_4. The Nobility of Adam in the Fall:_ The effect of this doctrine upon the ideas of men concerning the great Patriarch of our race will be revolutionary. It seems to be the fashion of those who assume to teach the Christian religion to denounce Adam in unmeasured terms; as if the fall of man had surprised, if, indeed, it did altogether thwart, the original plan of God respecting the existence of man in the earth. The creeds of the churches generally fail to consider the "fall" as part of God's purpose regarding this world, and, in its way, just as essential to the accomplishment of that purpose as the "redemption" through Jesus Christ. Certainly there would have been no occasion for Atonement and redemption had there been no fall; and hence no occasion for the display of all that wealth of grace and mercy and justice and love--all that richness of experience involved in man's earth life, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, had there been no fall. It cannot be but that it was part of God's purpose to give man these experiences and display the above named qualities in their true relation, for the benefit and blessing and enlargement and ultimate uplifting of man; and since there would have been no occasion for displaying them but for the fall, it logically follows that the fall, no less than the Atonement and redemption, must have been part of God's original plan respecting the earth probation of man. The fall, undoubtedly, was a fact as much present to the foreknowledge of God as was the atonement, and the act which encompassed it must be regarded as more praise-worthy than blame-worthy, since it was essential to the accomplishment of the divine purpose. Yet, as I say, those who assume to teach the Christian religion roundly denounce Adam for his transgression[A] and especially for the recital of the circumstances of his fall, "The woman thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." In which they seem to find an attempt to shift responsibility for the fall upon woman instead of a plain statement of fact. The truth is, that nothing could be more courageous, sympathetic, or nobly honorable than the course of our world's great Patriarch in his relations to his wife Eve and the fall. The woman by deception of Lucifer is led into transgression, and stands under the penalty of a broken law. Banishment from the presence of God; banishment from Eden and the presence of her husband, if he partakes not with her in the transgression; dissolution of spirit and body--physical death--all await her, and her alone! Thereupon the man, not deceived, but knowingly (as we are assured by Paul), also transgressed. Why? In one aspect of the case in order that he might share the woman's banishment from the dear presence of God, and with her to die--than which no higher proof of love could be given--no nobler act of chivalry performed. But primarily he transgressed that "Man might be." He transgressed a less important law