Mexico Missouri message., 1907-02-07


green fields came the ravenous cricl.
cts In wide. black streams down the
mountain sides. Over the growing
grain they spread a. 4 pail. and tho
tender sprouts were consumed 10 the
ground. In their track they left no
stalk nor growing blade.
Starvation now faced the Saints.
In their panic they sought 70 fight tho
all-devouring pest. While some went
wildly through the fields killing the
crickets, others ran trenches and tried
10 drown them. still others beat them
back with sticks and 'brooms, or
burned them by fires set in the fields.
But against the oncomlng horde. these
efforts were unavaillng. Where hun.
dreds were destroyed hundreds of
thousands appeared.
Despair seized the Saints, the bitter
despair of a cheated, famished people
-deluded even by their God. In their
shorn fields they wept and cursed
knowing at last they could not stay the
pest.
Then into the fields came Joel Rae
rebuklng the frenzled men and women.
The light OF a high faith was upon him
as he called out to them:
Have l not preached to you all win.
ter the way to salvation in times like
this? Does faith mean one thing In
my mouth and another thing here?
Why waste yourselves with those
foolish tricks OF fire and water? They
only make you forget Jehovah-you
fools-you poor. blind fools-to palteT
sol"
He raised his voice, and the won.
dering group about him grew large.
Down, down on your knees and
pray-pray-pray! tell you the Lord
shall not suffer you to perish!"
Then, as but one or two obeyed
him
so your hearts have been hard.
ened? Then my own prayer shall save
you!"
Down he knelt In the midst of the
group, while they instinctively drew
back from him on all sides. But as
his voice rose, n voice that had never
failed to move them, they, too. began
to kneel, at hrst those near him. then
others back OF them, until a hundred
knelt about him.
He had not observed them. but with
eyes closed he prayed on. pouring out
his heart in penitent duplication.
AS his words rang out, there had
been quick. low, startled murmurs
from the kneeling group about him;
and now loud shouts interrupted his
prayer. He opened his eyes. From
of toward the lake great fiocks Of
gulls had appeared, whitening the sky,
and now dulling all other sounds with
the beating of their wings and their
high, plaintive cries. Quickly they
settled upon the fields in swirling
drifts. so that the land all about lay
white as with snow.
A groan went up: They will finish
what the crickets have left"
He had risen to his feet looking In.
tently. Then he gave an exultant
shout.
mo! No!-they are eating only tho
crickets! the white birds are de.
vouring the black pests; the hosts OF
heaven and hell have met. and the
powers of light have triumphed once
more over darkness! Pray-pray now
with all your hearts in thanksgiving
for this mercy"
And again they knelt, many with
streaming eyes. while he led them in
a prayer of gratitude for this wondrous
miracle.
All day long the white birds fed
upon the crickets. and when they left
at night the harvest had been saved
Thus had Heaven vouchsafed second
miracle to the Lutte of the Holy Ghost
II Is small wonder then II his views Of
the esteem in which he was held by
that power were now greatly enlarged
In August, thanks to the Heaven
sent gulls. they were able to celebrate
with a feast their hrst Harvest
Home" In the center OF the bis
stockade a bowery was built. and un
der its shade tables were spread and
richly laden with the first fruits theil
labors had won from the desert
white bread and golden butter. greer
corn, watermelons. and many varieties
OF vegetables. Hoisted on poles To-
exhibition were immense sheaves o
wheat. rye. barley. and oats. coaxeS
from the arid level with the water the.
had cunningly spread upon II.
There were prayers and public
thanksgiving. songs and speeches ana
dancing. II was the flush Of their mrs
triumph over the desert Until night
fall the festival lasted. and at its clos,
Elder Rae stood up to address them OF
the subject OF their past trials ant
present blessings. The silence wa
instant. and the faces were all turnel
eagerly upon him. for II was beginning
10 be suspected that he had moro thar
even prlestiy power.
When he was done many presses
forward TO take his hand, the younl
and the old, for they had both learnol
20 reverence him.
Near the outer edge OF the thron
, was red.lip2od juno. superbl
rounded. who had cleaned "a the FIELD