The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-08-17

was soon TO lost sight in the darkness, payin
no heed TO my surprised eJ aculntion at his az
pearance. Much amazed at the manner ant
dress of this strange disturber OF my quiet,
! hnstened TO examine the manuscript fount
| In the parcel which he gave me, having
shrewd suspicion that this old anclent-look
Ing stranger must indeed Lave been non
| other than the Wandering Jew. Finding
tn at some part Of this manuscript seemed L
relate to events OF recent date and OF Inea
concern TO the people OF this land, ] hav
caused n chapter thererrom to be TRANSCRIBED
for publication, in order that Others may
| Judge for themselves rs TO It's mean Ing. Th
whole work was entitled as above set fortf
and it may be deemed admissible.
Respectfully yours, NJ. Sterne.
CHAPTER CIV.
OF THE STRANGE DoINGs OF ONE BENJAMIN
THE TILLMANITE.
!. Now it came TO pass in those days, II
the last year OF the reign OF John Peter, Rich
ards son, that there was peace throughout al
the borders of the land. And every man was
at peace with his neighbor and al the people
were content with those who ruled over The
land.
=. But there was man among the people,
whose name was Benjamin OF the tribe Of the
Tillmanites, who cast his eye upon the seat ol
the chief ruler of the people and went about
To find how he might possess 1t for him sell
and reign over the people.
g. Now BENJAMIN was man who had not
the fear OF the Lord before his eye and was
one of them who declare continually that
they fear neither God. man nor satan. And
he stirred upa grievous strife amongst the
people and set every man against his brother.
4. And Benjamin. went out among the peo-
pie and cried out unto them against their
rulers and against the chief men among the
people. Now Benjamin was tiller or the
soil and he cried with loud voice un to those
who titled the ground and unto such as follow
5. For he knew that the earth had not yielded
abupdantly OF her increase unto the husband
men, and he thought to flll these with discon-
tent and their hearts with ripenlngs. He saw
also that they were men OF simple life, and
the desire Of his heart was TO lead them
astray TO follow after him, that he might be-
come the chief ruler over all the people.
6. Aud he called unto him certain OF his
friends, who sought also to become men OF
rule among the people and whose labors to
people would have naught to do with these
men. And benjamin spake uEto these men
as to how the desire OF their hearts might be
made to come to pass.
together. he opened his mouth and spake unto
them saying: go TO, now, and hearken unto
my words. For the people murmur because
the harvest Is poor aud bread Is scarce IN the
land, Their hearts also, are filled with sad
ness. and they know not where to turn for
Succor.
s. "Listen to my saying and give ear to the
words OF my mouth for ain filled with wis
dom and cunning and my words are the
words Of one who speaketh az one or the
prophets, Come, follow me, and we Will 20
out among the people and will charge their
rulers and their chief men with this evil
which has come upon the people. Yea, we
will say unto them that those who rule In
the land have done this thing.
9. "And IL shall come to pass that the PEG.
pie will hearken unto our words and will
give heed unto our sayings, and they Will
cast out those who now rule over them and
will make US rulers In their stead. Then
shall our hearts be filled with gladness and
we can take our ease all the rest of our days.
For the people will lenve US to rule over them
and our desires shall he accomplished, ana
we shall no loner be unknown In the land"
10. And when those who were gathered to-
gether heard the words OF Benjamin., they
were filled with great joy. and they said one
To another. "Of u truth, this man speaketh
the words Of wisdom" And IL was so that
ag reed together that this thing should be
done, as he had said before the people. They
parcelled out the offices also, among them,
and named Benjamin for the place Of CHIEF
could not be content with any place, save
only that OF the ruler and could In no wise
te at rest until he sat In the place OF the
chief ruler over all the people.
H. Then went out Benjamin, and his fol-
lows, also. before the people And ben
Jamin caused the people to be gathered time
upon time and place upon place through.
out all the land and he and those who had
conspired with him went out before the peo-
Die and spoke many words unto all who came
TO hear. But the people wot not that IT was
had parcelled out the offices that was to be
filled among them. For Benjamin and those
who were with him were cunning men ana
they agreed the one with the other that no
cerning the agreement which they had made
between them until after The time OF the
choosing of rulers was past.
-. And the people hearkened unto the
"a NF
those that were with him; and Benjamin
wrought upon the people by his words, and
many were deceived by his sayings. For
they knew not that he sought only his own
ends, and loved not the people.
l3. And many Of those among the people
who were tillers OF the earth were filled by
his words with anger against his brethren
and became wroth with those who had afore-
time ruled over them. Howbeit. there were
some amongst them who knew that he spake
falsely and that his words were not the words
OF soberness and truth. For these were men
who knew the deceits OF those who sought to
lead the people. and they asked for proof OF
the charge brought against those who had
afnretime been chosen TO be their rulers.
II. But Benjamin could not answer them
who demanded of him the proof OF these
things and he cried out the more loudly
unto the people that their leaders were not
men OF honesty and that the land was full OF
rotten ness and corruption: He did say also
that the hearts OF those who ruled over them
treasures of the people had been wasted and
consumed. He promised. also. that the wages
OF those who served the people should be les.
sened and that the treasure OF the people
should be saved from the hands of the spoiler.
And many other promises made he unto the
people, insomuch that their number might
hardly be reckoned by reason Of their mul-
titude. And he prayed the people that they
would make him chief ruler over them, prom
ising that he would lead them into q land
flowing with milk aud honey.
10. And many foolish people hailed him by
the name of Moses. and said "Yea we have
time."
10. But there were those who stood up
against Benjamin and against those who were
with him, and demanded of the people, that
they should require witness OF the truth Of
his words. They showed unto the people
likewise, that 1t was not the truth which had
been spoken unto them, and that the troub-
ling OF the people came not from their own
rulers but from those who had relgned over
the land OF Unklepsalm. And they proved
by the statutes and the records and the treas
ure-house of the people that no gold or silver
had been wasted. and they showed unto those
that gave eur to their words that the servants
OF the people had received but the due lec-
ompenSe OF reward for their labor.
II. Then did Benjamin cry out the more
loudly unto the people that there were those
aforetime and did give them free passes that
they might have leave 10 despoil the people,
nd he did charge many other evil things
against their rulers, without ceasinRs but he
could bring no man to prove tho truth of his
sayings.
is. And the people belleN ed the words of
Benjamin., howbeit there were some who
would not believe because there was no one
to make the proof
l9. And Benjamin cried unto the people
continually that they should make him chief
ruler over Them and he SwOre again mighty
oath that he would lead them Into land or