Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-04-28

~ cy kept rising to
~ - the lips of the
jewellers in the ark.
- ~ There was no way
in which they could
but Noah and his sons knew that II
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,
for 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 rocks,"
Noah 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
bulk 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 a voice shak-
ing with suppressed emotion:
my sons, you have an answer 10
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
tracted by a dark object in the distance
His sharp cutlery as he realized that IL
was some mountain top, quickly brought
the other members of the family 20 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 eyes on that
precious speck. and as the evening
shadows crept over the face of the wa
ters and shut IL out from view they re-
luctantly lay down to rest, and eagerly
waited for the coming of the mornings
light
The first gray streaks of dawn found
eight pairs of wistful eyes straining
for the first glimpse of the mountain
top. The sharp vision of Mrs. Shem
was the first to see II, 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 Japheth's
wife. And SO IL went all day and the
days which followed. The moments
which 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 ~ days since we first
saw the mountain top appear re-
member that it was 40 days that the
food was descending upon the earth.
and NAV II not he that in these 40
days since first the land appeared the
waters may have left the earth. am
minded to send forth raven and
dove to see what report they ray
bring us"
Anxiously they waited for the return
of the birds. and as the twilight was
deepening into the evening darkness
the dove came YEARLY fluttering In az
the window, but the raven returned
not.
Another seven days and Noah seat
out the dove again. This time she
returned with an olive branch. indi-
eating that vegetation had sprung into
life Yet seven days more and the
dove went forth and did not return
for she had found home for herself ard
mate IA the fruitful trees.
Still Noah waited. and over month
passed. The rest Of the family weya
impatient TO leave the ark but Noah
insisted that they must wait for thc
command % God. But 10 arpels
them somewhat he reno ed the 90 70
ing ~ the ark and we~t forth to v',y
tha AL. ard tcholl the face Of -
gro ld WIS ~
"Ie, as leave The ark az once " ex
claimed he three sons. when The e.
ther lrs-. III ack his report. anu Ill