Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1905-03-08

= ~ ihtic uo way
tSS- in which they could
keep track OF the days as they passed,
cnt Moan and his sons knew that il
must be months since they had en-
tered the ark. for the great store of
provisions was nearly half gone Each
DAY as they fed the beasts and birds
and creeping things with them in the
ark, and provided for their own sim
PIE wants, they saw the food supplies
grow less, and found themselves ask
Ing the question: HAS God forgot
ten?" Need we wonder at the doubts
which kept rising in their hearts when
we to-day under less trying expert
ences ask the same question?
But Noah's faith failed not, and on
the last day of the fifth month since
entering the ark in reply to the
anxious queries of the women. he
said:
The ark will find a resting place in
Gods own good time. We need to"
But the sentence was not finished.
Tor at that moment the three sons
who had been busy below burst into
the room, excitedly exclaiming:
We're grating on the rocks, We're
grating on the rocksn"
Moan fastened below, and as he
reached the hold of the ship the sound
OF crunching and grinding was plain
ly audible, as though the great heavy
Dulk of the ark was slowly settling
down upon some firm foundation. But
instead OF alarm. look of triumphant
JOY illuminated his face, and turning
10 his sons he said, with voice shak-
ing with suppressed emotion:
My sons. you have an answer to
your question: Has God forgotten?
God has brought our ark to rest. The
waters are receding"
One day something over two months
after the grounding of the ark. Noah
was keeping lookout at the little win
dow. AS he swept his eyes over the great
eXpanse of waters his attention was at
Tacted by dark object in the distance.
His sharp cutlery as he realized that #
was some mountain top, quickly brought
the other members of the family to his
side, and dispelled their gloom. All. how
good that mountain top looked! How il
revived their dropping spirits, How il
renewed their faith! All through the aft
ernoon they Toasted their ewes on that
precious speck, and as the evening
shadows crept over the face of the wa
ters and shut it out from view they re-
luctantiy lay down to rest, and eagerly
waited for the coming of the mornings
light.
Inc first gray streaks of dawn found
eight pairs Of wistful eyes straining
Tor the first glimpse of the mountain
top. The sharp vision of Mrs. Sbem
was the first to see it, and her ex
clamation was quickly followed by the
voices of the others as they, too sight
ed it.
And there is another" Mrs. Shem
cried as she pointed to a speck at
some distance beyond the first object
seen.
And another" exclaimed Japbetb's
wife. And SO it went all day and the
days which followed The moments
winch were not taken up with the
cares of the ark were spent searching
out new mountain tops, and watching
those already in view grow larger and
larger Thus the days now quickly
sped The water was far below them
while the mountains all around stood
out black and grim One day Noah
said.
1T Is now 40 days since we first
saw the mountain top appear re-
member that IT was 40 days that the
flood was descending upon the earth
and may II not be that I'm those Al
days since first the land appeared tho
waters may have left the earth am
minded TO send forth a raven and a
dove TO see what report they NAV
bring VS."
ATEiously they waited for the return
o. f1e birds and as the twilight was
deepening into tho evening darkness
the Gove came YEARLY nuttering i'm AZ
the window. but the raven returned
not.
Another seven days and Noah sent
out the dove again. This time she
returned with an olive branch. indi-
eating that vegetation had sprung into
life Vet seven days more and the
dove went forth and did not return
for she hid found home for herself and
mate in the fruitful trees.
Stiil Noah waited, and over a month
passed. The rest Of the family were
impatient 20 leave the ark. but Noah
ins'Gtod that they must wait for tho
commend Of God But to appease
then somewhat. he removed the cover
Ing Of the ark and went forth to view
the land. and behold, the face OF the
ground was dry.
let US leave the ark at once" az.
clai ned the three sons, when the IA
the brought back his report, and the