The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-09-08

ing ana shaping OF the wood had pro
gressed wonderfully. Everybody had
some part ia the work. even the chill
dren catching the eager spirit Of their
elders and gladly doing what they
could to help.
How swiftly the weeks and months
had passed. So occupied with the task
In hand had they been that they had
no time for murmuring 1t hardly
seemed possible that they were the
same people who had threatened
Moses at Rephidim. or had forgotten
God and made for themselves the
golden calf there at Mount Sinai Day
by day they had received instruction
at Moses hand in the laws and ordi-
nances Of God, which he had received
while on the mount with God, and
while they wrought In the work they
We'd with each other in seeing how
faithfully and well they could perform
their tasks.
They had talked together OF that
day when the Tabernacle should be
set up. and God would be served in
the way appointed, and 1t Is no won
der that when the tidings came to
them that on the morrow they would
see the Tabernacle reared. there was
very great rejoicing, so that the sound
of laughter and singing filled the
camp.
The sun that night set upon an ex-
pectant people. At the place appoint
ed the rich and costly materials had
been brought and the Levites in
structed concerning the placing OF the
same, while the people stood at a
distance and watched as long as the
daylight lasted. and then as the soft
glow OF the pillar resting high up on
the side Of the mountain fell upon the
camp, the people turned slowly and
went TO their tents. saying. softly 70
themselves:
Tomorrow will the Lord have a
dwelling place In our midst"
But how little they realized all that
was implied in that saying. How
meager was their idea of the mean
ing of the Tabernacle and its APP
pointed worship. It's richness of ma
terial. its varied appointments. the
plans for the Tabernacle service all
absorbed their attention, and apart
from the general consciousness of God,
they did not enter deeply into the
spirit of the occasion
But even though the heart under
stood not, eyes and ears were eager
to drink in every detail of the ami
mated scene which began next day
with the FIRST rays OF light A rev
erent hush was upon the people while
the work was going on. and no man
dared to venture near where the walls |
of the tabernacle were reared and the
tent spread above.
Then Moses took the ark, and in
the sight of all the people, he placed
therein the tablets of stone on
which we're written the command
ments, and the rod and a pot of the
mama. And then he set the slaves
on the ark and put the mercy seat
above the ark. and 1t was carried
within.
"See." whispered the people, one to
another, as the Levites bearing the
ark disappeared, "see what Moses has
done with the rod, and the tablets of
stone given to him on the mountain,
and the pot of mamma"
YEA" cried Moses, turning towards
the people, and noting the solemn
hush which had fallen upon them.
yea, 1t is the testimony OF the Lord.
Beneath the mercy seat where God
will now have his abiding place In
the midst of Israel, rest the evidences
of Gods presence with Israel thus far.
The rod through which God worked
such mighty deliverance, the pot OF
mama the evidence of Gods miracu-
lous feeding Of his people in the
midst of the wilderness Businesses, the
tables of stone, the revelation of Gods
perfect will for the guidance OF his
people. These tokens of Gods deal
ngs with his people rest beneath the
mercy seat, even as you, the children
1f Abraham, are preserved under the
mercy seat of Gods love"
Again silence fell upon the people
IS Moses ceased speaking. The Levites
nave withdrawn, leaving the ark in
he holy of holies. and the people
stand expectant.
Moses will now enter and talk with
iod," they whispered one to the
,ther.
But while they thus spoke, the
loud which had stood upon the noun
ain side. came and covered the Tab
'rnacle. and the glory of the Lord
illed the place.
Never before had the people beheld
uch glory and splendor. The Cloud
lad always been a thing of wonder by
lay and splendor of glory by night
'ut now it glowed and scintillated
With beauty transcendent
Surely this was the temple of the
ord and he had come down and filled
t.
What temple in Egypt had they
yer seen which had been so visited
y the gods In whose name they had ,
een reared? ,
When had IL ever been that the ,