The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-25
Legends
Fall of Man

and condemned to eat their bread in the
sweat OF their faces. And as circum-
stance bearing out the truth Of the Biblical
story, We know that man has been eating
his bread in the sweat of his face. or some
other fellows face. ever since.
There have been many diverse opinions
as TO what sort OF tree it was. the fruit
of which our iIlustrious ancestors were
forbidden to eat. Modern speculation has
not solved the problem. and. so far as we
know, theology has not formulated any
particular dogma, belief In which is alb
soIutely essential to salvation. This point.
should not be overlooked. lest we incur
the wrath to come by reason Of our ignor-
ance.
The Rabbinical writers differ widely con-
corning the fruit, the eating of which
suited in the total loss of our patrimonial
estate. Some say IL was a wheat tree;
some that IT was a paradise apple; others
that it was the grapevine, which is not at
all incredible. seeing that mankind has been
having more or less trouble with the fruit
of the vine even to this day; still others
say II was the fig tree-wherefore 1t was
that it's leaves were used a covering at
the time of the celebrated eviction
According to the Persian tradition, which
was appropriated by the Arabs. who al
ways had a habit of taking things. the
famous tree was wheat tree. with the
trunk like unto gold and branches like
unto silver-the origin, perhaps, of BIZ
metallism. The grains were white as milk
and large as ostrich eggs; fragrant as
musk and sweet as honey. And the tree
stood In the midst of the garden in shining
beauty. its pendent fruit delicious and
tempting. constant allurement to un-
sophisticated innocence that had not yet
learned to pray Lead US not into tempta-
tion."
The Lamaie faith has a tradition that
the first men lived for sixty thousand
years. They were nourished with invisible
food and had the power of raising them
selves at will into paradise. Transmigra-
ton of souls was universal and each man
was born twice. thus giving him one
hundred and twenty thousand years in
which to have a good time. But it came
to pass that the earth produced sweet
honey-like substance. which one of the
men tasted and gave to his companions
and. as a consequence of this transgres-
sion. they lost the power of rising into
their long life. and were ever after COM
PEELED to subsist upon food produced by
the soil In short. they had to eat their
bread In the sweat of their faces. By this
account the original sinner was not a wom-
an, but a man. Let us hope this is true
and be thankful that our mothers are not
responsible for all the ills that flesh is
heir to.
Cf.r
Brahmas inhabited the upper regions of the
air. where they were pure and holy and
enjoyed perfect happiness. But one OF
them noticing the earth and touching it
with the tip of his finger, which he put to
his tongue. perceived IL to be deliciously
sweet. From that time all of the Brah-
mas ate of the sweet earth for the space
of sixty thousand years. In the meantime,
having coveted In their hearts the enjoy
ments of the earth. they began to say to
one another, This part is mine and that
is thine and so fixing boundaries to their
respective shares, divided the earth be-
tween them. On account of the Brahmas
having been guilty of covetousness the
earth lost it's sweetness and then brought
forth kind of mushroom But the Brah-
mas wanted the mushrooms, and because
OF the contentious with one another. We're
deprived of them also. Competition was
their ruin. They should have organized a
trust under the flexible laws of New Jer-
sey, and controlled the production and sup
ply of mushrooms for all time. Then they
might have stood above kings with the
Standard Oil trust and other like products
of a high grade civilization. But instead
they proceeded from bad to worse in their
habits and food until their natures became
entirely changed. and from immortal
spirits they became mortal men, imbibed
wicked ideas. and giving way to the evil
propensities engendered by their manifold
transgressions. lost forever their ancient
glory and left their posterity to lament
over departed greatness and the total loss
of rich inheritance.
The Chinese say that man is part spirit
and part animal That the spirit follows
the law of heaven. while the animal obeys
the impulse OF sense. Originally he wa:
pure and holy, but fell from his high estate
through his desire to gain wisdom. thus
proving that where ignorance is bliss I'll:
folly TO be wise
We learn from these different accounts
which have selected from many-that the
blDIC<tl STORY Is not the only source whence
man has derived the idea of his illustriou.
descent. II is more soothing to his vanity
TO believe in his descent from heavenl,
beings rather than a monkey or proto
plasm. Then II is easier 10 solace himself
with thoughts of ancient glories than Il
climb the tortuous paths that head TO tn,
celestial heights OF life.
According 10 the Mussulman's tradition
Adam and Eve dwelt in paradise for fiv,
hundred years before they ate of the for
hidden fruit and thereby incurred tn,
wrath of God; for their enemy. Eblis, wa,
outside. and for FIVE hundred years wa.
foiled in his efforts 10 gain admission b,
the angel Ridhwan, who guarded tn,
gates OF paradise with his flaming sword
But Eblis was a persistent fellow TIL.
bright lexicon OF his youth knew
TO such word fail. and h,
cherished his sinister designs
against the innocent and unsuspecting oh
jects of his envy a2d hatred with a per
tinacity worthy OF a better cause So 1
was: so 1t is. The good grow careless an,
unwary. and. in their self-righteous com
placency, are caught with their defense
down and quickly lured to their own un
doing; but the evil are alert, and neve
caught mapping. withal. They are smooth
and glib. -all things TO all men," and pia,