St. Tammany farmer., 1906-08-04

rests his Cloud that we can expect hi
blessing" And as they cried agar
in their distress and anger that thu
water was bitter and they had naugh1
to drink, Moses added: "God car
make even the bitter water sweet. HI
will give us to drink"
Can God change this vile stun?'
Jahziel broke In with a sneer. "Why
need he have led US to such a place
when We might have found springs o1
good water? You may tarry here Il
you Will, but as for me, I am goins
back to that other place." and he
turned and walked away, followed by
certain of his followers.
In silence the people watched them
seeming half inclined to turn and fol-
low, but the presence Of the Cloud
lowering over them and the stern, un-
yielding face of Moses held them In
indecis!on until the crisis was passed
and Jahziel and his company had
passed out OF view.
/ Then Moses withdrew into his tent,
leaving the people standing there, and
gradually the loud murmuring ceased,
as the whisper went around:
Moses has gone to pray"
For it was noted that the Cloud had
settled down upon the tent OF Moses
and enveloped it, as 1t was wont to
do when the Lord would talk with
their leader. Subdued by the sight,
the people waited, forgetting for the
moment their distressing thirst and
their disappointment at the bitter wa
ters. Then the Cloud lifted again and
Moses came forth. Without the least
glance to tho right or the left, he
passed on by the people, who watched
him with mingled awe and wonder.
On and on he went, never pausing un-
til he came to the very outskirts Of the
camp, by which time all the assembly
Of the people had been stirred by the
unusual proceedings and came to-
gether with the rest OF the people and
followed him at distance. y
And while all eyes watched intently,
Moses stopped before a certain tree
from which he speedily gathered sew
eral toughs and then turned and went
swiftly towards the pools Of water
from which the people had SO short a
time before turned away in anger and
disgust
What strange thing was this which
their leader was doing? With grow
ing interest the people followed and
came up to the edge of the waters
as Moses cast therein the boughs he
had gathered and spoke with a loud
voice So that all standing near could
hear, saying:
Here would the Lord prove thee.
whether We will walk in his ways or
no, for again has he given you de-
liverance. Drink we Of the waters,
for God hath touched them with the
finger Of his power
The voice ceased. But in all that
great company Of people there was not
one who moved to stoop and drink, so
blind and hard OF heart were they,
that they were slow to believe the
words which Moses had spoken.
But at last there came one and
kneelec down by the waters and
slipped half hesitatingly from the hand
he dipped into the pool. Then q glad
shout rose from his lips, and dropping |
on both hands he plunged his face
into the pool and drank long and |
eagerly. Then another and another |
followed his example, and soon the
great thirsty throng was shaking its |
thirst, and shouting for JOY over this
thing which God had done for them.
In the meantime Jahziel and thosa
with him had lost no time In jour
neying towards the place Of their
vision, but not that night nor the next
did they find aught but the burning
sands and the rocky waste. The little
water they had brought with them was
now well nigh exhausted, and death
stared them in the face. YEARLY they
dragged on and on. Now no longer
hoping to find the place for which they
had> set out, they sought to retrace
their steps and regain the company
from which they had so willfully with
drawn, in spite Of the protests OF
Moses. And at last when they had
about given up hope and were ready
to lay down and die, they again came
in sight of Marah.
Eagerly, expectantly they pressed
forward with what little strength they1
had left, but when they had come to
the place where the camp had been
pitched they found 1t deserted and the
people had gone.
Yea, we might have known they
would have gone, for how could they
remain here where the waters were un-
1t to Drink, and were but an aggravat-
ng reminder OF their greatest need"
spoke up Jahziel, bitterly, as he
dragged himself away from the wa
.er's edge, followed by his companions.
There Is nothing for US to do but to
press forward
And on into the desert they went
gnorant, because Of their sin and un.
,elief, Of the miracle God had wrought
It Marah, and missing the blessing
vhich might have been theirs even at
daran, the place Of bitter waters.
Giving to the Lord. Is
A convert In Bohemian village In 6
Minnesota kept his store closed ON
sunday, and would not sell tobacco.
10 puts one-third Of his income into I
he Lords treasury. Not long ago he
nd his younger brother began bee
u1ture The first wear their TX hsr>-