Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-02-15
GAINS WIFE.
By HENRY WARD BEEcHEF.
From the New York Ledger.1

If the people do not ask questions,
how shall they get Information? Even
if it be only curiosity that prompts the
question. an answer may sometimes do
good We don't suppose any human
be ng cares who Cams wife was, for any
practical reason. There is no Anneks
JAMS estate we presume. dependant Upon
it-no title of nobility that any one would
be likely 10 covet. But then, IN village
where the people are not in so much OF
hurry but that they can sit down and
discuss matter, many queer questions
come up. Here is one of them which
has been on our hands year. but as i.
has kept through so many ages, it is not
likely to spoil in q few months, and so
here it is:
December II. 1869
REV. HENRY WARD BEEeHER-Dear Sir
Please TO inform me through the columns of
the New York Ledger, who Gains wife was,
and oLlige 4 READEK or TIE LEDGER.
There is no record of Gains courtship
or wedding. However interesting 10 the
parties themselves, il is of co interest TO
us. except upon the suppositon that the
Adam was designed to exclude the idea
that any other people had been created.
If Adam and Eve were the sole progsn-
itors of the race, then Cain and Abel, it
is inferred, must have married their own
sisters-a connection which is shocking
TO the sensibilities Of the whole race, at
a subsequent stage of development.
Bat MANY of the fathers of the Church
denied that Adam and Eve and their
children, were the only people on tho
globe. They affirmed that the text in
Genesis very plainly implied that there
were other inhabitants besides Adams
family. They alIege that verse IA,
chapter w., Of Genesis, plainly implies
that the earth WAS already widely popu-
lated. For when God declared that Cain
should be driven out of his family, and
made vagabond on the earth. Cain
deprecated the sentence and plead that
"everyOns that findeih me shall STAY me-"
1t was plainly not his family connections
that be feared for he desired not TO be
driven forth from them. 1t was the
people..tbat be should meet when vans
derer in the earth. Who, then, were
those people whom Cain feared To meet
when lie should have gone forth into the
Garth!
1t is also reasoned by scholars that the
most natural method of soothing his fears
would have been to tell him, There are
no other people on earth except your
fathers children" Instead of that The
Lord is represented ns falling in with
Gains impression respecting the popula.
ton of the world, and that he set mark
upon Cain, lest any finding him should
kill him. (Gen. 3:l5.) Still further.
it is said that Cain, separating himself
from his kindred, wont to the land of
Nod, east of Edom, 4" and he builded
city and called the name of the city after
the name OF his son Enoch." The faith
ers very pertineutly asked, Where did the
people come from that lived 10 this city?
That would be an ex Extraordinary state of
things which should have enabled Cain
to fill up city, however small, with his
own chiIdren nd it is Inferred, there
fore, that there W, other people in the
land besida the immediate poste,ity of
Adam. If Adam was the only progeE
itor. Cain must have married bis sister.
If there were other lines Of posterily,
other Adams. as it were. then Cain might
have married into another stock.
We do not express any judgment in
the matter. We give our. correspondent
ths opinions that have been held in the
early days Of he Church, but with the
statement that almost Alt modern Christ
ian writer's have rejected them.
But as the origin OF racas has, in orr
day. assumed 40 important scientific
development, and, as very many able
scientists, bold 10 a variety of original
race stocks, it is interesting to know that
those views have been held before, on
supposed Biblical grounds.
But are there no more questions about
Cain? Does nobody wish to know his
wfe's namei Docs no one wish TO know
what the mark was which the Lord affix-
ed to Cain? Does no one wish to know
how Cain died? Questions must be
scarce to leave such points untouched
If Cain is to be raised he surely ought to
be thoroughly dealt with.