Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-10
Adanlic.


"What a piece of work is man. How
noble i'm reason! How infinite in faculties!
In form and feature how express, how
admirable! In action how like an anger!
In apprehension how like god! Inc
beauty of the world! The paragon or AMI
malsr'-Hamlet.
"This one thing have / asked OF thee;
DENY me 1t not, ere / die: Ihat may
dwell in the house Of the Lord forever, 10
behold the fair beauty of the Lord. and TO
INQUIRE in His Holy Temple. Psalms
The life of our first parent was rea-
sonably long and eventful; his biography
is a short one; and, besides that we have
no obituary or epltaph Still. he Is
studv. and a very interesting one, because
he is original man. The specimens that
we have TO deal with now are all second
hand. distorted mixed and adulterated;
when taken in crowds, they become I'M
interesting, weary, stale, fiat, and I'M
rofitable-uninstructiv except for the
lesson: Beware Of crowds!
The life that the beautiful pair spent in
Eden was apparently rather brief. though
possibly as long as the average bridal
couple spends in paradise and perfect
bliss Millions Eighth Book gives very
beautiful account Of their honeymoon, and
is for that, probably worth all the bal
ance Of his great production.
What Adams life was, and what 1t
might have been, but for his wlfe's indis-
erection, is pretty much left to our lmasi-
nation. But it is worth considering.
What is said Of Enoch and Noah was
true in perfection Of Adam in his early
DAYS: he walked with God. The Divine
image in him was complete and entire
pure. and perfect. All nature found in
| him the microcosm, the little universe, the
clear response and reflection, though on
an infnitesimal scale, that 1t found In
the mind Of God. Man was in absolute
| and perfect sympathy and harmony with
all his environments, and in the fullest
use and enjoyment of the Divine provi-
sions and harmonies of his patrimony
| And what he would call business, out OF
| the companionship of his wife, is the
| question.
The conditions Of Eden almost entirely
exclude most Of the occupations OF our
| time-notably, what We regard as the
highest professions, which are plainly
| consequence of the fall AS lord OF crea-
| ton. man would be lord of himself-tem-
| perate, prudent, discriminating and moo
| crate. He would indulge no appetite TO
| excess, and his physique would be IN per
| feet working order. lie would be in per-
| feet health, in the full enjoyment OF
| heavenly bounties. Therefore, there could
be no business for a doctor; therefore,
neither his sons nor his daughters could
| expect 10 make living out OF medicine.
| 1t was only after the fall that the ground
! was cursed and made 10 produce thorns
| and thistles, weeds and noXious drugs
| Out of these came the poisonous extracts
| to relieve the vices that followed sin.
| And so medical science became great
thing-by the combination.
There might have been in Eden little
more use for the highest practitioners OF
| the law as we call them-counsellors.
| Dayid's magnihcation Of the law makes
| il an occupation Of delight for the highest
and noblest soul The work Of righteous
ness, which is law in perfection, is peace,
| and the effect of It quietness and assu
rance forever The model man is 10 de-
| light himself in the law and exercise
himself in it, cultivating peace and pro-
noting it in others. 1t Is hardly likely
that even MIR. Blackstone's conception or
the service and worship in the temple of
ali Jus llCC hOA4Q AldNt dltp6NN4lI.
suited Eden. a great limb of the law
| hereabouts once exclaimed: do you ex-
pect me to practice law like an evange-
list?" No indeed And he didn't. The
common practice OF the law-civll and
crimnal-with all its machinery, officers.
and attendants, judges, prosecutors,
sheriffs, and police officers. havors strong
ly of anything else but Paradise. So.
then Adam and his sons could have had
no chance OF supporting their families in
that ancient and honorable profession in
Eden.
Inasmuch as the government OF Eden
was to be theocrstic. there could be no
politicians there. Every man would be
presumed 10 consult his own conscience,
and do what he thought best in the fear
OF God. there could be no stump-speak-
ing and haranguing in that best place.
Tricks, and canvassing. and misleading
would suit another place better. where
that sort OF thing was patronized; and
so the young Adams would be cut off
from all that
The army would hardly be open TO
young men there. According to history,
the matter OF defence was In the hands
Of angels; and war is anything else but
business for Eden.
Science. and philosophy. and meta