THE SPONGE GEYSERTHE SPONGE GEYSER © Haynes, St. Paul
TheTeakettleand theVaultgive warning before the Giantess erupts. The Vault plays eight feet high, twenty-four hours before the Giantess.
Topazat the base of the Giantess mound is a pool of remarkable beauty. I was much interested in thePumpnear the Sponge Geyser. It is a hole eighteen inches across, out of which comes a thumping sound, resembling a hydraulic ram.
TheSponge Geyserhas a beautiful cone of flinty formation resembling that of a sponge. Eruptions are about four feet high, occuring a minute and a quarter apart.
TheBeehive Geyserhas a cone four feet high and three feet across, and plays to the height of 200 feet. Its indicator, a small fissure north of the cone, foretells its eruptions. It is supposed that there is some relationship between the Beehive and the Giantess fromthe fact that the Beehive plays at intervals of from eight to twelve hours after the Giantess and has been seen to play before the Giantess.
THE BEEHIVE GEYSERTHE BEEHIVE GEYSER © Haynes, St. Paul
TheDoublet Poolis near the Giantess and is marked "Dangerous." The geyser formations accumulate very slowly and the water here flows out over a thin crust.
TheLion Geyser, with theLionessand twoCubs, occupies a prominent place not far from the Giant. Its eruptions occur usually in series of three, about two and one-half hours apart, after which follows a quiet period of about twelve hours. The first eruption is the highest and most charming in appearance. The water is forced up fifty or sixty feet high, the eruption lasting about five minutes.
During some seasons the Lioness has not played at all. In 1903 it is said that the Lioness and both Cubs played at the same time to a large party of tourists. The larger Cub plays with the Lioness to a height of about thirty feet, the smaller one plays oftener, but only a few feet high.
Castle Geyseris on a prominence opposite Geyser Hill. The mound on which it is situated covers about three acres, rising more than forty feet above the river. It hasthe most prominent cone in the Upper Basin, resembling an old castle. At intervals the steam escapes and throws out jets of water, though it erupts only every two days. Near Castle Geyser isCastle Spring, a beautiful pool of water, highly colored.
TheSawmill Geysergets its name from the peculiar noise it makes during an eruption. It plays at intervals of three or four hours and at a height of about forty feet. Its indicator is near-by; they both start together and suddenly begin to throw water in all directions.
TheGrand Geyserdischarges water in forked columns 200 feet high. It is said to play much more frequently in the spring than in the fall. This is because the water supply is greater in the mountain regions at this season.
Turban Geyseris near the Grand. The early explorers believed that internal fires were seen in its crater; if so, it was caused, no doubt, by the light playing on bubbles of gas. Firehole Lake furnishes a good example of this phenomenon. The Turban Geyser plays about twenty-five feet high. Sometimes its eruptions occur with the Grand Geyser.
TheEconomic Geysergets its namefrom the fact that during its eruptions nearly all the water flows back into its crater. In form it resembles Old Faithful, but plays only about fifteen feet high.
CASTLE GEYSERCASTLE GEYSER © Haynes, St. Paul
Beauty Springattracts much attention. It is a large, silent pool remarkable for its coloring. Almost every person, when approaching it for the first time, remarks about its beauty, hence, our guide said, it received its name. A rusty color predominates in various shades from the richest brown, blending into green and yellow tints.
Butterfly Springis about four feet across and has an opening in each wing. It looks like a butterfly in both color and shape. These double springs, of which I saw a number, as heretofore stated, have a spiritual significance, illustrating the two works of grace, justification and sanctification, so clearly taught in both the Old and the New Testament.
TheEaris a most remarkable small spring. Not only is it in the shape of an ear, but its lobe seems to be pierced, and the earring is a tiny geyser. "It is here that messages are transmitted, so the story goes, to regions below."
Beach Springreminded me of an oyster,the opening in the center corresponding to the dark spot. It is surrounded by a flat, submerged beach.
