On the principle of “first know you are right, then go ahead,” I have been
very slow in making public the results of my discovery. But having become
thoroughly satisfied that I have a reasonable thing of it, have ventured
to publish it. It has appeared in brief articles in the Galesville
INDEPENDENT, in order to invite general inspection, and criticism.
When God made man to dwell on the face of the earth, He, evidently, must
place him somewhere. In giving the antldiluvians a description of the
creation, and first location of man, how mankind corrupted themselves, and
how God destroyed them with a flood, he simply stated the principal facts,
and gave a description of the location—and it not being on that continent,
he could not point it out to them—and as the country in which Noah then
resided, was all new to him, and his family, no one knew where it was; nor
was any one able then, or since, to find it on that continent; thus, the
location, though admitted to be somewhere on earth, has been kept a
profound mystery to the present time, and consequently the innocent cause
of no little speculation. But by degrees it has been opening to the
minds of some, that the first habitation of man must have been somewhere
on the American Continent; and the finger of time has been plainly
pointing to what is known as the “North West,” as the place. But of this
last fact I was ignorant when I made the discovery of the garden, and
commenced developing the facts about it. The discovery, resulted from my
familiarity with, or thorough knowledge of the Bible, and standing on the
hanging garden and looking over the plat, and admirirg its most wonderful
scenery, and counting the rivers, I became sensibly impressed by a
suggestion, This is the garden of Eden: at which suggestion I smiled, as
the plat, to me then, was altogether too large. Of course I had never
given it thought, nor measured it up in my own mind to what should, or
might be its proper dimentions. However so strong were my impressions,
that I, as a matter of pleasantry, used, occasionally to say to my
friends, This is the garden of Eden.
Since I commenced to publish my views, claiming a possible reality, while
some have mocked, others are becoming impressed with the idea of its being
not only possible, but highly probable. Where would a scientest place the
first pair, to acclimate, and from which to make man, as he now is, an
inhabitant of all the earth? Not too far north, not too far south. Our
garden is in that place. It should be destitute of money mineral wealth,
as these, if easily obtained, are corrupting in their tendencies, and
should be sought, and toiled for, to be properly enjoyed; and should be
placed at a distance, just where God says he provided it, at the head of
the stream. Our garden is still in the right place. From inherited wealth
and luxury comes danger to the inheritors. Our garden is again right. But
it should be a place susceptible of, and adapted to moral and intellectual
growth, and lead to the admiration, adoration, and worship of the great
Builder of the universe, the Infinite and Perfect. Is there a better place
for that, in all this beautiful earth, than is our garden, and its
surroundings? If there is, we would like to see it.
I have related the facts as they have been presented to me, or as I have
discovered them, and believe the reader will be pleased and profited with
the results, and I hope this will lead to more thorough and satisfactory
investigation.