Few stories in human history have the impact of the story of the fall of Adam and Eve. In the traditions of most of the world, the story suggests answers to issues like the existence of evil, the role of men and women, the purpose of life and the nature of God. Of course, the answers are interpreted in many different ways in different traditions.

The LDS tradition departs from the traditions of mainstream Christianity, of course, and those differences, based at least in part on the additional scripture we use beyond what other have, give us significantly different interpretations, and those interpretations give us a very unusual understanding of several basic philosophical questions, like the nature of God, the purpose of life and the existence of evil.

Perhaps it is for this reason that this particular lesson has so many different sections — 7 sections, where most of the Come Follow Me lessons have 4 or 5 sections. [As far as poetry is concerned, I have left out one of the sections — I couldn’t find an appropriate poem easily enough.]

Like the different interpretations of the story, and the additional scripture we use, the poetry we have subtly interprets the doctrines. I think its interesting to look at how preceding members of the Church thought about the issues raised in the Fall.

 

The Fall was a necessary part of God’s plan.

This is perhaps the idea where LDS thought differs most from others—the Fall was expected and was necessary, and actually is to our eternal benefit—although, lets be honest, some aspects really stink. Here’s William W. Phelps’ take, a kind of poetic dialogue or play describing the Fall.

 

O Adam

by William W. Phelps

Eve.

O, Adam, will you come with me?

For God has said that we are free

To all of Eden’s joys and powers,

To pluck and eat her fruits and flowers,

So we may cull the garden through

For flowers for me, and fruit for you.

Adam.

All, save the tree of knowledge there,

You may, my fairest of the fair.

Eve.

O, Adam, now ’tis you and I,

For Satan said we should not die;

God never made a woman mute,

And I have eat forbidden fruit—

So now come eat with Eve your bride,

And feast your passions and your pride.

Adam.

Yes, on the tree of knowledge there,

I will, my fairest of the fair.

God.

O, Adam, Adam,—where art thou?

For paradise is blooming now;

Through endless realms the angels fly,

To bring forth joys for you and I:

O, have you hid yourself from me,

For tasting that forbidden tree.

Adam.

O, yes, the tree of knowledge there,

And oh! my fairest of the fair.

Eve.

O, Adam, Adam,—must we go

Where “thorns and thistles” ever grow—

Where joys celestial never come,

Where sorrow will despoil our home—

Or can we live and be forgiven,

And gain our place once more in heaven?

Adam.

Yes, for the tree of life is there,

So come, my fairest of the fair.

Chorus.

And multiply with joy and mirth,

And beautify our mother earth.

1845

 

Jesus Christ offers hope and redemption.

In contrast, this idea is much less controversial outside of LDS thought. This poem is as much a Christmas poem as it is about hope—but then Christmas and hope are largely synonymous.

 

The Light of the Star

by Edward H. Anderson

A message of hope files on spirit like wings,

Borne on the breeze from the mountains afar,

It tempers the strife of mankind, and it sings

Love-songs of peace from the light of the Star.

 

The Star is the Christ who hath died for the world,

Word and the Force that e’er beareth men on;

The Father of Truth, whose glad light is unfurled,

Bidding the nations the peace of its dawn.

 

The message is Truth, the strong victor of all,

Word that must conquer, and ever endure:

Accepting no bribe, and no person nor call,

Just of the ages forever secure.

 

For mortals who stray in the by-ways of grief,

Deluged with doubt in the darkness of sin,

It serves as a sunlight that bringeth relief,

Sparkling with life as it shineth therein.

 

It comforts the heart that with sadness is drear;

Fear is forgotten in hopes that arise.

The Father and Son to the heart is come near;

Gone are the clouds that late covered the skies.

 

Then hark to the message on shadowy wings,

Sounding in gladness from mountains afar;

It offers the waters of life; and it brings

Glory and joy from the light of the Star.

1910

 

What does it mean that Adam was to “rule over” Eve?

I sometimes think that we believe the controversy over the roles of men and women only existed in the past 50 years or so, starting with the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s. This is clearly not true, especially when we read LDS poetry going back to the 19th century. Here Ruth May Fox, later President of the Young Women’s organization of the Church (then the YLMIA), sees a pretty strict equality between the sexes and a very limited role for men to “rule over” women.

