Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1906-11-14

See" he cried. excitedly. 1T CLOVIS
now as though the great sun has zone
To rest in its bosom. Surely we can
not hope TO prevail against i people
whose God visits them in such night
and power. What shall ", 10? what
shall We do?7
And the king In his distress and
rear wrung his hands. AM paced up
and down. Tire while Ike slung his eyes
upon the cleaning pillar il the dis
ance. IL was the only thing now Wis.
ible in the valley below, save tie faint
outlines of the tabernacle VIII Oh stood
out under the light OF the pillar of
fire. The long lines CT tents stretch.
ing away in every direction from the
tabernacle had faded from view. but
that steady, awful mysterious glow
stood out sharply and filled his heart
with unspeakable fear. Ii seemed to
MIN like great winged monster that
was bearing down upon him TO seize
him in its talons and tea his body in
pieces and devour his flesh. and he
shrank back and stumbled and would
have fallen had not ti.u attendant
caught him.
w AishN SNidilS NtIilnlt fNl Is llNlS
Who is there who knows Z this God
Who is there who can he p us?" he
cried.
There is a man in Petho. Balaam
the son of Beor, whom ! have heard
tell has been greatly gifted If the
gods and there is no gods vita whom
he is not familiar and | doubt not
that he would know of this God of the
Hebrews"
"Balaam of Pethor?" slowly repeat
ed the king. lis not he the one to
whom the nations about go H. 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.
Go 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
knowledge of the true God anC
feared Him. On more than one Ucca
sion had the true God of Heaven given
him visions OF the events which were
TO come to pass, and his fame As "A
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: peraI-
venture | shall prevail. that we may
smitc them, and that I may drive
them out OF the land, for l wot that
lie whom thou blessest is blessed. and
he whom thou cursCst ia cursed he
was filled with an eager desire to go
with them that he might receive their
rich gifts, but he dare not for of long
time 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 a few
days later there came a more noble
delegation from Balak beseeching him
to go with them, he willfully sought
the face of the Lord again and OBJ
taineA 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 wag the burning
desire TO say all that the king desired
Of him. for he bore no love for Israel.
but he knew that mere words could
not accomplish Israers ruin and that
if God had spoken blessing. il we're
folly for him 10 speak curses
Day after day the effort OF Kizg
Ealak to wiring from Balaam a curse
upon Israel continued, and always fail.
ure and disappointment, and at las.
in disgust ana anger, he sent Balaam
back to Pethor empty handed and IL
disgrace.
Then It was that Ba,aam. troubled
and dissatisfied. sought 10 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 Israeiites
and Moabitcs and Midianites mingled
freely. thing which SO displcased
Moses and the elders that fl was not
long ere Moses had 20 resort 10 the
most severe measures This culf1fu-
ated in the plague Whose awful raw
ages i'm the ranks Of Israel we're only
stayed when Phiueas had. destroyed a
Midianitish princess and tho wicked
Israolisc who had brought her into
his tent
GLnuId Midian LEI snch affront 90