The Tupelo journal., 1905-02-10


Cain made no response to the offer
and they walked on in silence for some
distance. Then Cain suddenly ex-
claimed:
Il shall make an offering to the
Lord of the fruits of my fields"
But, brother" interrupted ADei,
"such is not the manner of offerings
Goo would have us make. God would
have us remember mans sin and need,
and how He provided for that need in
the slain lamb, about which, as you
recall, father told u.s."
An impatient grunt was all the re-
Spouse that Cain offered, and there
the conversation ended. Abel was soon
busy rounding up his sheep and lambs,
while Cain wandered through his
fruitful fields
The brothers did not meet again UNI
til they both came to the place OF Of
fering. Cain. with the discerning care
of the careful huSDandman, had Sc
lected the best of his fruits and grains
and with self-confident, self-satisfied
air he brought them and placed them
upon the altar.
Abel. with humble heart and faith
reaching up in obedience towards Goo,
brought his precious lamb and as its
life blood flowed he bowed in repent
ant grief at the thought OF sin which
made such sacrifice necessary.
While thus bowed before the altar
on which the lamb rested the fire or
Gods presence came down and con-
sumed the sacrifice, and Cain, standing
with proud, unbending head before his
altar. noted the evidence of Gods ac-
ceptance of Abels offering, while his
own Offering remained undisturbed and
unaccepted.
And he was very wroth, and his
countenance fell.
And the voice of God came to Cain
and said:
why art thou wroth? and why Is
thy countenance fallen? If thou vert
| innocent and sinless, a thank offerlng
of thy fruits would have been accepted
as a token of thy dependence as a
creature. but as thou art a sinner,a sim
offering is necessary, by the bringing
of which thou wouldst have met with
acceptance. even as was the case with
Abel, thy brother"
On his return home that night Cam
had made no mention OF the incidents
of the day and his mother, noting his
sullen demeanor, kent silence and next
morning watched him depart with that
awful frown upon his face. And ner
heart was sore troubled. All, mother,
TO-DAY shalt thou drink the bitter cup
which thy disobedience back in the
garden hath poured for thee!
Toward noon, unable to stand the
pressure of that vague terror when
filled her heart, she started from the
house She knew not why she went.
She noticed not whittier she went, but
irresistibly her feet were drawn to-
wards the distant fields where Abel's
fiocks peacefully fed. A deathlike still
ness brooded over the spot, save Tor
the occasional bleating of little suck
ling lamb as it sought it's mothers
side, or the twitter of some mother
bird as she fed her young in the tree
top. No herdsman's CHEEKY call as ne
talked to his sheep, no tall form NOV
ing about in loving care among his
sheep!
The mothers heart stood still. She
tried to cry out in the agony OF hel
heart: Abel. Abel.!" But the
words would not ccme, and she hall
ran. half stumbled on. What was tina,
dark form lying on the green sward
from which the sheep seemed to draw
with dread away? She had never seer
one lie so cold and still before. Those
ewes. staring wildly up towards
heaven, The agony of that white
face! The gaping wound in the side!
The ground all crimson with the LIE
blood! With horror unspeakaole the
mother drew back and slowly upoI
her dazed senses there broke the one
word God had spoken back IN the gar
den-DEATH. And this was death'
This was sins truitage! Death
, Death!
Rut mother love quickly asserted IT
self. and with one wild, heart-brokeI
, crv of anguish, Mother Eve threw her
self upon the form of her beloved boy
We may not intrude on the sacred scene
The hours spent there with her preclou!
dead no eye but Gods saw, and non'
Int His tender ear heard. And there
late in the night, while the stars KEEP
their silent watch overhead and thu
moons gentle beams guided his feet
Adam found her, and mingled his tear
with hers. and felt the heart throb o
her anguish.
o But what of Cain? While the beref
, uarents keep watch by the side OF thel
: | dead boy. he is well on his way to tn
6 land of Nod, whittier he turned his step
after his interview with God. But nov
changed he is. Gods mark upon hi
brow has fastened there forever tn
bideous and vengeful face which glow
cred over his innocent and defenseles
brother as he drove the sharp-polnte'
flint knife again and again into hi
ouiyering side His mad rage spent, hi
Jealous hate satiated, still that face il
all its horrible, misshapen frenzy wa
j fixed for all time 1t was sign set b.
i God. lest any finding him should xii
: him.
: By the early morning light the tende
5 hands of that sorrowing father an
G mother laid the dear form OF their boy
: Abel. to rest by the side of the alta
where but so shortly before he hal
e stood an humble and accepted wor
| Cot ho q nffn q