The Tupelo journal., 1905-04-07

speak, who had
obeyed Him and
been miraculously
delivered from death, should have not
become the teacher of the man who
longed to know God, and who was to
become the father of Gods chosen peo-
pie and the ancestor of the Christ?
Often have we heard of the strange
leadings which have brought the seek
e. after God and the teacher Of God to-
gether. Paul had such wonderful ex-
p%erience as he went into Damascus
blind aud found Ananias who should
speak TIE words to restore his sight.
Cornelius seeking after the truth at
Caesarea had the vision and sent the
messengers that brought Peter from
Joppa to be his instructor. And so
1t has always been. God does not leave
man TO grope about in darkness alone
but sends the light and the teacher of
the truth. And so it was with Abra-
ham.
In Ur of the Chaldees. where idola-
try was rife and where Terah. the
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worship of the false gods. it could not
be expected that Abraham would find
the light which he sought. He must
be driven forth, and in the story OF
"Abraham's Awakening" we have sug-
gested how this crisis in his life may
have come. The crisis came at the
point of loyalty to the highest and best
Ts-L+ --Is1l H. ,a--ocd1J o-l - -
here that the crisis always comes.
And Abraham fled from Ur and
though he knew not whittier he went,
Providence directed his footsteps, as
God will always do for those who seek
Him.
F%oOtsore n weary on the after
noon of the third day since he had left
Ur. Abraham threw himself down at
the foot of a great palm tree that grew
by the river side. for he had journey
ed along the path which skirted the
Euphrates, fearing to strike off over
the wide stretches of sand that eX-
tended off in the distance away from
the refreshing waters. The scant pro-
visions which he had taken with him
had been supplemented with the fruit
of the palms and other trees that grew
luxuriantly along the rivers side, but
now as he partook of his last cakes he
wondered what he would do for his
next meal. He wondered how far he
had come in the three days of his wan
dering and how much farther he would
have to go to find a safe refuge.
He wondered what he was going to
do and what was going to become If
him. All. how in the dark hours of
uncertainty the myriad questions rise
specter-like before ones mind.
If Abraham had known how to pray
to the unknown God, whom he longed
to know, he would have done so. He
knew how they called or the gods in
the temple and besought their favor,
but such would not do, he felt, in ad-
dressing the true, but unseen, God.
All. if Abraham had only known it
the attitude and longing of his hear,
to know the God of Whom he was as
yet ignorant, and yet of Whom he had
a vague consciousness, was real pray
er and was heard and felt by God,
Whose observing eye and unfailing ear
never miss the faintest aspiration an6
breathing of the human heart towards
Him. And God saw and understood.
But Abraham as he sat there weary
and discouraged knew it not. All
seemed hopeless.
Suddenly he started and lifted his
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he hear his name spoken? Impossible.
But as he listened. again came the
sound, and realizing now that he was
not mistaken, ne sprang to his feet
and started in the direction of the
voice.
"Ah, here you are" spoke the voice
again, as he rounded the clump of
bushes and came upon a stranger
standing there.
Astonishment and perplexity render
ed Abraham speeches. and all he
could do was to stare at the man. He
had never seen him before and he
was certain the man had never met
him, and yet how did he know his
name and discover that he was there.
But to Abraham's questioning look,
the other only simply said:
81 have come for you"
"For me- Abraham managed at last
to exclaim, and yet his amazement was
not so great as to make him insensible
to the sweetness and comfort which
came to his heart as he realized that
some one in some way knew of him in
his loneliness and need and was going
to help him.
For von,l quietly responded the
stranger. 'sThis morning while in
prayer the Lord God of Heaven and
earth appeared in a vision to the aged
natriarch, Noah, and spoke to him,
saving: Send out into the way that
1eadeth down to Ur of the Chaldees,
and there you shall find a man named
Abraham, who seeketh Me. Him shalt
tho,l instruct in the matters pertain
ing to the worship and service of the
tr1,e God, And / am come in obedi-
nee to my masters command. Let us
hasten. for the day is far spent and
We have some distance to go"
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