Article December 6, 1919 ISSUE

Cain and Abel

RICHARD P. VERRALL

THE story of Cain and Abel as recorded in the fourth chapter of Genesis and as interpreted by Mrs. Eddy on pages 538 to 543 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," may be regarded as a key to the enigma of mortal existence throughout all time and is specifically applicable to the problems which come up to-day to be solved in Christian Science. The poet Byron once declared that "a man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others." This fact is well illustrated by the characters of Cain and Abel, who represent in embryo two antipodal qualities, which by reason of their antagonistic and irreconcilable natures must continue to oppose each other until the former is finally destroyed by the latter.

Briefly speaking, Cain stands for a mental condition in which the Satanic suggestion, "Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil," has been accepted. Hence Cain places himself above the law of God and acknowledges no law but his own will. According to Cruden the name Cain signifies "possession," or one who is "possessed;" in a word, it stands for materialism, including its complete range of social and political evils from absolute autocracy to abject slavery.

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