Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1908-11-26
OXFORD MISS 26

use tne drowning m1n N the water
eltngtng IN desperation 20 one slender
rope which viii dag him 70 safety. so
the soul reaches ap and cllngs 70 The
thought of Gcd-cIinxs and waits.
eiinss and waits knowing that At last
God viii hear and answer.
Exskisl the prophet the u,an %
visions. the uaa ot great messages
and faithful ministry. discruraxed and
dishearteusdt impossible, say nor
50. Unless you are wiling TO MAKE
him more than human. for to every
soul that Is called cc Sod. and who
would serve hia. here come tuss
such hours % heart anguish when
everything seems swept from under
the feet except the one thought OF
Got-iust God.
Yes. Exekiei vas DISCOURAGED All
the hxht had gone out of his soul. but
that one nght-Sio't Nothing could
take that away. Low n the dust he
lay.
Israel In captivity had lost utterly
the visicr Of return TO ths beloved
jerusalem II seemed 50 tmposslbl
Reports had come trcrn the Gar or 30
loved land Nothing but d@soiAtion
there. Nothing but hiarksned ruin.
Wild beasts found shelter tn the rug
xsd ruins and the hirds % the
air made their nests in the crannies
% the shattered walls. Such was
Fh.a -,tr.Ffrf.ss. =. T.s-....r.rv. 81 - 49,.
land % Babylon. whittier the Jews ha.
been dragged as captfvss. they bad
found habitation-pleuty TO eat. .
place 90 trade and grow rich. and
pleasant companions among thoss
Who vorshipsd the gods OF wood and
stone. And they had become con,
tent with their bot. and with the
stories of the dssolafton at JerJr
salem there had cpms n dimminx Of
the vision % a return What cared
they to rsturu to that land when they
we're SO favored In the place Of their
captivity.
Ezekiel had uoted all THIS. and ths
question had begun 60 arise tn his
heart whether the promised return
could ever b. Little by little the
heart had sunk In despair untiI In
the anguish uf doubt and discourage
ment be fed 10 his quiet retreat BY
the river Chebar. and there upon the
ground gave way % his grief
Then came the voice within
Struggle on and he had cues
toned whether it we're God that had
spoken And while thus hghtirg the
baftI. of doubt within hs fell a touch
upon him which b. knew could
ouly b. thu hand 0f Cod. t1r 4
brought a calm and quiet 70 hts spirit
and seemed N Strengthen him FOR =
iouruey He had come IN weary IN
the body unto death. bur nov as ID
felt the thrill q the new hfe and
strength within hfn be strsightensd
up and whispered. over and ever
again
Cod, Cod n is God, r Is Gad
Who has spoken VIII struggle on
md sufting the action To The word
be arose and went rapidly llang ths
pafhxay which followed the cuurss
oe the river Bat some strange powell
seemed % be working within him. fcl
/ suddenly b. sfrtIra "a into a Wild anf
unfreq,zsnta,i part Of the country. :
absorbed was he. however. with ths
spirit which held him. the con
scious and blessed presence 0
God. that hs knew not how far be Jour
neye,f. nor observed the ruughness Of
the way By which he went
But OF A sudden BE- stopped, aist
Ilfftfnx bis eyes. be bsheld ghastll
sight. Before him lay heaps up"r
/ heaps OF human bonss-grtnning. hol
Iox-eyed skulls. bouy hands thrus
/ upward from the heaps a though II
mute. hopeless appeal: leg bones
thigh bones. rounded ribs and curvtns
\ spfnss-aII bleaching and giistsnin.
white in the hot sun
And while he was looking In Tea
and trepIdation. hs heard voie'
speaking. saving;
/ son OF man. can these bones i've
Startled By the question. Ezekiel a
most laughed in bis nervous excite
usnt
1T was God who spake." he quick
Iy thought. and instantly responding
10 the thought, hs exclaimed
20. Lord God. thou knosess-