The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1906-11-03


"See!" he cried, excitedly. sit CLOVIS
now as though the great sun has gone
to rest in its bosom. Surely we can
not hope to prevail against a people
whose God visits them In such might
and power. What shall we do? What
shall we do?"
And the king in his distress and
fear wrung his hands, and paced up
and down, the while keeping his eyes
upon the cleaning pillar in the dis
ance. 1t was the only thing now Wis
ible in the valley below, save the faint
outlines of the tabernacle which stood
out under the light OF the pillar OF
fire. The long lines of tents stretch
ing away in every direction from the
| tabernacle had faded from view, but
that steady, awful, mysterious glow
stood out sharply and filed his heart
with unspeakable fear. 1t seemed to
| him like great winged monster that
was bearin, down upon him to seize
| him in It's talons and tea his body in
pieces and devour his flesh, and he
shrank back and stumbled and would
have fallen had not the attendant
| caught him.
What strange, terrible God is this?
Who is there who knows of this God?
Who is there who can help us?" he
cried. O
There is a man in Pethok> BALKAN,
| the son of Beor, whom / have heard
| tell has been greatly gifted OF the
gods and there is no gods with whom
he is not familiar, and l doubt not
that he would know of this God of the
| Hebrews"
"Balaam of Pcthor?" slowly repeat
ed the king, lis not he the one to
whom the nations about go in time OF
trouble? Is he not the oracle who has
foretold the fall OF numerous cities OF
the land?"
THE very one" replied the attend
| ant.
60 and fetch him." commanded the
king as he fastened down the noun
tain path and returned to his palace.
Now Balaam, although a prophet
and priest among the Midianites, had
| a knowledge Of the true God and
| feared Him. On more than one occa-
| sion had the true God of Heaven given
| aim visions of the events which were
| 10 come to pass, and his fame as
prophet had spread through all that
| country.
When the messengers had come to
| him from the king of the Moabites,
| saying: Come. curse this people, for
| they are too mighty for me: perad-
| venture shall prevail, that We may
smite them, and that l may drive
them out of the land, for | wot that
he whom thou blessest is blessed, and
re whom thou cursest is cursed" he
was filed with an eager desire to go
with them that he might receive their
rich gifts, but he dare not for of long
| lime he had heard that this people
which had come out of Egypt were
| Gods chosen people and under His
special care. For this reason he asked
| that the messengers tarry the night
while he should obtain word of the
Lord concerning the matter.
With heavy heart he saw the mes
| sengers depart after he had told them
| that he could not go. But when few
| days later there came a more noble
| delegation from Balak beseeching him
| 10 go with them, he willfully sought
| the face of the Lord again and OBJ
tanned from him the permission he
| sought.
Two days later he stood upon the
high place where Baal the god of the
Moabites, was worshiped. The seven
affairs have been built and Balak is
standing by the smoking sacrifices.
while Balaam has gone yonder to hear
what God might say to him.
Within his heart was the burning
desire to cay all that the king desired
of him, for he bore no love for Israel,
but he knew that mere words could
not accomplish Israel's ruin and that
IL God had spoken blessing, 1t were
folly for him to speak curses.
Day after day the effort of King
Balak to wiring from Balaam curse
upon Israel continued, and always fail
ure and disappointment, and at last
in disgust and anger, he sent Balaam
back to Pethor empty handed and In
disgrace.
Then it was that Balaam, troubled
and dissatisfied, sought to counsel the
kings to make friends with Israel
rather than to seek to fight them.
Let the most beautiful of our women
be given unto them that they may In
tice them and draw them away" he
said.
This advice seemed good, and during
the weeks which followed lsraelites
and Moabites and Midianites mingled
freely. thing which so displeased
Moses and the elders that 1T was not
long ere Moses had to resort to the
most severe measures. This culmin-
ated In the plague whose awful raw
ages in the ranks of Israel were only
staved when Phineas had destroyed
Midianitish princess and the wicked
Israelise who had brought her into
his tent.
Should INDIAN let such affront go
unchallenged? Balaam still counselled
peace.
May, we shall fight, and thou shalt
n