St. Tammany farmer., 1906-10-27

even those daring spirits who had
gathered that night from every tribe
; to talk over the situation.
"It would have been better II we
had died in the wilderness" at last
walled the voice Of one.
"But we didn't" came the sharp re-
tort of the first speaker, ''and the
question is, are we going forward to
be destroyed by the people of the
land?"
NO." came the response, at first
feebly, and then louder and stronger.
'Then what shall we do? It were
better for us to return to Egypt, for
there at least we had food to eat and
none sought our lives to take them"
"But Moses will not lead us back"
exclaimed some one, to which the first
speaker responded, quickly, saying:
"Let us choose another captain, and
let us return to Egypt forthwith
Caleb as he listened was first aston
ished, and then angry and then fright
ened. Mischief was brewing in the
camp. He must inform Moses at once
of this thing, and without stopping to
hear what further was said, Caleb hur-
ried on as fast as possible.
Following Caleb's startling story a
hasty conference of the leaders was
held and it was concluded that they
would go at once and trap the con-
spirators in their tent before they had
had opportunity to get out amongsts
the people and spread the rebellion.
| They approached the place just as
the morning light was beginning to
break in the east. No sound came
from the tent and no one was in sight
about the place. Cautiously they ap-
preached the entrance and, pushing,
aside the tent flap, they looked within.
But it was empty.
"They have gone to gather the peo-
ple," exclaimed Caleb.
"Come, let us hasten," was the grim
response OF Moses as he turned and
went OF In the direction Of the large
open stretch of common where the
people during their stay at Kadesh
had been wont to gather.
| IL was 6aS luCy u0U AOolCOs lOA tACy
found the representatives Of every
tribe gathered there, and there were
constant additions to the multitude as
fresh companies OF Israelites kept
coming up.
The coming of Moses and Aaron
with Caleb and Joshua startled the as
sembly, but it was plain that the
people were determined in their
course and were ready to stand their
ground. And while Moses talked with
the leaders of the rebellion, chief
among whom were the ten spies. the
people took up the cry:
Let us choose another captain, who
will lead us back to Egypt"
And Moses and Aaron fell upon
their faces to the ground, while Caleb
| and Joshua rent their garments and,
rushing into the midst of the shout
ing people, they cried:
NAY, nay, not Egypt! but the Prom
ised Land! For the land which we
| passed through is an exceeding good
land. If the Lord delight in us, then
he will bring us into this land, and l
give it us. It is land indeed that
| howeth with milk and honey. Only
rebel not ye against the Lord, neither
fear ye the people Of the land; for
they are bread for us. Their defense
is departed from them, and the Lord
is with us. Fear them not"
But the words OF Joshua and Caleb |
served only to excite the people the
more and make them cry the louder:
let us choose another captain and
return to Egypt"
Again Joshua and Caleb sought to
quiet the people, pointing to the pros
trate forms of Moses and Aaron and
crying:
"God hath given you leader. Com
NIT not this great sin, for ye are re-
jecting Cod 4
Then the people turned in a rage |
upon them and shouted that stones be
brought to stone them. In quick re-
sponse the people turned with COM
mon impulse and rushed towards
bit Of stony ground lying at some dis
tance away, fully intent upon carrying
out their wicked purpose.
Realizing the peril of the situation
and that not moment must be lost,
Caleb and Jushua rushed back to I
warn Moses and Aaron, who still lay |
prostrate In prayer.
"Hear ye not the cry Of the people? |
They go to bring stones with which
to kill thee. Flee for your lives"
And Moses arose and calmly faced |
the onrushing mob, which by this time
had turned and was bearing upon
them with their hands uplifted, in
which could be seen the great, Jagged
rocks they had seized. On, on, they
came, but still Moses stood and calm
" waited. None had noticed that the
cloudy pillar, still glowing brightly In
the gray Of the early morning, had
moved from its accustomed place and
was bearing down upon them. Still
the infuriated people came on, filing
the air with their mad cries. And still
the cloud moved on, and just as the
mob came near enough to hurl their
rocks and were just upon the point
Of doing so, the cloud enveloped Moses
and the rest, and fash Of light sped
from it and felled to the ground the
ten spies, who were In the fore front
Of the onrushing people. In terror
the rest fell back and the arms tina:
held the missiles dropped weak and
helpless to their sides, and then swift
" and quietly they departed to their