The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-07-16
NEW YORK, SUNDAY MORNING. JULY Is, 1913


angel wrote the record of the world
Nor is the poetry OF the Bible by any means con-
fned to those passages in which the power OF the Al
mighty is exhibited as operating upon this infant
world. The same influence extending over the
passions and affections of human nature, is de-
scrlbed with the most touching pathos, and the most
impressive truth. That moving and controlling IN
fuence, so frequently spoken OF as the word OF the
Lord coming with irresistible power upon the IN
struments of his will, is no where set before us In
stronger light, than in the character OF Baaa m
when he declared that if Balak would give him his
house full of silver and gold he could not go beyond
the word Of the Lord his God to do less or more
Not even when he stood upon the high place amidst
the seven affairs with the burning sacrifice, and all
the princes OF Moab around him, and knew that
ueepe whom the Most Hsh blessed vet here
before the mutitudes assembled to hear the contr-
nation of their hopes, he was compelled to ac-
knowledge how those hopes were defeated; gay
ing,
galsk the king of Moab, hath brought me from
Aram, out Of the mountains of the east saying, Come
curse me Jacob, and come, defy me Israel.
How shall curss, whom God hath not cursed' or
how shall defy, whom the Lord hath not deiedl
For from the top of the rocks see him. and from the
hills behold him; 10, the people shall dwell alone and
shall not be reckoned among the nations.
Who count the dust of Jacob, and the number of
the fourth pNTt Of Israeli Let die the death Of the
righteous. and let my last end be like his
And Balak said unto Balaam What hast thou done un
to met took thee to curse mine enemies, and behold
.hou hast blessed them altogether.
speak that which the Lord hath put into my mouth!
Although Baaam knew that by obeying the word
of the Lord he was sacrificing the favour Of his
master, who had promised to promote him TO hon
our. yet again, when brought to the top of another
mountain with the vain hope OF escaping from the
power of OmnipOtence-when seven affairs were
again built, and seven builocks and seven rams sa-
cri6ced, the people of Moab were again told that
the Lord
hath not beheld nquity in Jacob, neither hath
he in Israeli the Lord his God ia with
him, and the shout of king is among them.s
Disappointed and defeated, Baak now very natu-
rally exclaims. Neither curse them at ALL nor bless
them at ALL Yet still willing to try for the third and
last time, the power of Man against his Maker, he
leads Balaam to the top of Mount Peor where the
same ceremonial gives the sanction OF truth, and
the majesty OF power, TO the words OF the prophet;
and here is that he pours forth for the last time
blessing, still richer and more unlimited than be-
fore, beginning with the beautiful and poetic lam
guage-
How goodIy are thy tents. Jacob and thy taberna.
cles, o Israel
he valleys they spread FORTH gardens by the
rivers sde as the trees of gn aloes which the Lord
hath planted and ns cedar trees beside the waters
To those who are best acquainted with the poe
try of the human heart the sad history of Je,thah
and his daughter affords particular interest, told
1t Is IN language never yet exceeded for simplicity
and genuine beauty, by any of the numerous wrl
tiers who have gwen us, both In prose and verse,
imaginary details of this melancholy story.
thou shalt without fail deliver the children OF Ammon
into mine hands, .
Then it shall be- that whatsoever cometh forth of the
doors of my house TO meet me when return IN peace
from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORDS
and will offer it up for burnt.ofering
So Jephthah passed unto the children Of Ammon
fight against them; and the Lord delivered them Into
his hands,
And he smote them from Aroer even till thou COR to
Minnith, twenty cities and unto the plain OF toe
vineyards, with very great slaue liter. Thus the bill
dren Of Ammon subdued before the children Of s
rael.
Aud Jephthah came tc Mzpoh unto his house, and be-
hold his daughter came out to meet him with timorel'
and with dences and she was his only child beside her
he had neither son nor daughter.
And it came to when he saw her. that he rent his
Clothes and said Alas my daug hter Thou hast brought
very low; and thou art of them that trouble me
for have opened my mouth unto the Lord and cannot
go back.
And she said unto him. my father if thou hast opened
thy mouth unto the Lord do to according to that
which hath proceeded out OF thy mouths forasmueh as
the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee Of thine enemies
even ofthe children of Ammon.
The character of Samson displays in a powerful
manner that combination of strength and weak ness,
which too frequently produces the most fatal and
irrevocable ruin. 1t Is character well worthy
OF our greatest poet, yet one, to the interest OF
saying much) could expatlate upon without taking
ANYTHING way. We first behold Samson as the ma n
before whom the Philistines trembled, after rend-
ing the lion, and scattering thousands with single
arm STOPPING to the dalliance of false and worth.
less woman-three times deceved-wantonly and
wickedy deceived, yet trusting her at last with the
secret of his strength. Next, betrayed into the
hands OF his enemies, we find him,
"Eyeless in Gaza at the mill with slaves"
And lastly, as if this punishment were not sufii'
cent, he is led forth and placed Between the pillars
in the public hall of entertainment, to make sport al
the festival OF his enemies, rejoicing in his weak.
ness and his bonds: where the indignation Of his
unconquerable soul finally nerves him for that tre-
mendous act oil retributve vengeance, by which the
death OF Samson IS COmmemOrated
The story OF Ruth is familiar in It's touching pa
thos, 70 every feeling heart; as well as intrinseally
can exceed the description of the separation Of the
sisters, when their mother entreats them to leave
her.
And they lifted up their voice and wept again; and Or
pah kissed her mothern law; but Ruth cave unto her.
And she said Behold thy sstern law Is gone back
to her people, and unto her gods return thou after thy
sister in-law.
And Ruth said Entrea me not to leave thee or to
turn from folio wing after thee; for whittier thou goest
will go; aud where thou lodges will lodge; thy PEG
pie shall be my people. and thy God my God
Where thou dies will die, and there will be buried
the Lord do to me, and more also aught but death
part thee and me.
In speaking ofpoeiry as it relates to the passions
and TO the minor impulses. and finer sensibtes o
human nature, as well as to the scenes and clrcum
stances most calculated for their development, w,
have no station in pointing out the lite and cha
any other in the Scriptures, with poetica interest
The book OF Job is one OF poetry itself, yet the cha
racter of the sublime sufferer does not afford tn,
variety exhibited in that of Saul PROSTATE in the
dust of the earth. and still holding communion with
the Deity, we behold him as an isolated being
struck out from the common lot, and set apart for
particular disrensaton, whose severity sufficient
10 ill more human heart with bitterness. But the
experience Of Saul is that OF more ordinary man,
with whom we can fully sympathze, az we go along
with him through those great national and social
changes, bv which men OF common mould are often
placed before the world in point ofview striking
and important TO enttle them 10 the name OF
great We recognize in the King OF Israel the same
motives and feelings by which men in all ages have
been infuenced yet while we speak of him IA
less extraordinary character than job it is only
far the features OF his character intelli
gbe and familiar to our observation and experience;
for everything recorded of HIM in his eventtul his
tory, be speaks mind imbued at the same time
with power and sensblty. and soul capable of the
extremes both of good and evil.
We behold him first simple youth-a choice
young man, and goodly, so unconscious of the
high homer which awaited him, that when Samuel