The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-06-15
l. ~AYIoN OF EDEN
Many aEeloNs ASSOCIATED
WITH LOST PARADISE.
Finding CT Spot Has Always Been One
of the Fascinating Pursuits OF
Ages, But Quest Seems
Hopeless.

theor;st arises with the announce
p,ent that the Garden Of Eden has at
last been located. The world Is con-
cerned more for the restitution to the
race of a large measure OF the inno-
cence and happiness that is associated
with the lost paradise than 1t Is Win
the location of the place which IL
woven into the majestic lines OF
Milton In his pictures OF the crea'
ton and the tragedy OF the garden. |
Nevertheless, the strength OF human
Interest in the facts Of human origin
makes the location OF the Garden OF
Eden one Of the fascinating pursuits
of the ages. AS there is no known
spot upon the face of the earth that
corresponds with the features attrib-
uted to the location Of Eden, and as,
even admitting the validity OF the
Bishop USHER chronology, there has
elapsed suficient time for the utter
transformation of the physical as
poets OF Eden as described In Genesis,
the hunt for the actual Eden seems
hopeless.
The cradle of the race undoubtedly
lies somewhere in the east, and, &C
cepting the Indo-European theory OF
race identity Of the Caucasian races,
II would seem as though the approx
innate birthplace of this branch OF the
human family could be placed. But
ethpologists are themselves astound-
ed as they endeavor to track the path
of humanity and to trace the breakup
of the race into its many branches,
through the evidence of language and
other enduring records. They are
nonplused and cannot arrive at q
common agreement, excepting that
after research has reached to the
farthest limit, the borderland OF CIV
flization appears to be brought little
nearer.
Nevertheless, there is no tradition
among the nations so enhancing as
that of Eden. Hardly nation OF the
ancient east but that retains the story
among it's folklore. But the tradition
has Travelled westward and has spread
over the whole world. Even the
Sandwich islanders. the people OF the
Pamirs. and 1T is even said the Eski
mos. have traditions of Eden not dis
similar from the story Of Genesis. The
records of the Aztecs disclose ths
story of the serpent delineated unmis
takably in the picture language O
that ancient people. But while th'
valley of Mexico has the credit OF be
ing one of the spots identified witt
the location of Eden, on the othe
hand the north pole is candidate
for the honor, 1t being claimed tina
Eden was wiped out by the advanc
of the ice sheet during the glacia
ages. South and Central America
Mexico. the Sahara desert, In
iungles of the dark continent-almos
every tropical country-has its u
tenders in this respect.
The point Of these claims usual
rests upon evidence of the existenc
of a race earlier than any OF whic
history has knowledge. But as thes
ancient stocks are scattered throug
out the globe. this appears to prov
nothing. But tradition, world-wid
enshrines the Garden of Eden amor
the beliefs of widely dissimilar pc
pies. and this fact itself indicates Il
early identity of the races of ma
kind. The Mexican tradition, relatil
as IL does to this continent, has G
necial interest. This assumes the
was a race of human beings on tn
continent many thousands OF yea
ago, and this Is to some extent ca
firmed by discoveries along the
cific coast of South America. Trac
of a race and civilization have be
discovered there, which go far ba
of recorded time. 1t also seems tn
in some way or other there was Ia
connection between America and
east. This appears to be given sol
,plausibility by explorations OF
oceans. There are reasons for bell
ing that q continent which once ste
between this country and the 81
sank into the sea and the tabled
,s-%;s xraa q mart of IL