BUTTERFLY SPRINGBUTTERFLY SPRING © Haynes, St. Paul
After we had visited the springs and geysers on the hill, we returned to the camp to await the next number on the day's program.
Shortly after dinner the news was circulated that a religious service was to be held in the office of the camp, where the guests assembled around the large fireplace. I learned from some friends that our party was expected to conduct the meeting. Later, the manager asked me to take charge of the service. She said that it would be impossible to get the people in until after 8:30 o'clock, as Old Faithful would be due to make a display about that time, and that the great searchlight from the hotel would be turned on the geyser when the water reached its maximum height. This caused much excitement among the guests, and every person sought the best position to get a view of the display.
Immediately afterward the people gathered in for the service. Song books were passed around and a lively interest was taken in the singing, in which nearly every one joined.My brother and his wife sang a number of pieces together which greatly pleased the audience. My brother then preached a short sermon and I followed, giving them some interesting history concerning the Pillar of Fire church. This seemed to be the subject in which most of them were interested, and I was glad to be able to give them the information they desired. There is so much akin to the supernatural in the Yellowstone it made the preaching of the Gospel easy on this occasion.
The day, after having been full of interest and inspiration, closed with a message of salvation for the people, which was best of all. Many gathered around us to express their appreciation of the service.
The next morning I arose refreshed and ready to finish the tour of the Upper Geyser Basin, which contains twenty-six geysers and more than four hundred hot pools and springs. A party of "hikers," with a guide, started out about nine o'clock to make the rounds before luncheon. I was not quite sure that I could keep up with them, but as many of the places are not accessible to vehicles I had to make the attempt or miss my opportunity.
The basin is drained in the center by theFirehole River. Everywhere steaming hot springs are seen, also mounds and cones of geyserite. In this basin, within a square mile, are the grandest and mightiest geysers in the world. There are pools of scalding water whose marvelous beauty and delicacy of coloring cannot be described. Everywhere are undulations crowned with geyser cones, or hot spring vents of a grayish white appearance. In places, the earth trembles, strange rumblings are heard, and the air is heavy with sulphurous fumes. How could it be otherwise but that a person should feel that he is in close proximity to the Inferno which Dante so vividly described!
TheRiverside Geyser, on the banks of the Firehole River, plays, we were told, "Over the River" at intervals of six or seven hours. Sometimes eruptions occur more frequently for a period of several days.
Grotto Geyserhas the most attractive formation of any geyser in the park. The Washburn party named it in 1870. Its eruptions are irregular, occurring at intervals of two to eight hours and lasting from fifteen minutes to eight hours. Sometimes the Grotto ceases and theRocketplays to a height offifty feet. After it has ceased, the Grotto resumes action.
RIVERSIDE GEYSERRIVERSIDE GEYSER © Haynes, St. Paul
TheGiant Geyser, south of the Grotto, is the highest in the world. We found a person near it in soldier's uniform who said he had been waiting there a week to see it play. Its maximum height is 250 feet, which is reached during the first twenty minutes of its eruption. Its cone is ten feet high with one side partly broken off. Eruptions occur every seven to twelve days.
Near the Giant are three "boiling caldrons,"Catfish,Bijou, andMastiff. These are supposed to be indicators, but it is uncertain whether the eruptions of the Giant are foretold by them.
TheDaisyis a very beautiful and reliable geyser, erupting every one and a half to two hours. Seventy-five feet is its maximum height.
TheBonita Pool, across the road, acts as an indicator.
TheBrilliantis a beautiful blue hot spring and near to it is theComet, which has built up a small cone of geyserite.
