Dispersion Of Language.

DISPERSION OF LANGUAGE .

BV W . S . HOPPER . SECOND PAPEK . In order to facilitate the growth and development of language , there must of necessity be epochs in its history Avhen

there are distinct separations of men or nationalities , and thereby definite dispersions . As there have been periods iu every nation , science and art , Avhen there has been great impetus to progress , so there has been iu language . With this view Ave can

distinctly call to mind the historic facts of the building of Babel ; of Solomon ' s Temple ; and of the dispersion of the disciples of Christ after his departure . We are not to consider that the conception of the building of Babel Avas an act of

the Divine mind , but that at this period of the Avorld ' s history there must have been a dispersion because the people were becoming so numerous that there would ere

long have been such a turmoil and disquietude , especially as there Avas no organization of government except as one man had a greater influence than another , and thereby became an acknoAvledged leader . This being their condition at the time , it Avas necessary that they be banded iu smaller communities .

God doubtless Avould have accomplished this dispersion iu some other way had not men been moved tq construct that tower , but He seized that opportunity to effect it . Many have supposed that the confusion of tongues Avas so great that almost every one Avas lead to speak a different language .

This , however , seems to be a very great error . There was great confusion of tongue , but many persons spake to and understood each other ; still the number of languages spoken was so great as to render it absolutely impossible to engage further upon a

work Avhich required the exercise of every hand and to make a dispersion imperative . Hence , the people very soon gathered into groups , and finally into the more thorough organization of tribes , and moved into different parts of tlie countrygoing in the

, direction of every point of the compass . Some of these tribes preserved very nearly the same idea of God as the entire people bad entertained , Avhile others retained indefinite thoughts concerning Him , and still

others seem to have lost almost all knoAVledge of His character , attributes and worship , only retaining a very vague idea of the fact that there was someAA'liere a Great Puling Power whom they denominated the Great Spirit . This doubtless Avas the origin of idolatry and heathenismand

, of the different languages as Ave have them to-day . It does not folloAV , liOAvever , that the languages spoken HOAV Avere the identical ones wbicb followed this dispersion , because there have been great degrees of growth and development in all the ages AVMCII have

followed . For instance , the Anglo-Saxon lias gi'OAvn into the English , and there is scarcely a Avoid of the English spoken or Avritten as the Anglo-Saxon , yet the same thought is expressed in tlie same general manner . Tlie same Avill be found true in

all other languages . The question many times arises as to the method employed to people both sides of theAA'oi'ld , or all the continents , the Eastern , Western and Australia , some holding the idea that the Avorld at that period Avas in

these three great divisions , as IIOAV , and that by some means inhabitants of North Eastern Asia crossed tlie narroAV belt of water now called Behrmg ' s Strait , and travelling East and South inhabited North and South America .

NOAV this might have been the case , but there is no probability that at that early age there were any means of crossing even that narrow belt of Avater . No boa' of that age , if there Avere any , could have withstood the storms .

But says another , they crossed at different times when there was solid ice . Here another difficulty stands in the Avay . These people Avere reared in tlie climate of Bab ylon and Palestine , and could not have endured the intense cold of that latitude , at a period so early and Avitb so little protection as they

bad . Besides all the early discoveries shoiv that tlie majority of the early inhabitants of America were in the more Southern climes , nearer tlie latitude of the Oriental nations . Then another difficulty meets us . If

they had crossed in this manner , IIOAV Avere Saw Guinea , Borneo and Australia populated ? These Avere very far South , and the space by Avater Avas so great that no effort of the Orientals could have effected a crossing .