Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-05-03

{" Wherefore have not nnned agains,
thee. but thou doest me wrong 10 war
against me: the Lord the Judge, bc judge
this day between the children OF Israel and
the children OF Ammon. ."-Judscs. ll:g'.
At that period In the history Of Israel,
called I" The time Of the Judges" and mt
point In that period OF great distraction and
confusion in national affairs, no judge at the
head OF the administration--the princes dis.
cordant among themselves, every man doing
that which vas right in his own eyes, and tho
whole nation corruptins itself with 'dolatry
tho king Of the Ammonites moved grca,
army into the pl~asan, and fruitful Wales OF
Gilead. with intent to subject oil that fer.
tile region east OF the river to his own sway.
IL |. we'll for the children Of Israel in Gilcad
tha, they succc ell in making Jep.hah their
captain, and commit tho conduct Of the war
to him. lie accepts the trust, and jusiiies
the confidence reposcd in him by the wise
and prompt measures which he adopts. The
armed invaders are already upon bis so'l
the Ammoni,es arc the trc'passcr.. bat Jep.
thah !. patient and forbcaring lilo does
not prccipi,s,e himself upon his enemies
"a word and a blow" the blow 6rst-bu,
.ends messengers to tho invading king to
ask the reason and the Justification Of this
nc, OF hostility. When was ever tho hand
OF violence without prctsIt for striking ?
Tho king asserts that when the l'raelites
came up ou, Of Hsyp, they d''rOsc-sed him
Of tho.c very lands, and that ho is there TO
regain bis own. A claim that has slumbcr-
ed three hundred year. ,rumpcd up now.
evidently Tor the occasion. still Jvp,hah 10
patient and calm. II is worth while. IL he
can, to show the Ammoni,cs the injustice
OF their claim, 10 convince them Of tho
righteousness OF l.rael's causs. and by ar.
ransemen, and persuasion to torn back the
tide II strife. And again he sends mc-.cn.
gers 10 rehesr,e the matter ~ large how
that tho Ammoui,es had been originally
di.poscs-ed by the Amor.tes; {; that the
Amoritcs had wag-d m unjust war against
Israel aud los, ,bo-s land. TO her In that
conflict; tha, the Supreme DrsPoser and
Executive had commanded Israel 20 take
possession OF this region and hold it for Him;
that they had held for three centuries; that
their holding had never bseu molestsd or di.
puted. aud tha, therefore the present inva.
sion was unjus,i6able. Little carei the
cosetou. King OF Ammon about the right OF
case. Probably he and hi' forces encour.
aged themselvc. over this long delay, ihi.
irui,le-s negotiation on the part OF the new
captain TO the men Of Gilead. They said,
very likely. to one another. 4" these men aro
afraid 10 fgh, Us; they will yield all ws
have demanded. II they had no, been cow
ards. or altogether upreparcd 10 meet Us in
arms. they would no, have stood talking ~
long. We have only to show bold front.
and these rich provinces are ours. even 10
the bank, Of the Jordan. and then. n tho
neI, step. the whole Jordan valley on either
hank, the border provinces, will fall TO our
dominion"
They had mistaken their man. While
delaying and negotiating. Jep,hAh had been
assembling iorco. q, Mi.peh. lle had put
the Ammoni,e- in the wrong. lie had
shawn hi. desire for righteous peace. lie
bad pushed his forbearance to Its utmost
limit. Before God and man he bad convict
el the invaders Of committiug q wanton AMI
inde,ensible assault Then he marched. and
the battle va. joined. And tho Lord de-
liyerei tho Ammoui,es into the hands OF
Jepthah "and he smote them from Aroer
even till thou come 20 Minnith. even twenty
cities. and unto the plain Of the vineyards,
with q very great slaughter. Thus the
children Of Ammon were subdued before tho
children Of Israel"
From the horizon that has been darkened
day by day. for months past. as our eyes
have look southwark. there have shot up at
last the lurid clouds OF war. Out OF the
bosom OF the cloud we have seen the sui.
phurou. aashe. aud heard the crash Of tho
thunders, and know that the bolts OF doom
have f,llen. The curtain tha, hung before
the scene in that southern Larbor. where
one little pa,rio, band stood At hay. rnscd
about with score Of iron.mouthed batter
,e., rose. and the gale Of thirty millions OF
people iu this land was fastened upon tho
opening OF the grsa, tragedy. Against tho
brave old fig. aud il few defenders, trai'
,orous and rebel hands launched the mis-.
siyes OF death and destruction. For while
/, waved amid cloud, and smoke, and its
champions gave back the stormy salutat'on
Of the hostile leasuec, four score against
seven thousand. and then upon the well de.
Tended and blackened ruin .aGe down the
stainless bunting. q martial shrsud Tor the
lo.t fortress. And over the land. from city
10 city, and home to hsGe, waking the
echoes Of every hillside and every hearth
.,one-ut,ered by the lish,n'oss hery
tongue. repeated by the pre.s. and vibrating
on all the air-has gone one brief word,
that has ia il world OF dreadful meaning.
.w.r." War" That word Is ringing
IN our ears to day: we eanno, shut It out.
Tha, meaning i. on our heirts; Se cannot
throw od the burden.
DO you ask why repea, thss word here.
within calm retreat, consecrated 70 the Ut
.eranee Of tha, Gospel whi:h is "Peaee on
Earth. good will to men'" II ell the air
outside 10 stirred by il. why not keep these