1 Upon the Earth of our home, the Son created a most perfect garden upon a large island encircled by two mighty rivers.
2 Upon this garden island abided all the energies of life, and all things in the garden flourished with joyous vitality. And the Son called this land the Garden of Eden.
3 Into the garden and upon the world at large, he put a great diversity of creatures: from those so tiny they could not be seen to those so immense that to them man was insignificant; from those who moved only by instinct to those who gathered into tribes and took actions with forethought and reason.
4 And into these, Heavenly Father and Mother breathed the breath of life, and they awakened to their world.
5 Upon the garden isle of Eden, the Son formed twelve diverse tabernacles of flesh for men in many hues, in the image of God the Father, and twelve diverse tabernacles of flesh for women in many hues, in the image of God the Mother.
6 And the Father and the Mother sent forth twelve stalwart brothers of spirit and twelve choice daughters of spirit from the land of Xeon and called for their souls to enter into the tabernacles of flesh the Son had made, and they breathed into them the breath of life and they awakened to their world.
7 These were the first people upon our Earth that had been created in the image of our Father and Mother in Heaven.
8 One of the brothers was called Adam and one of the sisters was called Eve, and they fell into a deep and abiding love in the tabernacles of their flesh, even as it had been for them in the tabernacles of their spirits before the world was. But it was a pure and innocent love, filled with attraction and admiration, but absent of lust.
9 And the twelve brothers and twelve sisters lived in paradise in innocence, nakedness, and purity for the days and the nights were warm and comforting; the waters pure, delightful, and delicious; fruits, nuts, and vegetables grew wild and abundant everywhere within their reach, and for them this was food, pure and unspoiled, full of life, not death.
10 From time to time, the Father or the Mother or the Son of the Elohim would speak to them in visions while they slept, to teach them again the Celestial laws of the Elohim they had known so well in Xeon, including the laws of love and stewardship, and the law of faith by which all things are and will be.
11 And it came to pass that the Elohim gave unto the twelve brothers and twelve sisters a commandment that they should be bonded together as male and female in a sacred union of love and respect, one female to one male, as they were all worthy and of equal number. And by this, each of the twelve brothers and twelve sisters would have a special companion to share and create life.
12 And the voice of the Father came like thunder from a cloudless sky of sun and, with authority and admonishment, bonded each of the men to their wife in holiness.
13 Elohim the Father commanded them to be fruitful and to multiply, and Elohim the Mother stirred their loins—husband for wife and wife for husband—and revealed unto their understanding the ways in which a man could cleave unto a woman in mutual joy and pleasure and become one in body and desire; and that from this sacred union would come children, that the race of men in the image of God might spread forth across the Earth.
14 And the voice of the Father shook the very ground, saying, “Unto the children of Eden dominion is given over all the life of Earth, over every creature that flies in the air or walks upon the ground or swims in the sea.
15 “You shall have sacred dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves or grows upon the Earth; that in your stewardship they also might be fruitful and multiply and spread forth over the Earth in abundance.
16 Every plant in endless variety has been given unto you for food, shelter, or comfort and to heal your wounds and illnesses with prudence and faith.
17 And behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the Earth and every tree whose seed bears fruit of sweetness or meat, and the milk of the animals and the non-fertile eggs of the fowls and the honey of the bees, and these shall be your food.
18 And to every animal of the Earth and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the Earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb from the smallest to the largest, for their meat.
19 Take heed therefore to be good and faithful stewards and cherish all life, for the slothful steward shall be held accountable for every life diminished because of their neglect or disdain.
20 Verily, if you take life or diminish the quality of life of the creations of Elohim without cause, so shall the bounty of your eternal reward be taken from you. But as you add to the quality of the life of all that you are a steward over, your blessings in Heaven shall be magnified.
21 The splendor of your eternity is created by the respect and love of your humble everyday actions. As you do in life, so shall you be rewarded in eternity.”
22 The first people of the Garden of Eden did as Elohim commanded and were fruitful and multiplied, and they lived in peace and abundance with each other and as good stewards of all life in the land of Eden.
23 Though they were naked, no man lusted for any but his wife and no woman desired any but her husband; and they saw not their nakedness as anything other than pure beauty created by Elohim to be revered and respected as a temple of God.
24 Despite all that they had been given, it came to pass that some among the Edenites began to forget the God that gave them life and did forget to thank Elohim for all that they had, and it came to pass that many of them heard the voice of God no more.
25 Now among all the people of Eden, Adam was the most diligent in giving thanks for all things unto Elohim and the most truthful and faithful in keeping the teachings he had been given, living his life with honesty and uprightness.