When our party reached Castle Geyser on a hill opposite the Giantess, our guide calledattention to the fact that the Giantess was in action. Our time was limited, but every member of the party wanted to cross the bridge and go to Geyser Hill and get as near to its crater as possible. We did so, and it was at this time, during the steam period, when the water had receded, that I got a glimpse into its awful depths; and trembled at the yawning chasm which threatened to engulf us. It looked as if it might be connected with the place where the king of darkness dwells and his organized forces operate. We had only a few minutes to tarry, and hastened back to the vicinity of Castle Geyser to renew the journey.
GIANT GEYSERGIANT GEYSER © Haynes, St. Paul
I was grateful for this little diversion, which broke in on the regular program of the tour, feeling that I had been fortunate to see at least one eruption from the crater of the Giantess.
Morning-glory Spring, orGeyser, as it is sometimes called, was to me the climax in beauty of all the springs in the geyser basins. It looked as if it might be a gem of Paradise that had survived the curse. It appears to be a mass of many-colored liquids, resembling a giant morning-glory, hence its name.
Proof is often asked for statements made that hell is located in the center of the earth. John, as recorded in the 20th chapter of Revelation, said,
"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the BOTTOMLESS PIT and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the BOTTOMLESS PIT, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled."
Where else could the bottomless pit be but in the center of this earth, when it is implicitly stated that the angel came down from heaven with the chain to bind Satan? Ours is the sphere for which he is contending and where he has so long deceived the nations.Where else could the angel lock him up but on the inside of the earth?
In the 16th chapter of Numbers we have an account of Korah's company, who murmured and rebelled against the Lord, and Moses, in trying to show how great was their crime against God, said,
"If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the PIT; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.
"And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them. And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the PIT, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: forthey said, Lest the earth swallow us up also."
GROTTO GEYSERGROTTO GEYSER © Haynes, St. Paul
In the first chapter of Job, we have an account of a controversy between the Lord and Satan. And the Lord said unto Satan,
"Whence comest thou?"
Then Satan answered, "From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
The Lord asked Satan if he had considered His servant Job, a perfect and an upright man, one who "feareth God, and escheweth evil."
Satan, unwilling to admit Job's loyalty to God, said,
"Hast not thou made an hedge about him, ... on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face."
The Lord took the challenge, and said,
"Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand."
It follows that calamity fell upon Job's household, and he lost his sons and his daughters and all that he had. And again Satan presented himself before the Lord, after he had lost in the battle with Job, who maintainedhis integrity through his afflictions, and sinned not nor charged God foolishly.
The second time the Lord said unto Satan,
"Whence comest thou?"
And again the answer was, "From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
Here is an admission from Satan himself which proves without a doubt where he dwells; and it is here that the mighty angel will capture him and bind him with a great chain and lock him up in the center of this earth for a thousand years. It is comforting to know that Job won in the second battle, after Satan had afflicted him with boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head, and so will Satan be defeated at the closing up of this age, when judgments shall fall upon the wicked, as upon Korah's company, and great demonstrations of God's power be seen and felt.
Jude speaks of the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitations (that is, came down to earth) whom God "hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." He also makes mention of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, suffering the vengeance ofeternal fire. These are but a few of the instances mentioned in the Scriptures showing the location of hell, which is the abode of the wicked, and where Diabolus has his throne.
SAPPHIRE POOL—BISCUIT BASINSAPPHIRE POOL—BISCUIT BASIN © Haynes, St. Paul
The impression that was made on the explorers of the Yellowstone regions is indicated by certain names that were given to some places, such as "Devil's Kitchen," "Devil's Frying Pan," "Black Growler," "Hell Broth Springs," "Devil's Hoof," "Devil's Inkwell," "Hell's Half Acre," etc.
That the suggestion of these things should be a mere freak, or fancy of the mind is out of the question, when there is so much scriptural proof to the contrary.
Man has been created in the image of God, and a little lower than the angels (Heb. 2:7). There is a voice that speaks to the soul when all others are hushed. Intuitively he knows that punishment awaits the wicked, however much he may try to stifle his conscience and evade the issue.
