The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-01-04
SUNDAY MEDITATION,

A Study of the IpteTIn8tional Sunday
School Lesson ,A a ggaI for JAM
Ia, 1894. bns !
Subject: The Fall Of Adam and Eve. Gen.,
3:1-15.
lone reading these riofssf Should first carefully
study the paragraph from tta Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.I .saesero
INTRODUCTION.
We cannot afford to allow children and
youths to grow up ignorant Of Gods Work. We
have too much testimony in favor of its utility
to permit us conscentioasly to neglect to teach
it.
The mother of Mr.. John Ruskin, the famous
artist, actually. we might say, were the word
not too coiloauial dnged the Bible into her
son. He says: "As soon as was able to read
with fuency she began course of Bible work
with me, which never ceased till went to Ok
ford. She read alternate verses with me. watch
ing at first every intonation of my voice, and
correcting the false ones, till she made me un-
derstand the verse, if within my reach rightly
and theoretically. In this way she began with
the first verse of Genesis aud went straight
through to the last verse of the Apocalypse
hard names, Numbers Levitical law-and be-
gan again at Genesis the next day. If a name
-
tion if chapter was tiresome. the better les
son in patience; if loathsome, the better lessen
in faith that there was some use in ITS being so
outspoken. After chapters (from two to
three day, according to their length1, the first
thing after breakfast land no interruption from
servants allowed; none from visitors, who
either Joined in the reading or had to stay up
stairs; and none from any visitings or excur-
sions except real traveling) had to learn
few verses by heart. or repeat. to make sure l
had not lost something of what was already
known; and with the chapters thus gradually
possessed from the first TO the last. had to
learn the whole body of the fine old Scottish
paraphrases which are good melodions and
forceiul verse. and to which, together with the
Bible itself, owe the first cultivation of my
ear In sound"
Anna Laetitia Barbonld ID. 1745) wrote in
"Sermons by Lady," referring to Gods Word:
81 earnestly recommend the study of that
Sacred Book as the greatest advantage, and the
greatest persons can enjoy. 1t will be the guide
of their youth and the comfort of their old age
They will every day find new beauties as they
become acquainted with it. Their understand
ing will be enlightened, their hearts will be soft
ened All the blessings of redeeming love will
be presented to their view; all the giories OF
Heaven will be open to their hopes"
Genesis.
I. George Rawlinson. in the "Origin OF Ma
TONS" D. 8. says of the paragraph covered by
the first Eve chapters OF Genesis, it sis even
humanity speaking one Of the most valuable
fragments of antiquity that have como down to
u.s."
+ The Evangelist d. W. Moody says: "Spend
six months studying Genesis; it s the key to
the whole Book; is speaks Of death, resnrrec-
ton, iudgment-it is the seed-plant of the
whole Bible. Read the same chapter over. and
over and over again, and don't leave it until
you have understood it. About the 28th time
you have read chapter you will see the man
Christ Jesus, who is on every page of Scrip
ture." a1s4
Divisions Of Genesis
We have in tho one Book. named Genesis
what we may regard as practically three books
The outline below should DO studied and pre-
served. "
The Three Divisions.
IL Sections. to VII.
2. Chapters. to %: lii.
Il 3. Events. Creation to Death of Abra-
ham. tEc 81
4. Time covered. From year to 21s3 1873
Il. Sections. VIII.
2. Chapters. %: IL to 80.
2{3. Events. Deathof Abraham to that
4. Time covered. 21sS to 22ss los
n. Sections TX. ~ %
2. Chapters. 36 to so.
3 3. Events. Death OF Isaac to that OF
Joseph.
a. Time covered. 2e8s to 1869. 81
Total years covered by Genesis 1850
GENESIS, 3: Is.
The lesson last week closed with the third
verse of chapter two. In the interval between
that aud our present lesson we have account of
the boundaries aud general features of the Gar
den of Eden, and the formation of woman from
a rib of Adam.
We cannot be positive about the date of the
temptation of our first parents. 1t is usually
put in the year i of the world. We cannot
ascertain the exact time between the second
chapter of Genesis, which gives account of the
placing. of Adam and Eve in Eden aud the
third chapter. which narrates their fall From
the history we learn that up to the time of the
temptation, they had offspring. There is
much reason for believing that they did not
long maintain innOcency.
The location of Eden is not fixed with GER
tainty. 1t is generally held we are to look for
it in the region about the sources of the Eu-
pirates and the Tigris. We do not know its
dimensions. The tree from which Adam and
Eve were forbidden to cat was the tree of
the knowledge Of good and evil" l2:17) 1t
WAS in the middle or center of the garden. So
our first parents fell into sin in the very midst
of Eden.
Reading the history we cannot believe Adam
was with Eve during her temptation by the
serpent Had he been present, he would
surely have interposed some remark while his
wife was holding such a strange conversation
with the temptor. 1t would seem Adam was
at such distance he did not observe the being
who had thrust himself into Ewes company
nor hear his wicked proposition. Satan
tempted Eve and Eve tempted Adam.
A tempter is prominent in the lesson. He is
styled a serpent and spoken of as personal We
are to refer to him now. We should avoid the
error SHAKESPEARE, in Hamlet, criticses:
With devotion's visage
And pious action, we do sugar DER
The devil himself"
If the devil be an actual being, we should
know it, and be familiar with bis devices. To
understand an enemy is much in the battle
We met by great diversties of opinion on
this subject. The New Testament styles the
tempter the wicked one" The prevailing
opinion Of what are known as orthodox theo-
logians is that Satan is not a principle, moral
law, but q real person; not mere cause of evil
to who chances to go in certain ways, but
a being who. by nsinHations and receptions,
leads mortals into wckedness-a vile agent
who can originate unholy thoughts and plans
even in innocent minds This is certainly the
view an honest plain reader gathers from
reading the Bible 20 50
We fud mankind in sin. - We do not believe
God created them in such condition. Some
agent, or influence has wrought the change.
it was Gods purpose WE should be holy. We