Crime before the Flood
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their branches spreading to a great distance on every side, while the
plains were covered with verdure, and appeared like a vast garden of
flowers. Some of the hills were covered with trees of beauty, and vines
climbing the stately trees were loaded with grapes, while beautiful
flowers filled the air with their fragrance. But notwithstanding the
richness and beauty of the earth, yet when compared with its state
before the curse was pronounced upon it, there was apparent evidence
of sure and certain decay.
The people used the gold, silver, precious stones, and choice wood,
in building houses for themselves, each striving to excel the other.
They beautified and adorned their houses and lands with the most
ingenious works, and provoked God by their wicked deeds. They
formed images to worship, and taught their children to regard these
pieces of workmanship made with their own hands, as gods, and to
worship them. They did not choose to think of God, the Creator of the
heavens and the earth, and rendered no grateful thanks to him who had
provided them all the things which they possessed. They even denied
the existence of the God of Heaven, and gloried in, and worshiped,
the works of their own hands. They corrupted themselves with those
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things which God had placed upon the earth for man’s benefit. They
prepared for themselves beautiful walks overhung with fruit-trees of
every description. Under these majestic and lovely trees with their
wide-spread branches, which were green from the commencement of
the year to its close, they placed their idols of worship. Whole groves,
because of the shelter of their branches, were dedicated to their idol
gods, and made attractive for the people to resort to for their idolatrous
worship. They corrupted themselves with those things which God had
placed upon the earth for man’s benefit.
Instead of doing justice to their neighbors, they carried out their
own unlawful wishes. They had a plurality of wives, which was
contrary to God’s wise arrangement. In the beginning God gave to
Adam one wife—showing to all who should live upon the earth, his
order and law in that respect. The transgression and fall of Adam
and Eve brought sin and wretchedness upon the human race, and
man followed his own carnal desires, and changed God’s order. The
more men multiplied wives to themselves, the more they increased in
wickedness and unhappiness. If one chose to take the wives, or cattle,
or anything belonging to his neighbor, he did not regard justice or