The only way to escape the wrath that is to come, is through the atoning blood, the efficacy of which is proved when conditions are met. "Without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22).
PUNCH BOWLPUNCH BOWL © Haynes, St. Paul
ThePunch Bowlis situated in a narrow divide in the valley. Its rim is ornamented with yellow, saffron, and red. It is one of the gems of beauty in the upper basin, and is so located as to revive the spirits of those who, starting out on foot, from the Upper Basin Camp and Old Faithful Inn, have grown weary in making the tour. When our guide called it out, I felt that I could go no farther without resting, but after tarrying a few minutes, and admiring its beauty, I was refreshed. I was, perhaps, the only one in the company who was overtaxed physically, and had to trust to the good will of the guide not to leave me too far behind. He kindly took notice, and halted, giving everybody a few minutes to rest, while he explained the scientific action of the geysers.
These beautiful springs in remote places reminded me of the gems of salvation that are obtained only through sacrifice and suffering. There is always a price to be paid for anything that is of worth. It cost me something to visit some of them on foot, but I was well paid. After leaving the Punch Bowl we followed the trail down across the bridge where a number of surprises awaited us. TheHandkerchief Pool, which is sometimescalled theLaundry, was among them. We threw our handkerchiefs in and they were carried down into the opening, and then brought back and delivered, as carefully as if they were being handled by unseen hands.
HANDKERCHIEF POOLHANDKERCHIEF POOL © Haynes, St. Paul
Emerald Poolis not far from the Handkerchief Spring, and is by far the most beautiful in the upper basin. It thrilled me as I looked at it from different angles, blending from a deep green in the center to yellow toward the edge. The formations around the pool are red, the water is hot, but never boils, and slightly overflows.
Cliff Springboils violently. Some people call it a geyser, but it is supposed to be only a spring.
Black Sand SpringandSpecimen Lakesimply defy language in trying to describe them, the coloring presents such remarkable varieties. The extremely delicate pinks are mingled with equally delicate tints of saffron and yellow, with here and there shades of green.
While the springs in this neighborhood are fascinating in the extreme, we did not tarry long, as it was nearly noon, and our guide said we would have to hasten.
When the party started toward Old FaithfulInn and the camp, I decided to take my time and go alone. I had gone only a short distance through the wood when a harmless snake crossed my path. It frightened me, and I tried to kill it, but did not succeed. There was a significance to me in running on to the reptile; it settled something in my mind, whereas I had not as yet been able to come to a decision; and I took it as being among the all things that work together for good to them that love God and who are the called according to His purpose.
On my way to the camp, I came to three boiling pools, and was surprised that no mention had been made of them on the tour. Later, I learned that they were theThree Sisters, not far from Castle Geyser on the road leading from Riverside Geyser, to Old Faithful Inn.
I stopped at Haynes' Picture Shop. Here I saw some marvelous specimens of art, showing the wonders of the Yellowstone, but none, of course, could do justice to what I had seen.
To finish up the tour it would take another day, but our time was limited, and as we had spent a day at Cody and the weather was getting cool, we decided to leave in the afternoon.
EMERALD POOLEMERALD POOL © Haynes, St. Paul
Among some of the attractions that we would have to miss in not finishing the tour to Yellowstone Lake, were Kepler Cascade, Two Ocean Pond, Moose Fall, and the Continental Divide which extends from Canada to Mexico.
At theThumbthere are several geyser cones, springs, and paint pots. TheFishing Conewith a boiling spring in the center, is surrounded by the cold water of the lake. At one time fishermen, without moving out of their tracks caught fish from the lake and swung them into the spring where they were cooked while still on the hook. This practice, however, is now prohibited by law.
Thirty-four years ago, while teaching school, I had an opportunity of going to Yellowstone National Park with a camping party of school teachers and others from Southern Montana, but as I needed money, I decided to teach a summer school and to postpone the trip until some future time. When the party returned and tried to tell me about the many wonders they had seen, I resolved not to lose another opportunity to go, but I did, and for the same reason that kept me from going before. After this I was not so enthusiastic over the Yellowstone and the many miracles to be seen there.
