Читать книгу The Peep of Day - Favell Lee Mortimer - Страница 14

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Adam and Eve were very happy in the garden of Eden. They talked to each other, and walked together, and they never quarreled, and they praised God for all his kindness to them.

God used to talk with them sometimes. They were pleased to hear his voice, for they were not afraid of him.

There was one thing that God had told them not to do. There was a tree in the middle of the garden. Some beautiful fruit grew upon it; but God said to Adam and Eve, You must not eat of the fruit of that tree; for if you eat of it, you shall die. Adam and Eve liked to obey God, and they did not wish to eat of this fruit.

You know that the wicked angel, Satan, hates God, and he hated Adam and Eve. He wished to make them naughty, that they might go to hell and be burned in his fire. So he thought he would ask them to eat of that fruit. He went into the garden, and looked like a serpent. He saw Eve alone near the tree. He said to her, Why do you not eat of this fruit?

Eve answered, No, I will not; we must not eat of that fruit. If we do, God has said we shall die. Then the serpent said, You shall not die; the fruit will make you wise.

Eve looked at the fruit, and thought it seemed nice and pretty, and she picked some and ate it; and she gave some to Adam, and he ate it.

It was very wicked of them to eat this fruit. Now they were grown naughty, and did not love God.

Soon they heard God speaking in the garden; then they were frightened, and they went and hid themselves among the trees. But God saw them; for he can see everywhere.

So God said, Adam, where art thou? Then Adam and Eve came from under the trees.

God said to Adam, Have you eaten of the fruit that I told you not eat? And Adam said, It was this woman who asked me to eat some.

And God said to Eve, What is this that thou hast done? And Eve said, The serpent asked me to eat.

God was very angry with the serpent, and said he should be punished forever and ever.

God said to Adam and Eve, You shall die. I made your bodies of dust, and they will turn to dust again.

God would not let them stay in the sweet garden. He made them go out. He would not let them come back. He told one of his bright angels to stand before the gate with a sword of fire and to keep Adam and Eve out of the garden.

Near Eden’s land in days gone by,

A lovely garden stood:

The trees were pleasant to the eye;

The fruit was good for food.

Two holy creatures spent their days

Within that garden fair:

In love they dwelt; they sang God’s praise,

And humbly knelt in prayer.

In that sweet land one tree was placed,

Their faithful love to try

“That fruit,” said God, “you shall not taste:

Who eats shall surely die.”

O why did Eve to Satan’s lies

So readily attend?

Upon the fruit why fix her eyes,

Then pluck it with her hand?

No more shall Eve or Adam stay

Within that garden fair

An angel stands to guard the way,

That none may enter there.