Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-11-04
THE WITCH OF ENDOR.
BY MRS. sEBA SMITH.

the human mind, do the elements Of
the dark and mysterious gather about
it. The past has been embittered by
care and disappointment; and in the
words of Scripture, their sway is
heaged up" there is no hopeful vista
20 relieve the gloom of the present,
and they appeal to omens, predictions
and the rude superstitioRs current a.
mongst the vulgar.
Too feeble to enter boldly the pre-
cinc's of Truth, grasping with strong
faith the very horns of the altar, and
thus learn how the temporary yields
TO that which is eternal, how the par
tiai is lost in the universal, they finger
about the threshold, perplexing them
selves with dim shadows and faint i'm
itations. They pause in the vestibule
where Superstition sits FORTRESS, rather
than enter to worship Truth herself.
1t is the error of their destiny more
than their own. The light that is in
them has become darkness. The
clearness and vigor of perception is
lost under the pressure Of circumstan-
res, in which human wisdom would
seem to be of no avail, and they yield
as length TO an irresistible fate.
The history Of Saul, the first king OF
Israel. is an affecting record of this
kind. Raised to the dignity of royal
power BY no ambition of his own. but
by Divine appointment in compliance
with the will Of the people weary Of
their Theocracy, we look upon him
from the first as an instrument, being
impelled rather than impelling.
Painful, indeed, is the contrast of the
proud and handsome youth common
cling his career in the freshness and
freedom of early manhood, when life
presented but long perspective Of
sunshine and verdure, to that of the
stricken man, weighed down by calam-
tiles, bereft of hope, bereft of faith
yet manfully marching to that fata
field where death only has been prom
ised him.
From the commencement Of his ca
reer the "choice young man ano good
w" seems to have had leaning to the
occult, a willingness TO avail himself
Of mysterious power, rather Than Il
arrive at results throug h ordinary anC
recognized channels We find hin
commissioned by his father, going
forth in quest OF three stray asses
which he seeks, not by the hillside.
and pastures of Israel, bat by consult
ing the seer, Samuel. The holy mar
halls him king, and gently rebukes hin
as to the object Of his visit, by saying
"set not thy mind upon the asse'
which were lost three days ago, fol
they are found"
Ardent and impulsive, he now goetl
up and down in spite fprophecy will
the strange men who expound it's mys
teries, and anon he sendeth the bloody
tokens to the tribes Of Israel, rousinI
them from the yoke Of oppression.
Generous and heroic, he repels tn,
foes of his people, and loads the chiv
airic David with princely favors. Ye
beneath all this, like hidden waters
heard but unseen, lurked this darl
and gloomy mysticism, that imbitterec
even his prondes, and brightest hapDi
est hours. An evil spirit troubled him
which only the melody Of the swee
psalmist of lsrae could beguiIe
Moses had been familiar with all tn,
forms Of Egyptian worship, and al
their many sources of knowledge; bu
as the promugator OF new and holi
er faith, he wished TO draw his people
from the subtleties of dlvlnaton, ant
induce them to direct and open reli
ance upon Him who alone "knowetf
the end from the beginning" No in
sight to the future 10 needed by tn,
strong IN faith and the strong in action
Hence the divlnely appointed legisIa
tor prohibited all intercourse with thos,
who dealt in this forbidden Iore-for
hidden, as subversire of human hope
and human happiness For the minc
loses It's tOueu te u7ce Impressed witt
the belief TIA, the shadows of cominI
events" have isi'en upon US.
The impetuous snhlvasclllsting Saul
impelled by all irresistible instinct tt
this species Of knowledge, sought tc
protect himself from its influence by
removing the sources of it from hi
kingdom. For this reason he put il
force the severe enactments of Moses