Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-09-10

ter another in its passage and the successive
shrieks that pierced the heavens, rising even a
bove the dealening roar of the on-rushing ocean,
as city after city and kingdom after kingdom dis
appeared, made scene of terror and horror in
conceivable, indescribable. The fountains Of
the great deep were broken up"
But the last cry of human agony was at length
hushed-ocean met ocean in it's flow, and the
waves swept on without shore. Oh, what
wreck was there the wreck Of two thousand
years, with its Cities its cultivated fields and
mighty population. Not shivered masts and bro
ken tmbers, the wreck of some gallant vessel,
we're seen on that turbulent surface, but the rag-
ment of a crushed and broken world 1t was a
noble splendid cities and towers, gorge
GUS palaces, gay apparel, the accumulated wealth
and luxury Of twenty centuries strewing the bo-
som of the deluge, like autu mn leaves the sur
face of some forest stream.
But amid the sudden midnight that had wrap
ped the earth, and the frenzy of the elements
and utter overthrow and chaos Of all things there
was one heart that beat as calmly as in sleep !;
one brow over which no breath of passion or of
fear passed, for in the solitary ark that lifted to
the heaving pillows, the aged patriarch knet in
prayer. Amid the surging of that fierce ocean
his voice may not have been heard by mortal
ear, but the light of faith shone around his aged
form, and the moving lip spoke repose as tlan-
ouil as chiIdhoods on the bosom of maternal
love. The palriarch's God ruled that wild scene
and Noah felt his frail vessel culver in every
timber without one tremor himself Upborne on
the flood, the heayen-protected ark rose over the
buried cities and mountains, and hoated away on
a shoreIess deep Like single drop Of dew
this round sphere Of ours hung and trembied-a
globe of water III mld-heaven. | have often
wondered what the conversations were during
the long days and nights that lonely ark was RI
ding on the deep. As it rose and fell on the
Iong-protracted swell, massive ruins would 60
laundering by, whole forests rise and sink with
the pillows, while ever and anon an uptorn hill,
as borne along by the resIstess tide it struck a
buried mountain, would loom for a moment like
some black monster over the waves, then plunge
again to the fathomess bottom. Amid this
wreck and these sights, the ark sailed Oh in safe
ty How often in Imagination have | pictured
it in the deuge at midnight. 10 a spectator
what an object of interest it would have been,
Round the wide earth the light from its solitary
window was the only indication of life that re-
NAMED. One moment it would be seen far up
Oh the crest of the billow, mere speck of flame
amid the limitless darkness that envlroned 1t, and
then disappear in the CULTS below as if eXtin-
gushed forever. Thus that gentle light would
sink and rioo on the breast of the deluge, the
| last, the only hope of the human race Helm
less, and apparently guideess, its wreck seemed
inevitable, but the sea never rolled that could cx-
tngush that star-like beam that told where the
ark still hoated Not even the strong wind that
the Almighty sent over the water to dry 1t up,
driving it into pillows that stortned the heavens,
could sink it, Though it shook like reed in
their strong grasp and doundered through the
deep CULTS it passed nnerrlngly Oh to the sum-
init of the mountain on which it was to rest !;
and at length struck ground, and ceased its tur-
bulent motion. Noah waited a week, and then
sent forth raven to explore the deep. Though
the waters still swept from mountain to noun
|
surface furnished both food and resting place,
and he returned no more, lie then sent forth a
dove. 1t DATED away from the place Of its long
confinement, aud sped ON rapid wing over the
! flood, now turning this way and now that, look
ing in vain with its gentle eye for the green
earth, and at last turned back towards the ark of
rest. The tap of It's snowy wing was heard ON
the window, and the patriarch reached forth his
hand and took it in. The fierce paintings of its
motted breast, and its dropping pinions, told
well that the earth gave no place Of lepose But
the second time it was sent abroad it returned
with an olive leaf in its mouth, showing that the
earth mad risen from its burial and was sprout-
ing again in yerdure. Then the patriarch went
forth with his family and stood on Mount Ara
rat and 10, the earth was at his feet, but how
changed. Cut into gorges which showed where
the strong currents swept and piled into ridges,
it bore in every part marks of the power that
had ravaged it. Noah and his family were alone
in the world, and he built an altar there on the
top of the solitary mountain, and lifted his voice
in prayer and the Almighty talked with him as
friend talketh with friend" bidding him 60
forth and occupy the earth. And as the flame
of the sacrifice rose from the mountain top bear
ing the patriarchs prayer heayenward, the prom
Use was given that the earth should never again
be swept by deluge, and 10, Gods sgnct ring
appeared in the clouds, arching the man of God
and shown as warrant that the covenant should
never be broken
Baptized by the hood-consecraled by the al
tar llumined by the first fresh rainbow, Mount
Ararat stood sacrcd mountain on the earth