Chapter 41—Delusions of Progression
True knowledge has decreased with every successive generation.
God is infinite, and the first people upon the earth received their in-
structions from that infinite God who created the world. Those who
received their knowledge direct from infinite wisdom were not defi-
cient in knowledge.
God instructed Noah how to make that immense ark, for the saving
of himself and his family. He also instructed Moses how to make
the tabernacle, and the embroidery, and skillful work which was to
adorn the sanctuary. The women wrought, with great ingenuity the
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embroidery of silver and gold. Skillful men were not wanting to
accomplish the work of making the ark, the tabernacle, and the vessels
of solid gold.
God gave David a pattern of the temple which Solomon built.
None but the most skillful men of design and art were allowed to have
anything to do with the work. Every stone for the temple was prepared
to exactly fill its place, before being brought to the temple. And the
temple came together without the sound of an axe or a hammer. There
is no such building to be found in the world for beauty, richness and
splendor.
There are many inventions and improvements, and labor-saving
machines now that the ancients did not have. They did not need them.
The land has felt the curse, more and more heavily. Before the flood,
the first leaf which fell, and was discovered decaying upon the ground,
caused those who feared God great sorrow. They mourned over it as
we mourn over the loss of a dead friend. In the decaying leaf they
could see an evidence of the curse, and of the decay of nature.
The greater the length of time the earth has lain under the curse, the
more difficult has it been for man to cultivate it, and make it productive.
As the soil has become more barren, and double labor has had to be
expended upon it, God has raised up men with inventive faculties
to construct implements to lighten labor on the land groaning under
the curse. But God has not been in all man’s inventions. Satan has
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