The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-06-22
THE GARDEN OF EDEN
Article on This Subject by Geaeral
Gordon IN 1881
The British Soldiers Belief Was That
Mans Original Abode Was
Probably On the IslanA
Of Praslin.

There has been almost, II not quite,
as much diversity of opinion as to the
site Of the Garden of Eden us there
has been in regard to the birthday Of
the world. AS to the latter. April II.
July 1s and October 80 seem to be the
dates resting upon the best authorities,
with preference. perhaps, for April
as at least the birth month-all this,
Of course, upon the Scriptural account
Of the creation. Science places that
event so far in tho past that no con-
lecture even has been hazarded as to
when It occurred.
In regard to the site Of the Garden
of Eden. that is n matter about which
the modern scientists do not dispute.
II is only those who hold 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
wide diversity Of opinion. some plac-
ing 1t near the upper sources Of the
Tigris and Euphrates; some, like Mil
ton in paradise Lost" Identifying Cey-
lon as the lost Paradise of man; others
locating 1t 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
Een." by Gen. Gordon. A note by the
editor states that the article was writ
ten by Gen. Gordon in 1882 and now
sees the light for the first time. The
editor further suggests that Gen. Cor
don was probably the most capable per-
son in the world TO deal with this fas.
cinating subject, as he combined deep
religious feeling and extensive research
on all matters pertaining TO Biblical
and oriental history.
Gen. Gordon gives his reasons in this
brief article for believing that the
Garden Of Eden Is at or near the Sey.
ehellcs. He says: n could even put
it at Praslin. small Isle 20 miles north
Of Mahe." The Seychelles are a group
of islands in the Indian ocean GOO miles
northeast Of Madagascar. Maize, the
larger. being only II miles long by
broad. while Praslin II the next in size.
Gen. Gordon says: "Eden is district,
the garden is q spot chosen in that dis.
trict. the trees wero actual trees, i'm
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 he
also attempts, fanctfully enough to
most readers, perhaps, TO distinguish
the tree Of knowledge and the tree Of
life. OF these he says:
''well. I thought there were two tress-
ectual trees-which had been sacramental.
and had ceased to b 20: and In Praslin
near Seychelles, and only there In tho
whole world. 10 . magnificent tree. curious
beyond description, called the prince Of the
vegetable kingdom; II - unique in iA
species and on earth. The Laodicean
Seychellarium. or Coco di Mir. This. be-
lieve. was the tree Of knowledge. then
thought II the one tree IL to be found 30 10
the other, and this think IL tho Artocarpus
incisa. or bread fruit: II ID humble tree.
OF no great distinction, yet to an observer
It is as unique in its kind and among trees
In the Indian ocean. II II life-sustaining
tree, and. like the other. II Ia 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 in its location corre-
spends to the Eden described in Gene
sis. In doing this he adopts the trunsla-
ton of Genesis, 2-1O, that the four riv-
ers flowed into Eden instead of out OF It.
Thence he takes the Euphrates and
the Tigris, which meet and flow into
the Persian gull, and from the two
other rivers he takes Pison TO be the
Nile and Gihon as the brook ON the
southern side of Jerusalem, which
meets the Kedron and flows into the
Dead SEQ.
OF course, there aro difficulties about
Gen. Gordon's supposition, difficulties
not only in the meaning Of the verse
to which he gives o different signifi-
canoe to the usual one, but geographi-
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
oil the attempts to locate the lost Para
disc of the human race have their Diff
ficulties, and Gen. Gordon's theory IL
at least ingenious and probably as nea
the truth as any. Tho article is more
valuable rs showing the deeply reli-
gious character Of Gen. Gordon's mind
than as q contribution TO subject con-
cerning which II is impossible to do
more than supply an ingenious conjec-
tnre.-Chicago Tribune.