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

enemy. Not only did he give names TO all
creatures. as the book of Genesis relates,
but legend gives a circumstantial account
Of how and when this was done. and draws
many mystical conclusions from these i'm
portant facts.
Amongst the books which claim Adam as
| their author is one on this important sub
ject of the naming of the animals. 1t is
admitted that this has been in some man.
ner mislaid during the lapse Of time since
its composition, but many old authors
gravely affirm that from 1t Hermes iris
megistus drew the material for his cele-
brated work on the secrets Of natural SCI
ence
Genesis mentions a book OF the genera
tons OF Adam" The Manichaeans pro-
fessed to have this work. which consisted
of five books, and seemed to have contained
mainly genealogies. 1t was condemned by
Pope Gelasius. The Rabbins. however,
think that the real book of this name con-
tanned the names of all the pious and
wicked that should ever live. with state
ment of the length of their lives and all
about them. II is the book of remembrance
which the recording angel keeps. The idea
of this is similar to the Mohammedan
legend which says that God once allowed
Adam TO see in vision all his descendants.
They marched before him in a great pro-
cession, being no taller than ants in stat
ure. Adam declared that David was the
most beautiful and generally creditable of
all his sons, but he was grieved to learn
that God had ordained him a very brief
70 49,
fered to take off seventy years from his
own life IL they should be added to the
years of David Thus the latter lived to
a good old age and Adam died at $780,
whereas the original intention was that he
should live 1000 years. The legend adds
that when the angel OF death came for
Adam at the age of $50. he repented OF his
gift to David, and claimed that he should
be allowed the other seventy years. But
the Lord held him to his agreement, of
which a record had been made.
CHURCH TRADITIONS.
Early church writer's speak of an apoca-
lypse of Adam. and all the rabbins at
tribute to him the ninety-second Psalm.
The Spanish saint Amadeus professed to
have received by revelation copy of the
God imploring forgiveness of their sin. 1t
is still preserved. A book called that Of
Raziel and alleged to have been given by
that angel to Adam was produced in the
middle ages by the Cabbalists. 1t has been
often reprinted and is full Of mere trifies.
The book Of Adam preserved by the
Mandaeans, otherwise called the Sabaeans
or Christians of st. John, is a curious
ancient is the bible of a religion that once
had wide extension in the world and bid
fair to rival Christianity. Its relations are
with ancient guosticism, and it is hard TO
give any general idea of it's contents in
brief space except to say that it is very
mystical. unusually stupid for a book of
this kind and extremely dreary reading.
The Mohammendans say that Adam, in
spired by God. wrote ten books. The Lord
had given all the prophets together 1G4
books. Besides Adams fifty came to Seth
thirty to Idrissus, ten to Abraham, one
(the law to Moses, one (the psalter) to
David, one (the gospel to Jesus and one
(the Koran) to Mohammed. HE who re-
fuses these volumes or doubts any part
chapter, verse or word of them is GER
tainly an infidel Preserve US, o Lord
from infidelity." This is perhaps the most
comprehensive claim as to plenary inspira-
ton that has ever been made. 1t would be
tedious to mention the many other books
that are attributed to the great ancestor of
the human race.
And this attempt to give in the limits of
this brief article any mention even, of the
stories about the location and nature of the
Garden of Eden, the temptation, fall and
expulsion of Adam and Eve, would be ut
terly impossible. All of these matters have
been fountain heads of legend, and the
views that were held about them have
played an important part in theology.
WHEN THEY LEFT EDEN.
Legend generally maintains that when
the pair were driven from Paradise they
dwelt on the west of the garden. They
could not go to the east because the gar
den itself extended in that direction TO the
boundaries OF the world. The north was
forbidden them, because in that quarter is
located the wonderful sea whose waters
are clearer than crystal and of ineffabIe
sweetness. He who bathes in 1t is cleansed
from all his sins, and at the last day the
Lord shall plunge in it and purify the
souls OF penitent sinners. For if Adam and
Eve had gained access to this sea they
would have bathed and been washed clean
Of sin SO that they never would have re-
pented. Nor was 1t in the divine plan that
they should dwell at the south of the gar
den, for over this country were waited
the balmy breezes of Eden laden with a
perfume of such satisfying nature that he
who breathed it was perfectly content and
spent his days in a sort of nirvana of
dreamless sleep. 1t is the old Homeric lotus
fruit, replaced by a perfume equally sat-
isfying. Had the pair dwelt there they
would have done no penance
But on the west, according to a legend
that is widespread, and has the most elab-
crate Christian ramihcations, God has pre-
pared place called the Cave of Treas
ures. To this the pair were guided and
here they dwelt whilst doing penance for
their sin, and learning to accept the condi-
tons of human life. Often they were
tempted by Satan, but in general they tri-
umphed over his suggestions. They did
full penance and will in the end be saved.
Many ancient writer's have held the the
cries Of the existence both OF preadamites
and or coadamites, that is. OF a race of
men created before Adam and on the