26 Thus, it came to pass that Elohim called Adam to be a prophet unto the people of Eden; that the will and words of God could be communicated unto them, even to those who could hear the voices of the Elohim no more; that they might still prosper in the land and grow and expand from their experiences and choices by following the teachings Elohim gave unto Adam.
27 And there was no murmuring or discontent that Elohim had chosen Adam to be the prophet unto the people, for all agreed he was a just and upright man of humility and sincerity, who loved Elohim with all of his heart and was the most appropriate person to be called as a prophet.
28 And it came to pass that the Edenites prospered and grew in the land, and one day Esiac, one of the twelve brothers, said unto Adam, “What do you suppose is beyond the land of Eden?”
29 Adam answered that he did not know, but that Elohim had commanded that they not pass beyond the borders of the garden, which was a vast land and extended beyond sight in all directions.
30 Now Esiac was not hurtful or disobedient, but he had a great curiosity that yearned to know what lay beyond the edges of the garden. And he said unto Adam, “Let us travel just to the border, and step not over it, but travel along it that we can see with our eyes what wonders might be upon the other side.”
31 And Adam said unto him, “There are no wonders, for Elohim has said that beyond Eden is only destruction and desolation.”
32 Then Esiac replied, “I desire to see what destruction and desolation looks like, so let us be brave and go to the border. We will not disobey Elohim and pass to the other side.”
33 Thus, it came to pass that Adam and Esiac and another brother, named Tomad, parted from their families and traveled for two days until they came to the banks of one of the great rivers that encircled Eden.
34 And the three brothers looked about them in astonishment. Behind them, they could see the lush foliage of Eden, but in front of them only stark desolation and barrenness, and they marveled at the power of Elohim.
35 The realization came upon them that even if they desired, they could not pass beyond the borders of Eden, for so vast and swift were the waters of the river that surely no man could cross them.
36 Then Adam turned to go back to his family, but Esiac and Tomad persuaded him to continue to follow along the river that they might see if a change came upon the land on the other side at any place.
37 Thus, the three brothers continued their travel along the borders of Eden until the Sabbath when they rested and gave thanks and prayers unto Elohim.
38 Upon the sunrise of the next day, they began again to walk along the banks of the great river. Though the land beyond the far bank was bleak and dreary, they did see life in their travels, both plants and animals, and birds flew freely back and forth across the river; thus, they wondered what might be beyond their sight.
39 On three occasions, they saw what appeared to be bands of animals moving through the rocks and once a small group that had somewhat the appearance of men, but they were in the distance and indistinct.
40 On the second day after the Sabbath, they came upon four such creatures standing on the other side of the river, and they stared at them secretly from behind the fronds of bushes, in great curiosity.
41 They stood on two feet like men, but in a hunched manner, and they were covered in dark hair like animals. The brothers looked at one another in amazement and could not fathom what the creatures were, for no such animals that looked almost like men existed in Eden.
42 Tomad commented with astonishment to his brothers, “They are men like unto us.”
43 Esiac scoffed in reply, “No, Tomad, for they are exceedingly hairy and walk in a most peculiar manner.”
44 Then Adam said unto his brethren, “Be they men or beasts they are not made in the image of God as we have been, and they dwell beyond the land of Eden, which land is forbidden to us. Therefore, let us continue our journey, and suffice it that we know there is some life in the barrenness beyond the boundary of Eden, even if it is not life as we know it.”
45 Tomad shook his head questioningly, “But why has Elohim not told us of life beyond Eden, and why are there creatures there that do not dwell upon our isle?”
46 Then Adam said unto him, “We are but babes upon this land, and Elohim teaches us only those things which give us a necessary foundation to spring up to new knowledge from which we can further grow and expand.
47 As we firmly gain one step, we are prepared with faith to take the next; and are then given more light and knowledge from Elohim.
48 Thus, we grow step by step, kept in the warm embrace and counsel of our heavenly parents while encouraged to reach further and higher and become more than we are without risking all that we have.
49 For it would be foolish and reckless to reach for a higher step without the foundation of a lower; sometimes we would be lucky and not fail, but as the Sun rises, so there would soon come a day when we would not be lucky and would fall into an emptiness that knows no solace.
50 Let us always remember that on our own, man is nothing, but with Elohim, all things are possible.”
51 Now there was another brother of spirit who had not been chosen to be among the first to go and dwell in a physical tabernacle upon the Earth or to be one of the progenitors of the children of men.
52 He had rebelled mightily against Elohim and was forever cast out of the realm of Celestine Light and condemned to never obtain a physical body, for only by the union of the energy of Heavenly Father and Mother could a soul become one with a body of flesh and blood; thus was his eternal progression forever damned.
