The Tupelo journal., 1908-11-13

was true of the young man Ezekiel.
Little did he know it then, but he was
slowly and surely being trained for the
service to which he was to be called
later in the land OF captivity.
1t was while under this tutelage and
when jeremiah was suffering his bit
terest trials that the hosts of Neb-
uchadnezzar encompassed the city.
Having subdued Jerusalem, the cap
tain of the Babylonian army proceed
ed to spoil the city, and not content
with the treasure of gold and silver
and precious stones which he found
there, he took of the ~choicestaof the
young men of the city, and among
them was the young mar Ezekiel.
In the land whittier the Jews were
carried they found peace and plenty
awaiting them, and with a content
ment which rested upon the mere
qualification Of the fleshly desires and
which forgot the higher needs of the
soul the captives settled themselves
down.
How quickly do they forget" ex-
claimed the young Ezekiel, as he wan
dered disconsolately from place to
place. The burden pressed heavily
upon his heart, and yer and over
again he would exclaim: "Oh, IL we
only had jeremiah the prophet here to
point the people to God and warn
them of the. evils of the idolatrous
practices Of the people among whom
we dwell"
So matters continued, and then came
another expedition from Babylon
against the rebellious city of Jerusa-
lem. The captives knew of the de-
p%arture of the expedition and waited
with anxious hearts its return. In all
the distressing thought of the horrors
OF war there was one bright hope burn
ing In the heart of Ezekiel and that
was that among those who would be
brought to the land of Babylon he
would see jeremiah the prophet.
How great was his disappointment
therefore, to learn after the return Of
the Chaldean army that jeremiah hav-
ing been given his liberty had chosen
to go back to Jerusalem and share the
lot of the poor. impoverished people
who remained.
But he would not have lone SO, had
he not felt that there he could do
his best service" Ezekiel said to him
self by way of comfort. But we do
need him here"
Day after day Ezekiel carried this
burden about with him, and it grew
heavier and heavier.
"Oh, that we might have a vision of
Cod" he cried in fervency of spirit
n day as he threw himself down in
a sheltered nook by the hank of the
river Chebar. Then lifting his eyes
he looked far off into the blue of Gods
heaven. He wondered If this sky
which canopied the land of Babylon
was the same as that which was over
his beloved Jerusalem, and whether
God were there or not? AS though by
way OF answer a wonderful vision un-
folded before his wondering eyes. 1t
seemed as though the heavens rolled
back as a scroll and that he was look
ing into the very presence of the Great
Jehovah. Step by step God unfolded all
the wonderful attributes of his nature,
his majesty and his power before the
~quickened gaze of the eager young
priest Ezekiel. He heard all of Gods
wonderful message, and he bowed low
as he felt the hand of God resting
upon him and commissioning him to
go to his people in captivity and teach
them of him.
Elated beyond measure by his won
derful experience, thrilling with the
touch of God, and strengthened with
the thought Of the honor of Gods
call to him, he started back toward
the city of his people. He could not
keep still, he must tell his experience,
he must let them know of the great
blessing which had come into his life.
He entered the city, he came into the
presence of the multitude, and then
a strange thing happened. Like a
~thunderbolt there struck into his heart
this question:
WAS his message the relation of his
great vision, or had he been so elated
with the thought Of his own expert
ence that he had not thought to in
quire what God would have him
speak,"
With troubled look he sat upon the
ground just where he stood. He would
wait. AS the servant of God called
to special ministry, he would not be-
tray his trust by speaking aught save
that which God should give to him to
speak. And the seven days during
which Ezekiel sat there before the
people dumb were v days of test
ing which he never forgot, and which
taught him that the servant Of God
could always well afford to wait until
God gave the message.
TEMPERANCE APPEAL.