The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-06-09
rhe Garden of Eden.

The Garden of Eden.
Writers whohave had occasion tospeak
of. Kansas. her fertile soil. her genial eli
mate. and beautifully diversified scenery.
for want OF other comparisons have been
compelled to designate itas the Garden
OF the World" while others have spoken
of it as an Earthly Paradise. and only
wanting the artificial Improvements to
make it such and others, with their
minds set on the early history of the hu-
man family. speak of it as veritable
EDEN. be @ as
Its not our purpose to confirm or de.
ny the truthfulness Of their allegations /;
but simply to hint, modesilyx that it is
not impossible that the VI of the
Kansas was indeed tie Eden in which our
FIRST parents were created. We do not
suppose the country would possess any
!. greater attractions in the estimation OF
intelligent persons event if this were the
case, OF otherwise; and yet, If it is true,
they would be glad to know it. We pur-
pose removing every doa1 from the mind
of the reader before We leave the subject.
4 if We fail it win be for the want of fats
Moses appears to locate the Garden in
Asia. on the Euphrates, by what author
hy we do not design to inquire. 1. is
eyidens that it was at APPOINT very distant
from where the Ark rested, on Mt. Ar
arat, from the fact that it was one hun
bred and fifty days .foatia9 upon the
water, during which period the fountains
of the great deep were broken up. tor
rents fell from Heaven, "and all the
mountains were covered and the "Aik
ssat upon the face of tho waters" For
nearly six months Noah and his compan-
ions were drifting about at the mercy of
thewindsand waves. Tits preposterous to
suppose that in that long period q vessel
would have made the distance of only
one. or two hundred miles; on the con-
trary. it is more reasonable to suppose
that it made half the circuit of the earth.
We're the globe at this moment one vast
body of water, and should ship of the
largest dimensions-such as the Ark is
described as being-set a-drift from this
point in Kansas, would it not prob
ably arrive, in the course of half-a- year,
on the eastern side of Asia. Il will be
reeollected that Columbus was strength
ened in his convictions that the Indies
could be reached by sailing Westward,
becau.c of the arrival on the Western
coast of. Europe. alter long, westerly
winds. of various substances not common
to that climate. Those same winds pre-
vailed, no doubt, while Noah was cours-
UNCOVER the boundless ocean, of which
himself and family were the only yoya-
gers. Commanding in the autumn, and
blowing constantly in one direction, with
no Instructions, such as are now expert
enced by the interpesition of continents
and islands. AMI ofwhich the trade winds
are good illustrations. tits very evident
that Noah would have naturally made the
long journey alluded to between the Gar
den of Eden-now known as Kansas
and Mt. Ararat.-
1T may be objected that Noah himself
was not resident of Eden. Very true :
but it appears that he resided near that
spot. Cain and his family had journey
ed Eastward, and established himself
probably within the present limits OF
Missouri: but the other descendants OF
Adam remained in the vicinity of the
birth. place of humanity after his forcible
election therefrom by the Lord. and his
descendants had grown exceedingly pop,
thousand wicked. Il was because OF this
wickeduess the Governorof the Universe
determined upon destroying every LIVING
thing upon the earth, save a single pain
-ofteseh species. aaaea =
Does the geography of Kansas agree
with the description of Eden, as describ-
ed by Mosess '.And river went oul
of Eden to water the garden and from
thence it was parted, and became into
four heads. Gen. lilo. Thai river
now bears the name of Kansas, and its
four branches are known as Smoky Hill
Fork. Grand Saline Fork, Solomon's
Fork, and Republican Fork. The for
mer, it seems. was known TO the ante
deluvians by the name of Pison, aud
composed the whole region now knoWnas
Southwestern Kansas, where. according
to Moses, there is gold. The late discov-
. cries of gold on the head waters of the
Arkansas river is in the immediate yicin-
itY Of the head of Smoky Hill Fork, and
those who adopt our xiews. and place full
confidence in the Bible-and who does
no. e-should seek for gola in the next
river north of the Arkansas. near its
source in the Rocky Mountains. The
Biblical historian says: "The gold OF
the land is good; there is bdeliinm and
the onyx-stone." The latteris described
By travellers as Astounding in great plenty
in that region. A friend of ours who
spent couple OF years there furnished
Us some specimens of this stone. which
We have now in cur possession. It was
mistaken BY his party for genuine dia-
monds, and Was. treasured up with great
care; but its principal value had depart
ed on its arrival by the sack fall in Neg