The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-01-06
THE FLOOD.

THE FLOOD.
We have seldom seen a finer piece of de-
scription than is contained in the following pas
sages from an essay in The July number Of the
Philadelphia Religious Magazine, entitled "The
Flood" The writer is the Rev. J. East of
London. After describing the wickedness of
the world, the repeated warnings of Noah and
the derison with which his prophecy was met.
the writer continues il
And now the seventh morning
broke-the last of that final week, which
had been set apart for the embarkation of
Noah. Probably it was the Sabbath. The
work of that eventful week was finished.
Nothing now remained for him to do but to
make this last entrance. Possibly, the sun
arose upon the earth with his usual splen-
dor, and the gay and busy world expected
no change. They proceeded in their ha-
bitual course of Sabbath violation, laughed
at the credulity of Noah and his family.
All who first saw the little cloud, that ap-
peared as speck, or Gas mans hand"
on the distant horizon? The gentle breeze,
that famed the brow of the laborer as he
went forth to his toll, soon increased to a
gale, which ere long blew in furious gusts,
and appeared to proceed at once from every
sors of the armies of the skies, passed rap.
IDLY across; they seemed to he turned into
blood; and, in short time, the atmosphere
was filled with descending body of water,
so dense, as almost totally to intercept the
light. The sounds of pleasure and of toll
were rapidly stilled, and all, even the brute
creation, turned fearful and foreboding
eye towards the lowering heavens. Those
VINO inhabited the sea coast, perceived ex-
traordlnary appearances in the ocean. Its
waters rose to an unwonted elevation, and
swelled in mighty undulations, as though
agltated by submarine earthquakes. At
length the short suspense terminated, and
the infatuated tenants of the world found
that God was not to be trifed with, and that
his word WAS no fable. On "tho eamo dav
wero al sl.~ f~..rs>;-s-- ~>f- sbo nreat deem
broken up, and the windows of heaven Wefee
opened" What a scene of CONSERVATION
and dismay must that day have exhibited on
the part of those, who were then too late
awakened to sense of their guilt and folly,
IN refusing or neglecting the appointed and
only refuge! The manner in which the
rain set in, would leave little or no hope of
their being soon over. 1t was not a COM
mon rain; it came in torrents or, as we
should say, in manner as though heaven
and earth had come together. The waters
of the subterranean cavities from beneath,
and of the clouds from above, all met to-
gether at Gods command, to execute his
wrath upon guilty man. The great deep
seems to mean thatvast confluence of waters
which are said to have been gathered to-
Gether on the third day of the creation, into
one place, and were called seas. (Gen. l.
9. 10Y These waters not only extend over
a great part of the surface of the earth but
probably flow, as through n number of ar
teries and veins, to its most interior recesses,
and occupy its centre. This body of waters,
which was ordained, as may say, unto life,
was turned, Unjust displeasure, against mans
sin, into an engine of destruction. Bursting
forth in tremendous foods, it swept multi
tu6es away; while from above, the clouds
poured forth their torrents, as though heav-
en- itself were a reservoir of waters, and
God had opened its windows or flood gates.
The poet of "The World before the Flood,''
has thus described the scene as from the
prophetic lip of Enoch:-
Jehovah lifts his standard to the skies;
Swift, as the signal, winds and vapors rise
The sun in sackcloth wells its face at noon,-
The stars are quench'd, and turn'd to blood the
moon;
Heavens fountains open, clouds dssolvng roll
In mingled cataracts from pole to pole
Earth's central suices burst, the hills up:orn,
In rapid whTlpools down the gulph are borne
The voice that taught the deep his voice to
"Thus far, o Sea nor further shalt thou co.
Sends forth tho floods, commissioned to devour,
With beundless license and resistless power;
They own no impulse but the tempest S sway,
Nor find limit but the liphL of dav
The vision opens sunk beneath the wave,
The guilty share an universal grave;
One wilderness Of water rolls in view,
And heavens and ocean wear one turbid hue
Still stream unbroken torrents from the skies,
Higher beneath the foundations rise;
lurid twilight glares athwart the scene,
Low thunders peal, faint lightnngs flash be-
tween,
Methinks see a distant vessel ride.
A lonely object on the shoreess tide
Within whose ark tho innocent have found
Safety, while stay'd destruction raves around :
Thus, in tho hour of vengeance, God who
knows
His servants, spares them, while no smitcs his
foes.
Montgomery.
But neither pen nor pencil can describe,
nor imagination picture, the horrors of that
tremendous scene. We might ponder over
tho various characters, and their appropr-
nte feelings, who we're then overwhelmed.
Probably, no emotions were stronger, or
more agonizing than theirs, who had once
protested, but subsequently, renowned, the
religion ofpentent Adam, Of martyred Abel,
of devout Seth, of heavenly minded Enoch,
and of believing and obedient Noah. Apos-
tacy has no reserve Of consolation for the
hour of wo.