The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-10-12

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At that moment he was PASSING
of the tents, a larger and more i
tentious n than most of those abon.
evidently belonging to one Of A.
chief men of the tribe-and the n,
tense high pitch of the voices With.
arrested his attention and he nsrsas
and listened.
I'VE must act at once" came tba
intense, sullen voice of n FOR n i
evident that Moses is determined tb.,
we shall go forward, which, as We bava
all heard from these our brethren wbo
have been through the land, will mean
certain death to u.s."
A deep silence followed this sneach
whose boldness had evidently startlaJ
even those daring spirits who b.d
gathered that night from every triba
to talk over the situation.
ut would have been better II wa
had died in the Wilderness" at last
walled the voice of one.
But we didn't" came the sharp ra.
tort of the first speaker, "and tha
question is, are we going forward IN
be destroyed by the people Of the
land?"
mo" came the response, at first
feebly, and then louder and stronger
Then what shall we do? 1t were
better for US to return to Egypt, for
there at least we had food to eat and
none sought u lives to take them"
But Moses will not lead us back"
exclaimed some one, to which the first
speaker responded, quickly, saying:
Let us choose another captain, and
let us return to Egypt forthwith"
Caleb as he listened was first aston.
ished, and then angry and then fright.
ened. Mischief was brewing in the
camp. He must inform Moses at once
of this thing, and without stopping to
hear what further was said, Caleb hur.
ried on as fast as possible.
Following Caleb's startling story a
hasty conference of the leaders was
held and it was concluded that thew
would go at once and trap the con.
splrators in their tent before they had
had opportunity to get out amongst
the people and spread the rebellion,
They approached the place just as
the morning light was beginning to
break in the east. No sound came
from thD font nnI M nno uro, l., zl-tI
about the place. Cautiously they ap.
preached the entrance and, pushing
aside the tent flap, they looked within.
But it was empty.
"They have gone to gather the PEG.
pie exclaimed Caleb.
Come, let us hasten" was the grim
response of Moses as he turned and
went off in the direction Of the large
open stretch Of common where the
people during their stay at Kadesh
had been wont to gather.
It was as they had feared, for they
found the representatives of every
tribe gathered there, and there were
constant additions to the multitude as
fresh companies Of Israelites kept
coming up.
The coming of Moses and Aaron
with Caleb and Joshua startled the as.
sembly, but it was plain that the
people were determined in their
course and were ready to stand their
ground. And while Moses talked with
the leaders of the rebellion, chief
among whom we're the ten spies. the
people took up the cry:
Let us choose another captain, who
will lead us back to Egypt"
And Moses and Aaron fell upon
their faces to the ground, while Caleb
and Joshua rent their garments and,
rushing into the midst of the shout
ing people, they cried:
"Nay, nay, not Egypt! but the Prom
ised Land! For the land which we
passed through is an exceeding good
land. If the Lord delight in us, then
he will bring us into this land, and
give it US. 1t is a land indeed that
NlGh LIllh anu IOlSy' Ohlg
rebel not we against the Lord, neither
fear We the people Of the land; for
they are bread for us. Their defense
is departed from them, and the Lord
is with us. Fear them not"
But the words of Joshua and Caleb
served only to excite the people the
more and make them cry the louder:
LET us choose another captain and
return to Egypt"
Again Joshua and Caleb sought to
quiet the people, pointing to the pros
trate forms Of Moses and Aaron and
crying:
God hath given you a leader. Com.
NIT not this great sin, for We are re-
jecting God"
Then the people turned in a a g
upon them and shouted that stones be
brought to stone them. In quick re-
Spouse the people turned with com
mon impulse and rushed towards a
bit of stony ground lying at some dis
lance away, fully intent upon carrying
out their wicked purpose.
Realizing the peril of the situation
and that not a moment must be lost,
Caleb and Jushua rushed back to
warn Moses and Aaron, who still lay
PROSTATE in prayer.
Hear We not the cry OF the peon-eq
They go to bring stones with which
kill thee. Flee for your lives"
And Moses arose and calmly faced
onrushing mob, which by this time
had turned and was bearing mon
mem with their hands uplifted, in
when could be seen the great, jagged
rocks they had seized. On, on, they
came but still Moses stood and calm
y waited. None had noticed that the
cloudy pillar, still glowing brightIv In