However, I was always interested in some of the descriptions of the geysers,—Old Faithful, the Giant, Giantess, and others, that threw boiling water, at intervals, from 150 to 250 feet into the air. In Gospel messages I used them to illustrate spiritual truths, but no one had ever given me the slightest conception of theGrand Canyon, the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls, the boiling pools, the paint pots, the cascades, Mammoth Hot Springs, the exquisite colorings of the mineral formations, Roaring Mountain, "Hell's Half Acre," the majestic mountain peaks and ranges, Rainbow Lake, the Punch Bowl, Amethyst Spring, and a thousand other things which so awed and inspired me that out of the depths of my being, I exclaimed, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet."
But how unworthy has he proved to be! Amidst the magnificence and grandeur of the wonders of Nature, he is ever showing his ingratitude, and the tendency to prostitute these things to the uses of his baser nature, and take all the glory to himself. He makes use of the gold and silver to build himself a habitation that storms are destined to shatter, leaving him exposed to divine wrath.
As I meditated upon these things, my heart cried out, "Who shall ascend intothe hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; ... He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation" (Ps. 24:3-5). My heart overflowed like the boiling springs and the gushing geysers, which symbolize the sanctified life.
JUPITER TERRACEJUPITER TERRACE © Haynes, St. Paul
When I first had opportunity to go to Yellowstone Park, I did not enjoy the experience of sanctification, and therefore could not have appreciated its many wonders as I do now. Who knows but this is the reason why the door closed and did not open for me to go until I should be in the enjoyment of this experience, and able to impart spiritual truths to others?
There is an inner chamber of the soul that corresponds to the hill of the Lord. It is the place where the Shekinah dwells and His secrets are made manifest. Those who know Him in the relationship of the Bride can better appreciate His handiwork. Submission to the whole will of God is the price of such an experience.
There are those who appreciate the grandeur and magnificence of the Yellowstone as a whole, but there are thousands of spirituallessons which the book of nature unfolds that the ordinary sightseer fails to grasp.
BUFFALO HERDBUFFALO HERD © Haynes, St. Paul
At one place, there are two openings in a pool, or two springs so close together that they are calledThe Goggles. Here again the two works of grace are beautifully set forth. Our guide illustrated some love affair by the two springs to the amusement of the young people in the company, but inadvertently my mind turned to the deeper spiritual truths of which they furnish a splendid example.
It takes the Holy Spirit to read God in nature as much as it does to interpret His word. Jesus said, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Also, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; ... and he will shew you things to come" (John 16:13).
The two springs, to me, represented Justification and Sanctification,—the two works of grace in the atonement, without which the soul is exposed to the wrath of God. It is the office work of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to the heart and to act in the capacity of theComforter, but when He takes possession He cleanses and purifies His temple. This is done when the heart is sanctified wholly. It is thenceforth the abiding place of the Holy Spirit.
I could not help but think of what it shall be when the earth shall be rent, the mountains removed from their places, and men shall cry for the rocks and hills to fall upon them to hide them from the presence of Him that sitteth on the throne. There is no fear where the Holy Spirit is the abiding Guest. The rocks may rend and the earth be removed out of its place, but peace will flow like a river.
Those who are so fortunate as to see the wonders of the Yellowstone will either soften or harden as the result of coming in touch with that which is so closely allied to the supernatural. It is like the melting influence of the Holy Spirit under a Gospel message when men are compelled to make their decision for eternity. God forbid that they should harden. If so, what could awaken them to their danger? The great war that has so recently terminated, bringing so much suffering and sacrifice, has made people better or worse. It has been ablessing or a curse, and so will the geyser region be to those who visit it.
