As the legend goes, this puzzle was written by a lady in California in response to an offer from a gentleman in Philadelphia that he would pay anyone $1,000 who could write a puzzle he could not solve. He failed to do so and paid the $1,000. The answer is one word, and it appears only four times in the Bible (KJV).

Adam, God made out of dust
But thought it best to make me first.
So I was made before man
To answer God’s most Holy plan.
A living being I became
And Adam gave to me my name.
I from his presence withdrew
And more of Adam never knew.
I did my Maker’s law obey
Nor ever want from it astray.
Thousands of miles I go in fear
But seldom on earth appear.
For purpose wise which God did see,
He put a living soul in me.
A soul from me God did claim
And took from me the soul again.
So when from me the soul had fled
I was the same as when first made.
And without hands, or feet, or soul,
I travel on from pole to pole.
I labor hard by day, by night
To fallen man I give the great light.
Thousands of people, young and old
Will by my death great light behold.
No right or wrong can I conceive.
The scripture I can not believe
Although my name therein is found
They are to me an empty sound.
No fear of death doth trouble me
Real happiness I’ll never see.
To Heaven I shall never go
Or to Hell below.
Now when these lines you slowly read
Go search your Bible with all speed.
For that my name is written there
I do honestly to you declare.

NOTE: I haven’t verified that the word only appears four times. Found this on the web somewhere and I’m posting it as is…