The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-11-15

is rabidly fond Of disquisition and arg ument;
one knows that without being told it.
One trip the captain had clergyman on
board, but did not know he was clergy
man, since the passenger list did not betray
the fact. He took great liking to this Rev.
Mr.. Peters, and talked with linn great
deal; told him yarns, gave him toothsome
scraps of personal history. and wove gilt
tering streak of profanity through his garru :
lous fabric that was refreshing to spirit
weary of the dull rneutralities of-undecora ted
speech. One day the captaiii Said, Peters,
do you ever read the Bible?''
"Well-yes.'
81 Judge it amt often, by the way you say
lit. Now, you tackle it in dead earnest once
andyot'll find it'll pay. Don't you get dis.
couraged, Sbnt hang right on First, you
won't understand it; but by and by things
wilIbegin toclear ap,and then you woundln' Z
lay it down to eaU."
Eyes. l have heard that said.''
"And it's so, too. There amt book that
begins with it. 1t lays over 'em all, Peters
There's some pretty tough things in it
there amt any getting around that-but
you stick to them and think them oiit, and
when once you geton the inside everything Is
plain as day."
THE miracles, too, captain?''
Yes, sir the miracles, too Every ont
of them. Now, there's. that business witt
the prophets of Baal; like enough thai
stumpe,l you?e sSts!t 81 I5s1
"Well, don't know but"
''Own up, now; it stumped you. We'll,
dont wonder. You hadn't any experience
in raveiing such things out, and naturally il
was too many for you. Would you like tx
lave me explain that thing to you, and show
you how to get at the meat OF these mat
ters.?''
''Indeed. would, captain, if you dom
mind.'' rg,a
Then the captain proceeded as follows
''Ifl do it with pleasure. First, you see.
read and read, and thought and thought, til
III got to understand what sort of people the,
were in the old Bible times, and then afte
that it was all clear and easy. Now, thi
I was the way put 1t, concerning Isaac ant
the prophets Of Baal. There was SOM
mighty sharp men amongst the public char
acters of the old ancient day, and Isaac wa
one OF them. Isaac had his failings -plent!
of them, too it amt for me to apologize 70
Isaac he played it OH the prophets of Baal
and like enough he was justifiable, consider
ing the odds that was against him. No, al
l say is, 'twan't any miracle, and that II
show you SO IS t you can see it yourself.
9Well, times had been getting roughe
and rougher for prophets-that is, prophe:
of Isaac's denomination. There was 40
prophets OF Baal in the community, and on
ly one Presbyterian that is, if Isaac aoas
Presbyterian, which reckon he was, but i
don'tsay. Naturally, the prophets of Baa
took oil the trade. Isaac was pretty low
spirited, / reckon, but he was good deal o
a man, and no doubt he went prophecy
ing around, letting On to be doing a. land
office business, but 'twa'nt any use; h
couldn't run any opposition to amount t
ANYTHING. By and by things got desperat
with him !; he sets his head to work an
thinks it all ont, and then what does he do
Why, he begins to throw out hints that tin
other parties are this and that and t'other-
nothing very definite, may be, but Just kim
of undermining their reputation in a qliie
way. This made talk, OF course, and final
ly got to the King. The King asked Isaa
what he meant by his talk. Says Isaac
.Oh, nothing particular; only, can the.
pray down fire from Heaven on an altar
1t aim much, may be, Jour Majesty, onl..
can they doit? That's the idea.' So TIN
King was good deal disturbed, anc he wen
to the prophets OF Baal, and they said, pref
ty airy, that il he had an altar ready, the
were ready and they intimated he bette
get it insured, too.
$50 next morning all the children o
Isreal and their parents and the other PEG
pie gathered themselves together. Well
here was that great crowd of prophets o
Baal packed together On one side, and Isaa
walking up and down all alone OH the other
putting up his job. When time was called
Isaac let on to be comfortable and indiffer
ent; told the other team to take the first in
nings So they went at it, the whole 450,pray
ing'arcnnd the altar, very hopeful, land doins
their:leyel best. They prayed an hour
two hours-three flours-and so on, plumb
till noon. 1t wa'n't.any use; they hadn't
took trick. OF course they felt kind Of
ashamed before all those people, and wei
they might. Now, what would magnani
nous man DO? Keep still, wouldn't ne
OF course. What did Isaac do? He graveled
the prophets Of Baal every way he could
think of. Says he: You don't speak uI
loud enough; your Gods asleep,l like enough
| Or may be he's taking a walk you want tc
boiler, you know, or words to that effect !;
don't recollect the exact language. Mind,
1 don't apologize for Isaac; he had his
faults. st4'
';Well, the prophets OF Baal prayed along
the best they knew how all the afternoon,
and never raised spark. At last, about
SHUTDOWN, they were all tuckercd OUT, and
they owned up and quit.
.sWhat does Isaac do, now? He steps up
aud says to some friends of his, there, Pour
four barrels'of water on the altar. Every
body was astonished for the other side had
prayed at 1t dry, you know, and got white
washed. They poured it on. Says he
sHeave oil four more barrels Then he
says, 4rieave' on four nlore.' Twelve barrels,
you see, altogether. The water ran all ov
er the altar, and all down the sides, and
filed trench around it that would hold a
couple of hogsheads, in measures, it says /;
I reckcn it means about hogshead. Some
OF the people were going to put on their
things and go, for they allowed he was
crazy. They didn't know Isaac. Isaac
knelt down and began to pray he strung
along, and strung along, about the heather
ia distant lands, and about the sister church.
es, and about the State and country at large,
and about those in authority in the govern
ment, and all the usual programme, you
know, till everybody had got tired and gone
TO thinking about something else, and then
all OF a sudden, when nobody was noticing,
r. - ,z4 - sAs-