Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1906-08-09
THE STORY.


Quiet, almost to death-like still
ness, had settled down upon the camp.
1t was startling contrast to the tur-
moil and strife of the afternoon, and
Moses as he stole out of the camp and
sought the solitude alone marveled at
the change. So rapidly had the events
of the afternoon before developed, and
so intense had been the feeling mani
tested both by the people as they clam
ored for water, and the elders as they
sought to restore order and quiet, that
he had not had time or opportunity to
realize the meaning of it all. But as
he passed along through the camp
sleeping so peacefully, the whole scene
passed before his vision again. Could
it be that it was only that afternoon
that they had come to that place
Could it be that but a few hours be-
fore the people were crying loudly for
water and threatening him because
there was none to be had?
"In their frenzy, they utterly forgot
that God was in their midst" Moses
unused to himself as he walked along,
land now that their thirst has been
satisfied they care not for the won
derful manifestation of Gods power"
and he sighed heavily as he thought
how slow the people were to believe
and to understand Gods dealings with
them.
That morning they had gathered the
mamma as usual and been satisfied to
the full, but when they had drunk the
last of their water they began to fret.
and to declare that they would surely
die of thirst there in the wilderness,
forgetting utterly that the God who
had supplied food could also supply
them with. water Then as the day
had worn away and no water was
found the murmuring became more and
more open, until at last when the
Cloud settled down and the tents were
pitched and no water was in sight, the
anger of the people broke forth as we
have already stated.
Sleep had long since come to the rest
in the camp of Israel, even Aaron
yielding to the bodily fatigue, but his
own. heart was so singularly stirred
that he felt no inclination to seek his
couch. For long time he sat alone
before his tent, watching the stars as
they came forth one by one, and ever
anon letting his eyes rest upon the
glowing pillar which hung above the
camp, but at last moved by some
strange impulse he had arisen and
passed out of the camp.
20 wrapped in the inner contempla-
ton was he that he was utterly I'M
conscious whittier his steps were
trending, until of a sudden his foot
splashed into cool pool of water and
he looked up with start to find him
self before the great rock where God
that afternoon had opened up way
of refreshing for his thirsty people.
The dark outlines of the rugged
stone stood out sharply against the
deep blue of the starlit sky. Upward
for a hundred feet or more it reared
its head from the surrounding level of
the sands which stretched away in
every direction. 1t was the one strik-
ing and impressive object of the land
scape.
AS they had passed it that afternoon
on the way to the place little farther
on where the camp had been pitched,
they had paused and for brief mo-
ment while the people gazed curiously
upon it the murmuring and complaint
had ceased. But as they had again
taken up the march and were forced
because of the spreading masses of
rock at the base to make wide detour
fresh complaint burst forth.
Was it not enough that they had no
water to drink? Why should such OBJ
structions come across their pathway?
Of what use was that great pile OF
jagged stone, anyway?
Such were some of the ill-natured
questions which broke forth, and as
is always the case where one is in the
fault-fnding mood, they had no eyes
to see anything but the disagreeaDle
and discouraging features. So 1t was
that they had found in the rock only
another opportunity for complaining
And when Moses had striven to paclfy