The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-03-15

the land of the south.
The heavens declare the glory of
God"
For weeks, the earth, like some
great animal chained to the rocks, had
painted under the glare of the fervd
sun Of the summer time, for the iron
fingers of the drought wore upon her.
Day after day the. sun came out of
braz.n sky and poured the vials Of his
fury upon the swelteriDg thousands
cooped within the city's streets.
With pallid face the farmer walks out
into his field upon which are fixed
his hopes for bread for little ones, and
there, in mute resignation. he looks
upon the dry and witheriug stalks of
the samishing plants, looks and lifts
his heart in prayer to God. Now and
then cloud arises and drifts across
the earth, but ere it is heavy with the
life-giviDg moisture, some earth born
breeze arises to watt it out to the sea.
When hope had we'll nigh aed the
heart OF men, cloud ar ses to the
south and another shows its frowning
crest in the north. Men look up and
emile to hear the growing thunder
grumbling from the darkening skies.
Like two contending giants these great
clouds call to each other across the
heavenly plain, sending challenge
after challenge sounding through the
sky. Nearer together they draw until
there is but one long line Of blue be-
tween them, the field of battle as it
were. There is sharp report, fash
or two-the clouds waver-they come
together-there is q pitching and a
.tumbliDg-the trees wave their arms
and beckon for the rain to hasten on
its wey-thc sweet breath of the COM
ing shower is waited over the earth,
the drops begin to fall, raising clouds
of dust as they pattcrin the road, gut
ters gurglc, red streams are dancing
down the hillside to the thirsty bot
tom lands below and soon the earth
is wet with the blessed water from
the skies, and yonder, like some celes-
tial bird, the rainbow walks forth to
spread his parti-colored plumes upon
the sky. Gods hand has broken the
summer drought.
Look there to the west and see
what God has wrought The summer
day is dying, clouds are gathered
round his bier, and, as the dying
Christian face is sometimes seen to
smile, glory shines ON every side. The
feecy clouds, like castles in some
wonder land beyond the earth, are
piled mountain high above the sun.
With FURNISHED gold, rarer than NOR.
tai eye has ever looked upon their
-ims are trimmed while every peak is
tipped with gorgeous gems sparkling
like glittering diamonds in the coronet
OF God. What exquisite shsdings are
there! It seems as IL the dreams of
the greatest artist earth has ever
known have been exhausted on that
scene. The emerald hues from the
fields, radiant in the June time air,
the delicate pink from the rosebud g
lips, the flush from the maiden g
cheek, the red and purple from the
banners of the dawning day, the glory
glitter from angelic crown are all min.
gled and commingled in that wondroua
scene, spread, by the hand of God,
upon the canvas Of the west.
| Then comes night, and deeper seems
the darkness when contrasted with
that glorious scene at sunset. The
moca ccmes,nr round and full, end
ever and anon she bows her head to
pass into the storm kings arms, for
ne walks a conquering king across the
fields Of earth. He sends his shining
| signals from the east even to the
west; the dome Of heaven auivers
with his brightness; he pulls open the
valves of his wrath and the everlast-
ing hills are shaken to their founda-
tion stones; trees are lifted, like play
things, from their mooring places and
hurled headlong to the earth, houses
are overturned, and then, when the
clouds have been withdrawn, aod
the moon Looks uown uu the desc.
lation wrought below, man sees that
Gods hand has moved.
| DAY unto day uttereth speech,
night unto night showeth knowledge.
Nature with flowers for her words,
glowing lightning for her sentenceo,
peals Of thunder for her eloquent pero-
rations is mighty preacher, and what
a theme she has, the glory Of God.
Throughout the agas standing upon
the pulpit of the skies she has been