Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-06-03


loyal . follower Of the prophet to les
from him. II he was to perish. he
would perish with him, 1T he felt GER
tain that to remain in Dothan meant
to certainly fall into the hands Of tina
Syrians.
Perhaps the Lord viii yet send my
master away" thought the young man
to himself as the afternoon wore away:
there is yet time
But the prophet remained busy with
his reading and gave no sign that he
would do aught but remain where he
was. The young man watched him
with failing heart as the evening
shadows began TO fall He noted the
earnest look upon the prophets face
as ne read along and then he saw a
look OF triumphant joy flash forth. and
heard him exclaim under his breath:
1t is Gods word. He will not
fail,''
Hath God sent thee word to so
thither? eagerly exclaimed the Young
man. breaking in upon the prophets
reverie.
Nay. we shall remain here" ard
the prophet rolled up his precious
scroll and placed 1t in the bosom OF
his mantle. He had been reading the
Psalms OF David, and had fallen upon
that portion which read: The angel
OF the Lord encampeth round about
them that fear him and deliveretb
them. The words seemed to fash
lorth message to his own heart in
us hour OF need. 1t was enough. And
as ne went about his preparations for
retiring for the night, after their sim.
pie meal was over, he kept repeating
the words over softly to himself:
The angel OF the Lord encampeth
round about them that fear Him to
deliver them"
lie felt as though God himself had
spoken TO him and, resting in the per
rect assurance that God would not
fail him, he went to sleep.
Not so with the servant. Little sleep
came 10 quiet his troubled heart In
imagination he pictured the army OF the
Syrians gathering about the city. and
as occasionally he would drop off into
htful sleep he would dream that the
whole army with spears before them
were closing in upon them. And then
ne would start up and find that dark
ness still prevailed and that all was
quiet about, and he would lie down
again upon his couch. Thus the night
passed, and just before the dawn was
breaking he again dropped of into q
troubled sleep. This time he dreamed
that the rulers OF the city had seized
MIN and his master in answer to the
demands OF the Syrian general and
had carried them to the walls OF the
city and then threw them of the high
parapet into the hands OF the waiting
soldiers below. He awoke TO find
that the terror OF his dream had
caused him to throw himself from his
couch with start and hc had landed
upon the hoor. He was all atremble
ana the dream seemed so real that he
looked about to reassure himself that
he was not in the midst of a hostile
army. But no. In the light OF the
early morning he could see his mas.
ter still sleeping over there as peace
fully as when he had lain down thu
night before, and all without was
quiet
But the army must be about tina
city, he exclaimed to himself. ooh.
L know we cannot escape," and rush
ing forth. he strained his ewes TO the
rising hills without the city. With a
wild cry he rushed back into the
house and. falling down in terror by
the side of his masters couch. he
shook him rudely. crying the while
that the hosts OF the Syrians were
upon them.
Alas, my master, How shall we
do?' he continued, as he led the way
10 the door and pointed to the horses
ana the chariots which filled the hill.
sides opposite
The angel Of the Lord encampeth
round ABOUT them that fear Him to
deliver them," calmly spoke the
prophet.
Nay. rather does 1t seem to be the
hosts of Syria which are encamned
about u.s." was the almost impatient
rejoinder.
| An, but Gods hosts are there"
Inc young man looked at the
prophet half in wonder. half in fear
Had his master gone insane that he
should talk thus. and be so ipdifferc nt
to the certain destruction which was
before them? He saw the prophet
lift his eyes to heaven. He saw his
lips move He knew he was in PRAYER
Then. as he ceased and opened his
eyes again. he pointed in the direction
of the Syrian hosts.
The young man turned his eyes in
that direction, and the vision that met
MS astonished gaze made him fairly
shout with joy, for behold. the hin.
sides between the Syrian hosts and
the city were full of the horses and
chariots of fire of the Lord.