ON OUR FIRST PARENTS AND THEIR FALL


39 Q. Who were the first man and woman?
A. The first man and woman were Adam and Eve.

In the beginning God created all things; something particular on each of
the six days of Creation. (Gen. 1). On the first day He made light, on
the second, the firmament, or the heavens, and on the sixth day He
created man and called him Adam. God wished Adam to have a companion; so
one day He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep, and then took from his
side a rib, out of which he formed Eve. Now God could have made Eve as
He made Adam, by forming her body out of the clay of the earth and
breathing into it a soul, but He made Eve out of Adam's rib to show that
they were to be husband and wife, and to impress upon their minds the
nature and sacredness of the love and union that should exist between
them.

40 Q. Were Adam and Eve innocent and holy when they came from the hand
of God?
A. Adam and Eve were innocent and holy when they came from the hand of
God.

God placed Adam and Eve in Paradise, a large, beautiful garden, and gave
them power over all the other creatures. Adam gave all the animals their
appropriate names and they were obedient to him. Even lions, tigers, and
other animals that we now fear so much, came and played about him. Our
first parents, in their state of original innocence, were the happy
friends of God, without sorrow or suffering of any kind.