Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1909-06-10

anguish of his heart forced him 10
give expression as though talking TO
God. for he felt II God we're In the
heavens he must speak to him the
thoughts which were In possession
Of his heart
Are they OF Babylon better than
they OF Zion?' he went on "Or is
there any other people that are thy
chosen people? For what generation
is there which bath so believed thy
covenants as the children OF Jacob
And yet their reward appeareth not.
and their labor hath no fruit. For
have gone here and there through
the heather. and | see they flow in
wealth and think not upon thy com.
mandments Weigh thou. therefore.
our wickedness now In the balance.
and theirs also that dwell In The
world. and so shall thy name no.
where be found but In Israel Or
when was II that they which dwell
upon the earth have not sinned in
thy sight. or what people hath SO
kept thy commandments? Thou shalt
ind that Israel by name hath kept
thy precepts. but not the heathen."
AS the complaining voice OF the
r. --l al he sat IN moody
enc r. ca e slight rustling
Sar"eats at his side and he shook
i;h 1, n. for he knew that he was
.ut alone
Who art thou. and why thy pres
ence here?" questioned Esdras with
trembling voice.
God hath heard thy Questionings
and hast sent his angel II is Uriel
who speaketh and bringeth q mes
sage from God. who would say to
thee:
THY heart hath gone too far in
this world. and thinketh thou TO COM
prehend the way OF the most highr"
Yea. my Lord. that I might under
stand" faltered Esdras.
Il am sent unto thee to show thee
three ways and to set forth three
similitudes before thee. Wherefore.
II thou canst declare unto me one I
will show thee also the way that
thou desirsst to see and l will show
thee from whence the wicked heart
cometh."
Tell on. my Lord" eagerly ex.
claimed Esdras. for the yearning In
his heart was after the truth Of God.
Then said Uriel the angel:
Go thy way; weigh me the weight
OF the FIRE. or measure me the blast
Of the wind. or call back again the
day that is past"
What man is able 10 do that. that
thou shouldst ask such things of me!"
exclaimed Esdras in amazement
III I should ask thee how many
great dwellings are In the midst Of
the sea. or how many springs are In
the beginning of the deep. or how
many springs are above the frma-
ment or which are the outgoings Of
paradise. peradventure thou wouldst
say unto me: I never went down
into the deep. nor as yet into hell;
neither did ever climb up into
heaven. Nevertheless, now have I
asked thee but only Of fire and Of
wind and OF the day where through
thou hast passed. and Of things from
which thou canst not be separated.
and yet canst thou give me no answer
OF them"
A long and painful silence followed,
in which there were peculiar stir
pricking of his conscience as he
realized the wicked blindness Of his
own heart Then the angel again
broke the silence and said:
Thine own things and such as are
grown up with them thou canst not
know; how shouldest thou then be
able 10 comprehend the way of the
Highest. and the world being now out
corrupted. to understand the
that Is evident In thy
sight?"
But Il were better that we were
not at all than that we should live
still In wickedness and to suffer and
not TO know wherefore" exclaimed
Esdras.
II went out into a forest, said the
angel. and the trees took counsel and
said: Come. let us go and make war
against the sea. that IL mag depart |
away before US and that we may
make more woods The floods OF the
sea also in like manner took counsel
and said: Come. let us go up and
subdue the woods Of the plain. that
there also we may make US another
The thought OF the woods
was In vain. for the fire came and
II. The thought OF the
foods OF the sea came likewise to
naught. for the sand stood up and
stopped them. II thou vert Judge
now betwixt these two" continued
Uriel, whom wouldst thou begin to
Justify! Or whom wouldst thou con
iemn"
Verify II Ia a foolish thought that
they both have devised" spoke up
Esdras. thoughtfully. for the ground
Is given unto the wood; the sea also
hath his place TO bear his foods"
All" replied Uriel. Thou hast
given a right judgment; but why
judgest thou not myself also? For
like as the ground Ia given to the