 

Eden

by Ruth May Fox

On a glorious Sabbath morning in the ages long ago,

In the most delightful garden ever armed by summer’s glow,

Where the roses, pinks and lilies and the modest violet vied

With the graceful waving pampas and the dahlia’s stately pride,

Where stood trees all richly laden with fruits of every kind,

Where sweet aromatic odors floated softly on the wind,

That gently stirred the leaflets as the sunbeam’s shimmered through

Showing figs all ripe and luscious and the citrons dainty hue.

Not a weed was in the garden nought to mar the charming scene,

While rippling through this centre was a placid silvery stream

And birds of brighter plumage gaily flitted to and fro

Chirping, twitting, sweet songs singing on that morning long ago.

In this paradise enchanting roamed a stalwart noble man

In the image of his Maker, comprehend it if you can,

By his side a lovely woman for a helpmeet unto him,

Not his slave nor yet his servant ham’ring every foolish whim,

Not his cook, O happy woman! it was theirs to pluck and eat,

Not his seamstress, for their toilet nature’s garb made all complete.

But with him to hold dominion over every living thing,

On the earth, beneath the water, and the birds of varied wing.

Together they held possession of this highly favored land,

Together they stood and listened to the Father’s grave command,

Together received His blessing and the promise of His care

If they would try to serve Him and remember Him in prayer.

And together we must labor gentle woman, earnest man,

For the lifting up of nations and restore the ancient plan

And together have dominion and make this earth an Eden,

For know to make a perfect man, you must have Eve and Adam.

1893

 

I need agency and opposition to grow.

While not exclusive to LDS thought, the belief in agency is also not quite universal. And this belief is somewhat complicated by modern science’s research and its focus on a deterministic world. To what degree we are responsible for any particular event, and to what extend the event is external to us is frequently in doubt. Nonetheless, we teach that we do have the ability to choose, and we need that to learn. I suspect a significant part of what we learn is how to figure out when we are choosing and how to respond when events aren’t in our control.

In the following poem, James Wallis tells the plan of salvation story, with its logic for why we must have agency.

 

Man’s Free Agency

by James H. Wallis

Before the depths of chaos felt

The touch of gods divine,

Or mortal man on earth had dwelt,

Or at Eloheim’s throne had knelt

To worship at his shrine;

Ere planets in their courses ran,

Or moon gave forth her light,

Ere earth received the heat of sun,

Or vegetation had begun

To weave her mantle bright;

Ere corner stones of earth were laid,

Or stars together sang;

Ere trees, or herbs, or shrubs were made,

Or fountains of the deep were staid,

Or Nature’s music rang;

Before a mountain, hill or vale,

Had in its order stood;

Or earth had been kissed by the gale,

Or courted by the nightingale,

In moonlights solitude;

A council of the gods was held,

Jehovah, President-

One third of whom were hence expelled,

For Satan had, with them, rebelled

Against Omnipotent.

And there the laws for man were framed,

Each had his own free will,-

For all the gods at freedom aimed,

And each desired all men reclaimed,

From wickedness and ill.

They saw the future-for the vail

Was rent before their gaze-

They saw dark sin with men assail,

They saw the darkened powers prevail,

All earth with crime ablaze.

Therefore, when Jove proposed the plan,

And put it ‘fore the gods,

To give free agency to man,

A vote was called, and as it ran

It passed by mighty odds.

But Satan, with ambition filled,

Opposed the heaven-born law,

And held one third of heaven so drilled,

That ‘t mattered not what he had willed,

They did not dare withdraw.

Therefore they all rebelled ‘gainst God-

They fought against the right,

The gates were ope’d, and with the rod,

They were smote down to earth’s dark sod,

To dwell in endless night.

Their missson was to trouble men-

To help fulfil the law

They had opposed and fought at, when

They lost all hopes for aye to win

A glory as before.

True to that mission, they are now

Enticing men to deeds

That take away from manhood’s brow

All honor destined to endow

A noble spirit’s needs.

And, as at first, they still oppose

The agency of man,

And would-had they the power-impose

The tyrant’s chains, and discompose

Our noble spirit’s plan.

But God has given to every race

The freedom for to choose

A future, lasting dwelling place,

Either with glory or disgrace,-

A gift dare we abuse?

If we the path of glory tread,

All honor to our name;

But if by powers of darkness led,

Much better had we never sped

To earth to win deep shame.