ELK STALLED IN SNOWELK STALLED IN SNOW © Haynes, St. Paul
Should there be those who pass by the wonders of the Yellowstone with cold indifference and a lack of response to what is seen there, it is proof that the world has already played havoc with their finer sensibilities, and as a result of this hardening process the mind and heart refuse to yield when brought under the strongest moral and spiritual influences. May God save people from such a calamity,—from becoming clay that is irresponsive to the divine touch. May they learn to magnify His name while suspended by the brittle thread of life over a yawning chasm of burning lava which is threatening to engulf them. Should man not be prepared for the great event that must come to everyone, there will be no one to blame but himself. God has made him a free moral agent, capable of choosing between right and wrong. If he should make the wrong decision, he will have to abide by the consequences.
How many tourists will see the spring called the Ear and yet fail to hear the voice of God speaking to the soul through its many beauties! How many fail to hear Him speakingthrough the great subterranean channels hundreds of feet below the surface, thundering the terrors of a broken law and heralding the news of His impending judgments!
GOLDEN GATE CANYON AND VIADUCTGOLDEN GATE CANYON AND VIADUCT
A great author said, "O woman, thy name is frailty." The many short-comings of the gentler sex provoked this expression, but does not the word frailty equally apply to every individual on whom the curse has fallen? There is ever a downward tendency and a proneness to place the affections on material things, to worship the creature rather than the Creator.
It is with much difficulty that tourists in the Yellowstone are prevented from defacing the formations around the geysers, which have been centuries in making. There are those who would pay almost any price to be permitted to carry away souvenirs, but if they were allowed to do so one can readily see what the consequence would be. Of what use are pieces of geyserite when taken away from their natural environment? It would be impossible to form an opinion as to what they represent. Likewise there are those who are satisfied with mere forms of religion,—baptism, church membership, or any substitute for real salvation. What knowledge would a piece of geyseritegive a person of Old Faithful, the Giant, or the Giantess, in action?
Baptism with water is an outward sign of an inner work, but there are multitudes who are satisfied with the souvenir and go blindly on to the Judgment to find their mistake when it is too late to make amends. There can be no excuse on account of ignorance, for the Scriptures furnish abundant evidence that there must be a work wrought by the Holy Spirit in the heart before a person is ready for the skies.
There is no better illustration of the sanctified experience than that which the geysers demonstrate. Jesus said to the woman at the well, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
So with one who obtains the living water,—he has an inexhaustible supply, springing up in his soul. Outward conditions do not affect the deep whence it has its source, but it flows on regardless of conditions on the surface, bringing life and happiness to multitudes.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, we boarded one of the touring cars to Yellowstone,Montana, the Western Entrance to the Park, where there is a branch terminal of the Union Pacific Railroad. A little more than four days had elapsed since we started on the tour at Cody, Wyoming, but to me it was the beginning of a new epoch, and I felt that enough had been crowded into the four days to talk and write about for the rest of my life. I had stocked up my storehouse with a supply of illustrations to be used in books and Gospel exhortations; and not only expected to profit by what I had seen, but to do what I could to make an impression upon others; and the result so far has been satisfactory.
