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

1lN whom tn the sons { Of +
God were fast be-
ihs Drawn away. A reckless, wanton
company OF merry-makers had returned
with him, bringing their music. and
their liquors with them. Feastirg and
dancing and all name of excuses
marked these occasions. The desires of
the flesh ruled supreme, and no bounds
were placed upon the qualification there
OF. Might not right decided issues, and
won its desired ends. Violence and pas
sion were unrestrained. God was for
gotten.
Such a scene was Javan's festival.
and while the wild frolicing was at its
height, there suddenly strobe into the
midst OF the company a man of COM
handing figure. All eyes were turned
upon the intruder, but he never finched
before the unfriendly looks, and fall
tered not until he stood before Javan.
The rude, loose garment of skin, girded
IN at the waist and falling in irregular
line to the knee, revealed the powerful
frame Il well-knit muscles. The arms
and legs were bare save for the heavy
growth of hair through which could be
seen the skin Drowned and toughened by
sunshine and storm. Upon the feet were
sandals crudely made from leather and
fastened by thongs over the foot.
Masses of wavy dark hair fell back from
the forehead and down over the pow
erful neck, while full beard and mus
tach covered the face.
A painful pause marked the coming Of
the stranger. The look of recognition
which Javan flashed at him was full Of
hatred, but he waited for the other to
speak.
Javan, what meaneth this wicked
revelry? Why these ribald ccmpan-
ions. these goddess mi of Cain? Hast
thou, too, forgotten the admonitiors of
thy fathers? Hast thou altogether
given myself over to thy fleshy appetites
and passions? Fearest thou not God?
He who has made us, Who rules in
Heaven. Who sees us at this moment,
will surely bring thee and this people,
who are turning altogether away from
God, into Judgment. In the name of the
Lord, whom l serve, l command that
this revelry cease, and that thou send
this woman and her baseless compan-
ions back to the land from whence they
camel"
Thus spake Noah, the preacher, and
thus had he spoken again and again all
through the land as he rebuked the ris-
ing tide of sin. But as well might he
have tried to stem the mighty current
of the great Euphrates or stay the
rushing storm with his uplifted hand
as to check the flood Of iniquity and god
l~essness which was sweeping the land.
But speak he must, and speak he al
ways did. Evil must be rebuked. The
goddess must be told of God, so that
they might be without excuse before
Him. But evil persisted in and Rugged
to the heart becomes dearer, and each
rebuke administered becomes more dis
tasteful, until at last unrestrained an
ger blazes forth upon the n who dares
to interfere or rebuke the evil.
So it was upon this occasion OF Javan's
merry-making. The wicked fellows
with him were only too willing to fall
upon the defenseless servant OF GOD
and. dragging him forth and beating
him at every step, they left him for dead
under a clump Of trees at some ols-
lance from the house, and then re-
turned to renew the wild orgy with
more reckless abandon than before.
How long he lay there Noah eve
.new Int with the return Of conscious
ness it seemed as though ne was ill,eo
nm. up. up. The Wild music and tne NOISE
~ reyelry seemed to fade in the as
+.rce and then was gone, ana IN ies
n,oca The sweetest strains OF Celestiai
n,sic fell mon his ears and soothed the
throbbing senses to ain anu
Then. although he saw no one - ss. unau
ae though gentle hands were lalu u ~,
10 fevered brow and aching head anu
the pain was forgotten. .4
Ernactantly he waited, seeing naagn.
.nd knowing not where he was ana se'
nc brain and every sense were qui. -.
10 and On the alert. Clear us
snet and authoritative came a voice ne
! ew to be none other than the voice y
God, saying: = oome before
NO. for the earth IS filed WIN ' iostrov
me, ~ them: and behold Will oes'fo'
them with the earth. ..+ from
'n Tn voice ceased. and . sob bu rs.asar
~ ah 'in SOY q the heart-Droken p y, az, III.
. zue this, then, to be the emu 10 ., nraach-
struggle Wa1 against 8 1.,n was AL al no great
ing !, ,e to ns ei is found than that , vn last pnt
i1ine e1anr. cause! No greater ., nero' for
than t. ensn and truth! No m nor s sola
, risn'e faith than that which d;nn sne from
uine e 1a.lI when all else is slipping l'0A
,,eneath ones feel. 80 been. The
- How owl ,a, of bis life thus fa ar ha sar Iesa
lived nad felt the influence ,e, % ses the
years vhich had