The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1884-01-17
ISRAEL'S IDEAL.
The Joseph Of the Scripture as the
Embodiment
or Moral Herolsm aud the Original o
the Stories
About the Fabled Joseph and Zaleika.

In New York last Sunday. Rev. Il, Hebtr
Newton preached a sermon from The Ira
d lions OF Joseph" which has attracted
general attention throughout the country.
In Substance It was us follows
Joseph" said Mr.. Newton, was the
smbodiment Of spirit OF purity aud pisty;
n character which with some possible de-
iecis, according as certain incidents are
read, Ia yet ons Of majestic nobleness and
iacinating sweetness. This story Of Joseph
takes up into itself traditions
upon Egypt, and the figure OF Jo'
seph 10 set ssains. dreamy background IN
which an Egyptian atmosphere suiinses
he Gcane with its fascinating mystery.
The artistic character Of the story" con-
timed Mr.. Newton, ~ never felt 80
strongly as when a few years since in
preaching q course OF sermons 10 children
upon 1t, found myself unconsciously ar.
ranging its sections as the scenes In a
among the early Israeli,es."
Abiding to the story OF Joseph and Poti-
phAr's wife, Mr.. Newton said Joseph was
In this the noble hero OF purity and piety
In whom the uncorrupted northern Israel
ties delighted. This tale became favor
lie one In the east, and gave rise 10 the
elaborate s.orie. OF the love Of Joseph and
the original story leavens all the admix.
ture."
Referring to Joseph's great accumulation
oil grain and provisions previous 10 the lam.
ine in Egypt, Mr.. Newton said LET us
blind our eyes to the fact that this policy
OF Joseph was gigantic corner in grain,
planned and carried out with pitiless seve.
| lty, by which whole people was entrap-
ped into seridom, their real estate and per
sons possessions mace the property oil the
king, aud crushing tax laid in perpetual
ly upon the nation. By making vas. pro-
visions for the prolonged famine which he
anticipated he was euabIod, when IL SIT
in upon the people, 10 carry out measures
of II sweeping character. His superior icfe.
sight placed IN his hands the sbsolute ne
cessiies OF life, which the starving people
were comp eled to purchase from him on
his own terms. Alter their money was ex'
hausted the poor people parted with
their cattle, getting rad III exchange for
their horses and flOcks, cattle and lands.
When the people realized, alter the danger
rom starvation was over, that they were
ser,s their discoutent became intense,
4 gigantic sy stem of eviction was carried
out, doub less under the force of the army,
and the population of the provinces were
mutually interchanged, thus breaking up
the old tie and the sense OF freedom that
roots IN the paterual homestead. A tax oil
fifth Of the produce was fixed upon the
land in perpeluity. l have N doubt that
his is h record of real historical revolution
and in fact just as social changes have been
historically made in many countr es under
similar pressure. Land serfdom has gener.
ally arisen in this way. The poor have In
times OF distress sold themselves to the rich
and great. Let us face the ugly fact that
slavery, seridom, villeinage-Lhe various
forms Of human bondage-have usually
arisen by just. such statesmanship and
financieriug as Joseph's. Let US face the
nglier fact that the social system OF Europe
(soon to become ours also) rests upon mo.
nopoly of land, which as matter OF his
tory has been largely built up after the
methods of Joseph"