And yet some men would dare make laws

To tell us what to do,

Would pinch us in their puny claws,-

To us not more than rotten straws,

Or filthy, watery glue.

They dare before the Priesthood’s power

To chain us to their whims,

They dare its links upon us shower,

And weld them ’round us, as a tower,

To strengthen their own limbs.

But oh! look through the vista’s gloom,

And see the victory!

Weep, weep, ye fiends! dark is your doom,

‘Twill sink you in oppression’s tomb,-

The grave dug out by thee!

But Saints immortal-gods-shall rise,

And scale the worlds on high;

They’ll fill the earth, and rend the skies,

With sweet hosannah’s, for their prize,

Shall every boon outvie.

Eternal ages shall roll ’round;

The night of time will pass;

And endless righteousness abound,

And shouts of glory shall resound

From ‘mongst the heavenly mass.

1883

 

Satan seeks “to deceive and to blind” me.

The role of Satan is another place where we have a lot of uncertainty. While this teaching is part of our doctrine, it also bumps against the idea of agency sometimes—when are we wholly responsible, and when do we mitigate that responsibility by saying “The Devil made me do it.” Satan often works best in our lives when it is an opposition to be overcome — as later apostle Charles W. Penrose describes in this poem, set to the familiar tune of “Auld Lange Syne.”

 

We Shall Conquer Yet

by Charles W. Penrose

Should solemn cov’nants be forgot,

Or lightly sway the mind?

Should Mormons have a sinful spot,

That Satan’s eye can find?

Oh no! dear Saints, we must be pure,

And ne’er our vows forget;

Temptation’s power is great, ’tis sure,

But we shall conquer yet.

 

Should Passion’s peace-destroying flame

Escape from Will’s strong guard?

Or should the fiend Impure Desire

Our heav’nly course retard?

Oh no! to quench the first we will

A stream of patience get;

With holy love the other kill,

And we shall conquer yet.

 

Should Selfishness pinch up the heart,

And close Compassion’s door?

Or whisper when we would impart-

“Remember you are poor”?

Oh no! the cringing elf we’ll fight,

The deed we ‘ll ne’er regret;

We will resist with all our might,

And we shall conquer yet.

 

Should Mormon hearts be fill’d with pride,

Or e’er rebellious be?

Should they the Priesthood’s word deride,

Or ever disagree?

Oh no! all sin we will oppose,

Our hearts on virtue set;

We’ll struggle with our inward foes,

And we shall conquer yet!

1857

 

“I, the Lord God … clothed them.”

This is the section I’ve skipped. Likely somewhere there is an LDS poem that talks about the Lord clothing Adam and Eve, but I haven’t found it yet. Clothing (and what that clothing is right) has been an issue for LDS Church members, and has been increasingly contentious in the last 25 years. Of course, I think each section of the lesson is optional, you can teach or omit it as fits your class. But please don’t take that to mean that I’m saying this is ‘clothing optional.’ [GRIN]

 

God will accept my sacrifices if I offer them with a willing and obedient heart.

The idea of sacrifice is probably less controversial than other ideas in this lesson, but I suspect that when you get into the details its very hard to agree about how and when sacrifice is necessary. It may be tied up with agency in a sense—if its not our choice, is it really sacrifice? Unfortunately, this poem doesn’t answer that question, but it does talk about sacrifice and what it can do for us.

 

Sacrifice

by W. Fowler

I find we all must lose,

If we the kingdom gain;

On Jesus’ power alone repose,

And love of self restrain.

 

“Tis not the loss of gold

Would give the righteous pain;

For health, by them, is valued more

Than pelf, or worldly gain.

 

But this must be resign’d,

If heaven wills it so;

The Saint must, with a patient mind,

Each earthly bliss forego.

 

Bereft of all, by kindred left

In sorrow’s path to tread,

Our Father’s mercy still protects,

Nor fails the daily bread.

 

But there’s a sacrifice to make,

Which those who feel it know;

‘Tis when the earthly all ‘s at stake,

Where our affections flow.

 

Say not ’tis weakness, nor ’tis vain;

“Tis conquest next divine,

To lay at Jesus’ feet the loves

Which round our hearts entwine.

 

This done, the life no longer dear,

Eternal lives we gain,

And through the love that cast out fear,

Celestial bliss obtain.

1855