The Washington herald., 1909-08-19
OF INTEREST TO THE WOMEN
ANCIENT EDITOR
MADE AN ERROR

George Harvey. In the North American Review.
That the snake was a male we feel far
less certain. Indeed. there are many ev-
dences, both external and internal. though
not contained in Genesis, 10 the contrary.
Ezra was an able and conscientious edit
or. but made errors Of judgment, as other
editcrs have done since. especially IN dis
eliminating between the essentials and
nonessentials Of a complete narrative.
For years and years theologlans have
! been trying I'm vain to reconcile the Jc-
hoyistic and Elohistic accounts OF crea-
tion presented in Genesis. We are con-
vinced that the necessity OF making
| specious and unconvincing explanations
would never have arisen II Ezra had not
/ edited so closely. But his omission.
whether from heedlessness OF design, OF
/ any reference whatever TO the very i'm
portant part played by Liith in the be-
ginning Of things seems hardly pardon
able
The materials were at hand, drawn
! from the same sources as those which he
utilized. The Chaldean Inscriptions and
the Arabic legends, extant in Babylon
while he was engaged upon his great
work. afford a quite simple solution Of
the vexatous problem.
L.ilith was created at the same time and
, IN the same way as Adam. Male and
female created He them" and endowed
them with equal rights and privileges.
But, runs the chronicle, Adam. taCtless
and domineeTing. began the first con-
versatioE by asserting that he was TO be
the master"
The high-spirited lady Indignantly re-
undated this claim of superior authority.
/ WhereupOn, Adam insisting, LNith ut
| tered a certain spell called schem-hamm-
phorasch, Of famous potency IN Jewish
folk lore. obtained wings thereby. and
few out OF Eden and out OF sight" or.
as stated subsequently IN Revelations. not
| edited by Ezra. "TO the woman were
given two wings OF a great eagle. that
she might fly into the wilderness"
How subsequently Liith married Sam
uel who illumined a character not other
wise above reproach by treating her as
an equal and left many descendants
some Of whom are even now bomharding
the Houses Of Parliament. though inter
esting and important, is not germane 10
a consideration OF the relative merits OF
] 04.hAtr- nut even III Illdl early AtA III
was recognized 10 be iu for man 20 1--we
alone. so second wife was formed. and
this time out Of Adams rib, in order that
there should be no question OF her sub
lection.
We perceive. therefore. that Ezra had
only 10 tell the whole story 70 harmonic
the two seemingly conflicting Biblical ac-
counts Of creation. His reasons FOR elm,
mating so material a portion are. as we
have said. COnieCtural. II may De that %,
feared 10 offend the pride of his people
by letting them know that their origina
ancestress was a second wife or he may
have been an anti-sunraeist and desirous
of Withholding from the equal rights
movement the advantage OF Scripture
authority.
Accepting the Arabic version. which I'm.
cidentally was derived from Jewlsf
sources by converts OF Mahomet from
Cabhalism and RabiniSm, we must con.
clude that now, strictly speaking. anti
sUffragists should be regarded as daugh
ters Of Eve and suffragists as daugh
ters OF Iilith. To 5Oth would accrue Ger
tain satisfaction from such diferentia
uon. Eve seems 20 have been the bette
woman, but credu.ous and stupid. whr
; Lilith, though q disturber Of domestic
81 tranquility and somewhat per0mptory il
manner. was far more intelligent an,
handsome. had beautiful hair. and dresse,
Ike a queen in comparison with Eve &.
her additionally simple raiment