, 1880-05-16
ADAM'S FIRST WIFE,.
TIE HEBREW TRADITION ABOUT Ln1TH.

/ 0t~ 4t1At3 43tpu0tt[AH.
Among the mighty pictures with which the
! genius of Michael Angelo has adorned the Sis
tine Chapel at Rome, perhaps none attracts more
| genernl admiration than the ''Tcmptation and
| Expulsion" In the centre stands the fatal tree
| which "brought death into the world and all our
wo-':: Around its trunk is coied the serpent,
out Of whose folds-or rather forming part Of
them-rses the figure Of beautiful woman,
who hands to the reclining Eve the accursed ap-
pie; while Adam, leaning over Eve. seems more
fascinated by the fair ten ptress than tho golden
fruit. On the right an angel is driving from
Paradise the unhappy pair, who fell before q
temptation TINT none but angels could resist.
The serpeut-woman is commonly supposed to be
mere fancy Of the artist, but it Is something
much more interesting and important: for it
may be said to have originated in what Biblical
critics Gull the Elohist and Jehovist accounts of
the creation. In the first OF these iGenesis, t., ~
We read: $50 God created nun In His own
image, in the Image Of God created He him;
male and female created He them" In the
second Genesis, H., 2lse) we read: And
the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall
upon Adam, and he slept; and be took one
thereof. And tho rib, which the Lord God
had taken from man, made He woman, and
brought her to the man, This apparent con-
Hebrew myth, which We will now present-in a
condensed form-as narrated by Mr.. II, D. Con-
way, in bis "Dcmonology, and DevilLore
That author draws his nateral from Eisen-
meuger's " "Entdeckes Judenthum-" where 1t Is
accompanied By ample references to rabbin-
Tho serpcnt-woman Of the Sistine fresco Is
none other than Lilith, the first wife Of Adam.
The name Is derived from the Hebrew La, which
means might" 1t occurs In the Bible only
once,c1saiah, xxxlv: l,-where it Is translated
':Ia1nia," and in Luther's Bible :'kobold," or
hat Adams first conversation with fth wa was
devoted to the question Of matrimonial rights,
he claiming to be her superior and master. She
created ut the same time, which forbade tho
idea Of any superiority or 1nastGrship on his
part. The result was q quarrel, followed BY an
magical words which brought her wings with
which she flew out Of Eden and out Of sight,
Adam M H., ced as IN into the Lord
thou didst give ne has flown away Three
angels were then sent in search Of the lost one.
sea. but in answer m all al tn 41er M arrmentf a TN IN
favor Of return she said that Paradise was no
Paradise to her II she was to be the servant Of
aud reported, aud we're again sent Aguin she
refused, and they then doomed her to be tho
mother Of many children, all Of whom would
die In infancy. The terrible penalty drove her
to despair, aud she WAS about to commit suicide,
when the celestial messenger promised her-by |
er over ali Children from birti, up to the eighth
day, she promising never to disturb nny babes |
who we're under their protection. So the charm |
tho names Of the three angels,-Scnoi. Sansenoi, |
and Sammangclof. Lllith IS supposed to exer-
else malignant care over all children born out
first day of the month and on the Sabbath even
ing. In old times among the Jews it WIS be-
that Then 3 Ghd 4 IN its Seep
struck three blows on the nose: this sentence
being thrice repeated: Away, cursed Lilith!
thou hast no place herei''
Adam f7e first S-yRid01Hpr had Eye
made for him out Of tho rib; and the second |
wife, remembering her humble origin, became
DO Or ef
the legend-the devils were created, and their
chief was fallen angel -SamueEwho had been
witnessed with envy and hatred the happiness
Of the young couple In Eden, and found in Lilith
. ready sympathizer and congenial companion.
hnllowed nnptials By conspiracy against Adam
and Eve; The temptation Of the latter was satd
10 be the work If Lllith. who persuaded tho
his body, and IN thai body she did the deadly
1t is to be hoped, fully satisfied
aer womanly wrath: n Hence the curse I upon % the
If Lilith forever in the shape she had assumed.
rhis probably was the origin Of the notion, men-
he serpent was yet erect it had virgins head:
t Is 80 represented IN some illustrated medieval
nissals, from whence VIC have no doubt Michael
:laro that Liith re9nincd her original form; was
Iiways young. marvclously beautiful and gor-
'eously dressed She wns, or Is, what Is now
;odcn hair au Irresistible attraction. Accord
ng to the same authority she was the mother OF
.eviathar, Asmodeus, and all other most ce1c-
rated and aristocratic devils. Mephistophcles
) thought to have had Lilith in bis eye when |
e warns Faust against the lovely witch who
ppcurs Mt the WAlpuryis- night orgie. 4 moro |
MODERN poet, Rosetti. says:
s1a asF 19
nd sof:-shed kisses and soft sleep shu!l suarc7
a sad e
And round hts hcart one strungng golden hair. I
Tho Iamia" of John Keats Is based on the !
arth- born husband withered and died In her
mbruce. The name of Lumia was long used to t
tighten italian children. rs that Of Lilith WIS
: Hebrew nurses. singularly enough: IN one :
eun, representing the O5frian on his ROAD TO |
eaven, bis soul iu the form OF q human-headed | t
ird Is seen drinking the water Of lie poured / Q
Ut from Jar br the serpent goddess who coals
round the sacred sycamore; her won1an's face | s
nd bust appearing amid the branches very | 9
uch like I.ilith IN the old pictures The
f7lpge myth Of Adams first wife prpoabty t.
ties back to the eariist Egyptian civilization, Il
I'd from thence passed Into the Heore~ n.y. 8
lology. n
SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY. r
IS SCIENCE ATHEIsr1c OR A1HEoUs? i
10 the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune. t
CHICAGO, May-12--An article in tho Popular U
:tence Monthly which appeared on May In THE :
a1pusE complains bitterly Of the - denuncia- =
,ns" which theologlans expend upon "modern =
Iysical science "They have no excuse" 1t
is, "for getting into passion with science, a
ID striving to array religious prejudices against y
We have been amazed at the faulty OF many +
oughtless theologans, Who think they are do | t
z God service by arrayin9 modern physical