, 1873-10-12

your hand, and Abraham gave him thhes Of
everything. And tho King Of sodom said to
Abra!lams Give mo the prisoners and keep
n Sao 90 nut Abrshnm @ aaia raig' ny
sl.oc-lHtchet will tako Of that which, wns
yours"
In itsolf this would bo an insignificant matter,
that one Of those petty Kings III Abrahasn's
and wlno.. But those who rovoro tho Scriptures
cannot admit tho idea that this Divine Uoo1i
contains anything which Ia without Significance.
Therefore they Hcok to ennoblo this MelcllizodoI
n order to hghton, along with him, the MORT Of
Our auceators soc, in this hfolcbizodok, shem,
tho son OF Noah, WHO they supposed WA still liv~
ing at TINT ttmo rho bread and vino arc s.tp-
onco made in liz Templo. But tho Church puts
it's hand on thia Molollzcdof and Bays: " 1Io ia
aud point to the 110th paalm. Tho oldest writ
ingH Of tho Church arc full OF this idea.
Wo belong to those who believe tlat every ut
torrance Of tho Scriptures contains 4 thought
which Ia Of no small value but wo Book for the
Significance Of this narrative, not in the worthi-
neas Of Melchizedek, but. on tho contrary, In tho
ness Of tho priost OF the most high God Us con.
traated with that Of tho noble, great-heartod,
Johovah-boeving Abraham. Tic contrast be-
tween tho lightB and blades OF tho oharaoter4
more sharply and powerfully dolned with feN
words.
But, nbove all things. VIC must not draw favor4
ablo conclusions as to tle character of the man
from tho hgh-soundtng namo, King Of Right
eouBneHs."
We also find, in tho Book of Joshua. a King Of
Joruaalom, Which iB most ltkoly called BohaIom
potty Kings against Israel, and 10 ID toro called
Lord Of RighteouBnoas. But in the East, losa
thau anywhere elao, must tho title DO taken fol
tho man.
So VIC cannot asBume, from tho circumstance,
that he was called the priest OF the most high
God, and that no twico 80 aolemnly invoked Him,
that be had reached the height Of tho Divine
idoa. it Quite the reverse the espreseion "moss
high God preHuGposes belief in gradatIlfen T.
most !. 'sh God Of tho pagan priost the ~ Lord
God Of Abraham, who rlloH aione IN heaven
and oarth with omnipotonce and mercy.
After haylnG disposoa Of what might induce
us to think fnvorably Of Melclizodek, lot ua 500
what speaks against him.
Consider tho situAtion:
Abraham, with lis armed men. WAS returning
from his victorious campaign. The spoil Of nine
dren were prisoners, in his power. What, accord
Ing to the unquestionel law OF that time, WAS
tho bittor lot Of tho unhappy captives7 Slavery!
Then tho King Of sodom came and begged:
"Oh give us back our mothers and fathers,
and sisters. and children, aud keep cur richos.'
The poor King still romainod III lis suppliant
attitude; then appeared upon tho sceno tho Dig
utded High Priest of tue usnat high God. What
will he desire? What else Gun he desire than to
nay a kind word to tho conqueror for tho uu-
happy prisoners?
Tho priest raises his eyes to Heaven; he calls
out twice In succession to the most high God.
For what purrose2 For what pnrpoao? What
a question! Whit olae eau ho aal from his most
high God than tho freedom Of thcso unfortu-
nateB2
Tho priest divides out bread and wine. To
wlomi 10 whom else tlan tho faiuting priBor-
orH Oh how yolt are mistaken Ho bleBsea
tho conqucror, mud Thanks his most high God,
that He has given these poor creatures into tho
haud Of tho victor. Tho bread and vino are in
tended for Abraham and his conquering host.
If lo Ind honored Abraham with lis visit when
he marched forth to battle, the result Of which
was SO uncertain II he had strengthened Kim
with hia prayers. aud refreshed him with hread
and vino. wo might ut leust have been ablo to
SEQ in it o token Of devoted friendship. But
there ia not truce OF nobility Of soul to bo de-
tectel in tho conduct Of Dtelchizolok.
And Abraham Z
Abraham, who did not mike any protenslona
to occupy my prominent position i'll tho Court
Of Uoavon, who WIS neither King nor priest, had
| not d word Of response to those 1atteries Io
knew what the priest wantod. He gave him
titles.
The priost, having in his hand good pay for
bread nnd vino mud blessing. went homo wel
| ploaaed indifferent to tho pleading King, and
| tho prisoners waiting in painful suspense. But
Abraham granted them more than they asked !;
| he restored to them, in the nanlo Of his Lord
God. their freedom and their property.
THUS the lntor1ningng of these two differ
ont variations is explained.
Whether the life Of Melchze1ek went back for
ten generations to tho time before the flood, or
whether ho is identical with slen, ne cannot
sAy. But it is certain that he must have been
tenacious Of life, since ho las been seen in
| yal1ous places during our own day.