THE DELUGE OF NOAH 131 



correct interpretations, or to our own fancy. In con- 

 nection with this we may also be able to obtain some 

 guidance as to the value to be attached to the 

 Hebrew document as a veritable and primitive record 

 of the great catastrophe. 



The key to the understanding of the early human 

 history of Genesis lies in the story of the fall of man, 

 and its sequel in the murder of Abel by his brother 

 Cain, the beginning of that reign of violence which 

 endures even to this day. From this arose the first 

 division of the human race into hostile clans cr tribes, 

 the races of Cain and Seth, on which hinges the 

 history, characteristics and fate of antediluvian man ; 

 and, as we shall see in the sequel, from this arose 

 profound differences in religious beliefs, which have 

 tinged the theology and superstitions of all subse- 

 quent times. Of course, in making this statement I 

 refer to the history given in Genesis, without special 

 reference to its intrinsic truth or credibility, but 

 merely in relation to its interpretation in harmony 

 with its own statements. 



It is further evident that this tragic event must 

 have occurred in that Tigro-Euphratean region which 

 was the Biblical site of Eden, 1 and that while the 

 Sethite race presumably occupied the original home 

 of Adam, and adhered to that form of religion which 

 is expressed in the worship of Jahveh, the coming 

 Redeemer and the expected ' Seed of the Woman/ the 

 other race spread itself more widely, probably attained 



1 Modem Science in Bible Lands t chap. iv. 



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