serpent as expressed in Revelation.
xii9. for it evidently portrays deception
for the whole world to see. and 1t makes
record of the first error committed In the
worlds history. In fact. 1t gives here In
silence all that can be obtained from words
as to the event named and shown in Gene
sis. ILL.,, and set forth in such manner as all
people, even heathens. might obtain Its
warning for ages, even while running over
IT..
Not an Accident.
Its location on the high ridge and cliff
compels all who pass on the east of the
stream or cross over the figure, and they
are SO made to see it. The figures is no
accident, and the lesson it conveys was
first conceived before the work was COM
menced, for there are too many thoughts
expressed and too much agreement with
the written word Of COO 10 Do mere
.happen-so.' 1t speaks In language that
may be read if not heard, and all in agree
ment with Moses, the only writer on the
subject, and giving the facts in form
that we are forced to believe. Both Moses
and the serpent here described agree ex-
actly as to the thoughts given, and this
adds to the faith of all who accept the
writings of Moses as divine revelation.
counting in our worlds history, this
mammoth figure goes farther back in its
record than even the rainbow mark in the
clouds Gods promise to Noah and all
people Genesis. xiii. :20-22; ix.:S-lD, for 1t
shows the one and the same relation Of
the Creator to his creatures, and these to
their deceiver and enemy as existed at the
Punishment from Eden.
various theories concerning the mean
ing of this figure and the object of its
builders have been suggested, but none
that has so far been advanced seems to
unite in any way with what the Bible has
said upon the thoughts this lesson so
clearly shows. But their agreement with
A.. Ultima rnlIma Is very remarkable in