St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-12-05


God in penitence, they gave them
selves up to the allurements Of the
strange land in which they dwelt.
He also recalled the profound sen.
sation which had been caused when
he had gone forth among the people
and had shaved the hair from his
head and from his face and had df-
vided it into three portions with
great ceremony. Then while the curious
eyes of the multitudes beheld, he
burned third part, third part ne
smote with his knife and cut into
many fine pieces, and the remaining
portion he had scattered into the
winds, and they had been waited
hither and thither. Then he had
stopped and picked up a few of the
hairs which had fallen near him and
had folded them in a portion Of his
garment, which he tore from him and
cast into the fire SO that it was con-
sumed. And having done all this, he
declared unto the people the mean
ing of il all, saying that thus would
God do with his people who had
sinned And they had believed he
had been sent from God and mar
veled at his message and its graphic
portrayal, and had turned themselves
again to their eating and their drink.
ing and their life amidst the people
among whom they had come to dwell
And Ezekiel had been discouraged
and had questioned in his heart what
good his words and actions had &C.
complished. In this spirit he had
gone among the people seeking for
such as would fayorably hear his
message, and refraining to speak
where he felt there would only be OPP
position and rejectment Of the mes
sage.
1t was at such a time as this that
God had sought him out and he sat
alone on the banks of the Chebar,
where he was wont to go for medita-
ton and prayer. It was here that
God had spoken to him before, and it
was here that God appeared to him
and communed with him. And with
what condemning force the word had
come. The words echoed and re.
echoed like an accusing voice through
his heart.
"Son of man." came the message,
when bring the sword upon a land,
if the people of the land take a man
Of their coasts, and set him for theit
watchman; if when he seeth the
sword come upon the land, he blow
the trumpet and warn the people;
then whosoever heareth the sound of
the trumpet, and taketh not warning;
| if the sword come, and take him away,
his blood shall be upon his own head.
He heard the sound of the trumpet,
| and took not warning; his blood shall
be upon him. But he that taketl
| warning shall deliver his soul. But il
| the Waterman see the sword come.
and blow not the trumpet, and the peo'
pie be not warned; if the sword come,
and take any person from among
them, he is taken away in his iniquity;
| but his blood will / require at the
| watchman's hand. So thou, o son OF
man, l have set thee Waterman unto
| the house of Israel; therefore thou
shalt hear the word at my mouth, and
warn them from me-"
With a great cry of remorse and
anguish Ezekiel had fallen to the
ground What kind Of messenger
had he been? How faithful had he
been in warning of the peril as God
had revealed it to him? What right
had he to question whether the PEG
pie would hear and heed or would turn
from his message with Indifference
He was not set as a recorder making
I'D the books of God. His was not
the task of seeking out those who
would receive his message kindly, and
! turning with impatient heart from
those who refused to listen. He was
| Waterman set to blow the trumpet
He must send forth the blast. His
was not to question where, or why
or how, or to seek for an accurate &C
counting Of results.
BLOW, Waterman, blow" Ezekie
cried under his breath as the new
consciousness of his responsibility
burst upon him. II will!' he ex
claimed, as he started forth.
1T is a hard task, indeed" he cried
as he pressed on his way. "But / viii
be a faithful Waterman"
No one knew what that resolution
cost him. Not cost him to make, bu
cost him to live out faithfully in his
life, for the resolution made is only
the first step in the conflict; it Il
only buckling on the armor and tax
ing the sword in hand. The fighting
comes after. But he who resolves
with God is doubly sure of victory, fo1
he knoweth the righteousness of ths
cause in which he fights, and know
eth also that he fights not alone.
And what though the letters were
riveted upon his arms; what though
vituperation and violence often me
his word of protest and warning
against the wickedness of Israel, Eze
kiel would say over and over tt
himself:
"Set as a Waterman to blow tht
trumnet. It is for me to blow, com