53 His name was Lucifer, and he vowed to make man break his covenants to Elohim that man would fall into darkness, even as he was, and suffer the wrath of Elohim, even as he had.
54 For Lucifer was jealous of those who had been given honor before him and wroth that they could have a physical body and eternal progression such as he was forever denied.
55 And his spirit went forth among his former brothers and sisters who now dwelt upon the Earth in the land of Eden, whispered into their minds, irritated their hearts, and sowed dissension among the twelve brothers and twelve sisters so much so that they disobeyed Elohim, who had made them and given them life.
56 Elohim had told the twelve brothers and the twelve sisters to eat freely of any fruit of the garden, but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil to not eat, save when a fruit of the tree was given to them by the Elohim.
57 They were warned with great seriousness that on the day in which they ate a fruit of the tree not given to them by the Elohim, the life they knew and cherished would perish and that evil would forever find a place in their hearts, creating a war within between good and evil that would never end.
58 And other commandments were given to them that they might gain faith by following the admonitions of Elohim, who loved them with a love beyond the light of the Sun; for with obedience they would see that as they followed the word of Elohim, they prospered in the land. And by this their faith would grow.
59 But Lucifer misled them in their minds insomuch that they thought they understood something greater than Elohim had told them.
60 And the voice of Lucifer whispered in their minds, “You cannot progress if you know not more of good and evil. You will always be as little children if you do not gorge yourself upon the forbidden tree.
61 The Father and the Mother know everything of good and evil and they have become the Gods of all that is. The Elohim made the tree, so surely they have eaten all of its fruit.
62 How can you become like unto them if you do not know what they know? They have only forbidden you to eat freely of the fruit to see if you have the initiative to seek out the things, which can help you grow despite the obstacles that may be in your path. You will see that the fruits you have been denied are the most delicious of all fruits, and tasting of them will open many new delights unto you.”
63 Thus, they were all persuaded, every one, even Adam, and they ate the other fruits of the tree that the Elohim had not given to them.
64 The fruits were delicious as Lucifer had said and they looked around and saw the garden remained in beauty even as it always had been, and they began to doubt and disbelieve the word of the Elohim, who had told them that the life they knew would perish if they ate of the forbidden fruit.
65 Then all the men looked at all the women and the women at the men, and they lusted in their loins such as they never had before; and they fell upon one another in their lust even as the animals, and no longer cherished each other in sacredness.
66 At that moment, the Elohim became distant to all of them, even unto Adam; for Elohim called out to them in their hearts to forsake their evil, but they heeded not the promptings of their hearts.
67 When their lust was satiated, they were overwhelmed by a sudden understanding of good and evil. And they now had desires for both, whereas before they had known only a little of evil and desired only good.
68 As the men now lusted without love for women other than their wives and the women for the men, they covered the glory of their bodies, for it now shamed and frightened them, and they hid themselves in guilt, feeling unworthy to be.
69 With a suddenness of thought, they understood that for emptiness they had abandoned fullness.
70 As the light of comprehension dawned in their minds, they knew that they had been misled by Lucifer, and they cried out in anguish for their innocence, which they could never again regain.
71 In their bitterness, they heaped scorn upon themselves, for they now understood that Heavenly Father and Mother would have given all knowledge to them as they were ready to receive it.
72 But in disobeying the commandment of Elohim, they gained knowledge before they understood how to use it wisely and learned of evil before they were prepared to defend against it.
73 That night, a great and dreadful earthquake shook the land, and scalding fiery hot air with sickening fumes blasted forth from the ground insomuch that all the Garden of Eden began to burn.
74 In the morning, the skies remained dark from the smoke of the enormous fires and from great flocks of birds that filled the sky as they fled from the island.
75 And it came to pass that a line of molten stone rent the great river and hardened into a bridge and Elohim called all the creatures of Eden unto it, and in a line one behind the other, both the great and the small, they departed from the doomed land of Eden.
76 And the twelve brothers and their wives, children, and grandchildren fled from the fires of the garden and tried to cross the bridge of stone, but Elohim surrounded them with a high wall of flame through which they could not cross.
77 And it came to pass that only after all of the animals and creatures that could neither swim the river nor fly into the sky had crossed over the stone bridge did Elohim open a path in the circle of fire whereby the Edenites could reach the bridge of stone and cross the river into the Land of Barrenness beyond.
78 The Edenites looked back in anguish as their garden isle of peace and plenty burned and disappeared in a great cloud of smoke. And the bridge across the river, their last connection to the beauty and wonder that had been their life, collapsed behind them as they stood in forlorn turmoil upon the rocky ground of the Land of Barrenness.