2. When God created the world the man was quite alone. Seeing this, God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a good companion for him.” He caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and took one of his ribs, and out of this rib, he made a woman. We call this man Adam and this woman Eve.

3. God let Adam and Eve rule the earth and enjoy it. Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden in peace and happiness! The animals came to them when they called them; the birds sang above their heads as they walked; and the fish came to the side of the lake to watch them as they stood in the sunlight. What a happy Garden this was! What a peaceful Paradise this was! But this happy and peaceful life did not last long.

4. The Bible tells us a strange story which fills our eyes with tears. And this is that strange story which the Bible tells us. God had given man everything on the earth except one thing. There was one thing which man was not to do. If man did this one thing, he would lose all his peace and all his happiness. And man did do this very thing. The one thing man was not to do was to eat of the fruit growing on a certain tree in the Garden of Eden. There were a thousand other of which man might eat, but only this one was forbidden.

5. It was God’s test of man’s love. If man loved God, he would not eat of this tree; if he did not love God, he would disobey. So, you see, this was God’s test of man’s love. Well, Satan, the wicked Tempter, took the form of a serpent and glided into the Garden of Eden, and sought out Eve while she was away from her husband’s side, and suggested to her that she should eat of the fruit.

6. And, although Eve did not at once obey him, she argued with him, instead of driving him from her. So the temptation to eat the fruit stayed in her mind; she allowed herself to think about it ; and at last the temptation was too great for her. She ate the fruit, and took it to Adam, and persuaded him also to do this forbidden thing. Then Adam and Eve heard the voice of God, and they were afraid and hid themselves in the trees. And God punished them. But the punishment was not a cruel one. He made them go out of the Garden of Eden and toil for their existence.

7. Now, though work is hard, it is yet far better than idleness; and in setting man to till the earth, God has provided him with the opportunity of becoming better and kinder and purer. Have you ever seen a picture of Adam and Eve going out with tears and shame from their beautiful Garden of Innocence? And did you ever notice that over them the face of God was smiling with love and pity? God knows that His children shall one day return to their garden and to Him.

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