Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-05-03
TALE OF THE SNAKE
Gertrude Gaisty Grows RsliSiously
Serious.
SHE IELLSOF W0IaySWElK NATURE
Asa Her Ready xistdias tbs BiAaa-
issans.ats sf the Crafty ssskss Ia
huasaa hsrm-A Po~sFfai SER
mon from . LAY weaAa-

al their attendant parzpnernAiia- tie
created man a. master piece and As
stroke OF good policy ne added woman,
and royal gift In . garden OF plenty
the first couple dwelt together IN
harmony without thought or IN
equality or individual superiority until,
alas. a third person stepped in and
created little disturbance. All are
familiar with the story. how Eve met
the templer and fell before his wlles.
Having fallen herself she took good
care that her companion should fall too,
clever woman, and by the same route.
Then again they were equal. though
disturbed in spirit and greatly agltAted
as to a proper cut and style OF garment
10 meet the exgencies OF the new
situation. Then IN the cool OF the day
they we're caught and the very nrst
question phased Adam. lie answered
without giving himself time 20 think
and SO, OF course, told the truth. For
thls he has been condemned by all NO
mankind since the beginning and will
doubtless continue 10 be blamed 10 the
end oi all time. The Lord was more
lust Tie put down his foot and cursed
all three, the man, the woman and the
serpent who was the prime mover IN
the rebellion Each received his share
and of a kind intended To be suitable
t0 each case. The serpent disappeared
into the depths OF the earth, but the
man and ~Omaa continued To ABIDE IN
ts0d's sunlight aud have persisted III
rsislEg Cain from that day to this
Di pls,aaey Of the snake.
OF the tn--e, the serpent was the most
skilled dlpIomat- tie knew that Eve
was dead easy game. He was AFRAID ~
tackle Adam, not knowing what the
strong mau might do. SO ne plotted for
his downfall through the weaker vessel.
she who S-ueld more readily accept his
plausible theory. He knew her power.
He knew that Adam, guliible Adam,
would take from her far hands a cup
of cold poison, or something else, drink
It down and call II good. Times have
not changed to any great extent. The
world IS full of Adams and Ewes, but
tne gates of the garden of Eden are stlll
closed and as effectively as though
,uarded by the angels with the flaming
swords Woman brings forth IN sorrow,
,nan tolls and eats bread n the sweat of
his brow, and the serpent crawls upon
his belly snlitlug the heel OF man when-
ever opportunity affords. Woman Sill
influences man, but more often Tor
good than for evil. She Is the tender
vine In hfe's garden ana though poison
ives grow and thrive and strong vines
choke Out the life Of the sturdy oak
which stands nearest them, the climb
lng rose. the prolific grape, the wood
bine, all that vast array of the vine fam
ily rich LA the beauty Of leaf and bios
som, graceful of form and of habit,
tender yet tenacious IN their clInglng,
continue to bloom and perfect its
blossoms, unconscious OF desire to be
aught else. The vine sways before the
summer winds and the great branches
OF the strong tree swing and bend also.
There IA unity of movement. Should
the fierce gale overturn the tree the
vine falls with 1t, or should the storm
wrench the vine away and cast IL upon
the ground. its torn and lacerated ten
driis wither and die. Together they
form the most beautiful object in
nature. 50 ia woman life. The strong
and the weak unite and intertwIne.
Having formed a union. whatever AZ
fects one affects the other. Whichever
one tries TO usurp, the peculiar qualities
OF the other brings disaster AID eonfu-
Son upon both
rasiauatinx. Crafty and Powerful.
The serpent of today ia more wise,
moro crafty and more subtle than WAS
tae serpent of Old. lie exhibits the old
time habit of whispering into the ears
of the modern Eve, and too often
meets with success. He preys upon her
virtue. which he approaches through
her hottest and most tender impulses.
lie - deftly insnuating and deceItful
beyond comparison. IN cunning and
treachery he - not exceiied bv his mas
Ter. the devil. In fact, he exceeds his
master. for he will do some things
which the devil would scorn TO do. oh.
could humanity but see the accumu-
lated result OF his work. could the NOR
tai eye bat glance into hell and see
there the mouiten streets psopled with
fallen Ewes and countless Adams. then
for a time. At least while the dreadful
sight was fresh IN the mind. hrs win
plng wiles would fall fiat asa minis
ter's wooing. Then would mothers
have q care lest their daughters ne
easily entrspped, and fathers would
yuard their actions with zeal
lest their bad example be emulsted
hy the bright eyed youngsters
around them. The toplc Is not
pleasant one but it 10 here and. like
the poor. q bids far - remain with us
always. The clergy avoid The subject
entirely or else, what q infinitely worse
treat 4 with gieved hands. The modern
pulpit seems 30 b. the organ Of the
aolest man and the SINNER a left too
nuch 90 hss own devices. Women re-
Ire the great power vested IN their
sx. Those Who are pure hearted, and
there are many. use IL for the hest bat
there are some who use u for the bss-
est Of purposes and others Who are
totally Indifferent. Few wives viii &C.
kaovledge utter inability 20 Influence
tleir husbands. few mothers will say
they cannot control their sons. few s'S-
ters viii sdmit that they cannot per.
saasie their brothers.
AnxeEsc faasesce ~ psr. Women.
The nohle army et men and women
who are engaged IA reform work viii
tpli yeu that t0s most hardened ERIN
trsf weskens and weeps st the mention
pf his mother. vife or sister. The
fathers influence = crest has q does
eot compare with that Of Toe mother
She may have spanked the disOhsd isni
sanail bov h41t N after years he forgets
thst aud remembers only the hours she
sueut n soothing Ms ehlidhood woes.
naepdsns rs broken xtte and nAslns
Fer nam trousers full OF pQcksts- he
ear never forxpt how sne ased 70 take
bfsts rfr..,.s her tae Ard s,rsY.Drring some