Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1906-08-29

elders and they in turn spoke them %
the people.
This is the message OF God TO Is
rael, he cried, when a great hush had
taIlen upon the assembly, for he has
commanded me in the mountain to say
10 the house OF Jacob. ard TO tell the
chiidrer. OF Israel: We have seen
what | did unto the Egyptians. and
now bare you on eagles wings and
brought you unto myself"
As the words were repeated and all
the people heard they bowed low, and
tus memories which the words re-
called stirred them as they had not
been stirred before. and reused them
to that religious fervor which hung
eagerly on the rest of the message a.
Moses might deliver it.
Now therefore," Moses contin-
ued. If We will obey my voice in
deed, and keep my covenant. then Va
shall be a peculiar treasure unto mo
above all people: for all the earth 10
! mine"
A great stiffness rested upon tire
people as Moses ended the words OF
the Lord. and then as though moved
by one spirit. that vast concourse OF
people lifted their voices and shouted
until the very mountains on every side
fairly rang and shook with the volume
thereof:
"All that the Lord hath spoken We
will do
And with this promise upon their
lips, IL indeed it had not sunk to the
depths of their hearts-it is so much
easier to utter the pledge with the
mouth than II is to scar and burn
IL into the tablets OF memory OF the
heart-the people were dismissed and
with the benediction OF the place rest
ing upon them they returned to their
tents. while Moses went back to keep
vigil with God
The next three days the people were
in CULVER of excitement. for Moses
had returned saying that upon the
third day the Lord would come down
upon the mountain in the sight of all
the people
We have seen God in the Cloud
by day and the Pillar OF fire by night.
What will this new manifestation be-"
And zealously they prepared them
selves for this solemn occasion.
God hath called us to be priests"
they said one to another. repeating
the words of Moses, and with q
beautiful spirit OF submission they
fulfilled all the instructions which
Moses had given them
The third day broke as others had
done and the people were early astIr
prepared TO go forth as was their daily
custom and gather the mama. when
from the mountain side about which
had settled thick cloud there burst
thunderings and lishtnings In ter.
ror the people threw themselves on
their faces to the ground. and while
thus Frustrated there came a voice
from the mountain side as the sound
OF trumpet. exceeding loud so that
all the people in the camp heard and
trembled.
Thus Moses found them as he came
through the camp and summoned them
TO follow him. Never before had ths
sense of the majesty and the power
OF God so filed them, and without
daring to ask why or whittier they
went. they obeyed Moses voice and
arose and went after him. And they
came to the foot of the mountain. at
the point where they had stood three
days before when they had promised
that all that the Lord had spoken
they would do, for now they were to
! learn something OF the great God
whom they had SO soemnly promised
to obey.
And is it not ever so? In the fervor
OF the souls better impulses. promises
are made Of loyalty and obedience. and
then Cod leads that soul out to q
larger and fuller realization OF what
is involved in that promise, which
IL the soul had known at first. il would
have trembled and drawn back from
utterins the pledge. Thus it is that
God seeks ever to urge the soul ON
and on upward toward him.
What a eight that was which burst
upon the startled vision OF the Israeli
ties. They had seen the religious fes-
tivities in Egypt and had looked upon
the gods which the Egyptians wor-
SHIPPED but surely here was a living
God. for the mount was altogether
on a smoke. And fire and smoke
assembled as from a furnance. and the
whole mount did quake. while the
voice like trumpet again sounded
forth as 1t had on the previous occa-
sion.
But now It waxed louder and loud.
err. until Moses lifted up his voice
and spake, and God did answer him.
so that all the people heard. And God
called Moses up to him In the mount,
and Moses went up.
And all the people saw the thunder
ings and the lightnings, and the noise
OF the trumpet, and the mountain
smoking, and they feared greatly.
They saw Moses disappear into the
midst OF the smoking, trembling
mountain, they knew that he was
talking with one who had given them
| great and blessed promises and