The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-03-11

the hosts he, as their chief, should pro-
coed with the business in hand. This
| being determined on, Satan at once pre-
pared to carry out his plans
Now of all the beasts of the field the
serpent was the most beautiful and
wise. Ere God had pronounced his
/ curse upon him he stood erect like man,
and was the fayorite companion of Adam
and the gentle Eve, and they taught him
to speak their language and to con
verse with them. The keen eye of Satan
noted all this as he cast aboutfor some
medium by which he might approach
Adam and Eve and gain their confidence
| and their ear.
Flattery, that base imp of hell, has
| wrought untold woe anu sin throughout
/ the ages, and first in the garden he cap
tivated the graceful, beautiful serpent,
and made him the instrument of Satan's
W1les. Thus came it to pass that day,
as Eve strolled through the garden, she
came again to that forbidden tree. and
would have turned away as on former
occasions, when she spied the serpent,
and as he called to her, she came near
and stood under the shade of the for
| hidden tree,
Yea, hath God said, We shall not eat
| OF every tree of the garden?" said the
serpent, SO graciously that she did not
sense the unholy. taunt, although it
pierced her heart like a poison dart.
We may eat Of the fruit Of the trees
OF the garden Eve quickly replied,
note Of apology sounding in her voice.
But of the fruit of the tree which is in
| the midst OF the garden, God hath said,
ye shall not eat Of it. neither shall We
touch it, lest ye die
All, soul! why 1inger in debate over
the command which God has given YOU.
Here was where the downfall of man
began, and it has ever proved the begin
ming OF transgression Of Gods laws.
| With incredulous smile, the serpent
spoke in confident and positive tones:
''Ye shall not surely die
And Eve recalled her questionings as
| to what death meant. But why had
God spoken of death if there was no
death? In reply to her questioning look,
the serpent continued: For God doth
know that IN the day We eat thereof, then
your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall
| be as gods, knowing good and evil
| With doWncast eyes Eve listened to
the words Of the serpent, which brought
| to her heart the first doubts she had had
Of God, and the desire to examine more
| closely the fruit of this tree took pos
| session of her. Never before had she
| come SO nearAtO the tree; never before
had she allowed her eyes to rest in gues-
tlonlng or longing upon it's fruit, but
now with 1t hanging SO temptingly near
| she looked, and as she looked she saw
| that it was good for food How true
| it is, as James says, that man is tempted
!! when he is drawn away by his own lust
and enticed.' How pleasant the fruit
appeared to her eyes now. Surely it was
| to be desired to make one wise How
foolish and unreasonable the prohibition
| Of God appeared. Reaching up, she took
a great, luscious cluster of the fruit
| in her hand and did eat, and gave also
| to her husband, who had joined her
Whileshe was ettalking with the serpent.
| And the eyes Of them both were
opened. What an awakening that was!
| In fear and confusion they fled from the
| place, and hid in that part of the garden
! where the trees were the thickest and
| the shadows the darkest, for sin Ioveth
| darkness, and the evil doer cometh not
to the light. The covering of Gods
| righteousness had been torn from them.
| and they realized that they were naked.
/ Naked before God! Fearing His appear
| ance! With feyerish haste and trem-
| bling hands they seWed fig leaves to-
| gether and made thenaprons, and hard
| " had they completed their task before
| they heard the voice of the Lord God
walking in the garden.
Where art thou, Adam?'' God called.
The call which heretofore had been
such sweet music to the souls of Adam
and Eve, and been listened for with
such joyful longing, now came with
piercing conviction to their hearts, and
they were filed with an awful dread.
With trembling voice Adam replied:
Z heard Thy voice in the garden, and
/ was afraid, because I was naked; and
I hid myself
Who told thee that thou vast naked?
Hast thou eaten OF the tree, whereof
/ commanded thee that thou shouldest
| not eat?o the voice of God asked.
Oh, the anguish of that moment, as the
souls Of this guilty pair were brought
face to face with their sin and realized
their first separation from God, and felt
His sore displeasure. The tragedy OF
the garden has rung, down through the
| ages. and in its train has stalked hid
eous sin and grim death, The Divine
judgments were spoken, and lest the
| man and the woman should partake Of
the tree Of life and live forever, there
fore the Lord God sent them forth from
the Garden Of Eden" But ere they go
He must clothe their nakedness, for no
covering which man may provide for
himself will suffice to make him present
able to God From Adams gentle flock
of sheep, the Lord selects two precious
lambs, a type of the lamb from Heaven
which God in the fullness Of time was to
provide for sinful man, that man might
be cleansed from sin ard clothed upon
with the righteousness of God.
Who can know the feelings of that
sinful pair, as they beiaeld the hand OF
God slay the lambs ane take from them
their skins, A life given up for each
that each might have 2 covering for his