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Seth: When Men Turned to God
47
years, he felt that it was merciful for God to bring to an end a life of
suffering and sorrow.
The age before the Flood was not an era of ignorance and bar-
barism, as has often been supposed. The people possessed great
physical and mental strength, and their advantages were unrivaled.
Their mental powers developed early, and those who cherished the
fear of God continued to increase in knowledge and wisdom through-
out their lives. Compared to them, famous scholars of our time would
appear greatly inferior in mental and physical strength. As people’s
lifespan has decreased and their physical strength has diminished,
so their mental capacities have lessened.
It is true that the people of modern times have the benefit of
the accomplishments of others before them. Masterly minds have
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left their work for those who follow. But how much greater the
advantages of the people of that time! For hundreds of years they
had among them him who was formed in God’s image. Adam
had learned from the Creator the history of creation; he himself
witnessed the events of nine centuries. The pre-Flood people had
strong memories to retain what was communicated to them and to
transmit it accurately to their descendants. For hundreds of years
there were seven generations living on the earth at the same time,
profiting by the knowledge and experience of all.
Far from being an era of religious darkness, that was an age of
great light. All the world had opportunity to receive instruction from
Adam, and those who feared the Lord also had Christ and angels
for their teachers. And they had a silent witness to the truth, in
the garden of God, which for many centuries remained on earth.
Eden stood just in sight, its entrance barred by watching angels. The
purpose of the garden and the history of its two trees were undisputed
facts, and the existence and supreme authority of God were truths
that people were slow to question while Adam was among them.
Despite the prevailing iniquity, a holy line of God’s followers
lived as in the companionship of heaven—people of massive in-
tellect, of wonderful attainments. They had a great mission—to
develop a character of righteousness, to teach a lesson of godliness,
not only to the people of their time, but for future generations. Only
a few are mentioned in the Scriptures, but all through the ages God
had faithful witnesses, true-hearted worshipers.