The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-06-18
LEGENDOF THECROSS
WOOD DERIVED FROM THE TREE OF
LIFE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

Story of the Death of Adam and the
Crucifixion OF Christ Which Was Recited
In the Middle Ages-How Seth Got q
Glimpse Of Paradise.
When Adam was banished from par
adise, he lived in penitence, endeavor-
ing to expiate the past by prayer and
toll When he reached a great age and
felt death approach, he called Seth to
him and said: ECO, my son, to the ter
restrial paradise and ask the archangel
who keeps the gate to give me balsam
which will save me from death. You
will easily find the way, because my
footprints scorched the soil as I left
paradise. Follow my blackened traces
and they will conduct you to the gate
whence was expelled"
Seth FASTENED to paradise. The way
was barren, vegetation was scanty and
Of somber colors. Over all lay the black
prints Of his fathers and mothers feet
Presently the walls surrounding para
disc appeared Around them nature re-
vived, the earth was covered with YER
dure and dappled with flowers. The air
vibrated with beautiful music: Seth
was dazzled with the beauty which sur
rounded him, and he walked on forget
full of his mission. Suddenly there
flashed before him a wavering line of
fire upright, like a serpent of light con-
tinuously quivering. 1t was the flaming
sword in the hand of the, cherub who
guarded the gate. ,
As Seth drew nigh he saw that the
angels wings were expanded so as to
block the door. He Frustrated himself
before the cherub, unable to utter a
word. But the heavenly being read in
his soul, better than mortal can read
a book, the words which were there i'm
pressed, and he said:
1.-THE time Of pardon IS not yet come.
Four thousand years must roll away be-
fore the Redeemer shall open the gate
to Adam, closed by his disobedience.
But as a token Of future pardon the
wood wherein redemption shall be won
shall grow from the tomb Of thy father.
Behold what he lost by his transgres.
sionp'
At these words the angel swung open
the great portal of gold and fire and
Seth looked in.
He beheld a fountain. clear as crystal,
sparkling like silver dust, playing il
the midst of the garden, and gushing
forth in four living streams Befors
this mystic fountain grew mighty
tree, with q trunk Of vast bulk ant
thickly branched, but destitute Of bari
and foliage. Around the bole wa
wreathed a frightful serpent or cater
pillar, which had scorched the bark ant
devoured the leaves. Beneath the tre1
was precipice. Seth beheld the root
of the tree in hell. There Cain wa
striving to grasp the roots and clambe
up them into paradise, but they lacet
themselves around the body and limb
of the fratricide as the threads of ,
SPIDERS web entangle a fly, and tn
fibers Of the tree penetrated the body O.
Cain as though they were endowed witt
life. Horror struck at this awful sigh
Seth raised his eyes to the summit q
the tree. There all was changed. Tn
tree had grown till its branches reache,
heaven. The boughs were covered witt
leaves, flowers and fruit. But the fair
est fruit was little babe, living sun
who seemed to be listening to the song
Of seven white doves who circled abou
his head. A woman, more lovely thai
the moon, bore the child in her arms.
Then the cherub closed the door an.
said: 81 give thee now three seeds take1
from that tree. When Adam is dead
place these three seeds in thy father
mouth and bury him.
So Seth took the seeds and returne
to his father. Adam was glad to hea
what his son told him and praised God
On the third day after the return Q
Seth he died. Then his son buried hin
in the skins of beasts which God hat
given him for a covering, and his sepul
cher was on Golgotha In course Of tim
three trees grew from the seeds brough
from paradise. One was cedar, anoth
er a cypress and the third a pine. The.
grew with marvellous force, thrustin,
their branches to right and left 1t wa
with one Of these boughs that Moses per
formed his miracles in Egypt, bruugh
water out of the rock and healed thos
whom the serpents slew in the desert.
In the time of Solomon this was tn
noblest Of the trees of Lebanon. It SUI
passed all in the forests of King Hiram
as monarch surpasses those who croucl
at his feet. Now, when the sonof Davi'
erected his palace he cut down this ire
to convert it into the main pillar sup
porting his roof. But all in vain. Til
column refused to answer the purpose