Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-07-29

Il WIZ DOUSut TO lnStlll tny0 tn0 near
OF his child a true devotion to God
and to keep him free from the apos
tate conditions all about. This was
the reason he had chosen the name
Joel and why he SO carefully instruct.
ed the lad in the history of thu people
or Israel, pointing out carefully how
Gods blessing had been upon the ma
| ton while II oheyed him, but that
when there had been turning from the
pathway of obedience to Gods .ew
there had been national disaster
| Thus early Joel learned to ass ociate
prosperity with goodness and 10 hold
the deep conviction that the only safe
road for any one to travel was the way
which was marked out by the sign
posts OF truth and righteousness
And II the moral teachings Of his
father were impressive and sound, GER
tainly several experiences had come
| with peculiar sharpness to drive h ,ms
the truths thus taught 1t was when
ne was mere lad scarcely old enough
TO be Entrusted with the important err
rand upon which his father had gent
him, and yet one which the exigenciea
|
no one else to send, and word had to
be taken to the priest as quickly az
possible concerning certain political
crisis which had arisen.
Full OF the consciousness OF the I'M
rortance of his errand, Joel trudged
forth, his devout little heart expand
Ing with the thought that he was to
see and talk with the priest, the serv-
ant OF the most high God. 1t seemed
to him that Of all things In the world
he would like to be IL would be
priest serving at the altar, and reading
the wonderful scrolls Of the prophets
concerning which he had heard his IA
Their speak. He wondered what
the priest would say to him and
whether he would have time to tell
him any Of the wonderful stories
which his father had told him the
priest knew.
Such was the current Of his
thoughts as the sturdy little fellow
reached the door of the priest and
knocked. No response came, and afte.
long wait, and repeated knockings,
| he timidly pushed the door ajar anG
| looked within.
There on the floor lay the maudlIn
form Of the priest, while beside him
lay the jar from which he had been
drinking, the red liquid flowing out
over the stone floor and looked for all
the world like the dark red blood from
the veins of the fallen man. With one
wild shrek of fear and excitement,
the little lad fled.
He saw the men come In and lift
the form to the couch; he noted the
contemptuouS looks and shakes Of the
heads, and he understood just enough
to know that the priest was drunk
Such was one of the early Impressions
which had come to him to shock his
religious sensibilities gand make him
wonder over and over again how one
who was in the Lords service could
I fall so low.
Other incidents occurred as he grew
into young manhood which made him
realize the corrupting influences that
were at work in the nation. Even in
the school Of the prophets which he
had by dint Of hard work and earnest
enort been permitted to enter, he
found the corrrupting influences at
work, the teachers for the most part
being more or less dominated by the
loose moral and political conditions
which prevailed. And because Joel
held himself aloof from participation
In any of the frivolous conduct of
! those in attendance upon the school.
! he aroused the enmity of his teachers
and classmates. being dubbed a bigos
and a narrow-minded fool.
The crisis came one day when he
would not help forward plans which
were designed to politically strengthen
the priesthood, but which was nothing
less than compromise on the part OF
the priesthood with the evil which was
rampant in the nation.
, Then there is no future for you in
the priesthood" angrily declared the
! officials of the schools. and it becom.
I Ing choice of yielding or being driven
forth homeless and friendiess pc
| chose the latter.
What was TO become OF him he did
not know. He knew that the regular
channels OF religious service were for
| ever closed against him, and that few
If any in the nation would sympathize
with his severe views in reference to
the religious life of the nation. But
no had the comfort Of the memory of
the loyalty of his father to God. and
he felt strengthened as he recalled his
teachings.
Il am in Gods hands. / will wait.
Better to perish abiding his will than
to come to ease and prosperity
through transgresslon OF his laws
either in letter or in spirit"
Thus he waited, and under the bap
tism of the fire OF persecution that
RACED about him he came into that