All men taken collectively or specifically as a class of beings having the same essential characteristics and essentially different from every other class. Concerning the human race, two points are often discussed today: its unity and its age. As regards the first, faith clearly teaches that all men are descended from one pair, Adam and Eve. History has not yet succeeded in proving this thesis; perhaps it never will; its documents are too scanty. Reason, however, arguing from the data of science, does prove that all men can have descended from one pair; for all men belong to one species. The different races existing among men do not militate against this unity of species and descent. There is no essential difference between them, but rather a gradual transition. Nor is it necessary to postulate new species for the Neanderthal race or the Cro-Magnon race; they differ in no essential point from man as he exists today. Concerning the age of the human race, there is much difference of opinion as to how many years ago man first appeared on this earth. Neither faith nor history give a definite answer. Certainly it is on the flimsiest evidence that evolutionists measure the age of the human race by millions of years. Sober anthropology hardly demands more than 10,000 to 15,000 years to explain the ascertained facts. On the other hand, that man was created only 4000 years, as our years measure, before Christ, is no longer held; nor are the data contained in the Bible a guarantee for this figure.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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