Middletown transcript., 1881-07-01


he would Just fix up the servant and
give him the rings and presents and let
him go and do the counting for Isaac
The servant went, found the maiden,
gave her the presents, went home with
her from the well and talked to her
parents, especially to her big brother
Every one who has had any experience
with big brothers knows that it is a
great deal more difficult to court them
than either the parents or the young
lady. But the servant proved himself
equal to the task for he so managed
the whole affair that in a short time
the young lady was willing to mount
camel, leave father, mother and big
brother all behind and take with the
servant a ride of nearly thousand
miles.
Now the wonder to me has been, as
the servant had to do all the courting
and the giving Of the presents and then
take SO long ride with Rebekah, that
it did not end like the courtship of
Miles Standish, who gave as his reason
for not counting for himself his utter
inability to stand up against awoman's
"No.'h Said he:
81 can march up to fortress and summon
the place to surrender,
| But march up TO a woman with such pro-
/ posal dare not.
| mouth OF cannon,
| But Of a laundering NO. point blank from
the mouth of a woman,
/ That, I confess I'm afraid of; nor am L
| ashamed to confess II"
So the captain sent John. But when
he popped the question for the captain
the maiden said 'Why don't you
speak for yourself, John ?'' John was
so thunderstruck that it took him some
time to recover, but when he did, John
spoke for himself, married the lady and
! left the captain to consider his maxim,
eff YOU would have it done well you
must do it yourself youmust not leave
it to others.'
The difference between Isaac and
young Americans is just this: Isaac
believed others might court for him,
but young Americans know if courting
is to be done well they must do it
themselves.
There are many things in the Bible
of literary merit but my time is too short
to dwell upon them OF even name them.
1 will give passing notice to the fig
ures of the Bible simply to call atten-
ton to them. a poetical genius has
remarked, "That not more thickly are
the4lowers and blades of grass beaded
at early morn with dew drops, than are
the sacred writings adorned with fig
ures.' He has also stated that there
is not any considerable figure or trope
recognized by grammarians of which
examples may not be furnished in the
scriptures.
There is also poetical excellence in
the Bible. But dare not venture my
own mean opinion while SO many so
noted for ability have spoken on this
point. Sir Daniel Sanford says " In
Lyric flow, and fire, in crushing force,
the poetry of the ancient scriptures is
the most superb that ever burned in
the breast Of man. Some may think
Sir Daniel extravagant, but read the
words Milton puts into the mouth Of
Christ
''That rather Greece from us their art de-
Ill initiated, while they loudest sing
The voices of their deities, and their own,
/ In fable, hymn, or song, so personating
| Their Gods ridiculous and themselves past
/ shame.
Remove their swelling epithets thick laid
| AS Varnish on a harlots cheek, the rest
/ Thin sown with aught of profit or delight,
| VIII far be found unworthy to compare
| With Zion's songs"
There is a literature where all is as
tender and beautiful as summers
evening, but the damps Of disease de-
scend with the dews of heaven and the
delicate and the surest victims Of the
exposure. We must avoid such. We
must choose between the good and the
evil with an eye purified as by fire.
For if we choose by ornament alone we
will most certainly find when time is
lost, that ornament is but the guided
shore to most dangerous sea-"
If we choose that which appeals to
our pride and pleads our mi 1t we will
discover that such was but the ''seem-
ing truth which cunning tries to put
on to entrap the wisest. 7"
These things are beautifully set forth
in "The Merchant of Venice" where
the suitors Of Portia sought her hand
and she placed before them the three
caskets. The first chose the golden one,
when he looked in with disappointed
astonishment and exclaimed "What
have we here? A carrion death. =
Such will be the disappointment of all
who choose trashy, ficticious literature,
although it may look like "apples Of
gold in pictures Of silver"
, / 1lIG S6COLNl CdllilC ctAlu OAlOoO OLO oAAHSA
casket and to his great surprise he
found blinking idiot. So will it be
with all who choose infidel literature,
for in it there is the blinking idiot
''the fool who has said in his heart,
there is no God.''
The third Prince came, who would
neither choose by ornament nor by
merit, but that which required him to
9 give and hazard all that he possessed. y
When he examined his choice he found
, to his great delight the picture Of
Portia, who became his bride. There
are greater joys for every one who
would choose the leaden casket Of
Bible literature, which contains the
picture of One fairer than Portia, even
Jesus, the worlds great Exemplar.
s :. The whisper Of beautiful wo-
~ .Tr,, 49,, 1Ha houtd fiji.