The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1906-06-01

S,SI3 flocks and herds
49, to worship in the
riIderness as Moses had demanded,
hut the promise had not been kept,
Ind il was for this reason that Moses
has again seeking an interview with
i she king.
On every hand in the garden when
had been so beautiful there were signs
HI devastation and ruin, for what the
ayfll hail in its fury had failed to cut |
10 pieces and beat into the ground mad
been devOured by the voracious 10
fusts. Trees we're stripped bare ana
the tender plants and shrubs were
broken and eaten until but mere stubs
!protruded from the earth. But the DAY
Uas glorious and serene, and the sun
shone in all his brilliancy. Nature
ceemed in amiable mood, and with
soothing touch was striving TO neal
tba cruel wounds which the plaques
had made Not a single locust re-
NAMED of all that vast myriad when
had covered the land and it did not
seem possible that from that balmy'
clear sky there could have poured such
a storm of hail and sleet
Even Pharaoh felt more cheer1ul
Than for many days past. The fear
chat had clutched at his heart While
The storm was at its height and the
great Jagged chunks Of ice were hiss
inc through the air like demons and
J. pounding on the earth until the roar
4. fllad the air, had left him, and IN It's
Is nlace there came a fierce and bitter
81 M defiance against Moses and his God
81 and a new loyalty to the gods OF
3 Egvpt. He lifted his eyes to the sun
~ and bowed in alteration, eXclaimlng:
20, Osiris, thou art the god o.
n Egvpt, and above all other gods
Thou art the god who rules in Egyp
and TO thee we give thanks for dellV
81 GRANGE from the scOurgeS which tn
displeasure of the gods has sent upol
US"
n Again he lifted his eyes toward
81 the heavens and, stretching out hi
hands in duplication, he cried:
II Thou ruler of heaven and eartt
a give earl"
u In this attitude he stood for som
minutes. A slight rustling OF ga
ments at his side aroused him an
turning he saw Moses standing water
ing him intently. A look of blttt
81 scorn and anger swept across n
face. and murderous hatred filled h
heart, Here was his enemy. +
would destroy him. He turned to b
attendants to order them to seize hill
g when the latter raised his han
towards heaven and the sun as Pha
aoh had just done, and said, sternly
"Will thy gods deliver thee,
Pharaoh? | tell thee nay! Let t
sun be blotted out and let darkne
be upon thee and upon all thy pc
ple!"
The words had scarcely died aW
when Pharaoh and those with h
uttered piercing wall of angu
q and despair and frantically press
y their hands to their eyes, and tried
z brush and tear away the burnt
v itching film which seemed to enve
oN them and shut out the light. In v
y did they call upon their gods.
y agony of fear and terror seized tn
as they realized that some awful
lamity had fallen upon them. L
~ madmen Pharaoh and his attenda
leaped about and beat upon tt
~ breasts. And when the first spas
of fear and terror had passed a tle
~ and murderous hatred filled Il
" hearts against Moses and Aaron,
could they have seized them
~ would have torn them in pieces.
" 1t was they called down upon t
= heSds all the awful curses OF the
wy of Egypt, and beat the air in t
Is impotent frenzy.
slp 1t was a sight to make ones b
y run cold. Silently Moses and Al
- looked upon the scene. Here was
mighty Pharaoh helpless and uni
before the power of their God.
~ was the king under whose iron
poor Israel had been bruised
" crushed, Inundated by dire ply
z suffering. Here was the vice re
" Of the great sun god, the give
uss light, held in the relentless
nnyielding power of darkness.
os any wonder that Moses and A
w Is they stood there beholding 81
" have felt stealing into their hea
~ new confidence in the God Of Abra
lg!s Isaac and Jacob and an assul
" That He who had promised de
ance to Israel was able to bring
purposes to pass?
AT last the rage of the king
spent itself A sense of his he'll
g aess sweeps over him. and in
q the angry curses falling frol
Ups there comes a despairing s
81 lOr help. And for answer his a.
y ants echo his cry and confess
Ebs selves unable to help.