Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1909-09-01

kingdom. and from the moment of hi,
accessl" TO the throne at 12 years Of
age Manassas had displayed n mas.
sion to be possessed of all the siorx
and magnificence Of the nations ahor,
nim ana had encouraged the introduc.
'ion OF every form Of idolatrous wor.
snip TO Jerusalem. setting up the
images OF gods and bringing thithcr
inc priests to perform the rites. With.
III the past year he had Caused tn hs
set up great brazen image ST Molocb
ene nre god. and had displayed an nm.
usuai interest in establishing and psr.
iecuns this form of worship.
On this particular day a new cnapel
10 the god was to be dedicated and er
cry priest in his full regalia was pr-s
ent to help carry out the service Tb.
sea- orazen image stood on a high
mound and a long fight Of steps led
up at the side so that the priest would
oe able to reach the immense ont.
stretched arms and place therein the
onerlnss which the people brought.
Inc image was hollow and was so ar
ranged that the fire which the priests
hinuieo within would heat the arms
ana hands to white heat. and con.
sumo the offerings therein Around
'ne great Image there had been erect
ed SIX beautiful chapels, each stand.
Ing for degree in the Worship of the
god. To the one Offering fine fou,
the door OF the first and simplest chap
Ell was opened and he was initiated in,
10 the first rites and fellowship with
the mighty fire god. To the one offer
ing turtle doves or young pigeons, the
door or the second chapel was opened
ana ne was accorded a closer fellow.
ship. The third chapel was opened
TO the one offering a lamb, the fourth
10 him who offered n ram, the fifth &c
MIN who offered calf, and the sixth
TO him who offered an OK.
To this last structure which had ms,
peen completed by the builders that
Week. the king directed his steps after
leaving the chariot which had stopped
on the outer rim where the chapels
had been placed.
Yea, 1t Is we'll that the king is the
iirst to open the door OF this. the
sixth chapel devoted to the worship
or the great Moloch," said the priest
as he received the king and conducted
MIN TO the doorway. To one side
could be seen the OK which had been
provided for the kings Offering. and
at signal from the priest, the attend.
ant plsnged in his knife to the heart
| OF the beast and as the animal sank
10 the ground almost without a groan
so deity had the vital spot been
struck-the door before the king and
the priest swung open, apparently of
Its own volition.
Come" said the priest. again by
thy devotion thou shalt please the
great Moloch, and win his continued
favor. Six chapels hast thou already
caused to be erected for him, and
there still remaineth one to be set
up to test thy devotion" And as the
priest spoke the words, his eyes fixed
themselves upon the little prattline
child who had trotted in by the side
of the king
The father, following the eyes of the
priest, looked fondly down into the
| beautiful face of the child as It was
lifted up in confidence to his own
| and his cheek paled as intuitiyely he
caught the thought and meaning Of
the priest.
"a seventh chapel?" he falteringly
| questioned.
Yea. thy nation cannot be said to
know and serve the great God Moloch
until the seventh and last chapel hath
been built and to whom should its door
first swing to give entrance but to the
| king HIMSELF"
True, but how can II" and a sbud
der shook the form of the king.
But canst thou expect favor from
the god from whom thou wouldst with
hold thy best treasurer"
Nothing more was said, but the next
day the order was sent the priest that
the seventh chapel should be built
and IT was noised through the city
and nation that the king was to make
the great offering to Moloch, and at
the appointed time, after the chapel
had been completed great concourse
OF people came together in the place
where Moloch stood. The arms and
great hands relentlessly outstretched
were glowing with the intense heat
which burned within. The eyes OF
the people were fixed upon them with
an awful fascination, which was only
broken by the cry: "The king The
king" as the royal chariot rolled up
amidst the blast of the trumpeters.
Down the marble laid isle came the
king and by his side the little son.
whose hand lay confidently in that of
| his father.
A gasp Of intense feeling swept over
the concourse Of people as one of the
attendant priests came forward to take
the little boy while Manassas. The
king, turned with the high priest and
ascended the steps to the last chapel.
| With neither look to the right hand