The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1871-04-13
More OfCain.

AN~-1-eHa Aet-l4 uOMA aAA1 al 81 uluDC
iial storm The desire TO know al
abOIt Cain has broken out like an epi
dsasb. Asi forsaken by fortune, 1 wa
LEFT to suggest, in my former article
that people should ask questions, ant
the points which were Questionable
aud in truth, have been taken at my
WOI1, both as respects hid ana his wife
But, not to be daunted by the fact
that no one knows anything about the
mater more than lies upon the face o.
SCRIPTURE I shall give in few words
some Of the opinions that prevailed in
former times, when the people though
they knew a great deal more than they
really did.
Z As to Gains Offense. II was gener-
allf held By the fathers, i. That be was
tOotardy and reluctant in making his
off&ing. 2. That he did not offer the
first fruits. 5. That be did not make
choice of the best. st, Cyril says that
be kept the plump ears and the fine ap-
pies, and offered TO God the slendeFest
ears Of grain and the worm-eateh ap-
pies. Sermons used to be preached
from Gains example, on giving to the
ohuIeh and to converts the poorest
things and keeping the best for ones
sell
2. What was the mark set on Cain p
Nobody knows. But here are some Of
the things which have been written and
believed: Some thought that God print
led aletter upon Gains forehead. Others
say the mark consisted of three letters,
which, in Hebrew, composed the name
Of the Sabbath, or that it was the sign
OF the cross; but some have thought
that it was not a mark on Gains person,
but that Abel's dog, that guarded his
flock, was given to Cain as q defense -
Others have thought that a leprOsy COW
cred Gains face; others that his eyes
became bloodshot, and rolled in an un-
natural manner; others say that be
was subject to such a trembling that he
could hardly lift his food to his mouth.
It is little singular, in regard to this
last, that Che Septuagint ver8ton Of the
Old Testament renders the passage,
/" Thou shalt be doleful and trembling p
Others say that Cain had a horn grow
upon his forehead.
Our readers can pick out Of these to
suit themselves, with a reasonable GER
tainty that whicheveF mark they take, it
will not be the right one.
8. How did Cain die9 An old tradi-
tion says, "Being very deerepit and
blind, he was sitting one day in a close
thicket. Lamech, who was then hunt
ing, being advised that something stirr-
ed in the bush, ran thither, and fancy
ing some beast was lodged there, let fly
an arrow and killed Cain.'
But many others were unwilling to
let Cain die IN so proper a manner. So
they afirm that he was killed by the
fall OF house. others insist that he was
drowned in the great and general del
uge. There were not wanting those who
said that Cain killed himself OF one
thing only are we positive, namely, that
Cain died, and has been soundly dead
ever since.
One may see from this single instance
how the Scriptures have beeR interpret
cd, or added to, by men who allowed
fancy or Ingenuity to take the place Of
reasonable evidence. But we need
hardly go far to find the same thing in
our own day. Surely the best of books
has suffered the worst of treatment.
CBEECHER.