St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-03-30
TODD the pleading of his father, say

plunging further into sin. Didst not !
the prophet who passed through our
town yesterday declare plainly that
| because we had disobeyed our God
who led US out of Egypt and gave us
| this land all this evil had come upon
us? Let us consider his words"
But his father, fearing the displeas-
ure Of his neighbors, and knowing
that if he gave fresh offense to his
| enemies he and his household would
become the special object of perse-
| cution, he refused to listen to the
voice Of his son. And Gideon had
slipped away soon afterwards and
had come to the place of the wine
press, where he had secretly placed
a portion of the wheat harvest.
/ Bright and early the next morn.
ing he began the threshing cheered
by the thought that even if the en-
envy did discover it's hiding place and
seize it, it were better for him to
be thus occupied than to be mingltng
with the worshipers Of Baal at
home.
Along towards noon as he paused in
his work and looked out from behind
the rock he was startled to see sit
ting under the oak a man. He had
heard no one approach, and he had
kept sharp lookout all morning to see
that no one crept in upon him I'M
awares. And yet in some mysterious
way this stranger had gained his re-
} treat and was reclining under the
tree as though he had been there all
morning. The newcomer caught Gid
cons startled look, and before the
latter could ask who he was or with
er he had come, he greeted him with
, the salutation:
The Lord is with thee, thou
mighty man of valor."
Who was this man that he should
speak SO Familiarity and SO reassuring'
ly? Surely he was not of the enemy,
as his face and raiment plainly
s showed. Recovering his composure,
} Gideon said: "Sir, if the Lord be with
5 us, why, then, is all this befallen us ?
2 and where be all his muscles which
5 our fathers tell US of, saying: Did
not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?
But now the Lord hath forsaken us,
and delivered US into the hands of
the Midianites"
( AS he spoke Gideon felt the eyes
? of the stranger searching him and
even while he was charging God with
desertion he became conscious of the
sin of Israel which had brought all
the evil upon them. In confusion and
= shame he let his eyes fall and stood
silent Why should he be so abash
ed in the presence Of this stranger!
3 he asked himself, and then the
z thought came to him: This must be
8 some one sent from God. But the
( voice of the stranger reused him.
2 GO in this thy might, Gideon, an6
8 thou shalt save Israel from the hand
2 of the Midianites; have not / sen
5 thee?"
9 "Wherewith shall save Israeli
5 exclaimed Gideon incredulously. BE
9 hold my family is poor in Manasseh
8 and I am the least in my father
2 house."
3 Again came the confident reply o
3 the stranger:
9 Surely I will be with thee, an,
5 thou shalt smite the Midianites a
9 one man"
5 The heart of Gideon leaped within
9 him as the stranger thus continue
5 to address him. Gould this be tn
9 Lord HIMSELF" he asked himself, an
5 then eager to test him and know
g that of surety it was the Lord VIII
8 was speaking with him he looked u
+ half appealingly, and said, in falterin
9 voice:
3 IF now I have found grace in tn
Q sight, then show me sign that tho
talkest with me. Depart not hence
l pray thee, until come unto the
and bring forth my present and set
% before thee"
az With quiet dignity came the r.
he ply:
ed 81 will tarry until thou com
tie again"
M And Gideon fastened away and mad
of ready kid and unleavened cakes {
he an ephah of flour: the flesh he pl
in a basket and he put the broth in
~ pot and brought it unto the strange
air under the oak and presented it to hin
To- Then in accordance with his instru
aa lions he took the flesh and the III
he leaVened CAKES ana lald tnem upo
mt the rock and poured out the brot
and then while he beheld the strange
,s reached forth his staff and touche
rot the offering and behold there ros
ho fire out Of the rock and consumed !
,o+ And even while Gideon beheld, tt
So Lord-for now he knew it was nor
- other than he-arose and departe
out of his sight.
=. Gideon fell upon his face, a gre;
tut leah O0lAo N "o ga
100 out:
nd ALAS, o Lord God! for because
he have seen thee face to face"
But even while he lay there tre1
ho bling there came voice from abo7
.bo him, saying:
am "Peace be unto thee; fear no
no thou shalt not die" A quiet pea,
T and confidence stole into his heal
no He arose and builded an altar al
,o3 worshiped, saying: For inasmut
n. as he hath called me to deliver b
tes people,
yer
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