The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-11-14

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If we could take one thousand average persons.
just you would them on the street, and build
according to their ideas and visions Garden of Ed
the composite result would be truly wonderful
place. Happiness and joy would abound there be-
each individual would consider these the
principal reasons if the only ones for the exis-
tence of this earthly paradise. So. in delight
full cline. nature would be called upon to clothe
herself in all her respondent glory that the fances
and passions of men might be peasured.
AS surely as these builders of a new Garden of
Eden would be in perfect accord concerning it's
beauty and pleasurableness. just as certain would
each of them forget the tree of the knowledge of
good and evjl' 1t would be their united thought
that nothing should be given place there that would
offer opportunity, however slight, for man to en-
any distasteful task or to commit any act
that would, once more. forfeit so pleasurable an
abode. The favored inhabitants of that delectable
spot would do wrong because there would be
none they could do. The matter of choice would be
taken completely out of their hands and they would
grow-let us see just what manner of folks such a
life would develop.
There came day when Gods plans called for
the making of our universe. On that day He COM
menced that work and in His good time set the Di-
vine word of approval earth and the limtless
space wherein it moved. He clothed its surface
with iuanimate beauty and scattered it the ami
wonders of life. He created and gave
into his hands supreme power all the earth and
its possessions He gave to him mate and planned
and built for them the Garden of Eden wherein they
were to dwell and have dominion over their Gre
ator's handiwork
But as He gave them power over all that He
had made an He rannired of them ohediance to GER
tain rules of living that He gave them. He created
man in His own likeness and placed in his mortal
body part of Divine immortality but further than
that He dared not go. In the infinite universe but
personality could be supreme so it was necessary
that limit be placed upon the knowledge and pow
er of man; limit that would render his mortal pas
sions and thoughts subservlent to the immortality
that was also his. On earth he could only be heir
the Creators power and rule; until he entered
his immortal life could he share it. So God planted
in the Garden where Adam and Eve were to live
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" and
He placed upon them the command that they were
not to of it's fruit thus requiring of them ODE
dience that would make them God-like and
better fitted TO administer the authority that was
given into their hands.
But Gods plan would not work Tue forbid
den fruit offered temptation that Ewes will could
not resist she took of the fruit of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil" and ate and Adam ate
with her. When next God walked in the Garden to
commune with them He discovered their disobedi-
ence. Displeased. He sent them forth exiles from
their earthly paradise Not because of their DISC
bedience did he order their lives differently but
wholly for their own ultimate good. Having gained
knowledge of good and evil' God saw that they
wond take also of the tree of life and eat and live
forever" This would have thwarted His every
plan and thought for mankind. Having an eternal
earthly life would have made useless the immortality
given to man by the Creator and humanity would
have lost every hope and chance of reaching the
Heaven they were meant ultimately to irhabit. So
God in His infinite wisdom and love drove Adam
and Eve out of the Garden of Eden
The result is that may today, approach
nearer to God than would be possible under any
condition of living that offered no need for will
power and deliberate choosing of ways. Today it is
by choice that man lives an upright. virtuous life
and not because other course is left open to him.
How the Almighty Creator who governs the bound
less universe must be proud of those mortals who
travel to the end of the earthly trail choosing the
seemingly difficult thing all the way!
Evil cannot be ignored. 1t would be sorry
Garden of Eden that had not in it this force. Men
living there could exist without the resistance it
would call forth from their minds hearts and souls.
They would become vitiated and eventually sink to
the level of the beasts they supposed to have
dominion" 1t is more possible to take evil
out of life than it is to take good out of it. Neither
of these forces can be ignored. So intrcately
they interviewer into the life fabric of each mortal
that the removal of either would mar forever the