Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1905-03-01

%-- provisions for man
and beast and bird
had been gathered and stored as God had
com manded. 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.
But the scoffing 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 day thus went by. Methuse-
lab, 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 reassuriDgly declared again
and again, and then he grew reminis-
cent and, going back over the centuries,
he retold the story of Enochs transla-
ton and of how God had spoken to him
one 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.
N'N bHt WtIt transformed DN
the flashes of gold and crimson light, a
solemn hush fell over the little group as
Methuselah finished speaking. Sudden
ly be 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 Of an
outstretched hand slowly reckoning.
1t is WE'LL continued Methuselah
Inc 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
n 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.
through the brilliant gateway of
Heaven.
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.
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
vas sad and heavy as he beheld all the
5 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
y one last word of warning
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.
preached before. It 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
may find root to grow, or it hardens
the heart yet more. All. that the
woTld today 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. n
fell on ears that would not hear on
hearts that were wholly given to their
own devices, and the people turned
with scOrn and ridicule away. saving
that he had been preaching that same
old message for hundred years and
the flood had not yet come.
Bowed in grief, which was but a 70.
fiection of the great grieving heart of
God. Noah watched them return IN
their eating and drinking, their mar
'ying and festive-making. The bean
tiful afternoon faded into the darken-
ing shadows Of the evening hour and
still the broken-hearted preacher lin
gered by the new-made grave. which
spoke OF death, and by the side of the
ark, which gave promise of shelter and
life