ID
The Omaha Sunday Bee Magazine Page
Where Did the Ancient Aztea Cet Their Bible
III Adam and Ere of the Aztecs Before the Tree of
Knowledge. From Ancient Picture Writing Done
Long Before tho Spaniards Entered Mexico.
The Lighter Figure la Eve. The
Snake Appears as a Bird.
Ere of the Mayans, the Ancient Cultured
Race That Preceded the Aztecs.
This Newly Discovered Sculp
ture Probably Dates
from 500 B. C.
The Mayan's Adam, a First Man Carrying
'His First Born. The Figure Is a
Companion for Eve in the
Same Set of Sculpture
Just Found.
Newly Discovered Records That Interpret Old and New
Testament Legends, but Which Were Made Centuries
Before the Christian World Ever Heard of America
RECENT discoveries among the
ruined cities of Central
America, notably by tho
party In Guatemala, and progress
la Interpreting those already found
end copied In Mexico end Yucatan,
have raised -with greater force than
ever the question of where tho
ancient Axtecs, tho ldndred races
of the Central American States, and
the mysterious Mayan race, which
preceded the Aztecs, get their Old
and New Testament legends.
Tho points of resemblance In the
religious beliefs and rituals of tho old
'Americans and those held and prac
tised by Christians are too close to be mere coinci
dences. Any court of law would pass upon them as da
rlvod from a common source.
And yet these traditions and observances were a fa
miliar part of Mayan and Azteo llfo centuries before the
discovery of America by Columbus, and tho conquest of
their civilization by marauding Spaniards. "
The recent flnds that have raised the mystery anew
are panels and Inscriptions and picture writings In
whloh tho legend of the Fall of Man la clearly Indicated.
Mot only Eve, the first mother, Is shown, but Adam.
And one striking bas-relief presents tho characters
which have been Identified as Adam and Eve, with tho
addition of the Subtle tiorpent of the story. In tills
sculpture the enake Is not, as usually depicted, colled
around the Tree of Llfo. it is held Instead by Eve, and
The Dress That Made Paris
Vow to Reform
Its Fashions
THE world has doubtless been surprised
by the news that Paris leaders o't
fashion have declared that Parle
fashions must be more modest
The world, and particularly the American
part of it, have had on Idea that Paris and
modesty were not on speaking terms, but
they were mistaken.
Here Is the gown that made the Parisian
society leaders declare that this sort of thing
had gone far enough.
It Is saM to be the most decollete costume
ever worn In a respectable public place. It
was designed by one of the most noted cou
turiers of Paris, and waa greatly deplored
by society because the very 'best designers
have, as a rule, refused to follow the ex
tremes In undress, for which Parisian fash
ions have recently become notorious.
The offending gown waa worn by one of the
handsomest and best known actresses of
Paris. She appeared in It one evening at
one of the best restaurants of the city, be
fore a large gathering of men and women
of high social position, Including a num
ber of American visitors.
Several Frenchwomen, Including a dlstin
gulshed duchess, who -was accompanied by
her daughter, withdrew from the restaurant
when they saw the startling dress.
It Is urged on behalf of the dress that It Is
beautiful and artistic. This fact Is admitted
by many of those who criticized it They
even admit that It might not be considered
offensive or be out of place on the stage, but
it is pronounced to be entirely unsuited for
purely social occasions. Those who are seek
ing to correct the taste of Paris maintain
that dress In society must be regarded to
some extent as a covering for the body, and
not simply as an ornament and a means of
enhancing Its seml-nudlty.
This gown Is cut down to the waist at the
back, and nearly as low Is front It is held
to the shoulders by a very open network of
pearls. A light swathing of very transparent
gaue Is thrown over the shoulders. This
hides nothing, but lends an additional soft
ness and allurement to the expanse of white
flesh seen through It
The skirt Is a gracefully draped affair of
velvet liberally slit In front and exposing
bare limbs shod with shoes of a modified
sandal type. "
It Is significant that Immediately after the
apparition of this gown the leading
titled women of Paris society Issued
their manifesto, urging all women
"of good 'breeding to do their utmost
to discourage immodest and extreme
fashions.
