Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-05-18
LEGENDOF THECROSS
WOOD DERIVED FROM THE TREE OF
LIFE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
A Story Of the Death Of Adam and the
CruciGxion Of Christ which Was Reeited
In the Middle Ages-How Seth Got .
Glimpse Of Paradise.

Glimpse Of Paradise.
When Adam was banished from par
adise, lie lived in penitence, endeavor-
ing to expiate the past by prayer and
toll When he reached q great age and
felt death approach, he called Seth to
him and said: ''Go, my son, to the ter
rcstrial paradise ard ask the archangel
who keeps the gate to give me balsam
which will save me from death. You
will easily Erd the way, because my
footprints sccrclicd the soil rs. left
paradise. Follow my blackened traces
ard 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
-" 80 NaA<.ASU "Ati AA1S DSdutN NAlCu SuT-
rounded him, and he walked on forget
full Of his mission. Suddenly there
flashed before him a wavering line of
fire upright, like 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 rs 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
n book, the words which were there i'm
pressed, and he said:
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 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-
sionr'
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 in
the midst Of the garden, and gushing
forth i'll four living streams Before
this mystic fountain grew a mighty
tree, with a trunk of vast bulk and
thickly branched, but destitute of bark
and foliage. Around the bole was
wreathed a frightful serpent or cater
pillar, which had scorched the bark and
devoured the leaves. Beneath the tree
was precipice. Seth behold the roots
Of the tree in hell. There Cain was
striving to grasp the roots and Chamber
up them into paradise, but they laced
themselves around the body and limbs
Of the fratricide as the threads of a
spiders web entangle fly, and the
fibcrs Of the tree penetrated the body Of
Cain rs though they were endowed with
life. Horror struck at this awful sight
Seth raised his eyes to the summit Of
the tree. There all was changed. The
tree had grown till its branches reached
heaven. The boughs were covered with
leaves, flowers and fruit. But the fair
est fruit was little babe, q living sun,
who seemed to be listening to the songs
Of seven white doves who circled about
his head. A woman, more lovely than
the moon, bore the child in her arms.
Then the cherub closed the door and
said: II give thee now three seeds taken
from that tree. When Adam is dead,
place these three seeds in thy fathers
mouth and bury him. -
So Seth took the seeds and returned
to his father. Adam was glad to hear
what his son told him and praised God
On the third day after the return Of
Seth he died. Then his son buried him
in the skins Of beasts which God had
given him for covering, and his sepul.
cher was Oh Golgotha In course of time
three trees grew from the seeds brought
from paradise. One was q cedar, anoth-
er a cypress and the third pine. They
grew with marvellous force, thrusting
their branches to right and left. 1t was
with one Of these boughs that Moses per-
formed his miracles in Egypt, brought
water out Of tie rock and healed those
whom the serpcnts slew in the desert.
In the time of Solomon this was the
noblest Of the trees Of Lebanon. 1t sur
passed all in the forests of King Hiram
IS monarch surpasses those who crouch
at his feet. Now, when the son Of David
erected his palace he cut down this tree
to convert it into the main pillar sup.
porting his roof. But all in vain. The
column refused to answer the purpose
1t was at one time too long, at another
too short. Surprised at this resistance,
Solomon lowered the walls Of his palace
to suit the beam, but at once it shot mp
and pierced the roof, like an arrow
driven through a piece Of canvas or q
bird recovering its liberty. Solomon, en-
ragged, cast the tree over Cedron, that all
might trampie on it as they crossed the
brook
The queen of Sheba found it there and
recognizing its virtue had it raised. Sol.
ONION then buried it. Some time after
the king dug the pool Of Bethesda on the
spot. This pond at once acquired miracu.
lous properties and healed the sick who
focked to It The water owed its virtues
to the beam which lay beneath it.
When tho time IF the crucifixiou nj