Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-07-15

|
OF the army or Israel
/ As It was. however. in his office as
| prophet to the nation he was destined
TO play an important part. and he
threw himself into the work of reviv-
ing the national spirit and unifying
the forces OF Israel. Back and forth
thrrAgh the length and breadth OF the
LAND he went preaching his messass
and arouslng the people.
II was from one Of these trips he
had just returned to Samaria, and
found the king had caught the spiris
OF the movement and was wait
ing to receive him and ask his
counsel concerning the coming cam
paign. Jonah gave a careful report
as TO the conditions all through the
land. of the enthusiasm ~ the PEG
pie and of the rallying Of the fighting
men, so that every tribe and every
section OF the land hac. It's body Of
soldiers to throw into the main army
when the king should be ready to be.
gin an aggressive military campaign.
II seemed to Jonah as he departed
from the palace after the lonS ctnfer
ence that the prospect could not be
brighter, nor the plans more perfectly
laid, and when he reached HIS owl
humble dwelling he threw himself
down upon his couch, not TO sleec
but to dream Of the glorious fu;ur:
which was opening up before the NJ
ton.
But the active brain and bounding
heart must needs yield at last 10 tie
fatigue OF the body. and the prophet
| slept. How long he lay thus he knew
not, but as he slept vision came 10
him OF 4 great city and the voice az
one standing and pointing towards The
city sounded in his ear and he awoke
All was still and the vision was
gone, but as he lay in the darkness
and listened for the voice he had
heard I'm his dreams. and which
seemed so real that ne could scarcely
believe that he had been asleep. nv
heard IT again. saying:
Arise. go to Nineyeh. that gresl
city, and cry against it: for Their
wickedness is come up before me"
With startled cry. Jonah Ieapeh
from his couch and stood trembling
by the open door.
Go and preach to Nineveh. Nine.
ven, the great, a hostile nation. whom
Israel had reason TO fear. Preach to
Nlneveh, to strengthen that city
against his own. when he had jus,
been going up and down through the
land proclaiming the word OF the
| Lord and calling on Israel to war
against the nations round about and
recover the territory lost years be
fore? IL fairly took his breath away,
and as he stroye to control the revuI.
sion OF feeling which rushed over
him he drove his finger nails into the
palms of his hands, so tightly did he
clasp them
Go to Nineveh, He could not,
Why. is seemed like apostasy. He
who had been preaching a message
OF hope and deliverance TO his own
nation, to turn 10 one Of the great ma.
tons about and preach a message of
warning! Why, II seemed incredible.
What would the nation think OF him?
How would he be able To explain his
conduct TO the people and TO the king?
SO disturbed and excited was he
that calm thought was impossible and
II die not occur to him that in obeying
the commands of God il was not neces.
Sary To explain his conduct or offer
any excuses. IL was his part to obey.
and God would take care OF the con.
sequences. But In his present state
of mind he could consider ONLY one
side OF the situation. and when he
found no satisfactory answer TO the
questions which rose in his mind and
was all at sea as to what course 10
hn ~,
one has done, he fled
1t was still dark and the streets of
the city were quiet and deserted. As
he rushed onward and neared the CITY
gate, he suddenly realized that II
would be closed and the Waterman
set. Instinctively he felt he must not
he seen OF any in his fight, and when
he was wondering how he could es
cape from the city without being seen
ne recalled little gate In the wall
near his own home, and thithcr he
turned his footsteps. Once outside
tho city. the troubled thought oc.
CURED TO him as to which way he
should flee. With the command of
God ringing in his ears he could not
stay in his own land: 10 Nineveh he
was quite determined not 10 20.
Whittier should he go?
AT least ] will get rs far from Min
eveh as possible" he exclaimed. and
altering his course ne turned IN
towards the seacoast. and the next
day footsOre and weary. hp reached
Joppa. And now whittier. he askad
himself, as he wandered through the
streets Of the city. As though by way
OF answer. his footsteps ainlesslv led
him down to the wharf whore The shin.
ping WAS anchored
The very thing" he exclaimed. az
his eyes fell upon the vessel: Il will
lose myself upon the sea Nv com