The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-06-27

Heaven was the source Of their reliance,
they executed their sacred commissions un-
awed by this threats Of kings Or the resent
ment Of the people. They foretold remote
events III times VIXEN they appeared most
improbable ever to take place, and when
no human foresight and no calculation Of
chances could guide them to the discovery
of the particular affairs which fulfilled their
predictions. Moses, in d long and most
interesting detail Of threats and promises,
foretoid the exact manner in which his peo
pie we're ordained to be happy or miser-
arabic, according as they followed or dis
obeyed the divine law. At subsequent
period, when Jerusalem was laid in ruins,
and the Jews were grooming under the sor-
rows Of the Babyionish captivity, Isaiah sol
emily addressed Cyrus by his name more
than a hundred years before his BIRTH rs
the deliverer OF Israel and the founder Of
the Holy City. When Babylon was shining
in the meridian Of its glory, and It's mon
archs ruled over all the nations of the east
with the most despotic sway, the same
prophet predicted the total subversion OF
their empire and the complete desolation
of their metropolis. That all these and nu-
merous other predictions were exactly ver-
flied by the events, are truths confirmed by
the evidence Of profane as well as sacred
history.
The same inspired prophets had q much
more important object In view, than to de-
clare the future dispensatien of Providence
to one nation in particular; for they an
nounced in terms at first dark and mystic
rioas, but progressively more clear and Cir
cumstantial the future birth Of the Mes
siah, a glorious king, divine legislator,
who was to abolish the sacrifices and relig-
ious institutions of the Jews and proclaim
and establish general law for the cbserv-
ance and happiness of all mankind. Here
the evangelists contribute their aid to illus
trate the declarations of the prophets, and
unite the history of the Old with that Of the
New Testament in the most close and in
dissoluble bond of nnion. Isaiah and ketts'
Interpreter of Prophecy
The historical books of scripture, con-
sldered from the time of giving of the law
Of Moses to the reformation in the worship
and government by Nehemiah, after the
Bybylonlsh captivity, contain a summary
account of the Jewish affairs for period
of eleven centuries. Moses B. c. 1911:
Gsay's key to the Old Testament.) They
were eventually not intended to give a COM
plete detail of national transactions, as
their writer's had more sublime and i'm
portant end in view. To illustrate The proph-
ecie5 by relating circumstances which
existed at the time when they were uttered,
and to show their accomplishment; to re-
cord various revelations of the divine will,
and to describe the state Of religion among
the Hebrews and tho various dispensations
Of Providence in public rs we'll as in pri-
vate occurrences seem to have been their
chief objects. The books of scripture oc-
casicnally assume the form and comprise
tho beauties Of q very interesting kind Of
biography. Of this nature are the several
accounts OF Job, Ruth and Esther, but they
are far from being unconnected with the
principal design of the sacred writer's, in
as much at they show that the same divine
Providence which presided over the nation
at large extended its particular care to in
dividuals and that tho examples Of private
virtue were inseparable from the great in
terests of public welfare and happiness.
The Israelites, for many ages separated
from the rest of mankind by their peculiar
institutions, were little acquainted with COM
merce, and made small advances il those
arts which refinement and diversity Of
employments introduce luxury and corrup-
ton of manners. They were governed by
equal laws, and possessed nearly equal prop
erty. They admitted no hereditary. dis
tinction of rank, except in favor Of the
regal tribe Of Judah, and the sacerdotal
family Of Levi. Their occupations from
the earliest times were of the most simple
kind, and consisted in pasturage and agri-
culture. To guido the pillow and tend the
flock, were employments. which recon-
mended by the innocence Of primeval man
ners and dignifed by length Of time, were
exercised by kings, prophets and generals.
Moses was called from feeding his flock to
conduct the lsraelites to the promised land:
Elisha forsook the plow to be invested with
the mantle of prophecy: and Gideon left
the threshing-hoor to lead the army OF his
country to battle. G.
lbcrville, La, June 20, 1885.
To be continued.