The Devil was sitting in Hades one day,In a very disconsolate sort of a way.One could tell from his vigorous switching of tail,His scratching his horn with the point of his nail,That something had gone with His Majesty wrong,The steam was so thick and the sulphur so strong.He rose from his throne with a gleam in his eye,And beckoning an agate-eyed imp standing by,Commanded forthwith to be sent to him thereOld Charon, employed in collecting the fareOf the wicked, who crossed the waters of Styx,And found themselves soon in a deuce of a fix.Old Charon, thus summoned, came soon to his chief,As the Devil was angry, the confab was brief.Says the Devil to Charon, "Now, what shall I do?The world it grows worse and grows wickeder, too;What with Portland, Chicago, Francisco, New York,I get in my mortals too fast for my fork;I haven't the room in these caverns below,St. Peter, above, is rejecting them so.So hie you, my Charon, to earth, far away,Fly over the globe without any delay,And find me a spot, quite secluded and drear,Where I can drill holes from the center in here.I must blast out more space; so survey the spot well,For the project on hand is the enlargement of Hell."But recollect one thing, Old Charon, when youCan locate the district where I can bore through,There must be conveniences scattered aroundTo carry on business when I'm above ground.An 'ink-pot' must always be ready at handTo write out the names of the parties I strand.There must be a 'punch-bowl,' a 'frying pan,' too,A 'caldron' in which to concoct a 'ragout.'An 'old faithful' sentinel showing my power,Must shoot a salute on the earth every hour,And should any mortal by accident viewThe spot you have chosen, why, this you must do:Develop a series of pools, green and blue,That while these poor earth bugs may beauties admire,They'll forget that below I'm poking the fire.Now fly away, Charon, be quick as you can,For my place here's so full that I can't roast a man."To earth flew fleet Charon, to regions of ice;He found these too cold—so away in a triceHe sought a location in Africa's sands,He prospected, and finding too much on his hands,He cut out Australia, Siberia, too,The north part of China—no! they would not do;Till, just as about to relinquish the chase,He stumbled upon a most singular place,'Twas deep in the midst of a mountainous range,Surrounded by valleys secluded and strange,In a country the greatest, the grandest, the bestTo be found upon earth—America's West.Here the crust seemed quite thin, and the purified air,With the chemicals hidden around everywhere,Would soon make the lakes that the Devil desired;So he flew to Chicago, and there to him wired:"I've found you a place never looked at before;You may heat up the rocks, turn on water, and bore."Then the Devil with mortals kept plying the fire,Extracting the water around from the mire,And boring great holes with a terrible dust,Till soon quite a number appeared near the crust,Then he turned on the steam—and lo! upward did fly,Through rents in the surface, the rocks to the sky.Then with a rumble there came from each spot,Huge volumes of water remarkably hot,That had been there in caverns since Lucifer fell—Thus immensely enlarging the confines of Hell,And it happens that now when Old Charon brings inA remarkable load of original sin,That His Majesty quietly rakes up the coals,And up spouts the water, in jets, through the holes,One may tell by the number of spurts when they come,How many poor mortals the Devil takes home.But Yankees can sometimes, without doing evil,O'ermatch in sagacity even the Devil.For not long ago Uncle Sam came that wayAnd said to himself, "Here's the Devil to pay.Successful I've been in all previous wars;Now Satan shall bow to the Stripes and the Stars.This property's mine, and I hold it in fee;And all of this earth shall its majesty see.The deer and the elk unmolested shall roam,The bear and the buffalo each have a home;The eagle shall spring from her eyrie and soarO'er crags in the canyons where cataracts roar;The wild fowls shall circle the pools in their flight,The geysers shall flash in the moonbeams at night,Now I christen the country—let all nations hark!I name it the Yellowstone National Park."
The Devil was sitting in Hades one day,In a very disconsolate sort of a way.One could tell from his vigorous switching of tail,His scratching his horn with the point of his nail,That something had gone with His Majesty wrong,The steam was so thick and the sulphur so strong.He rose from his throne with a gleam in his eye,And beckoning an agate-eyed imp standing by,Commanded forthwith to be sent to him thereOld Charon, employed in collecting the fareOf the wicked, who crossed the waters of Styx,And found themselves soon in a deuce of a fix.
Old Charon, thus summoned, came soon to his chief,As the Devil was angry, the confab was brief.Says the Devil to Charon, "Now, what shall I do?The world it grows worse and grows wickeder, too;What with Portland, Chicago, Francisco, New York,I get in my mortals too fast for my fork;I haven't the room in these caverns below,St. Peter, above, is rejecting them so.So hie you, my Charon, to earth, far away,Fly over the globe without any delay,And find me a spot, quite secluded and drear,Where I can drill holes from the center in here.I must blast out more space; so survey the spot well,For the project on hand is the enlargement of Hell.
