The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-12-31
"WHO TEMPTED EVE!,

tlon, ana as 1t appears In secular pa
per, thought there could be no impro,
priety in presenting extracts from it to
the readers of the HERALD, that they
may see what is going on in the world
upon such subjects as are indicated by
this caption.
The article substantially reproduced
by the editors of the Inter Ocean, was
written by "Mr A. Hoyle Lester and
contains some most startling things to
the mind of the innocent orthodox, who
are willing to take the teachings of the
Bible as veritable history. 1t is sur.
prising to the unsophisticated mind, how
many strategems infdelity uses in its
attempt to thwart the plain teachings OF
the book of Inspiration.
The following quotations show the
reader how hardly men labor to deny the
simplest and plainest declarations Of
Scripture:
;. We can only briefly indicate the out
lines OF MIR. Testers theory. 1t is, how.
| ever, sufficiently ingenious to command
respect, and important to deserve a care
| ful investigation. 1t is his opinion tba,
Adam was not the father of the various ra
ces which people the world, but simply
the ancestor Of the Caucasian family
which proposition he holds himself capa
Die OF proving by sound reasoning, practi
cal sense, and upon the revelations of Ho
~ Writ. The world, when first fashioned
py JehoVah, was barren waste, without
iorm ana VOID, and darkness was upon
the face OF the deep. Matter became
shape; atmosphere found equilibrium
waters were formed, and light sprane
from the hidden cavern of immensity
All nature woke to life-the grass, thu
herb, the tree; birds, beasts, and insect.
| peopled the teeming earth, and fish, the
sea: AS the earth parted with its heat
God created higher forms of life, and SC
from one gradation to another He modi
| ned and reconstructed, until He formed
the lowest grade of intelligence, the ne
gro, who in his dusky hue, so formed tn
peter to withstand the intolerable heat
became the sole human occupant of thi
beautiful world. Next came the Malay
also an lnhaoitant OF the tropics; in du
course the American Indian; then tn,
Ghinese, or Turanian family; and lastly
the caucasian race, of which Adam an,
Eve are the progenitors
Coming down to the Bible account O
the Garden of Eden, and the fall of man
Mr.: Lester claims that Adam was so nam
| ed because he was red or of a rudd,
countenance. Josephus tells us tina
Adam was formed of red clay, which wa
the purest Of earth God created Adam i,
His own image, and the side of Adam
gave birth to Eve. The authors accoun
OF the temptation is that the scenery O
Eden had become wearisome to the beau
1ul mother OF women, that even the voice
OF Adam had ceased to still the longing
OF her heart. SO she roamed; and as sh,
plucked the wild flowers by the waysid,
she met the serpent. Who was this ser
pent that 6eguiled our first parents! /
could not be a snake, or the adder. or tn
boa constructor The snake is merely ty
pical: The evil spirit came in the form
and likeness of man-that man one O
Mongollas comliest sons. He was an idol
ator; he took no pleasure in the service O
the creator; he saw this innocent pair, an
Delng 1ull OF malignity, tempted them
and they fell. Eve came forth from tn
ordeal wiser, but fallen creature, an
returned to the presence of her Lawful
companion no longer pure. From this in
tlmacy, or intercourse, between the son O
perdition and the consort of Adam aros
the mongrel offspring who bears the nam
| of Cain"
If the reader will examine this extract
carefully, he will see that it is in direo
conflict with the teachings Of the Bible
and OF orthodoxy; and where he speak
of the mother of the human family EN-
ploys the most degrading and offensiv
language; but such is infdelity.
Here is another brief extract of the SAM
character with the foregoing, showing tn,
depths men are driven to, who are deter
mined to deny the authenticity of tn,
teachings of Holy Writ:
| when Cain received the curse of Goo
he wandered forth as an exile, and sough
home among class of people who's
feelings, habits, and sentiments were con
| genial, and took unto himself wife, on
OF the corrupt daughters of this inferio
race"
SO much for what the Inter Ocea,
says Mr.. Lester teaches. Now for wha
the same paper says of such blasphemy
The whole article is an editorial of whicl
the following is the closing paragraph
and leave the reader to determine it
character for himself:
| ''Such is brief outline of Mr.. Lester
theory of the origin of mankind, a theor'
which will meet the views of MANY per
sons, who have often sought an explana
ton OF the apparent contradictions con
tanned in the Book of Genesis. 1t is Ger
tainly the most plausible that has yet beel
stated outside of orthodox belief, and /
undoubtedly much more in unison will
human pride and instinct than the degra
ding doctrines of Darwin, or the unsatis
factory speculations of infidelity. Mr.
Lester devotes the majority of hispages t,
a mastery account of the various races
and their history. In his remarks upor
| the deluge and its traditions he very per
tinently asks this question: "If ali ami
NAL life perished in the general flood, saw,
those which were turned loose on Ararat
why is it that we find on the continent O
America at least twenty-five to thirty ami
mails and birds entirely distinct from al
other species yet discovered in the Eas
| and known to naturalists? BY what pro
cess of reasoning, or by what magic though
| can we transport the indolent sloth of Pat
| agonia from the resting-place of the ark tc
| the southern extremity of South Ameri
| ca?" The argument and proofs adduceC
| by this candidate for speculative honor,
will doubtless receive large share of pop
ular attention and critical Investigation.
Without attempting any remarks upor
the tone and language of this extract,
leave il with the orthodox reader to Judge
for himself or herself. If it is not an en-
dorsement of Mr.. Lester, it is not certain
ly frank denial of his abominable arti
Gle. Had not found this in a secula,
paper would not have troubled you with
it; but as l did SO find it, present it to
the reader Of the HERALD, as evidence Of
a species of anti-ohristian literature now
very prevalent, and which the secular
press circulates without condemnation
The christian world should not stand
by and tacitly endorse this kind Of oppo-
sition to the teachings of the Bible; bu,
should raise its voice and pen against i,
whenever found.
W. A. HuNTE..
Farm, Dec. l4th, 1874.