66 Olympas. Indeed, the Pope, willing to make his power known, seems often to delight in opposing God and Christ, and the Holy Apostles and Prophets; and hence when God says, "It is not good for man to be alone," or without a wife, the Pope says, 'It is good for man to be alone, because he can serve the Lord better alone than with a wife." And, strange to tell, this is the man that pretends to be the successor, not of Paul, who made himself an eunuch for the kingdom of heaven's sake, but of "Peter the Vicar of Christ," who had a wife and family!! But how far are we got off from the fourth chapter of Genesis! me, Susan, where did our last lesson end? Tell Susan. At Lamech, the son of Methusael, who took to him two wives. Olympas. And what were their names? Olympas. It is a singular fact that only five names of women that lived in the first two thousand years of the world have reached our time. Can any of you tell the names of these five women? Eliza. They are Eve, Adah, Zillah, Naamah, and Sarah the wife of Abraham. Olympas. Strange oblivion of female excellence and renown! Of these five, only two are favourably known to us. Other two of them were the wives of the first polygamist. It is worthy of note that polygamy and war commenced in the Cain branch of Adam's family. Olympas. How, Thomas, ought the twentythird verse of this chapter to be pointed? Thomas. You read it thus::- "Hear my voice, F you wives of Lamech! Have I slain a man that should be hurt? If the killing of Cain should be avenged seven-fold, surely he that kills Lamech would be punished with seventy-and-seven fold vengeance !" Olympas. Such is the punctuation most accordant with the most rational scope of this dark passage. It supposes some fears for the life of Lamech on the part of his wives. They had not very peaceful consciences, and were fearful of the life of their husband. Polygamy seems to have been a curse from its beginning. CONVERSATION V. THE fifth chapter of Genesis being read, on Wednesday morning, all the household being present, Olympas continued his instructions in the following manner: Olympas. Here, in the compass of a few periods, we have the book or record of the generations or descendants of Adam for one thousand six hundred and fifty-six years-from the creation down to the birth of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Now although this appears to us rather a barren subject, being a mere record of births and deaths and the interval between them, when properly considered, it becomes a very useful and edifying section of sacred scripture, and a fruitful source of many religious sentiments and emotions. Let us, therefore, examine it with care. Tell me, Susan, which branch of Adam's family is written in this chapter? Susan. Abel's: for we had Cain's yesterday. Olympas. Was not Abel killed by his brother; and having no account of his marriage or his offspring, how can we regard this chapter as containing an account of this branch of Adam's family? Susan. Seth was born to fill Abel's place. Olympas. Yes, I taught you to consider the name and reputation of the protomartyr as preserved in Seth's person and family, inasmuch as Eve said, "God has appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew." In these words our mother Eve shows her faith in the first promise, that, "her seed should bruise the serpent's head." She looked for the promise through Abel, and not through the wicked Cain; and seeing him slain for his faith, she received Seth in the faith that God through him would fulfil all that she expected through the righteous Abel. Her confidence was not vain: for the only lineage of Messiah on earth, in fact or in form, is found in the line of Seth. Olympas. What, Henry, did I tell you means the name of Seth? Henry. "THE APPOINTED." Olympas. The name itself, then, indicates what was in the mind and expectation of Eve. This was the person appointed to fill up the promise which she had expected through Abel. Repeat, William, the names of the sons of Adam and Eve in this line down to the flood, as given in this chapter. William. Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. Olympas. What came of the other descendants of these families? For example, had Seth no son but Enos, and Enos no son but Cainan ? &c. William. It is not only presumable, but certain that they had. But as you told us, the Bible is formed on the plan of giving the history of only one family from Adam to Jesus of Nazareth; and only so much of every other family is given as is necessary to present this one fairly before us. Olympas. Very true; Cain's family all perished in the deluge, as did all Seth's offspring save Noah and his family. We have, therefore, only the ancestry of our Lord through ten generations in this chapter. How old, James, was Adam when Seth was born? James. One hundred and thirty years. Olympas. How old, Susan, was Adam when he died? Susan. Nine hundred and thirty. Olympas. Who of all the antediluvians attained the greatest age? James. Methuselah lived to be nine hundred and sixty-nine. Olympas. Tell me, Reuben, in what year of the world did he die? Reuben. He died in the year 1656, just before the flood. Olympas. He must then have lived a long time contemporary with Adam, and no doubt often conversed with the father of all mankind. Explain to us, Reuben, how long Methuselah may have conversed with Adam? Reuben. Seth was born in the year of Adam 130; Enos, in the year 235; Cainan, in the year 325; Mahalaleel, in the year 395; Jared, in the year 460; Enoch, in the year 632; and Methuselah, in the year 687; which sum taken from nine hundred and thirty, the whole age of Adam, leaves two hundred and forty-three years in which they lived and may have conversed together. This may again be shown by subtracting nine hundred and sixty-nine from 1656; that is, the whole life of Methuselah from the whole period before the flood, which leaves 687 for the nativity |