Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1905-03-22

-SLDR their eyes. and,
steadfastly obeying the command of
God to scatter and replenish the earth,
they had refused to listen to the appeals
of the inhabitants of Shinar. This ag-
gressive but ungodly people had urged
them to migrate to the south and con-
centrate their forces with them in the
building of great city and tower which
would become an enduring center to-
ward which the people of the earth
would turn and where they could enjoy
life together.
The refusal was met by abuse and per
secution of the most virulent type. II
found expression in numerous ways the
most distressing of which was the raid
ing of the settlements by armed bands
and the carrying of to Shinar OF the
strong young men as enforced laborers
in the vast building operations which
had been undertaken.
AS a consequence there was mourn
Ing in many household. Wives
mourned the loss of husbands which
were torn from their bosoms. Parents
were robbed of their sons. and fair
young girls were left sad and desolate
as their lovers were dragged away to a
e life worse than death.
Evil was united and triumphant Dur
Ing this dark period of the worlds his
tory We find this unique condition. that
the goddess were drawn together in I'M
holy combination to thwart Gods
righteous plans. One spirit ruled SUI
preme. God was reckoned out of the
account, and the one purpose was to pro-
vide permanent shelter and abode for
themselves. Not since that day has the
evil in the world been united in its re-
bellion against God And it will not be
again until that latter day when the
anti-Christ shall have been manifested
and shall have as by miracle unified
the forces that are in rebellion against
God. Then the arm of the Lord shall be
revealed and His enemies vanquished
even as in that earlier day, when Babel's
mad hordes were driven hither and yon
before the wrath of Gods power.
What hordes of laborers it must have
taken to have carried on such a project,
What unity OF spirit and tenacity of pur-
pose! Everyone in that great industrial
center of Babel had some share in the
work. But to the enforced labor ers
brought in from the outlying country to
sthe north and west were given the most
mental OF the tasks. They became tn.
bearers of burdens. They gathered the
bitumen used for cement; they mixed the
clay for the bricks, and when dried in
the sun or burned in the fire they bore
them to the men working on the great
walls of the rising structure.
Among the hundreds thus plodding
from early morn to setting sun. none
more noble face or manly bearing was To
, be seen than that of Rurig. Despite the
sorrow in the face which told of heart
craving unsatisfed, and tragedy that
chad blasted the young and promising
life, there was deep light in the eyes
that spoke of depth OF character that
could be hopeful when hope seemed
dead, that could cling in faith to God
when GQd seemed to be far away and to
hI1Sie forgotten.
AS God came down TO see the city and
the tower which man was building. His
ALL discerning eye must have discovered
Jhe young man grooming under his bur-
dens, and His ear must have caught the
. ever-ascending prayer as IL rose from
the experimentation heart asking for
deliverance. God hears the cry of faith
and lie does deliver right speedily. Vrho
can know or determine how much the
judgment Of God upon goddess Babel NAV
have been in answer to the prayer of
such as Rurig?
4 Months had rolled by since he had ar
Kived with a score of others. and had
iIeen assigned his task. but the memory
oftthat day when he was seized in the
fields and fettered and marched off tn
the kouthward was as vivid as though
II were but yesterday. He could see his
beloved Alisha as she stood that day
Infringing her hands in piteous helpless.
stess and moaning his name as he disap-
peare0 IN tbe distance. They were be.
trothed and were soon to have wed but
cruel fate had separated them. perbaps
forever.
In another patch of slaves that had ar
rived long after he had come there was
a man from his section of the country
who brought the tidings that Alisha
some weeks before had disappeared. and
all efforts to trace or discover her
whereabouts had been futile.
All, what fresh anguish was this for
4 the young lGverl How the arrow of any
ious dread cut deeper and deeper into
zhis heart each day as he wondered where
AiisEa was. and what had befaIlen her
oh COL" he cried out I'm the anguish
Y his soul, deliver from this bondage
nd give nae back my Alisha."