The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-25


adventures But the more ancient story Is
that Seth came to Paradise on the quest,
and found there an angel who told him
that at that time the oil was not to be
found on earth, but he gave Seth three
seeds which he told him to place in the
mouth OF his father after his death. and
that from them should come tree upon
which after $500 years the oil of mercy
should be found. From these seeds, placed
in the mouth of Adam. grew three trees
that finally coalesced in one. and from
it was cut the beam of which the Savior's
cross was afterwards formed.
This grew at Jerusalem, for there is near
iy unanimous consent TO the fact that
Adam was finally buried there. at the ex-
act center Of the earth as the people Of
old times. all believed this city to be. For
the carefully prepared body of Adam was
kept until the time of the flood; then 1T
was taken into the ark, and after the flood
had subsidized. taken by shem and buried
at the future site of the holy city. Offer
ings of gold, frankincense and myrrh were
placed with the body of Adam and these
after having gone through many adven-
lures are the same that the Magi after
wards brought to the infant Christ. A noted
apocryphal document is the prayer said to
have been offered each day by the company
in the ark, before the body of Adam. Adam
is said to have further prophesied that the
world would last just seven thousand
years.
A MIRACULOUS STAFF.
A strange and very ancient legend is that
about the rod or staff of Adam. Accord
ing to- some authors, God gave 1t to him
on the first day Of creation, and accord
ing to others. Seth was permitted to bring
1t TO him out of paradise after the fall.
Sc It was handed down, meeting with
surprising adventures and doing wonders
in each generation. IT is the staff with
which Moses performed miracles in Egypt
and in the wilderness; ii is the rod of
Aaron which budded; 1t is the root of
Jesse of which the Scriptures speak, and
is identified with every famous rod or
staff mentioned in the Bible, until finally
1t came into the hands Of st. Joseph. and.
according to the well-known legend, budded
miraculously to show that he was to es-
pouse st. Mary.
A Spanish writer of the seventeenth CEN
tCry gravey transeribes the long Latin cpl
taph which he alleges to have discovered
over the grave Of Adam. 1t begins as
follows: Here lies. reduced to the narrow
limits of little earth, Adam, who, that
he might rule the whole earth, was made
from a little earth He was the son of
no man, but the father of all, and the
stepfather of all and of himself likewise,
etc"
find IN nj or1fh r.
counts of relics of Adam which still exist.
Especially is there wealth of literature
about the famous Adams Peak, in Ceylon.
and the footprints of the patriarch which
are still shown there. The Samaritan ira
dtion is that the ark rested there; various
Oriental traditions allege that this was the
center of the terrestrial paradise, and that
Adams body was bused here Likewise
old travellers tell of having seen the grave
with an epitaph in a language that no man
could read.
Other relics were the coats of skins which
the Lord made for Adam and Eve. Accord
ing to the Rabbins these were handed down
until they came to Nimrod. the mighty
hunter, and explained his success in war
and the chase. For when he wore Adams
robe all the beasts and birds came to him
and he had strength to make himself king
of all men. Finally it came to Jacob and
Esau, accounting for many Of their won
derful deeds
The legends, however. that / have thus
briefly mentioned. are not a 1.-THE of those
that are accessible amongst the curious
literature that concerns the history of
Adam