The Tupelo journal., 1906-11-02

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.
There is man in Pethor, Balaam,
| the son of Beor, whom l have heard
tell has been greatly gifted Of the
gods and there is no gods with whom
he is not familiar, and doubt not
that he would know of this God of the
| Hebrews"
| BALKAN of Pethor?" 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.
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
a knowledge of the true God and
feared Him. On more than one occa-
sion had the true God of Heaven given
| him visions of the events which were
| to come to pass, and his fame as q
prophet had spread through all that
country He knew that the idols OF
the people among whom he dwelt
| - nd or
| He realized that their forms of wor-
ship were corrupt and meant nothing
| to the true God of Heaven. Never
| theless, the things of this world were
of more value in his eyes than any
! thing else, and he flattered himself
that he could not do better than to
serve the people in their ignorance
and sin and leave them to continue in
their idolatrous ways. His knowledge
of the true God and his ability to dis
Germ the events of the future gave
him great influence and brought with
| in his grasp much gold and silver and
precious stones.
| 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 l shall prevail. that we may
smite them, and that I may drive
them out of the land, for l wot that
he whom thou blessest is blessed, and
he whom thou cursest is 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 90 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 say 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
| if God had spoken blessing, it were
folly for him to speak curses. And
| so he was forced to take back to
| the king his parable and pronounce
| blessing rather than cursing upon the
| people of Israel
Day after day the effort of King
Balak to wiring from BALKAN curse
| upon Israel continued, and always fall
ure and disappointment, and at last
| in disgust and anger, he sent BALKAN
| back to Pethor empty handed and In
| disgrace.
Unhappy Balaam, who can know OF
these days that followed. The reports
of his doings came back to his own
country from King Balak, and scorn
and ignominy were heaped upon his
| head.
Then it was that Balaam, troubled
and dissatisfied, sought to counsel the
kings to make friends with lsrael
| rather than to seek to fight them.
Let the most beautiful of our women
| he given unto them that they nIy In
| t;ce them and draw them away" he
said.
This advice seemed good, and during
the weeks which followed Israelites
and Moabites and Midianites mingled
| freely. a thing which so displeased
Moses and the elders that 1t was not
long ere Moses had to resort to the
| most severe measures. This culm1n-
ated in the plague whose awful raw
ages in the ranks of Israel were only
| STAYED when Phineas had destroyed
Midianitish princess and the wicked
Israelise who had brought her into
his tent.
Should indian let such afront go
unchallenged? BALKAN still counselied
peace.
NAY, we shall fight, and thou shalt
| fight with u.s." vowed the king, when
rumors came that Israel was prepar'
ing to 20 out against them. I'VE shall
see how thy blessing shall prosper.
| Curse Israel and thou shalt remain
| a., coPotv ot home"