Smyrna times., 1872-11-06
NISceIIU 10 e D us.
For the Smyrna Times"
The Fall of Man.

I was asked by an ntdel why God placed
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden IN the
midst of temptation, aud at the same time
knew that they would fall? so | take this op-
portunity to answer in the TINES.
will divide the question into three parts
lst Why God placed Adam and Eve in the
garden of Eden. 1t should be remembered
that God is a Sovereign and man is subject
God is the CTeator-man the creature. God |
| had a right to do with man as he saw proper |
he asked of him nothing ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |
ing but what he had given him strength to
perform. What God did expect from his
creatures was obedience. I'd. In the midst OF
temptation. All Bible readers, and particular
" those who read with the understanding,
whose desire is to get food for the soul, cannot
fail to see that Adam and Eve had no tempta
ton until they got into bad company, and II
! Eve had kept her mouth shut they would not
d have been tempted Whose keepeth his
+ mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from
!; trouble" 1t is said the serpent was more
!. subtle than any beast of the field which the
iisi Lord God had made-that is he was more cum
ID ning-and he said unto the woman, ca
N hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree
a; of the garden" This is the language the
Ne serpent used to beguile the woman. Hear her
III answer. And the woman said unto the serpent,
y; I've may eat of the fruit of the trees OF the
he Garden but of the fruit of the tree which is
III in the midst of the garden, God hath SAID ye
as shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch It,
Vi Vi lest ye die" 1t is plain TO see if the woman
.ts had not pointed out the tree in the midst O
Ii, the garden the serpent would not have known
,ro what the commandment was, consequently ht
,is could have had no power over her. This als'
of shows that the enemy of our race does no
a" as know our thoughts, unless they be evil, thel
to he is the father of them Sd. And at the sam
"' time knew that they would fall. Ever sine
oc' the fall of man, man has been trying to lay tn
all blame on some one else. To say that Go
i,fbrs knew they would fall is sin in the extreme
ca. God did not know that they would fall une'
so he had decreed it, and no man that Is acqul n
r,. ed with the Scriptures can say that God d
lied creed that man should fall. God created ma
hrr hs in his own image in the image of God create
and and he him, male and female created he them,
,tei that is he gave them a E:lnd, wlll-maC
T,s T". them intelligent beings, endowed them wit
cial reason, the power of thought capable of jud
and ing between right and wrOng-a moral beln
heir If there is no consistency in God, then
ard might De said that God knew man would ia
raeh but God is too wise to err, and too good to
rued wrong If he knew that man would tall won
tas it be consistent in God to strive with man. /
= tie 1S says My Spirit shall not always strive WI
resi- man. Again, and thou shall remember
: lot the way which the Lord thy God led tn
eces- these forty years in the wilderness to hunt
, one thee, to know what was in thine heart, wheth
hgrs InTp thou woudst keep his commandments or no
ufort Here we have the mind or will at once to knC
ms OF whether thou wouldst keep his commandmeI
nseS or not. Our first parents were on trial. and
r the are we theirs was to obey God and live, OF
and is to accept the gospel and live. And a
ad as God, speaking by the mouth OF the Propt
sold jeremiah, saying, " Hear ye the word whl
ed or the Lord speketh unto you o. house OF lsra
4 any thus saith the Lord learn not the ways OF
said heather, and be not dsmayed at the signs
Q the heaven for the heathen are dismayed at then
irs or Here we have God giving counsel to his p
mSmi ao pe showing their capabity and their accou
oned ability for the deeds done in the body, whlct
eHti. evident that God has given man mind
a% beeS @ power of thought being as God, knowing &C
ed to and evil And, again, see Christ weeping o
ungrateful Jerusalem, saying %, Jerusale
.Jerusaleml thou that killest the Prophets
N t~o stonest them which are sent unto thee, b
Man March often would | have gathered thy children
:, gether, even as q hen gathereth her chick
! That under her wings, and ye would not. Ii
circuit ;I would be inconsistency in God; it he kI
lem e Adam and Eve would fall. he also knew
ised sIfn IL Jerusalem would not receive his prophets
I eirent 70 wise men that were sent unto them.
% COZ, NAY, O man God never predestined
t 6ereBS sBS man to be lost for Christ tells them that
les. would not be gathered by him, which Is plal
see that they had will and power to ei
-. else that will.
ed dr "a. Sa Thus in the study of the Fall of Man,
evenly. find him Of higher order than any crea
ngneer that God has made. We find him with II
,,,ve o, and intelligence See III. Chap. 10 and
J. That ", Gen: "And out of the ground the i
ending God formed every beast OF the field, and e.
: ether fowl of the air and brought them unto A
in the 10 see what he would call them; and wh'
se Uro ever Adam called every living creature
was the name thereof; and Adam gave ma