Article December 1, 1923 Issue

Fire

ELEANORA B. CARR

IT has been said that human culture began with the discovery of fire, and progressed step by step in proportion to its application to human needs. Without delving into the mystery, some significant lessons may be drawn from the early history of mankind's attitude towards this element, and its subsequent harnessing of the powerful fire force for its own ends.

In primitive times each village kept alive a constantly burning central fire for its own use, and also to provide against any emergency which might possibly extinguish the village home fires. In this way it came about that the central hearth of the village became a sacred symbol of home and family life. Eventually, the round, rudely constructed hut, where the general fire burned, came to be regarded as the official home of the whole people, the seat of government as well as of religion,—the embodiment, in fact, of the unity and vitality of the community.

This, no doubt, was the origin of the fire cults which sprang up in nearly every known race then on the earth; and the circular temples of the Greek or Latin fire gods, Hestia or Vesta, were reminiscent of the old fire cults. The virgin goddess of hearth and home, whose mission it was to maintain an everlastingly burning flame, may have been simply a descendant of the village women who, having fewest calls upon their time, were naturally delegated by the ancients to keep alight the precious flickering fire upon the tribal hearth.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Fire

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access