"But recollect one thing, Old Charon, when youCan locate the district where I can bore through,There must be conveniences scattered aroundTo carry on business when I'm above ground.An 'ink-pot' must always be ready at handTo write out the names of the parties I strand.There must be a 'punch-bowl,' a 'frying pan,' too,A 'caldron' in which to concoct a 'ragout.'An 'old faithful' sentinel showing my power,Must shoot a salute on the earth every hour,And should any mortal by accident viewThe spot you have chosen, why, this you must do:Develop a series of pools, green and blue,That while these poor earth bugs may beauties admire,They'll forget that below I'm poking the fire.Now fly away, Charon, be quick as you can,For my place here's so full that I can't roast a man."
To earth flew fleet Charon, to regions of ice;He found these too cold—so away in a triceHe sought a location in Africa's sands,He prospected, and finding too much on his hands,He cut out Australia, Siberia, too,The north part of China—no! they would not do;Till, just as about to relinquish the chase,He stumbled upon a most singular place,'Twas deep in the midst of a mountainous range,Surrounded by valleys secluded and strange,In a country the greatest, the grandest, the bestTo be found upon earth—America's West.Here the crust seemed quite thin, and the purified air,With the chemicals hidden around everywhere,Would soon make the lakes that the Devil desired;So he flew to Chicago, and there to him wired:"I've found you a place never looked at before;You may heat up the rocks, turn on water, and bore."
Then the Devil with mortals kept plying the fire,Extracting the water around from the mire,And boring great holes with a terrible dust,Till soon quite a number appeared near the crust,Then he turned on the steam—and lo! upward did fly,Through rents in the surface, the rocks to the sky.Then with a rumble there came from each spot,Huge volumes of water remarkably hot,That had been there in caverns since Lucifer fell—Thus immensely enlarging the confines of Hell,And it happens that now when Old Charon brings inA remarkable load of original sin,That His Majesty quietly rakes up the coals,And up spouts the water, in jets, through the holes,One may tell by the number of spurts when they come,How many poor mortals the Devil takes home.
But Yankees can sometimes, without doing evil,O'ermatch in sagacity even the Devil.For not long ago Uncle Sam came that wayAnd said to himself, "Here's the Devil to pay.Successful I've been in all previous wars;Now Satan shall bow to the Stripes and the Stars.This property's mine, and I hold it in fee;And all of this earth shall its majesty see.The deer and the elk unmolested shall roam,The bear and the buffalo each have a home;The eagle shall spring from her eyrie and soarO'er crags in the canyons where cataracts roar;The wild fowls shall circle the pools in their flight,The geysers shall flash in the moonbeams at night,Now I christen the country—let all nations hark!I name it the Yellowstone National Park."
—Wm. Tod Helmuth.
(Reprinted from Haynes' Guide of Yellowstone National Park).
Administration Building, ZarephathAdministration Building, Zarephath Bible Institute and Zarephath Academy, Zarephath, N. J.
Alma White(Bishop Pillar of Fire Church),Founder.Rev. Ray B. White, A. B.,President.For the training of PREACHERS, EVANGELISTS, andMISSIONARIES.
A four years' course of study, equipping the student for efficient service in the Lord's work.
Write for Catalog.Pillar of Fire, Zarephath, N. J.
Alma White, A. B.,Founder.Rev. Arthur K. White, A. B.,Dean.(Registered by the State Board of Education.)
A four years' Academy course is given in this school, preparing students for college; also a full business course for those who desire it.
Catalog sent free on application.Pillar of Fire, Zarephath, N. J.
Westminster, Colorado.(Church, 1847 Champa St., Denver, Colorado.)Alma White, A. B.,Founder.Rev. Ray B. White, A. B.,Dean.