original Hebrew. We have seen that the word Adam signifies man in general, or mankind, without relation to sex. But there are in Hebrew, as in most of the ancient languages, two words for man, while in English we have but one. One is Adam, and the other Ish. Adam is man or mankind. Ish is an individual male person. Now, in sacred allegory these, two terms are used for different purposes. While Adam represents the Church at large, Ish signifies the masculine principle of the mind. That is to say, man as distinguished from woman when symbolically used, typifies that principle which renders his a masculine mind. In this sense, as woman is affection, man is intellect. As woman, in true order, is the embodiment of all that is beautiful, graceful and affectionate, man is the embodiment of all that is strong, rugged and intellectual. Woman is not strong in argument, but she is keen in perception. Man's intuitions are unreliable, but his reasoning powers are peculiarly vigorous. The strong work of the world, whether physical or mental, will always be done by man; the refinements of life and its gentler ministrations will ever belong to woman. The world's learning and its progress in science and the mechanic arts and in the intellectual part of religion, will be urged forward by man; but it will become good and great in the higher sense, through the sweet and gentle influence of woman.
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The Garden of Eden.