The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-06-13
The Land of Eden Discovered.

Our literary friend, Max Greene, who ha,
in contemplation the publication Of the Penn
syluania Kagazinein this place, has recently
| been turning his attention to question th'
solution of which has defied the researches
of the learned for many ages--we mean th'
geographical position of the Land of Eden
Max has boldly struck upon a new theory
one which will astonish if it does not satisfy
our rsaders-ard we submit to their perusa
with pleasure, the following extract from q
lecture recently delivered by him. He has
been kind enough to furnish the extract and
we commend it to all who are curious as tc
the locality OF our first parents ;-Harris
bury Union.
In the course Of his lecture on Kansas,
/ delivered in the Hall Of Representatives, on
the evening Of the 2sth ult., Max Greene re-
| marked:
The South Park Is the westernmost and
great mountain valley Of Kansas. We stand
hero in an unrivalled region. Beautiful
, open glades, verdant meadows, picturesque
clumps of pine, cottonwood, walnut and
quaking-as and pretty level prairies, diver.
sitied with steep hills, and stocked with deer,
! elk and bison, and bordered with dense
forests, are enclosed by circumvallant
mountainous range, crested with rocky
| peaks.
This natural park is large circular val
ley, thirty miles across. 1t is a curious
birthplace of rivers. Here we find ipter
locked, the hesd-streams Of four Of the gi-
ant rivers Of the continent. The Arkansas
rises here, and flows in southeasterly di-
rcction, fourteen hundred miles, into the
Mississippi. Tie South Fork Of the Platte
starts mere, and running first to the north
and then easterly, a thousand miles, empties
into the Missouri. The Garita of the Rio
Grsnde rises here, and flowing due south
along the borders Of Texas. empties into the
Gulf OF Mexico. Also, several aiilucnts of
the Colorado Of the west have their head
springs in this valleys river which flows
eighteen hundred miles, through the land Of
mystery and gems, then emptics, through
the Gulf Of California, into the Pacific
Ocean.
The South Park is the only valley in the
world, which with its four rivers, and in
other respects. answers to the sacred geog-
raphy Of the Land OF Eden. | do not assert
my conviction that this was the garden
home of our first parents; neither do care
to starte others with what sounds new and
strange. But the typographical resemblance
between the Fdcn in the Bible and this
place, has irresistibly forced itself upon me.
According 10 the Hebrew Scriptures, our
first parents were placed in z garden in the
Land of Eden. But where was Eden? The
manifold resources Of philosophy, literature
and historical research, have failed to an
swer this question. Reiand and Calmet as
sumo its locality 90 have been in the noun
famous region Of Armenia, among the head
waters Of the Tigris and Araxes Treating
Of this subject in IA HistoricaL Gesgr0yby
cr the Bible, Rev. Lyman Coleman says:
"The learned have brought to this inves-
tigation, the aid Of the most recent discover
les OF eastern missionaries apd travellers !;
and after the wiaes. range Of inquiry, have
only returned with some elaborate theory or
fancifuI conjccture.'
The geographical position of Eden as de-
fined by Moses, is invUlsei 10 great obscuri-
Is; and yet II evidently was intended - De
scribe the country by landmarks then IA
military known. Four rivers then proceed
cd from this region cae OF which enccm-
passes the Land Of Havlah, where was
found "l.le gold and precious stones
which answers 70 the description of the Co
dorado of the west. Two other rivers bear
ing the name of Havi,ah, are mentioned in
Genesis, but each is evidently distinct from
this, which is nov totally uuknowR. An
other of the four rivers was named Euphra-
ties; but it is now lnconteStibiy settled, that
the Garden OF Eden could have been no
where on the banks OF the river in Asia
which has borne this name for ages The !
B,ble plainly says, that the rivers Of Para |
disc arose from one source, and flowing out |
Of one garden, divided into four great rivers, |
running in different directions. Nowhere |
else but in the South Park Of Kansas is such |
q thing known on earth.