Hence, many now
speak of it as "the
gown that made us
reform."
There were,
however, many
The Latest Paris Fashion Creadon BlCJVsBr ,ed the more eeri-
ir men was rronounced IlfpMv tOHNNHEWK 0UB element in so-
iiuc, uui nuv suitable for WVMSw. IJM V u
ru"-v outio utuaaiuna," 3Ww3!B?SS3SK a halt
seems to be adding to Its blandish
ments to hers while Adam stands
listening. , -
Still other carvings have been In
terpreted as illustrating the various
logends of tho Patriarchs, and in
one case there seems no doubt that
a legend identical with tho sacrifice
of Isaac is 'depicted.
In fact, say the archaeologists,
either hero there Is a series of co
incidences unparallelled in history
and well-nigh unbelievable, or else
somo one thoroughly schooled in Old
and New Testament came Into con
tact with the Mayans, the prede
cessors of tho Aztecs, in some far
distant time and partly, at least,
converted them.
It Is worthy of note that even at
the time' of the Conquest the priests
who accompanied Cortez were struck
by these resemblances. They found
side by sldo with the basest and
most brutal superstitions, the most
familiar religious observances. There
was, for instance, the ritual of the
baptism of Infants, and one can im
agino the surprise of the conquerors
when they saw the babies sprinkled
with water Just like a Christian babe,
while the "heathen" priest prayed
"the One Living God to permit the holy drops to wash
away the sin that was given to It ibofore the foundation
of the world, so that this child may he bom anew."
Still more curiously familiar wero somo of their pray
ors. "Wilt Thou blot us out O Lord, forever," ran one
of them. "Is this punishment Intended not for our
reformation, but for our destruction?" "Keep peace with
all; bear injuries with humility; God, who sees all, will
avenge you."
While the most striking parallel of all with the New
Testament notes the historian, Prescott, was the decla
ration in their moral code that "he who looks too curi
ously on a woman commits sin with his eyes."
Again the rite of confession was practised among the
Aztecs, and among the exhortations of the priest was
this one: "Clothe the naked and feed the hungry, what
ever privations It may cost thee; for remember their
flesh is like thine', and they are men like thee."
No mention, however, is made in the older writings of
similar stories to the earliest legends of the Bible, the
carven Illustrations of which have just been recognized.
And here, too, it may be said that almost all the em
blems of the Masonic order havo been Identified In the
Yucatan burled cltlos, carven In their temples. There
is even the Apron with the Eye sot within tho Triangle.
In connection with these discoveries an early theory
has gained some credence. This is bound up with the
story of Quetzalcoatl, the great white God of the AztecB.
The legend they held of him was.that one day, back In
the far distant past, a stranger of noble appearance, white
and bearded, sailed in from the Atlantic Ocean in a bark
of serpent skins. He taught them agriculture, gave them
laws -and then, Incurring the wrath of one of the prin
ciple gods of the country, sailed away after promising
to return again with his sons and rule the country.
At the time of the Conquest there was a very explicit
tradition of Quetzalcoatl which described hlB appearanco
with a convincing minuteness. The legend, In fact did
much to assist the Spaniards in conquering the country,
because the superstitious Montezuma, the ruler, was
persuaded that the Spaniards were those of whom Quet
zalcoatl had prophesied.
It has heen held by some scholars that Quetzalcoatl
waB really the apostle Thomas. The Aztec name means
feathered serpent but the last syllable also means
twin-" Didymus, the Greek for Thomas, also signifies a
twin. This seems slight ground for such a startling
identification, but an analysis of all the facta seems to
prove that centuries before Columbus a white man did
actually visit the Mayans. He taught them many things,
and in the Jaws he gave them were, It seems, the moral
observances and the legends mentioned. The prlesta ot
the native gods, fearing the Influence his teachings were
gaining, expelled him from the country. The leasons
remained fixed in the memories of those he had taught
however, and were pictured in the stones bo recently
identified. At the same time, side by side, with the
stranger's code waa observed the code of the ancient
gods. Only In this way can the mystery be at all an
swered. Who Quetzalcoatl really was can never be
known, but be must have been a Christian, and a man
of enormously strong personality.
