There is no more pitifully tragic1 story in all the world than that of Cain, the fratricide. Cain was the first son of Adam and Eve of whom the Scriptures2 make specific mention. Cain was a tiller of the soil. The riches of the earth were his, and the fulness thereof. With joyful3 heart, he might have plowed4 and tilled and garnered5, and, at the last, ended a well-spent life in ease and comfort; with praise and thanksgiving, he might have worshipped God, acknowledging gifts already bestowed6, and receiving daily more as he pursued his honest toil7; with contented8 mind, he might have mingled9 with his brothers and sisters, and given unstintingly of his prosperous help in the establishing of man's dominion10 on earth. But Cain was of a jealous and envious11 disposition12. His mind was darkened with thoughts of avarice13 and greed and hatred14 of others who prospered15 in the new world.
The occupation of Abel.
Cain had a brother named Abel. He was the second son of Adam and Eve mentioned by name in the Scriptures. Abel was a shepherd, a tender of flocks. Abel prospered, too, in his occupation. True, Abel was not so independent of his fellows as was his brother Cain, the tiller of the soil. Abel's calling produced him only meat to eat and wool to wear. He grew no fruits, nor grains, nor vegetables, nor other foods in variety produced by the soil. But Abel was happy and contented. He was unselfish. He loved his brothers and sisters, {198} and rejoiced in their successes. He loved God. And as he tended his flocks, Abel worshipped God who had placed his father and mother, and their children, upon the earth to subdue16 it.
The brothers' sacrifices.
One day Cain and Abel carried sacrifices to offer to the Lord. Cain brought grudgingly17 of the fruits of the field. Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof without thought of withholding18 anything from the Lord. When the sacrifices were presented, "the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect." Now, this difference was not because Abel's offering was better or more desirable than Cain's. The Lord pays not respect to worldly things. The widow's mite19 is as acceptable to Him as the rich man's millions, if offered in the spirit of truth. For it is the spirit in which a sacrifice is made that counts with the Lord. And Cain did not come in the spirit of love, and thanksgiving, and worship. He gave grudgingly. Perhaps, even, he did not give of the best of his crops. Therefore the Lord did not accept his offering.
The anger of Cain.
Then, when he saw that his own offering was rejected, while Abel's was accepted, Cain became filled with anger, and his countenance20 fell. The Lord in His mercy spoke21 to Cain, and declared to him one of the great fundamental truths of life. "Why art thou wroth?" asked the Lord, "and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well thou shalt be accepted. And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and Satan desireth to have thee; and except thou shalt hearken unto my {199} commandments, I will deliver thee up, and it shall be unto thee according to his desire." But the anger and the envy of Cain were not appeased22.
The murder of Abel.
Not long thereafter, Cain and Abel were together in the field. Cain had brooded over the incident of the offerings. His anger had waxed hot, till it was ready to burst into furious flame. Satan had gained possession of his mind, had filled him with envy, and had inspired him to hate his brother. So, as he talked with his brother in the field, Cain suddenly arose in ungovernable rage and struck his brother down and killed him. It was a day of horror in man's history. It was a day of blackness and blood. Cain was a brother-murderer—a fratricide. And it had come about because he had yielded to anger and envy and hate. Satan had gained possession utterly23 of his soul. Therefore, Cain was cursed by the Lord and cast out from His presence. In the story of Cain is illustrated24 wonderfully the truth of the saying of the Wise Man of Israel: "Wrath25 is cruel, and anger is outrageous26; but who is able to stand before envy?"
The lesson at home.
The story of Cain is a story of long ago. But we all know many instances of the ugliness of anger in our own day. In every prison house in the world are confined men who have committed crime in fits of anger. "An angry man stirreth up strife27, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression," said the Man of Wisdom. When a man is angry, he loses control of the good that is in him. He returns to the state of the beast. He speaks words of which afterward28 he is ashamed. He does things for which afterward he sorrows. Anger is an {200} infernal poison, administered by the father of lies himself, which courses through the blood, makes the heart pound, and creates delirium29 in the mind. There are many ugly sights in the world; but there is perhaps none uglier, more repulsive30, than a man furiously angry. Therefore is it said, "Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not go: lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare31 to thy soul."
The power of the mind.
Everyone knows how unpleasant is the company of a quarrelsome boy, or of a quarrelsome girl. The best of sport and the choicest of company can be spoiled by one angry countenance. The truth taught in the preceding lesson may here be emphasized. "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he." According to your habits of thought, you are agreeable or disagreeable. According to your habits of thought, you find quarrel in a straw, or peace and serenity32 in turmoil33. According to your habits of thought you may become a strife-breeder or a peacemaker. "A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth anger." And since it rests with yourself, is it not deplorable that you should follow in the footsteps of Cain?
"The human will, that force unseen,
The offspring of a deathless Soul,
Can hew34 a way to any goal,
Though walls of granite35 intervene."
As a boy wills to be pleasant and cheerful, or to be disagreeable and quarrelsome, so then will he be. We know now that we may all be masters of ourselves, and hewers of our own fates.
{201} All these things Jesus taught plainly. Said He, "Ye have heard it said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment36: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and then rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave then thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
"Agree with thine adversary37 quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing."
Jesus an example.
There is in history no finer example of serene38 calm and self-control than that manifested in the earth life of the Savior of the world. When James and John, "the Sons of Thunder," asked permission to call down fire from heaven upon the Samaritan village that had refused to entertain Jesus, the Lord rebuked39 them, saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." And when during the days of trial and suffering, men insulted Him and did Him physical injury, Jesus went like a lamb to the slaughter40.
{202} The strength of self-control.
All examples and precepts41, then, admonish42 us to acquire self-control, to be slow to anger, to banish43 hatred, and to eschew44 envy. "For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God;" and "he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty45; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."
THE REFERENCES
Moses 5:16-41. Matt. 5:21-26.
Prov. 27:4. Luke 9:51-56.
Prov. 29:22. James 1:20.
Prov. 22:24. Prov. 16:32.
Prov. 15:18.
"Angry Words, Oh Let Them Never," S. S. Song Book.
THE QUESTIONS
1. What caused the downfall of Cain?
2. What effect does anger have upon the mind?
3. Why does not anger work for righteousness?
4. What do you think of a quarrelsome boy with a grouch46?
5. What did Jesus teach about anger?
6. How does self-control make for strength?
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1
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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scriptures
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| 经文，圣典( scripture的名词复数 )； 经典 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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plowed
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| v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过 | |
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garnered
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| v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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8
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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avarice
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| n.贪婪；贪心 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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prospered
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| 成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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grudgingly
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18
withholding
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| 扣缴税款 | |
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19
mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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21
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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24
illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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26
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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31
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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32
serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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33
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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34
hew
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| v.砍；伐；削 | |
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granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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36
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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37
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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38
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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39
rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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41
precepts
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| n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
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42
admonish
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| v.训戒；警告；劝告 | |
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43
banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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44
eschew
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| v.避开，戒绝 | |
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45
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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46
grouch
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| n.牢骚，不满；v.抱怨 | |
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