Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-12

/ pOuuuby anu nlIhIu mhue MIN preBen
of the same amount. II he had lost tn
value of whole realm out of his pocket
it would hardly have been worth hi
while to stoop down and pick it up. H
: wrote one thousand aud five songs. h
wrote three thousand proverbs. H
wrote about almost everything. TIL,
Bible says distinctly he wrote abou
plants, from the cedar of Lebanon to tn,
hyssop that groweth out of the wall
and about birds and beasts and fishes
No doubt he put of his royal robes, anC
put on hunters trapping, and went ou
with his arrows to bring down the rares
specimens of birds; and then with hi.
fishing apparatus he went down to the
stream to bring up the denizens of the
deep, and plunged into the forest and
found the rarest specimens of flowers
and then he came back to his study and
wrote books about zoology, the science
of animals; about ichthyology, the sci
ence' of fishes: about ornithology, the
science of birds; about botany, the sci
ence of plants. Yet, Notwithstanding all
his wisdom and wealth, behold his
wretchedness, and let him pass on. Did
any other city ever behold so wonderful
a man? Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
But here passes through these streets,
as in Imagination see him, quite as
wonderful and a far better man. David
the conqueror, the king, the poet. Can
| it be that am in the very city where he
lived and reigned? David great for
| power, and great for grief. He was
wrapped up in his boy Absalom. He
was splendid boy, judged by the rules
of worldly criticism. From the crown
of his head to the sole of his foot there
was not a single blemish. The Bible
says that he had such luxuriant shock
of hair that, when once year it was
shorn, what was cut off weighed over
three pounds. But notwithstanding all
his brilIiancy of appearance, he was a
bad boy, and broke his fathers heart.
de was plotting to get the throne of
Israel. He had marshaled an army TO
overthrow his fathers government. The
day of battle had come. The conflict
was begun. David, the father, sat be-
tween the gates of the palace waiting
for the tidings of the conflict. Oh, how
rapidly his heart beat with emotion!
Two great questions were to be decided:
the safety of his boy, and the continu-
ance of the throne of Israel. After
awhile, servant, standing on the top
of the house, looks off, and he sees
some one running. He is coming with
great speed, and the man on top of the
house announces the coming of the mes
senger, and the father watches and
waits, and as soon as the messenger
from the field of battle comes within
hailing distance the father cries out. Is
1t question in regard to the establish
ment of his throne? Does he saw:
Have the armies of Israel been victori-
Gus? Am to continue in my imperial
authority? Have 1 overthrown my
enemies?"
Oh, no. There is one question that
springs from his heart to the lip, and
springs from the lip into the ears of the
besweated and the bedusted messenger
flying from the battle feld-the ques-
tion: rs the young man Absalom safe?'
When it was told to David, the King,
that, though his armies were victorious,
his son had been slain, the father turned
his backIupon the congratulations of the
nation, and went up the stairs of his
palace, his heart breaking as he went,
wringing his hands sometimes, and then
again pressing them against his temples
as though he would press them in, cry
ing: 20 Absalom! my son! my son!
Would God l had died for thee, 0 Abb
SALON.! my son! my son!" Stupendous
grief of David resounding through all
succeeding ages. This was the city that
heard the woe. 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
am also thrilled and overpowered
with the remembrance that Wonder,
whe1e now stands a Mohammedan
mosque, stood the temple, the very one
that Christ visited. Solomons temple
had stood there, but Nebuchadnezzar
thundered it down. ZerubbabeTs tenn
pie had stood there, but that had been
prestrated. Then Herod built temple
because he was fond of great architect
ure, and he wanted the preceding tenn
pies to seem insignificant. Put eight
or ten modern cathedrals together, and
they would not equal that structure. 1t
covered nineteen acres. These were
marble pillars supporting roofs of
cedar, and silver tables on which stood
golden cups, and thereIlwere carvings
exquisite and inscriptions resplendent,
glittering balustrades and ornamented
gateways. The building of this temple
kept ten thousand workmen busy forty |
six years. Stupendous pile of pomp and
But the material and
grandeur of the building
were very tame compared with the spir-
itual meaning of its altars and holy of
holies, and the overwhelming signiti- |
canoe of its ceremonies. 0 Jerusalem,
Jerusalem!
But standing in the old city all other
facts are eclipsed when we think that |
near here our blessed Lord was born,
hat up and down the streets of this CITY
He walked, and that in the outskirts of |
it He died. Here was His only day of |
triumph andl His assassination. One |
day this old Jerusalem is at the tiptop |
of excitement. Christ has been doing |
some remarkable works and asserting |
very high authority. The police court |
has issued papers for His arrest, for |
this thing must be stopped, as the very |
government is imperiled. News comes |
hat last night this stranger arrived at a
suburban village and that He is stopping
ut the house of man whom He had |
resuscitated after four days sepulture.
Well, the people rush out into the
streets, some with the idea of helping
in the arrest of this stranger when Fl
arrives, and others expecting that on the
morrow He will come into the town and |
by some supernatural force oust the
and royal authorities and |
Jake everything in His own hands.
They pour out Of the city gates until the
procession reaches to the village. They
,ome all around about the house where
The stranger is stopping, and peer into
he doors and windows that they may
get one glimpse of Him or hear the hum
If His voice. The police dare not make
he arrest, because He has somehow won
he affections of all the people. Oh, it
s lively night in yonder Bethany!