Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-02-10
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF PALESTINE.

RECOLLECTIONS OF PALES line
The Hebrew muse has been called the de-
nizen of nature; with equal Propriety may
abe be termed the denlzen OF history She
draws much of her sublImest inspiration from
the instructive record Of Gods dealing with
bis people. Even the Psalms are iull OF The
finest imaginary gathered from historical e
vents; but the prophetic poetry Is by iar the
most coplous 10 its sublime and beautiful al
lusions. TIE history OF the Jews 10 its spirit
is all poetry: their poetry is almsst a history,
both Of the past and tkc future. For the
Prophets, what could DE more appropriate,
In the exercise Of their functions as the mes
sengers Of God, than to paint their warnings
with AN unceasiDg and energetic appeal to Inc
well known experience Of the natlonl such
an appeai was not addressed to people ~
norant OF their own history. Itwas The PRIDE
of Hebrew, az we'll as his duty, to have the
law and the teslifsony inscribed upon his
heart. A Jew, we'll instructed, coul almost
repeat the contents Of the sacred Books from
memerv Ga their study the utmost eKpen-
dfure Of wealth and labor was laUshcd. lhey
were copied with the richest pcnmanshIp;
they were incased in jewels, they were clasp
ed with diamonds; they were deposited an
golden aTks. The whole OF the one hundred
and nineteenth Psalm is composed IN praise
OF their wisdom, and lnculcate their perusai'
How striking was the last charge OF Moses
to the people: "Aud thou shalt teaeh them
diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt
talk Of them pyhea thou stest IN my mousse
and when thou walkcst by the way, and when ,
thou lest down, and when thou risest up
thou shalt say unto thy son, 1--WE are Pha
saoh's bsndmen in Egypt, and the Lord
brought us out Of Egypt with mighty hand!"
Powerful indeed must have been the Iniiu'
ence of such familiarity with those sublime
compositions! The unceasing frequency WITH
which their remarkable passages are rcierfed
to by the sacred poets, show with what pre-
vailing power they dwelt in the popular una
ginatlos. How could it be othsrwseF Al
most every rite in ths ceremonial OF the 49,
brews was fouDded upon or IN some way
connected with the remembrance OF super
natural Interpretation. Almost every spot IA
the land of the lsraelites was associated with
the history of those glorious events. Three
timea a wear, tho whole jewish multitude
went 40 to the tabernacle or to Jerusalem at
the feasts. Did they pass through the valley
of Hebron? There lay tue bones oil the patti |
archs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Did they
stand on the plains of Mamre? There Abra- {
ham erected an alter TO jehovah and enter |
tanned the angels Did they visit the border
Oh tne bthu scar tis siuRrtoh "a'N' Aoii''
over the cities of the PLAIN, AVID they traced
the ruins of the fre-storm from heaven II {
they looked towards Ncbo, ii was the sacred | !
and mysterious burial place Of Moses Ii
they passed near Gilgal, there the sun and |
moon stood still at the command OF Joshua.
If they rode on the mountains ofGiiooa, there
the glory Of Israel was slain upon their msh
places. Such thrilling recollectlons must
have met them at every step, beng often
mingled in the memory with some vivid burst
of poetry. An event, Ike that OF the passage
OF the Red Sea, commemorated III song
such as that Of Moses, was treasure in the
Hunal Of the nation, whose worth in the for
nation Of the national spirit we cannot ad-
equately appreciate. Nor can we conceive |
the depth of emotion, which must have Oh |
lated ths frame OF devout Jewish patriot, |
every time be remembered that sublime com |
position North american RsUtsv.