The Tupelo journal., 1905-03-03

SE pIONIolOIC " lho
and beast and bird
had been gathered and stored as God had
commanded. And there the immense
half-house, half-ship, reared its black
form towards the sky. No water In sight,
and the heavens as fair and cloudlesS as
on the most perfect summers day. And
Noah waited.
In irony people asked Noah about his
flood. They blasphemed the name OF MS
God. at whose command he declared he
had built the ark. They pointed to the
blue sky and the smiling sun and asked
with mock solemnity if he were going to
move in that day.
But the scofing and ridicule of the
wicked cannot disturb the inner calm Of
true faith. He who waits on the Lord is
sure of vindication and victory in Gods
own good time. And Noah waited.
Day after Gay thus went by. Methuse-
lah, that aged patriarch and saint, did
much TO encourage and cheer the waiting
Noah and his family.
God will speak in His own good
time he reassuringly declared again
anu dSdll, anu lilCu ut SlC" AZ
cent and, going back over the centuries,
he retold the story of Enoch's transla-
lion and of how God had spoken to him.
Gne evening as the great glowing sun
was sinking to rest behind the western
hills, and the shadows were spreading
their darkening folds over the valleys,
and the heavens were transformed by
~. HocIo, - cold o,I DrinoCnn lioht q
solemn hush fell over the little group as
Methuselah finished speaking. Sudden
ly he exclaimed:
'See-God's hand in the heavens is
reckoning me home!'
The startled members of the house
hold looked in the direction the grizzled
hand of the aged patriarch pointed and
saw the playing lights in the heavens,
as though they had been the fingers CT an
outstretched hand slowly reckoning.
at is WELL" continued Methuselah.
The Lord hath in my earlier years
given me a vision of His glory in the
translation of my father, Enoch, and
in these latter days of apostacy and
utter corruption He has permitted me
to behold His wonderful plan of mercy
and salvation to those who have faith
in Him and obey His will"
Having thus spoken. Methuselah
turned and, blessing Noah and his
sons, laid back upon his couch. A
peaceful calm rested on his face as he
closed his eyes and while those about
him looked and wondered his spirit,
following the reckoning hand, sped
through the brilliant gateway of
Heaven.
God brings experiences into our lives
which prepare us for peculiar orGeals
and special work, and the memory Of
that scene and the final message of
the dying patriarch cheered and helped
Noah through all the long, trying,
dark months which followed. His
faith was strengthened, and who
needed a fresh and firmer grip on God
more tina did Noah~a at this time?
The tidings of Methuselah's death
spread rapidly, for his long and event
full career was closely interviewer with
the history of the human race. He
was the oracle from whom the living
generations received the stories of the
long, long past. He had heard from
Adams own lips all the wonderful ac-
counts of the creation, the life in the
garden and the story of the race since
the expulsion. He had known Seth and
all the long line of descendants, and no
event of importance since Adams day
but had been marked by his presence
and participation. And for this reason
been known for years. yea, not since
the wonderful translation of Enoch.
From far and near the people came
to the funeral. Down in the valley,
in the shadow of the ark, they buried
the dead patriarch, and Noah's heart
was sad and heavy as he beheld all the
assembled people and realized that
they were under the judgment of God
and were about to perish. He would
make one last appeal. He would utter
one last word of warning.
God moved on his heart that day. II
was Gods voice of mercy n love
speaking through him, for God hath
no Q6lISu Ia tHC oC6Iu u IhO "iShSu
and judgment never falls until His
mercy and patience and love have x
hausted every effort to win the wicked
from their evil ways.
And by the grave of old Methuselah,
where there were so many memories to
soften the heart and turn the thoughts
toward God Who had been forgotten,
Noah preached as he never had
ureached before. 1t was the last call
of God; the final appeal before judg-
ment should fall.
When God speaks, the message either
breaks the heart up into fallow ground
where repentance and righteousness
NAV find root to grow, or it hardens
the heart yet more. All, that the
world to-day might learn from the his
tory of the past that God will not al
WAYS chide, neither will He keep His
anger forever!
AS to-day so often, so on that day
when Noah spoke Gods message, 1t
fell on ears that would not hear, on
hearts that were wholly given to their
own devices, and the people turned