Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-05-03
WHO WAS GAINS WIFE2
Answer by Rev. II. Ward neccher.

To the curious in Biblical literature
and the cosmogony by Moses, who
was learned in all wisdom of ancient
Egypt, the next question and the
answer by learned and somewhat
eccentric preacher will not be unin-
teresting matter. Biologists, anti.
quariaDs and scientists have brought
to light many facts tending to show
the existence of our race upon tho
earth at very remote periods. We
think the land of Nod may have been
peopled before Adam was born, and
this consistently, without yielding the
substantial and divine teachings of tie
great Jewish teacher who lead the
lsraelites out Of Egypt and out of the
house of bondage. Moses may be
rightly understood as writing his Cos.
Inology, from the histories and legends
as he learned them, without pretend.
ing to write in that respect from Revo.
lation.
December 16, 1870.
REV. HESRY WARD BrEoHKR:
DEAn Sin Please TO inform me through the
columns Of the New York Ledger who Gains wife
was and oblige
READER or THE LEDGER.
There is no record of Gains court
ship or wedding. However interest.
ing TO tho parties themselves, it is of
no interest to us, except apon the
supposition that the account in Gene.
sis of the creation Of Adam was de.
signed to exclude the supposition that
any other people had been created.
If Adam and Eve were the sole pro
gcnitors of the race, then Cain and
Abel, il is Inferred must have married
their own sisters-a connection which
is shocking to the sensibilities of the
whole raco-at subsequent stage Of
development.
But many of the fathers OF tho
church denied that Adam and Eve,
and their children were the only peo.
pie on the globe They affirmed that
the text in Genesis very plainly i'm.
plies that the earth was already wide.
ly populated for, when God declared
that Cain should be driven out from
his family and made a vagabond on
the earth, Cain deprecated the sen.
tence and pleaded "that every one
that findeth me shall slay me-" 1t
was plainly not his family connections
that he feared, for he desired not To be
driven out from them. 1t was the
people that he should meet when d
waudcrer on the earth. Who, then
were the people whom Cain feared to
meet when he should have gone forth
into the earth
II is also reasoned by scholars that
tho most natural method of soothing
his fears, would have been TO tell him,
"There are no other people on the
earth, except your fathers children.
Instead of that the Lord is reprcsen
ted as falling in with Cain 5 impres.
sion respecting the population Of tho
world, that lie "sct mark upon
Cain, lest any finding him should slay
him." (Gen. 4 l5) Still further, il
is said that Cain, separating himself
from his kindred, went to the land ol
Nod, east of Edom, "and built city
and called the name of tho city after
tho name Of his son Enoch." Tho
fathers very perlincntly asked: where
did the peoplo como from that lived
in this cityy
That would be an extraordinary
state Of things which would have en-
abled Cain TO fill up city, however
small, with his own children AnC
il is inferred, therefore, that thor,
were other people in the land beside
the immediate posteriiy of Adam
II Adam was tho progonitor Cali
must have married his sister. lfther
were other lines of people, othc
Adams, as it were, thG Cain mus
have married into another stock.
We do not express any Judgment i
the matter. We give our correspond
cnt the opinions that have been hel,
in the early days of the church, witt
! the additional statement, that almos
all modern Christian writers have rC
1Cctcd them.
But tho origin of the races has !
2 our day assumed an important scier
! tifc development and as very man
: able scientists hold to variety {
/ original race stocks, il is intorcstin
3 to know that those views have bee
J held before, and uron supposed B'bl
/ cal grounds.
Bnt are there no more question
J about Cainl Does nobody wish I
> know what was the mark which I'll
/ Lord affixed TO Cainy Docs no on
wish TO know how Cain died z Que
tions must be scarce TO leave sue
= points untouched. If Cain is to
. raised. he surely ought 10 be thorougI
y y dealt with.