Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-03-07

snc his dealings with the children OF
Abraham.
And then as she would 60 abroad.
as her duties often required. and she
would see the wickedness about her.
the worship Of the idols and the in.
dulgences in the heather festivities.
she would rush back to the refuge OF
her own home and question her
mother about 1t, asking. over and
over again:
Oh. mamma, how can they forget
God so? How can they be SO wIckedg"
And then the mother would 20 over
the history OF the children OF Israel
again, and show her how repeatedly
they had wandered away from home.
now afiiction and trouble had come.
and how at last they had been brought
back to him.
Thus the years passed and Deborah
grew into womanhood. Still there
were the distorted features, but with
the development OF years and the
growing near to God, there had come
subduing influence over the irregu.
lar. harsh lines OF the face. No one
who looked into those deep. serious
eyes and saw them light up as she
talked concerning the things Of God; ;
no one who heard the wonderful
depth and fullness OF her resonant
voice could have failed to realize that
Dehind that homely face there was
some hidden power and charm which
captivated and subdued. The great
hunger Of her heart for knowledge OF
God had during the early years drawn
from her mother every vestlge and
scrap OF history of her people and
their God. and then she had grown
into the custom OF telling them over
to her mother in her own wonderful
way. And her mother would listen
with rapt attention and when she
was done she would lay her hand rev.
erently upon her head and exclaim:
Surely. the spirit OF God resteth
upon thee, my child"
One day Deborah returned home
after specially trying ordeal In the
market place. For there had come
that day company of Canaanites TO
the village and the people had given
themselves up to the festivities Of the
occasion.
"Oh. IL some one would only tell the
people Of their sin" Deborah ex.
claimed. after she had related TO her
mother the sad scene.
And why do not you9" asked her
mother. with sudden inspiration.
ME. mother?" Deborah exclaimed.
shrinking back at the thought. How
could II"
Nothing more was said but her
mothers words. why do not You ?"
Kept ringing in her ears. until at last
she exclaimed to herself:
Il will, | will just tell them OF
Gods leading in the past. OF the past
sins OF the people and how God has
punished them. OF the present wick.
edness and how surely God will visit
afiiiction upon them IL they do not
turn from evil ways and serve the liv.
ing God"
And Deborah kept her resolve, and
not many days after this her name
was on every ones lips as the one
who had fearlessly stood up In the
market place and denounced the sins
OF the people and pleaded with them
to turn back to God.
Now one OF those who had listened
to Deborah's message in the market
place was a man Of Mount Ephraim
named Lapidoth. His spirit was
stirred within him at the words he
heard and when the king had refused
to let Deborah speak further in the
market place he offered her shelter
among his people in the mountain
Businesses. And hither II was that
Deborah withdrew and she became
the wife Of LapidOth, and the place
where she dwelt became known as
the place OF the palm tree of Deborah,
for there the beautiful great tree
reared its tall head to the sky and
was landmark by which the people
were guided to her dwelling. And
hither the people resorted to her for
instruction and judgment. and as the
affliction of the children of Israel
grew, for Jabin the king increased his
oppression more and more, the people
came to cry unto their God and at last
through Deborah and Barak, a brave
and mighty man of war whom she
called to her aid. she delivered Israel
and judged them for many years.