The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-07-27
Mit and Aumur.
A Triumphant Answer.

In one of the interior counties of
Missouri lived, some eight years ago, u
man who followed preaching for a liy-
ing. lie was called Elder B, and was
engaged to preach to the Campbelliles
His peculiarities soon made him quite
noted, aud large audiences assembled to
hear him. Of late he has abandoned
the pulpit, aud is now justice of the.
peace lawyer. On one occasion, when 10
the zenith Of his fame, he preached a
discourse on the deliverancc of the
children Of Israel, in which he said
Brethren, there are many difficult
passages in the Bible, an you are like.
ly to be led into error unless made to
understand them. Now, you all have
read this chapter wherein Moses stretch
ed out his hand over the Red Sea, and
the waters became wall, and the
children of Israel went over on dry
ground safely, and how the pursuing
Egyptians, the chariots aud horsemen,
and all the hosts Of Phoraoh were
drowned. Now, my brethren, as this
reads it is hard to believe and difficult
to explain but | will explain it. 1t
don't mean what it says; for | tell you
have read it in the original Greek,
and it is there all explained aud made
perfectly plain; aud in the next trans.
lation Of the Bible, which our church
is getting out, it will all be explained.
Now this passage OF scripture, when
properly explained, means simply this ;
When Moses aud the children Of Israel
arrived at the Red Sea they camped
all night, aud it turned cold, and the
strong east wind" caused it to freeze
over, aud the truth of The whole matter
is plain, as you can see, that the chill.
dren of Israel passed over, "dryshod," )"
on the ice. There were no such things
as great walls, The original Greek
will not permit any such unjust and
difficult translation. Aud again, when
the Egyptians, with their immense
armies, heavy chariots, and great weights,
pursued the children on the ice, they
broke through it, aud were all in.ulred,
drowned, and lost. This, my brethren
and siaters, is the true aad fair cxph.
nation OF this circumstance, and the
original Greek in the test translation
will explain it to you all, aud make it
plain"
At this point brother sitting back
III the congregation arose aud said.
Brother b, would like TO ask q
question, if you have no objections"
The elder looking triumphantly to.
wards the brother, answered, "All right,
Sir; ask just as many questions as you
want to-"
" We'll" continued the brother, "my
knowledge of geography aud the loca.
tion of the red Red Sea shows that it
is located nearly under the equator,
and is therefore in very warm country
aud never known to be frozen. Win
the gentleman please to tell the audience
where the ice came from of which he
spokew
The elder became :ci,ed. and ans
wered, with lofty disdaiu, III the broth
er who has asked me this question knew
half as much about tho scripture aud
geography of the country as he pretends
to he would know that this circumstance
which | have explained happened
thousands and thousands Of years ago
yes, sir, thousands of years before the
aye of biographies, and before there ,ca.
any equator! | think, brethren and
sisters, | have answered the gentleman
completely "-Harper's Magazine 70,
JuLl.