CONFUSION
The next morning as soon as breakfast was over, the pastor went to the
library, secured his Bible, and began to read. After reading for some
time, a look of perplexity came over his face; he leaned back in his
chair, thinking deeply, and his thoughts were as follows: It's
remarkable that I never noticed this second narrative is the reverse
of the first; they are clearly and distinctly two narratives. In the
first there is no mention made of anything material, and all is created
by the word of God--or spiritually; there is no mention of evil,
but--all is pronounced good by God. He made the earth, the trees, and
the animals first, and man last, in an ascending scale; while in the
2d chapter of Genesis, God is supposed to have made man first, then
woman, then the animals, etc., in a descending scale. I am now quite
sure my explanation to Walter about this second creation being a more
detailed account of the first is not correct, yet what else could it
be? It certainly cannot be a second creation. Let me see, what did
Walter say about that _mist_ being a misapprehension that arose
among the people as to creation? And that this second narrative was
the misapprehension? It sounded reasonable and would be an easy solution
to this second creation; but how about this material body of mine, and
the rest of the material things? Are we laboring under a misapprehension
regarding all these things? Impossible, we could not all make the same
mistake; yet according to Walter's explanation this _mist_ watered
the whole face of the earth; that means all the people. Where did this
mist or misapprehension come from? There is no record of God having
made it. What a position for a minister of the gospel to be in, unable
to explain the simplest things regarding creation; preaching that man
is the image and likeness of God, who is Spirit, and believing man was
created out of _dust_ or materially, thereby contradicting the
statement, that we are the image and likeness of God, Spirit; for
matter is not spirit, but its opposite. I must admit I am very much
confused, and I must be able to explain by to-night, for Walter will
be disappointed if he cannot continue his lesson this evening. I think
I had better read these first two chapters of Genesis over a few more
times, and maybe I will be able to see through this confusion.
The pastor read and studied until dinner was called, then the entire
afternoon. When he laid his book down to come to supper he said, "I
am fully convinced that these two narratives are not meant to be the
same, nor is one the explanation of the other, for one is the direct
opposite of the other. But I cannot decide which is the real, for the
Bible speaks as though God was the author of both. Maybe Walter will
have some idea that will shed light on the subject. I am astonished
at his explanation of that mist; it is so reasonable. It is remarkable
that it never occured to me, after the many times I have read it."
At the supper table the pastor said, "Walter, what have you been doing
all day? I haven't seen you except at dinner, and now at supper."
"I have been reading and thinking preparatory to our lesson, as I
suppose we will have another lesson this evening."
"Yes, Walter, we will continue, although I must confess I am not as
well prepared as I should like to be."
"Why, James, I thought you were reading the Bible almost all day," said
his wife.
"So I was, dear, but could not fully satisfy myself as to that second
narrative being an explanation of the first; in fact, I came to the
conclusion that it was not, but that it is a separate, and distinct
narrative."
"Do you mean to say that there really were two creations?" asked his
wife in a surprised tone.
"No, dear, I do not mean that; the fact of the matter is, I cannot
find any reasonable solution for there being two accounts of creation,
and as this thought had never occured to me before, I have not been
able to find a satisfactory explanation. Nevertheless, we will take
this subject up in our lesson this evening, and see if we cannot explain
it satisfactorily to all concerned. I am going to the library, and
when you are ready you can both come there, and we will get an early
start." The pastor then quitted the room.
Mrs. Williams turned to her son and said, "Walter, I cannot understand
how your father can be confused at anything he could find in the Bible,
for he was credited with being one of the best Bible students in this
part of the country."
"I suppose, mother, that it had never occurred to father, that there
were two accounts of creation in the Bible, and possibly it had never
been pointed out to him. I think though, that before the evening lesson
is over we will all understand just why that second account is given.
Personally, I have come to a satisfactory conclusion concerning it,
and maybe father will agree with me."
"Now, Walter, you must not presume to teach your father anything
concerning the Bible; he has put years of hard study on it."
"I know that is true, mother, but it has often happened that a skilled
mechanic has worked for years on some particular thing, and never
attained what he was after, and some other person who knew nothing of
mechanism discovered the solution without any trouble. It may be so
in this case, you or I may say just the thing that will clear up this
seeming mystery."
"I know that such things have happened, but I would hardly presume to
be able to say anything in regard to the Bible that your father has
not thought of years ago."
Walter did not wish to say anything more on this subject at present,
but it had occured to him that if his father had been taught wrong in
regard to creation, most likely he had also been mis-taught in regard
to the rest of the Bible, for he reasoned that if he started to explain
the Bible from the wrong standpoint, that is materially, instead of
spiritually, he would necessarily be in error as to the truth of all
the teachings of the Bible.