Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-07-05

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Yea, .nd it is for that very reason
the Lord is leading us thither, for He
has spoken to me saying: Speak unto
the children of Israel, that they turs
and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, be-
tween Mfgdol and the sea, over against
Daal-Zephon; before 1t shall yo en-
camp by the sea. For Pharaoh shall
say of the children of Israel: They
are entangled in the land, the wilder
ness hath shut them in" And l will
harden Pahaohs heart, that he shall
follow after them; and will be hon
ored upon Pharaoh and upon all his
host; chat the Egyptians may know
that am the Lord"
Thus by earnest speech Moses sue
ceeded at last in overcoming the fears
Of the leaders, and after further con-
ference the latter returned to tne,r d.
visions, and having Quoted the discon.
tent of the people the march was con-
tinued, the people following the lead
of the cloud as it went before them.
Back in Egypt Pharaoh received the
news brought by his messenger with
amazement
do you mean," he exclaimed, chat
Moses has led his people down be-
tween The mountains and the sea?"
Yea, that is the way they have Ia
ken, but it was the cloud moving be-
fore them that pointed the course"
"The cloud?" questioned Pharaoh.
What mean your"
The king listened to the story OF the
appearance of the strange thing float
ing in the heavens above the Hebrews
with growing wonder and superstitious
fears.
1T is the presence of their god, they
think" concluded the spy. But IL god
it be, he is god of folly to choose such
a course for his people"
But are you certain of this thing?"
Pharaoh asked, doubtfully but with an
eagernes5 which betrayed the hope
which was springing up within his
heart. Perhaps it was but the sub.
terfuge of the sly leader Moses. May
it not have been that he suspected that
some watchful Egyptians were spying
upon him and his people, and wishing
to mislead them, planned this detour
expecting after their departure to turn
back and flee into the wilderness?"
May, oh, king, think not. But
even were it so, there is one whom !
left to keep the Hebrew people in view
He it is who will meet thee and thy
army and guide thee to the place
where thou wouldst come. Certain 4,
is that thou wilt find him at Gtham,
where the Hebrews encamped last and
from which point they turned aside
and fled into what will prove verita
BILE trap for them. Whether they con:
tinue on Gown the narrow valley or re-
turn and flee into the wilderness, II
matters not, for thy servant who
watches will know and be able to di.
rect the pursuit"
1T is WE'LL" assented Pharaoh, Gag
erly, and at once gave the commands
which summoned his chariots anG
horsemen to prepare for Immediate
pursuit.
Now will be avenged upon the He,
brew people for all the ills which have
befallen me, even the cutting off of my
first-born son. And they shall return
and serve me with more bitter bondage
than was ever known before or shall
be known hereafter"
Thus Tuning in his fierce hatred he
and his amy sped forward and had he
needed encouragement the hot temper
of his officers and soldiers would have
spurred him on.
At Ethan the messenger was found
awaiting the army, and he was quickly
ushered into the presence of Pharaoh,
who was eager to learn of the move.
ments of the Hebrew people. Had they
continued on down between the noun.
tains and the sea, or had they turned
and escaped in the wilderness? was
the cloud still leading? Was there
aught to fear in it's presence?
In reply to these questions the mes
senger pointed eagerly towards the
south, saying:
"Thither they have gone, and they
cannot escape thee. Now is 1t that
Pharaoh shall show that the god of the
Hebrews is god of folly, for what god
is there who could deliver from thy
army in such place."
But the cloud? Is it still leadlng?"
Pharaoh asked, somewhat anxiously.
1T abides over the people, like a
sheltering wing" replied the man, but
when the eagle would seize the bird
ling from the nest he cares not for the
outspread pinions that hover about it.
So Pharaoh has naught to fear Let us
hasten"
The mighty host of Pharaoh filled
the narrow valley as it marched and
the rumble of the chariots and the
tread of the horses fairly shook the
mountains which they were skirting
To human eye what escape was there
for the defenceless people just ahead !
The unyielding mountains on theiI
right, the greedy sea upon their left,