The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-10-10

AAAS0
begun? He knew that false hopes
aroused could only plunge into great.
err depths OF suffering. He knew
that the time had not come when the
Jews should be restored to their land.
And yet what word was there which
he could speak which would refute
the words of the false prophets, spoken
so plausibly and based SO clearly upon
the declaration of God that he would
bring back the captive Jews?
"Oh, God" he prayed, reveal thy
self and bring to naught the counsel
of those who would lead the suffering
people into fatal error"
After that prayer he felt better, and
sat quiet. Whether it was vision or
dream he knew not, but he knew that
when he again became conscious
of his surroundings hours had
passed, and he knew that God had
spoken to his heart and had revealed
to him his w%ondrous plans. 1t had
seemed to him as though he had been
lifted up until he had stood beside
one whom he knew was God. He
looked not at him because of the great
reverential fear which held him, but
only at the place where a moving
finger seemed to be tracing a writing
on the parchment that lay before him.
Instinctively, now, jeremiah looked
on the table before him to see if the
parchment lay there. There was a
parchment lying there, but it was one
he had brought and placed there when
he had contemplated writing a mes
sage to his brethren in Babylon. And
it was blank.
But l know Gods message" he eX.
claimed, and then burst out in the
words of ecstasy with which our
story opens.
But why sit here in ~idleness?" he
exclaimed, after he had returned from
the door and had again dropped into
the chair that stood before the rude
table. mo time must be lost"
Thus saith the Lord of hosts" he
wrote, as he had e the words stand
out upon the parchment upon which
the finger of God had moved, unto all
that are carried away captives, whom
| have caused to be carried away from
Jerusalem unto Babylon: Build We
houses and dwell in them; and plant
gardens and eat the fruit Of them;
take we wives, and beget sons and
daughters, and take wives for your
sons and give your daughters to hus-
bands, that they may bear sons and
daughters; that We may increase there
and not diminish. And seek the peace
of the city whittier | have caused you
to be carried away captives, and pray
unto the Lord for it; for in the peace
thereof shall We have peace. For thus
saith the Lord of hosts, the God of
Israel; Let not your prophets and
your OWNERS, that be in the midst Of
you, deceive you, neither harken to
your dreams which We cause to be
dreamed. For they prophesy falsely
unto you in my name: l have not sent
them, saith the Lord. For thus saith
the Lord, That after 70 years be
accomplished at Babylon l will visit
you and perform my good word toward
you, in causing you to return to
this place. For I know the thoughts
that l think toward you, saith the
Lord, thoughts of peace and not of
evil to give you an end and expecta-
ton"
With this message jeremiah has
tened to the king, and, having won
his consent, placed it in the keeping
of two messengers, Elasah and Gemari-
ah, and started them on the journey
to Babylon.
Little more remains to be told. The
of the Lord spoken by jeremiah
the prophet quickly quoted the cap
tive Jews and caused them to bow in
humble submission to the punishment
of God. But word Of the treachery Of
the false prophets reached the ears of
King ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, and he caused
Ahab, the son of Kolaiah, and Z%edekian,
the son of Maaseiah, to be a%pprehend-
ed and to be slain before the eyes of
brethren.