St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-04-01

AN NV AAoSA w
oah in the task appointed him. Min
utely did he point out each detail and
part of the work. and then came the
vision of the completed ark as it would
be when he had finished it, and with the
vision he awoke.
The music and shouts and songs of the
revelry broke on his ear, and as he
slowly arose and made his way home
ward he pondered deeply in his heart ali
that had come to pass, and found in his
wife and father and grandfather sympa-
thetic and interested listeners to his
wonderful story.
"God spoke of sons who are to b,
sheltered with us in the ark, while a.
yet nc child has come to bless ou,
home" said Noah in conclusion.
A CLEAN of hope and Joy sprang into
the eyes of the wife, whose hungry
heart had been waiting all the years
for the coming of little ones, and she
exclaimed:
Surely. this shall be a sign unto
us of Gods presence and favor, and
the promise of a new race and people"
The years rolled by. busy years for
Noah. as he labored in gathering ma
terials for his great ship, and trying
years as he suffered under the ridi-
Guile and persecution OF his country
men.
Javan came around a short time aft
er Noah had begun the task Of gath
ering the materials for the ark. Hc
listened to the story, and Noah warned
him of the coming judgment of God.
"You needn't worry so much about
the judgment OF your so-called God, az
you need to worry over the judgment
Of some of those against whom You
are preaching so much" sneered Javan
as he turned to go. and making =
sinister motion towards the timbern
Noah was preparing in the center OF
the grove of gopher wood.
Once Moan found his timbe-s cut
in such a way that, had they gone into
the ark undiscovered, they would have
endangered the structure as it rode on
the waves. At another time he found
the planking bored full of holes and
filled again with a substance that hsd
the holes but would have soaked out
and admitted the water. Javan's hand
was in it, as Noah knew, but the spirit
of God made Noah keen to detect ev-
cry attempt against the ark's safety.
But Javan was overheard to say n
day:
Flood or no flood, that thing will
never float!!"
In the early years of the building
the promise of God of sons was full
filled in the birth Of three boys, and
the glad parents named them Shem,
Ham and Japheth. Noah saw in their
coming the sign of Gods favor and re-
joiced as he labored.
So through the years the work pro-
crossed. The years heightened into
decades, and the decades piled up to-
wards the century mark. The tenth
decade had begun and the ark wa
nearing completion. The great hulk
doomed up again the sky. From far
it could be seen and during all these
years multitudes had flocked to see 1t.
anu udu uc1Au ASooA . "oAAAAu6S.
Father Lamech and Grandfather Me
thuselah, who were still members OF
Noah's household, had helped in the
work of building. The pitching of the
craft was almost completed. Another
day was drawing near it's close and
Noah had gone home, while Lamech
fingered to put a few final touches
upon some of the inner work.
A stealthy tread in the gall-ry be-
low arrested his attention and hasten
ing thither he saw in the gloom a
crouching figure gathering chips and
preparing to fire the inflamable struc-
ture, for with it's pitch within and
without it would have burned like tin
der.
It was but the work of a second to
knock the flaming torch from the hand
Of the intruder and stamp out its fire,
and then the two men grappled in
deadly strife.
The next morning the mystery Of
Lamech's absence was explained as
Noah found his fathers cold form
stretched by the side of his old enemy
Javan. Upon the face of Lamech there
rested a joyful smile of victory, for he
had triumphed over Coos enemy and
had gone to his reward. while horror
and fear distorted the features of Javan
Is he entered the valley Of death and
anne face to face with God.
This tragedy brought grief to Noah's
but it also revealed to them
he protecting presence of God in pre-
the ark from destruction, and
.hey were devoutly thankful.
Noah bore tidings Of the ignomini-
ms death Of Javan to his household.
1e spoke of God, and pointed out the
certain punishment Of sin and unbe-
ief. and warned of the coming judy
nent. And that day Noah's preach
ng was not in vain, for three of ia
ans fair daughters were brought to
and faith in God.
How mysterious are Gods provi.
|ences. Out of his enemy's household
gave Noah souls for his hire, and
hese three sisters found refuge aud
Aviation in the ark as the wives Of
sons.