The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-08-30
LOUISIANA NEWS.
temnIe OF Ashtaroth the Philistine
Animals in Crowley Ne'ghlorhooo
Suffered

who was there to lead the nation
Confusion and uncertainty pTeVaiIeu. {
Even Ahucr the leader OF the
hosts of Israel was apparently
unable to rally his forces ana 'E'
suggest some plan of action. Inc for
people were as sheep without Sh"p lbo
herd SO for days and weeks the as
order and confusion continued, even as '''
far south as in the land OF Judah. Ana ne
there the stirring reports OF the oa', lot
file with its i'll consequences TO lsrael
were repeated over aud over again ca
and the same questions stirred the o.,
hearts of the people as to VINO now
would lead them as troubled Ine :,
northern tribes In the spirit OF much .,
depression the elders OF judah came
| together to consider the SITUATION =
meeting secretly in one Of the little .
obscure towns lest if they assembled =
at Hebron, their chief city, news OF
the meeting might reach the ears
of the Philistines and stir them u
immediate attack.
1t was but natural that the first
thought should be of David, and some
we're for an immediate sending oI
= messenger to him inviting his re-
turn TO Judah, but just as they We're
about to Do SO a runner brought I'D
in2s that David had Joined his forces
; with those Of Achsh. the PhlllStihe
king, and had shared in the recent pat
} tie which had resulted SO diSastrouSly |
|. to the army Of Israel.
"What. David fight against his
brethren in Israel?' the elders eA-
claimed.
: Yes" replied the messenger.
= Thou knowest how he has been
: dwelling in the land Of the Philistlnes
: for now these many months, and how
! King Achish gave him Ziklas in which
= 70 dwell. And Achish made league
= with him and trusted him as he might
= 4 brother, so that when he gathered
= his armies to go out against the arm
= les of Israel he took David and his
: men along
: long painful silence followed this
= disconcerting news. Whittier, now
indeed. would Judah turn. David had
failed them. Now that he had taken
: M arms against his own countrymen
= there could never more be place lot
Z him in Judah. And with even great
: er depression than before the elders
! departed to their homes.
: But the next day strange things had
: hapnaned in Judah. The elders sent
= messengers to each other with the
\ query:
: Hath David sent aught to thee,
y rehold when | arrived home ! tount
= there awaiting me a goodly portion o
Z tbe spoil which David had sent Wit
= loyal greetings. What thinHest tho
! concerning it,
# can be imagined what surpris
= and establishment such tidings brougf
n = 70 each Of the elders and hastily the
e rcassembed early on the toIloWh
T. = dav 70 consider the matter. Then
e was that the full details OF DAVID T
G = urn to Ziklag his pursuit OF the e
= carried off the women and chlidre
d ; and of his recovery Of everythI
r : which had been taken, were MAJ
IS : Known
ct : Then he did not fight with I
Us : phiIi,tiues AGAINST Israeli they
claimed, one to the other, their
TO ! preston giving place to the JOY oil
We = new hope.
ne \ LET as send greetings at once
SIS : navid and invite him to return, e.
is, arly suggested one.
SO "Rut WHO is there who will dare
into the land of the Philistines
carry him word. If the coming
AAA e,,ch messenger reaches the ears
tba philistines. | fear it will go h
with David. and may bring the ?
-, istinc armies down upon us, sp
IL ~, No another cautiously.
Si"iNE Then followed an earnest discuss
Il anu which was suddenly interrupted
H. anu Tho entrance of breathless run
pa'inE vino exclaimed as soon az he
's'io'' able to recover the power OF spec
Slou " David! Hebron
: night .cu,hot.s that Won saw" fairly sh
est tn 49, o,dore ca excited were t
e I'I" David has come to Hebron?
none The messenger nodded his hea
le mer- . md oddaI.
"a'eIS' Yea. and he hath brought all
is the on and all his substance. and
'eneath wives and all whatsoever he hath
se ap, Then let us 90 up to Hebron
a'leIeu there anoint him as our King.
iture so -, Goa has looked down upon us il
It bring Iistroce and hath sent delvere
heart And so it was that the men 0
before dab came and there they emo
David king over the house OF Jud