Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1882 — Sacred Books Lost. [ARTICLE]

Sacred Books Lost.

The American Antiguarian contains the following in regard to ancient sazred books Of Yucatan: The Mayas of Yucatan are supposed to be the only I me of all the native races of America ! who ever reached that stage of civilization where a written literature prevailed, and where letters and characters were known. Attention has been called to the fact in tw r o or three pamphlets, lately published, but the last published pamphlet shows it more conclusively since the characters represented in it ire supposed to be genuine Maya Hieroglyphics. The annihilation of their sacred book destroyed many of the records of this nation, and affected the natives keenly. These books related chiefly to the pagan ritual, to heathen tradition, and to astrological superstitions. A few of these remain now in European libraries, but tlie most common records are those which go under the name of “Chilian Balam.” These seem to have been a ; sort of reproduction of the books, fnade at the time of the Spanish conj quest, and placed in the different villages, there being not less than sixteen of these curious records. “Chilian Balam” is a title which, in ancient j times, designated the priest who anj nonneed the will of the gods, and ex- ! plained the sacred oracles to men. These books, written as they W’ere after the conquest, contained a mixture of history and Christian doctrines taught by the priests, and of prophecies, which are supposed by some to have been genuine "Maya prophecies, uttered before the conquest, and the native chronology and tradition. Tlie i contents of these hooks may be classified under four heads: Astrological and Prophetic, Ancient Chronology ! and History; Medical Recipes and Directions ; Later* History and Christian Teachings. The books are valuable for the stamp of the native thought which | they contain, but specially for the chronology of the Mayas which they ; contain. This chronology is supposed to date back as far as the third century, and was divided into thirteen epochs or periods, which are estimated by some as tw'enty years, and by others as twen- ! ty-four years each. Each period was j superintended by a chief or king, called j Allan, and the books above mentioned give both the names and portrait, drawn and colored by the rude hand of the native artist. Their year was divided into eighteen months of twenty days each, and five interpolated days. The names of those days are given in three pamphlets, hieroglyphics being also given in the last named, that is, the hieroglyphic signs for the days and for the months. There are eighteen signs for months, arranged on two pages, one from Landa’s book, and the other from Chilian Balam. These however, have very little resemblance. There are twenty signs for the days, one column from Landa, the second from the Codex Troano, and four from Chilian Balam. Each of these differ, showing that the memory of writers w as defective, or that an arbitrary reconstruction appeared in each. It should be said there are more resemblances to the characters in the Chilian Balam, to the symbols on the solstitial stone found in Mexico, which Dr. Valentine thinks was also a chronological table, and that the figures on Landa’s columns have striking resemblances to the hieroglyphics on the tablet of the cross found in the temple of the Cross at Palenque. The Idaho Springs in Tennessee are thus described: “Within a radius of twenty-five feet are found about six different kinds of w’ater, which are well known for their curative properties. They are the white, black and red, sulphur, iron, alum and soda, all used and much liked by the visitors.” They are as versatile as ft first-class soda fountain. “I have found St. Jacobs Oil to be a moßt excellent remedy for rheumatic pains, ” says Mr. F. Latham, 5 Harrison street, Providence, B. I,—Boston Herald,