The times., 1899-01-09
LESSONS OF THE CREATION.
DIR. RndcIiTc's Powerful Discourse
on ..Thc NDthcr of Is ALL


ON '.Thc Mothcr of Is ALL
DR.. Wallace Radcliffe delivered the first
of his series of lectures on Some Interest
ing Women" last night e, the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church. the subject
of last nights lecture being The Mother
of Us All
He began the service by reading the ac-
count in Genesis of the forbidden fruit,
emphasizing the verse, And Adam called
his wife Eve, for she was the mother of
all living"
The hymns and anthems sung We're on
the theme of the creation. Dr. Radcliffe
spoke in part as follows:
The garden the rib. the tree the scrpcnt-are
these fables or facts? Is it all what modern
criticism tries to call ilealized history? Ii it iS
ideaizcd history. where shall we draw the line
between the history OF the definite and the ideal
ization OF human history?
Is it all allcgory or history? II it i both.
where does the allegory end and the real begin?
II ii is all acgory, then where shall look for
the history of the race and for the foundation
OF human philosophers
Certainly it is no myth that there was a begin
ming OF the human race. Not a u,yth that there
was sometime a first pair. Not myth that there
was beginning in virtue aud in sin.
Is this allcgorical2 Then there is ale
G"rical tree, an alleGorical rib. an alegorical
serpent, allcgurical pair. aicgoriCa history
an lllegorcal race There is no beginning end
for student philosopher
But find that all mythologcs that OF
Africa perhaps, give substantially the same be
ginning. However, taking the remnants OF the
history OF the carly days, which We receive and
accept, and the plain, straight, matter of fact
history OF the Bible find that Eve, the mother
al all living. came in response to the mans need
Adam found in the beasts of the field, not com
p8nions but servants. Man a hermit until
woman smiled He demanded c"mpanionshiP
Solitude does not offer true life development
1t is not possible for the man to be most richly
and most truly man until that which is lacking
shall be satiSied-until there shall somehow come
10 him the complement which shall fill up that
which is lacking, which shall give to him full
ness and richness and lite and development. How
shall this Loneliness be met? Shall his loneliness
| be met by another man? Cain killed Abel. Man
with finds the fellowship which he longs
for and the life. God. in his infinite dis
ceTnmcnt, recognized the need and spake the
word.
| Nor is that mode Of creation 80 grotesquc "a
| platform orators would sometimes make be
lievc Budding. cutting, is under certain condi-
tiOns the only scientific way of continuing life.
II the only way for Us then. and God took the
: only possible manner to create the woman. He
/ took the rib and builded the woman.
Adam in a deep sleep. you will remember.
| When woman comes 10 any whom God
! has ordained for him, she comes in unConsciously
! to him. He cannot say: Go, too, now, | will
find a woman that belongs to me will write
! the qualities needed and will find her; will buy
! her and compel her tJ forth To my hOuS,
I and society" But always Eve comes the un-
| conscious man. He awakes and sees her name
written on her forehead. She stands revealed in
her presence, declaring the unity OF the race;
/ the answer to his needs. Neither is the
truest, fullest representative OF human nature bur
| both together they make up the man; both To-
/ gether they the ideal OF humanity; each to
! the other bringing that which Is lacking.
God planted the divine institution Of matrimonv
! in the Garden OF Eden. 1t is no human expedient;
/ it is 10 growth out Of human conditions; it is
/ no instrument simply for artificial advance or
comfort. God the supreme and first minister.
II is difficult, Of the coarse, false and pernc-
| iOuS ideas of today Out Of the barter and con.
yenicnce, and the advantage which is 50 often
sought to elevate ourselves into this pure atmos-
Phere OF il, origin and recognize that this nSti-
| tuition OF the family. like that of the Sabbath,
! has upon it the Slnctity of the formation ot
God. They carry with them not human philosophy
! but the philosophy of God and the ideal OF eter-
| nifty.
| That is the form TO which we will bring our
questions ut divorce and our contests OF pnyramy
! at the hearth-store III the Garden of Eden.
| From this helTthstonc will catch the iuspiTa-
| tion with which will frame our legislative law
! and control the society OF the nation. ont OF the
| Garden of Eden we will take bar which will
| place across the door OF Congress- OF il we want
! 10, VIII make it the lever with which we will
hoist out OF the seat Of Congress those which DEFY
The dccency and authority OF the Divine institu-
| tiOn.
There is a forbidden tree within every paradise
| Of virtue aud enjoyment. Liberty i not license;
life i always restricted life and he that regard.
| restriction remains within his paradise
But into the Garden of Eden the temptcl
| and sin. We are in the habit OF saving that every
| house has its skeleton, every Eden its serpent
! From the very beginning, when to Eve came the
! suggestion, aud out Gf the suggestion the desire
| and out Of the desire the achieved and polluic,
! sin II began i'll curiosity, many sins b.gini
II appealed To the lu-tS OF the flesh and the lust.
OF the eye To be desired to make wise. -
| -iys Eve. We -ay. knowledge j. power" Away
ur,hrediul that oftentimcs knowledge does moi
bring power hut weakness.
slt tod sIftl Ill
! good and then the bitterness and clirse-th
| thorn~ and thistle; the tears and darkness out %
sin tie blush and the clothes. supplanting natur,
with art, for clothes still the announcement
| of guilt. We talk ot warmth, and of grace an,
beauty. but back OF it all wear CLOTHES he
cause We arc guilty; because ashamed; he
cause we know evil and good. out Of tie y-rl
know ledge ot the Garden Of Eden has come tl