The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-02-02

older individuals of them more than
once back to the first centre of animal
life to enjoy its salt-licks and its luxuri'
ant herbage, we'll charged with grateful
phosphates, until the motion of herds
had marked traces and lines of travel
reaching far away from the precincts OF
Eden to distant pasture grounds.
Along with these there could have
been seen focks of birds stretching their
flight from every quarter of the heavens.
The wavy columns of the snow-white
swan, crimson-plumed aamingoes,
screaming eagles with light devouring
eye; the strong.winged goose, filling the
sky in his flight with clarien call; the
brilliant, noisy parrot; the richly
colored bird of Paradise; the tiny hum
ming bird, as hecks of sunshine waltzing
with the flowers; the peacock, trailing
his gorgeous wealth, and pigeons swift of
wing, ever at the service of man, and
among them the very one that by and by
brought out of the oceans waste an olive
leafl These lighted, or rose or circled
over these beautiful plains of tropical
verdure, dotted with islands of richly
laden fruit trees and forest growth that
! atill remained to man.
We can scarcely surpass the truth in
trying to paint the life and color of this
part of the home of the race, originally
planted by God with every tree that is
pleasant to the sight and good for food,
as it cleaned under the golden haze of
its setting glory. Nor of the event about
to transpire would it be possible to sur
pass the reality in attempting to realize
the minute ordering and preparation
which the Divine presence outlined in
His direction to Noah. And when the
final hour came everything was ready
and went forward as if by the exact
weight and measure of creative pur.
pose.
The extended plain and surrounding
hills of Western Eden formed shallow
basin, destined presently to become the
scene Of the great catastrophe and the
recorded evidence of the truth of sacred
history. Through the centre of this fer.
tile plain there ran Eastward clear,
wide stream. The Eastern entrance toit
was bounded by cliff, whose walls rose
sheer like those of Yosemite, and whose
heights were crowned with beetling crags
of opal, amethyst, emerald, sapphire
and chrysoprasus-the angel'guarded
romparts of Paradise, where, it was
thought, might be seen at sunrise and at
sunset the sword of the cherubim shoot
ing its lines of fire far out on every side.
And when the night set in, the fire of
God,. in jagged maze, flashed continuous
behind the clouds that circled its top.
And at the deep hour of midnight some
heard the wheels of a thousand chariots,
spirit driven, raging round its heights;
but others heard thousand golden lutes
with pipe organ pipes, and, at intervals,
voices crying, "Holy Holy Holy!'
On the opposite side of this entrance
was the crystal rapids of the "arrow'
swift" Hiddekel, making its way East.
ward to the sea, presently to be parted
into "four heads" Between the river
and the cliff lay the route of the vast
panorama that presently started for the
ark.
Doubtless numerous parties of armed
herdsmen, mechanics and thousands of
others came from the neighboring port
to see this marvellous gathering of beasts
and birds, who presently saw the inspired
procession of life-wild and tame-as it
moved Eastward in majestic tread and
order, selfsegregated and selfdivided
into bands of sixteens and fours; the
great males in front and the females fol-
lowing and lowing for their young now
left behind forever.
The primeval year commenced
about the nearest new moon to the
Autumnal equinox. The rains began
the 18th of the second month, say about
the 9Th of November. On the 1st day of
November, by the command of God,
Noah began to take in the live part of
his cargo. The stream of moving beasts
and focks continued for one week. The
birds circled in from above, all excepting
the firm stepping ostrich, who went in by
the gangway, until the three decks of the
mighty craft were securely slowed and
the hatches fastened down. 1t WIS on
Friday that the labor of the week ended,
yes, of a hundred years. Noah had
placed his wife and sons and sons wives
on board. As a preacher of righteous
ness, he had warned the vast crowds that
from time to time gathered to see the
world. famed structure, and, as they
thought, the immeasureable folly of an
old mans life. The Spirit of Christ was
with him, until one window after another
of the proffered mercy closed upon them
aud judgment alone remained.
Meanwhile, though stunned by the
silent column of creatures which mystic
riously confirmed the warning, yet, as the
sun never shone fairer nor was the earth
ever more solid under the tread of daily
life, they rallied each other with timbrel
and dance near the ark until the very
day that Noah entered it, and up to the
very hour when lis door was secured by
the Divine hand.
Then in a few moments after, the wind
moaned, the sky darkened and nature
gave signs of universal distress. The
tornado was already on the wing; all
around its dark nipples lowered. The
crash came floods fell in huge water.