It is another odd thing, in passing, that in the picture
Jtoriej?
A Mayan Baa Relief Representing Ev if KJlj I Jffigt LJ 1
Temptinz Adam. The Two Are Seen U VSgllsU fd$ fiJWjJ
Holding tho Snake Which Is Counsel. AfftlV ft 3
ling Them, and (to the Right) a MBwM W lik W
Wall Sculpture Which Is Thought MWi M Cj t y '
to Represent Adam and Abel. wPI jp 'SJjy fjj
Below la the Wonderful Ruined Temple at IK mil VJafk y
Uxmal Known as the Temple of the Em. W'V. if'f Wz,
Columns in Which Rituals Cor- TVV 3- jMM
responding Strangely to tho itsgSlgggL i6SL. -tv U;C Wm,.
Christian Were Observed f FsZTTS. TmMS ST VrS W3
Long Before the fl I lhLWE$$ LflJ fW fv
Spanish Conquest. ' -j' ' Jfc
writings identified as telling the story of the Fall, the
Tree ot Knowledge Is often depicted as a cocoa tree, and
a bird takes the place ot the serpent.
Another significant fact is the use ot the symbol ot
the cross In tho great sacred city of Palenque.
This was first observed In the famous tablet of the
cross discovered at Palenque. It formed part ot the
Group of the Cross, a remarkable ornament on one of
the principal temples. This group shows a cross-lls
structure with a human figure at each side, and other
details. It is covered with closely set hieroglyphic
Characters. Apparently a scene closely resembling th
basic act of the Christian religion is hero represented.
Whether this is a more coincidence, or whether Chris
tlanlty was brought to this land In some forgotten
period, is an unsolved mystery.
To Make Shipwreck Perfectly Safe
AVERY ingenious aevice nas neen in
vented by a German, Gustav Hein
rich, which he declares will deprive
shipwreck of all its terrors under all circum
stance b. -
Furnished with this device a passenger
might be thrown Into mld-Atlantlc and live
In comfort for many days while waiting to
be picked up.
The apparatus Is made ot watertight can
vas. It has sleeves ending In gloves. There
Is a port hole in the head which can be
closed when the weather Is rough. When
the port hole Is losed air enters through a
tube above the head. No water can enter,
through this.
The man or woman using this device
stands with his feet in a sorfof bucket which
forma the base. This bucket takes
In a certain quantity ot water
which acts aa ballast, and keeps
the lifesaver and Its occupant up
rlsht Sufficient food and drink
can be taken aboard to keep the
passenger alive for a week or
more.
The apparatus Is provided with a revolver
and elgnal lights, with which the shipwreck
ed passenger can Blgnal for help by day or
night Attached to the apparatus are ropes
by which two or three people can keep them
selves afloat if they have not the good fof
tune to have life-saving outfits ot their
own.
It is proposed that one suit of this kind
should be provided for every person on a
ship". At present, as has been proved by
many terrible disasters, there are no ade
quate provisions for saving life in case of a
sudden sinking of the ship through collision
or any other cause.
The boatB are not sufficient to carry all
passengers, and It seemB doubtful whether
a sufficient number will e,yer be provided, al
though an unusually actfo jvement for in
Burlng Bafety at sea has betT.olng on lately.
In any case shipwrecked passengers may be
thrown in the sea with such haste that there
is no chance for them to get into the boats.
In such accidents the boats may be sunk or
made useless from many causes.
The llfesavlng suite at present provided
are comparatively little use in case of a
shipwreck In mldocean.
Copyrlrht 1814, by tht Star Compear. Great Britain Klrhti ReMrvad.
Hen
Gustav
Heinrich's
Life-saving
Suit,
Which
Is '
Furnished
with
Food,
Drink
and
Signals,
and
Will
Keep
You
Comfortable
in
Mid-ocean,