The Florence tribune., 1899-09-23
THE GARDEN OF EDEN Article on This Subject by General Gordon in 1882.
 ---- The British Soldiers Belief Was That Man's Original Abode Was Probably on the Island
 Of PrasIin.
There has been almost, if not quite, ,as much diversity of oDinion as to ile

Tbere has been almost, if not quite, as much diversity of opinion as to fhe site of the Garden of Eden as there has been in regard to the birthday oe tlle world. As 10 the latter April E.. 5atY and October 26 seem tn be fIia dates resting upon the best authorities, wi1h $ preference, perhaps. for Apra 5s at egs1 the birth month all ta5s, ri eoase, epon the scripturaI aeeoat of the creation. Science places that event so far in the past that no con lecture even has been hazarded as to when 1t occurred.
 In regard to the site of the Garden of Eden, that is a matte1 ssoout which the modern scientists do not dispute. It is only those who hohl to the Biblical account of the creation of man who have seriously attempted to locate the site of the Paradise in which he was placed. Among these there has been q wide diversity of opinion. some pIac- ing it near the upper sources of the Tigris and Euphrates; some, like Ell ton in Paradise Lost, Identifying Cev- lon as the lost Paradise of man; others locating it in America, and, others still in Abyssinia.
 New interest is added to this question by an article in the Strand Magazine entitled. "The Site of the Garden of Eden,' by Gen. Gordon 4 note by the editor states that the article was writ ten by Gen. Gordon in 1852 and now secs the light for the first time. The editor further suggests that Gen. Cor don was probably the most capable per son in tie world to deal with this fas- einating subject, as he combined q de4p religious feeling and q +ensive research on all matters pertaining to Biblical and oriental history.
 Gen. Gordon gives his reasons ia this brief article for believing that the Garden Of Eden is at or near the Sey- eheiies. He says: 'sf could eyen put it at Praslin, small isle 20 miles north of Mahe." The Seychelles are a group of islands iii the Indian ocean eco niles northeast of Madagascar, Maae. the larger being enly r miles loug by ! broad, while PrasIin IS the next in size. Gen. Gordon says Eden is a district, tbe garden is a spot chosen in that dis trict, the trees were actual trees, im- bued for time with spiritual quail ties.
 He goes further. He not only gives reasons for believing the Garden of Eden was located on Praslin, but ha also attempts, fancifully enough to most readers, perhaps to distinguish the tree of knowledge and the tree of life. Of these he says:
 Well, thought there were two trees actual trees-which had been sacramental, and had ceased to be so; and in Praslin near Seychelles, and only there in the whole world. is T magnificent tree, curious beyond description, called the prince of the vegetable kingdom 1t Is unique in its species and or earth. The Lsodieean Seychellarium, or Coco al Mir. This. be- ieye. was the tree Of knowledge I then thought if the one tree issto be found so is the other, ard this I think is the Artecarpus incisa, or bread fruit; 1t is bundle tree, of no great distinction. yet 10 an observer it is as unique in it's kind ard among trees
 
 in the Indian ocean. IL Is a life-sustaining tree. and. like the other, it is full of Scrip tural types"
 Curiously enough, Gen. Gordon seems to have started on his search for these two trees first, and having found them in Praslin, he next proceeds to show how this island ip it's location core spends to the Eden described in Gene sis. In doing this he adopts the transla- tion of Genesis, 2-1o. that the four riv- CTS flowed into Eden instead of out of it. l Thence he takes the Eaphrates and the Tigris, which meet and flow into 1 the Persian gulf, and from the two other rivers he takes Pison to be the i Nile and Gihon as the brook on the southern side Of Jerusalem, which meets the Kedron and flows into the 1 Dead sea
 i Of course, there are difficulties about i Gen. Gordon's supposition, difficulties not only in the meaning Of the verse 10 which he gives different sirnid- canoe to the usual enc, but geograpai- cal difficulties, especially as regards the brook Gihon, which certainly is an in- significant stream to be mentioned with the Nile, Tigris and Euphrates. But all the attempts to locate the lost Para dlse of the human race have their diff aculties, and Gen. Gordcn's theory is at least ingenious and probably as near the truth as any. The article is more valuable as showing the deeply reli- gious character of Gen. Gordon's mind than as a contribution to Q subject con corning which it is impossible 10 do more than supply an ingenious conjec-