Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1909-02-24

eco'Oc hiuoSii hpOu Que Oh tQ6 larger
OF the stones which had been hewr
ready for Its place in the wall so Iona
before
From his vantage point on the tenn
pie site he could look out over the
city lying below. He marked tho
goodly dwellings which had been
reared by the people since their re
turn. He saw the smoke lazily creep
Ing up from the fires In the Contra
courts of the houses and where h.
knew the women were busy preparin,
the midday repast. He could see the
people passing about through tn.
streets and caught an occasional
bright bit OF color as II flashed In tn.
brilliant light OF the midday sun.
What contrast there was. Their,
the people were living In comfort ano
ease. while the temple OF God la,
In ruins. There was the ACTIVITY OF
the busy mart, while here no SC and
broke the stiffness and Coo. was for
gotten.
1T is ali wrong!" exclaimed tn,
prophet In a voice OF Mingled grie,
and anger. And blessing cannot come
to Gods people while hey neglect
their obligations to him." he added
shaking his head with serious EN-
phasis.
For long time he Wa SILENT, while
conflicting emotions stirred in HE
heart. Then the thought seized hold
upon him that he was sitting idly
there. and doing nothing to SIR the
people to action.
"Oh, God" he exclaimed, As the con
seriousness of neglected mission
swept over him, help me 10 speak to
the people. Give me a message"
The voice of the prophet rose and
reverberated back and forth through
The mass OF ruins which surrounded
him, and he turned to listen as the
sound died away.
Thy cry is heard" spake & voice
from the midst of the ruins. go thou
with this message to Zerubbabel, the
governor, and Joshua, the high priest,
saying: Thus speaketh the Lord OF
Hosts, saying: This people say, The
time is not come, the time that the
Lords house should be built. Is II
time for you, o we, to dwell In yor
ceiled houses, and this house, the
house OF the Lord, lie waste? Now
therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts:
Consider your ways"
With breathless eagerncss Haggai
listened, and when the voice ceased
he sprang from his seat upon tie
stone and fastened back over the
ruins and down into the city as rapid
lV nnCcihln nd
moniously into the presence of the
governor.
One look at the intense, flushed
face Of Haggai checked the word n
Ieproof which lac was upon the point
OF uttering for the abrupt entrance,
and the next instant Haggai was pour.
Ing into Zerubbabers ears all that
mad transpired at the ruins Ut the tenn.
pie and the words which the Lord had
spoken.
IL Is enough" exclaimed the gov.
ernor. 1--WE have erred"
And without further comment, bat
with an earnestness which betokeneG
that 1t was time for action and not
for words, he ordered that 1t be pro-
claimed throughout the city that the
next day the governor would go I'D to
the temple site and would inspect the
ruins and plan for the work which, de-
clared he. should begin as soon as
possible"
The governors message created
great stir throughout the city, and at
the appointed hour on the next Gay
when Zerubbabel, the governor. and
Joshua, the high priest, and Hagga!
reached the temple ruins they found
all the city come together to see what
the governor would do. Some devout
hearts there were who waited rev.
erently, others were there out of curl
osity, while the great majority were
unsympathetc If not hostile, and de-
clared that it was worse than foil,
Tor the governor to attempt the task
of rebuilding.
was not the work stopped II years
ago by decree of KIM Artaxerxes?"
they asked. And who is there who
dares to again take up the work."
Zerubbabel had spoken and then HaE
gal had repeated the message which
God had given him, and as his voice
SS"seu great rear Iell upon the peO
pie. and their murmurs ceased.
And then the religious wave of sen
timent was swept back by the return.
ing wave of doubt, and the people
cried out.
How can It be done? Our enemies
about will again trouble us. We re-
member the prosecutions which arose
against us. and OF the final decree OF
the king which put stop to the work.
And now. how dare we begin a WORK
which will bring down upon our
heads the hatred and opposition OF the
Saln@Iitaus?"
Zerubbabel and Joshua and Haggai
watched the struggle between the
hopes and doubts Of the people and
then Haggai stepped forward and Hft.