, 1874-04-06

WQ,Hln
or chants out in tho .well-!lnown Arab manor.
and In tho clear, loud Arab voice. prophecy Of
r1n that must have Btartiod allko tho now-uaao
being, aud tho fawning subjoot:
Hoarken unto mc. 30 men Of shcchcm, that God
Ths tsees won't "G for on M mo to ano1nt King
ovcr item; and they said unto tho oyctrcc: 1tegn
Should teave my fatnesa whcrewh by thoy honor
Cod and man, and 90 to 30 promoted oyer tho troea?
rcgn .s over us. s Dut ho reo sad Unto Gh tham
Should forsako my sweet1'ssa, md ny good fg,it,
1eas e 9 to Z ra Je @ @
xnt .ho vne as Unto them: shoaa eave '1 ntnc
whisl ehcoreth qSa and ma and 60 to DO promoted
sa unto a u @ ~ s1ss sns
sx 1T Sas III Il t @ Sbo
tho cctlnra Of Lebanon.
+, Y aavS dSnS %n xe an :, sincerely
done unto lin according 70 tic deserving # hls
ture Lilo fo far, and delivered you out Of tho hand Of
4 n9 drS ss9 n y
ton persons, % apoa ono stoao. md hsvo msio Abimo
Ioc, tho sou Of hH maid servant, King tho mon
{! ss j ss vi. e @
hs hoas tnis sy thon rejose " IN Aemeleeh III md
o ~ " ss
tho house Of Milo md lot fro como out Of tho
of ahechem and from the house Of, Mlo, and dovour
Abineloch.
tits tho voice Of doom. It is tho l,nndwrit-
Ing on tho wall, which even at tho beginning d.
oares that tho tyrant's days arc numbered.
Thore could bo no difficulty In understanding
this simple parable. Tho olivo-tree, tho hg-
ttco, tho vine, tho souroe of all tho regions
woalth, who fill offices too important to admit
Of their leaving them even for 4 throne, nte
Gideon and dldeon's Bons, who havo refused to
rulo over Israel, while tho worthless bramblo,
Which IL ready to rulo, and to ruin In It's rule,
Is tho baBe-born, low.minded, doceitful Abnl-
eleo!i. Tho parable Of Jothaua Ia prophecy,
ard tho prophecy iB curse. A. curHe alike on
pcoplo aud being. VIII it bo fulfilled 2 Time
will tell. -
words must bc proved true bofore'we may ven-
ture to abido 10 or nonr Sheohem. - i;
30 it is with Alcohol. Ho is crowned with
groat re5olcings, and, Us tho result OF the most
tho government Of villagc, city, State and na-
tion, Ho has persuaded US That 1t ia bottor that
Go should rcign-ho, our bono and tlosh,r tho
Innocent medicinal quality In the wheat from
which comes our stnif OF 1lfe-than tho honor
ablo weIl"brod soma Of tho doliyerer OF our NO.
tion.: 30 VIC put tho powor into his hands, and,
ere tho work is dono, We hoar bohind us, aud
above us. out: OF tho clear Sky, the voico of
warning, a. ana Of woe; IT biteth like serpent,
But lot us follow The reign Of Abimolooh. He
hos secured the crown, tho ond Of oil his hopes.
Whas uHe will ho make Of It lothian hna
given him lis kname " bramblo-Klng." Will
tint disgracoful title stick to him, aud describe
Tor threo years tho conspirator enjoys his
power. at the end Of TINT time hiB tyranny ex-
oitcs opposition: The men Of shechem seek to
DO rid Of him. They aet liers-In-wait Tor linn in
tho rest, heads the plot agninht him.. ue has a
strong followiug,-ab brave, outspokeu following.
A. \ foast thoy curse Abitneloch oponly, and ask
s'Who ia Abilnolcot, and who Is shoohom that
NO should neryo him7 Ie not ho tho sou Of Jo-
rubbaal and Zebul hls oNloer2 Servo the men
Of Ha1nor. tho father OF shechom: for why
should we serve him7" And as the loader IN
move Ablmo1cch." And tho boldtess passes
into ohall0ngo, Increase' thy army and como
out" '''->
It ia q serious state Of thingB. Abime1ech can
not Bafoly remain in 8hocbom. He therefore,
holds his Court in one Of tho ieasor cities OF tho
Tongue, aud trusts Zebul his oi.lccr, to adminis-
tor atraisa in tho place Of dangor. The rebel is
caught by a. robo1. Through protenao OF friend.
shlp Zobul leads aani along, stop BY step, tilt
tho soldiers Of AbinoIoch arise and make short
work With his aspirations for tho throne. But
the rebellion has begun. A11nacloch is unpopu-
Gaal has fiod, and his followers are wounded
and slain, mud the city by, public act banishos
Gaa! for oomardce, popular sympathy is pot With
the HING, Tho very noxt day the shccl.emiteB
hyo gene a viii 1S
ties. Abimeleoh hoars OF II, gathers his mon,
follows tho robos, strikes then front, rear, and
f1ank--annihilatos them. But, whllo' 'ho~ Is
r}ss sRsns ra G''de the the was Hsl ze5si ss1e9s Is
oyorpoworod. Tho whole town ie in arms.
There is but one avenuo open. Abimolooh at
taqka tile city, contends against 1t whole day,
oasros Il at last BY aasaul5 al1nys the people
Aoi1aos with fire, Bows with salt the ground OIL
which thoy stood, A'few escape-they that are
in tho town Of shochenl-and tako refuge "in
Tue hold of tho house Of God Dorith," /. O.. iii
orod to Abimeleoh. uo hastona to noiEhbor-
ing hill, cuts down a bough from 4 troe,
puts it upon LIS shoulder, commands his follow
ors to do tho samo loads them to tho door Of tho
awaits tho aunoeatlon. Of tho inmates. A thou
measures Of Abimeloch aayo linn. Truo,
ho, has put to death half hls subjects;
Bis capital oity, has made bis aforotime friends
his bitter oncmios. But no matter. tho fro
kinder the bramb1o- King. still wears bis crown.
Shall we stop to point out tho parallels 2 II
the slavos of Alcohol riso against him.. arc they
not powerloaa2 Do they not often lose their
property aud their lives in tho. ntlompt to get
rid Of Linn 2 Is not every widespread revofu-
tiou against his authority attended with fearful
diAastor? And in this disaster are not thoso
involVod7 And yet hiH sway is droadful. It
caunot be endured. Men aud women arc unit
ing against him, and risking their lives to bring
about his overthrow. How much botter never
to lavo onttuHtod him with power! But as in
tho caso Of Abimclech, tue reflection comes too
late. :. a.,
Aumelcch8 victories make him rockfeBs. In
his auxioty to crush out tho last vestige Of ro-
bollion, llo marches to Theboz, encampn against
1t. takes 1t. Thore IL strong tower here into
which ali the men aud women lily for safety, and
carry thoir wenpons Of dofense with them. Tie
band within aro tho "forlozn hope" Abimelech
looks for IN easy victory. lie has had every
thing bis own why from the first. has gotten
rid Of tho rightful heirs Of the throne. He has
put down rebellion after rebellion, and IN q way
to mako Ills subjects fool the cost Of rebellion.
uo has shown Daal that oven his sacred asylum
affords no protection to those who throw oil
their Allegiance to tholr King. He will nuke
short work Of tho fow who haYo laid hold upon
! tho strong towor In 1hobez. He re1nombors the
SUCCESS At the fort Of Baal. ut Scheohem.
and draws uear to apply the torch But
thore is a power whioh Abimoloch las
not reoogntzod, IN eyo which has not lost sight