The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1909-09-11


Of all his holy prophets since the world
began acts iii. 81. Very clearly
we discern Gods wise purpose 70 be
that us mankind through Adam are
being made acquainted with sin, ia
lamities, death. SO In due time all shall
be made acquainted with righteous
ness, Truth and the boon of life eter-
nal in harmony with their Creator. In
that restitution time" by the contrast
of the rewards of righteousness with
the rewards Of sin. the whole world
shall be brought to a knowledge of the
Truth and shall discern, not only the
Justice Of God, but also his Wisdom,
Love AMI Power.
The Tree Of knowledge.
Thus. sure enough. the forbidden
fruit was of the tree of knowledge.
The eating Of that fruit did indeed
bring with it to Mother Eve and to al
her children knowledge. 1t has required
Six Thousand years of experience un-
der the reign Of Sin and Death to learn
one side, and it will require another One
Thousand Years, the Millennium of
Christ's reign, to teach Mother Eve
and her family the other part of the
great lesson, namely, the. knowledge
Of Good. BY the conclusion Of the Mil
lennium the entire race of Adam viii
know both Good and Evil experiment.
ally and, we trust, the majority Of
them will have learned the lesson so
thoroughly that they will be fully out
of accord with sin In its every phase.
But while acknowledging that the eat
ing of that fruit has become the chan
mel Of these lessons in evil, as in good,
we can see that these same lessons
might have been much more readily
inculcated otherwise, had u first
parents rejected the temptation and
proven loyal to their Creator.
Many misunderstood these words,
Cursed is the EARTH" to signify that
our Creator put q special blight upon
the fruitful and beautiful earth. On
t AhG AUhAAdlgF uliE nG Npulu ndNt
brought the entire earth to full per
lection before mans creation, he did
not do so, but left the greater part
Of It in a condition accursed or unfit
for Human use and habitation even
while man was in harmony with God.
God merely Prepared the Garden
Eas ward in Eden" for the trial, the
tes ing, the proving Of Il first par
elts, because he knew what would be
the result Of that trial. He knew the
end from the beginning. Divine fore
knowledge is the basis Of the state
ment. Cursed is the earth for thy
sake II is thus unfit for you, In your
own interest, because | foreknew your
, transgression and what conditions
would be most favorable Cor you, that
your death sentence might bring you
the largest degree Of knowledge and
the largest degree Of experience in the
most helpful manner.
Is 1t asked how the unfitness Of the
earth could inure to mans advantage
as a sinner and why the Lord placed
the cherub with flaming sword to keep
the way to the Tree of Life? We re-
ply that all Of the experiences Of the
wisest of mankind c%Orroborate the
Divine decision that it vas wisest
and for the best interests Of Adam
and his children that the curse, the
sentence, should affect him in all of
his relationships Of life and particular
ly in respect to his earthly home.
Cursed is the earth for thy sake.
Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth
unto thee"
observation-disclosures
The battle for bread which started
when our first parents we're thrust out
Of the Garden Of Eden and obliged to
labor for their sustenence is a battle
which has kept up ever since. 1t has
had the effect Of developing more and
more in the human mind that evil
quality called greed and s%eIfshness. II
has had the effect of making our race
ignoble, mean. Father Adam, as the
bread-winner Of the family, surely had
noble and generous qualities of heart
and a great love for Mother Eve; yet
one could imagine that, as age ad
vanced upon him and he became six OIL
seven hundred years old, the toll con
nected with his battle with the thorn'
and thistles was the nor severe and
that this would, Of necessity, make
him the more careful, the more, frugal
even, perhaps, to the extent Of parsl
mony and meanness. Similar expert
ences cultivated the same quality IL
all Of his children, and the habit S,
; grows upon rs that, not merely arr
; those who have the barest Of necessi
ties lmpelled to be stingy and close
but wen those who come into posses
sion Of fabulous wealth have this par
simony ~ingralned in their very being.
We may indeed see a blessing in the
Divine provision Of this condition Of
things. We're 1t not for selfish ambi
; tlOu and pride what would be ONE OF
, the race. u ider the reign Of "the Prime,
Of this worid'? II every man. upoi
J obtaiping 4 competence, were to ST
down ind be satisfied, where would b.
J the worlds %progressY How could 4