The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-01-24
| SATURDAY
NIGHT TALKS.
avrr DAWSON. RUTLAND Vt.
THE CAIN FAMILY.
Jan. 81, 'o7-{Gen. 4:3-15.)
RUTLAND Vt.
BY r. E. DAWSON,

demonstrated that brothers are not
necessarily akin. Because children
are born Of the same parentage, Is no
proof that they will always love each
other. Some Of the bitterest quar-
rels, and the bloediest crimes that
history has recorded have taken
place between the children OF the
same mother. When Cain, the first
human baby was born, Eve snuggled
him to her breast, and cried for Joy.
81 have gotten a man from the
Lord" but she soon found out that
the Lord had had very little to do
with him. And SO when his brother
Abel was born, his mother did not
make any rash EXPLANATIONS about
his being from the Lord, but he was
Just the same. Disappointed in the
first born, the second received but
scant welcome, and it was only after
he was dead that he began to be
appreciated.
Doubtless the disposition Of Cain
began to show itself early. 1t Is not
likely that he slew his brother In q
first fit Of passion after they were
men grown. The whole record goes
to show that Cain was q bully from
his youth. The murder Of Abel was
premedltated. deliberate, cold-blood-
ed, revengeful. He planned to do 1t
long bfore he struck the blow. AS a
child, his nose was put out Of joint
when Abel was born, and he was
picking at and nagging him all
through his youth. He had been some
time in sole possession and he didn't
like to be disturbed. He begrudged
his younger brother the rude play
things Of his childhood, and grinned
with sardonic glee when little Abel
stubbed his toe and ran shrieking to
his mother. He had the1aw Of primo
geniture down pat and the other un-
written law of the knuckles. II you
look sharp into your nursery, you
will be likely to find some Of tho
same spirit on the part Of your first
born. Yes, brothers, rocked In the
same cradle, at swords points with
each other, utter strangers to each
other are not uncommon. The hui
man family Is one family, and your
brother, your real heart-mate may be
no possible relation to you, except as
you trace your lineage back to father
Adam. There was the greatest posi-
BILE contrast between these first two
boys Of the human race, and 1t has
been duplicated in many family
since.
And the sad thing about this story
Is that both the brothers were re-
ligious-in a way. Cain went to
church, brought a sacrifice to the
altar, fixed it up beautifully with
flowers and fruit, and went through
the motions of worship, just as Abel
did But he carried his obstinate
disposition right into his religion,
and made up his mind to worship to
suit himself, or not at all. He looked
with contempt upon Abel's altar with
the bleeding lamb. No matter II 1t
was the appointed way, he felt that
he was quite capable of improving on
1t. and he arranged a highly artistic
and otherwise beautiful Offering on
his altar, as a protest against the
plain and uninteresting sacrifice Of
Abel. Cain was a murderer. What
men will do in church and what they
| will do out Of church are quite diff
ferent things. If you want to know
| what a man is wait till he gets his
black coat off, and gets behind the
counter or the Office desk. He may
be as pious as Cain was on Sunday,
and as Satanic as Cain was on Mon
day. Nay, his very religion may be
spite worship and contemptuous Of
have been known to pray at each
| other in the devotional meeting, hop
ing the prayer will get to heaven by
| the way Of their brothers pew. II
one wants the church on the hill, the
other wants 1t down by the sawmill.
II one puts ten cents on the plate, the
| other throws a dollar on 1t to show
his contempt for such stinginess. II
one stands up to pray, the other falls
PROSTATE to show proper reverence.
| If one wants the minister to avoid
| politics, the other wants the burning
Issues Of the day discussed in every
| sermon. Oh, yes. Cain and Abel
were both religious.
How did it end? Just as might
have been expected. Cain "nursed
his wrath to keep 1t warm" and one
| day called Abel out into the field and
slow him. There is more than one
way to kill man. Cain did 1t clum-
silly; we do 1t scientifically. There Is
sheer that is murder, people have
been killed with glance Of the eye,
stabbed to the heart as effectually az
with a stiletto. You would not as
sassinate your brother; certainly not
But you will shrug a shoulder, close
an eye, quicker lip, lift your hand
to vote. keep silence when you ought
to speak, ask coldly, Am my
brothers keeperS" pass by on the
other side, and leave a dead man
upon the wind-swept heath, whose
blood shall cry out against you. And
that cry will be heard, and every
drop of that brothers blood will have
to be accounted for. The earth will
not hide 1t, multitudinous seas will
not rash out the stain. Many a mar
walks the earth to-day a fratric1de
In heart. He has not struck dowI
his brother in cold blood, so that the
law can make hi msuffer for it. He
| has been too smart for that, he
thinks. But in the sight of HEAVIER
he Is as guilty as though he ha6
stained his garments with brothers
| blood