Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-07-21

In one Of the interior counties Of Mis-
souri, lived, some eight years ago, man
who followed preaching for living. lie
was called Elder B, and was called to
preach to the Camphellies. His peculiar-
ties soon made him quite noted, and large
audiences assembled to hear him. OF late
he has abandoned the pulpit and is now
justice Of the peace lawyer. ON one occa-
sion when at the zenith of his fame, he
preached n discourse on the deiVerancc Of
the children of Israel, in which he said:
Brethren, there are many difficult pas
sagcs in the Bible, and you are likely to he
led into error unless you understand thcm.
Now, you all have read this chapter where
in Moses stretched ont his hand over the
Red Sea. and the waters became a wall,
and the children of Israel went over on dry
ground safely, and how the pursuing
Egyptians, chariots and all the hosts of
Pharaoh were drowned. Now, my breth-
rCn, Hs this reaGs. it is hard TO believe and
difficult to explain: but I will explain it.
II don't mean what it says, for tell you |
have read it in the original Greek and it is
there all explained and made perfectly
plain; and in the next translation OF the
Bible, which our church is getting out, il
will all be explained. Now this passage of
Scripture when properly explained, meaus
simply this: When Moses aud the children
Of Israel arrived nt the Red Sea they
camped all night, and ii turned cold, and
the strong east wind caused it to freeze
over, and the truth Of the whole matter is
plain, as you can see, that the children uf
Israel passed over. dry shud, on the ic..
There were such things rs great walls.
The original Greek will not permit any
such unjust and difficult trunslations. And
again. when the Egyptians, with their i'm
mcnse armies, heavy chariots and great
weights pursued the children on the ice
they broke ii through, aud were all en-
gulfed, drowned and lost This, my breth-
rcn and sisters, is the true aud fair eN-
planation of this circumstance, and the ori-
ginal Greek in the next translation will cN-
plain ii To you all, aud make il plain"
At this point q brother sitting back in
the congregation arose and said, Brother
B-, | would lik" to ask a question, if
YOU have no objections
The elder, looking triumphantly toward
the brother answered, AN right. Sir; ask
Just as many questions as yon want to-
WELL continued the brother my
knowledge Of geography and the location
of the Red Sea shows that II is located
nearly under the equator, and is therefore
ia a very warm country, and never known
To he frozen viii the gentleman please
tell the audience where the lee came from
of which he spoke .
The elder became excited, and answered
with lofty disdain, If the brother who has
asked me this question knew half As much
about the Scripture and the geography of
the country as he pretends to, he would
know that this circumstance which have
explained happened thousands and thou
sands of years ago; yes Sir, thousands OF
years before the age Of Biographies, and
bCtOre there WdS any equator I think,
brethren and sisters, | have answered the
gentlemen completely r-hditoT' SDrdwe1',
in Rarpc''S Md9dsiRe for July.