Milford chronicle., 1889-12-13
saieni
DAvn,'s GREATEST GRIEF.

Imagination | see him, quite as wonderful
and far better man. David the conqueror,
the king the poet Can it be that | am in
the very city where he lived and reignedl
David great for power, and great for grief
He was wrapped up in his boy Ahsalom. He
was a 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 a
luxurant shock OF hair that, when once a
year it was shorn, what was cut off weighed
over three pounds. But, notwithstanding all
his hrillancy Of appearance, he was a bad
boy, and broke his fathers heart. He was
plotting to get the throneo Of Israel. he had
narshaled an army TO overthrow hts fathers
government The day Of battle had come
The conflict was begun. David, the father,
sat between the gates of the palace waiting
for the tidings of the conflict. Oh, how rapid
ly his heart beat with emotion Two great ques-
tions were TO be decided: the safety of his boy
and tho continuance of the throne of Israel
After awhile a servant, standing ON the top of "a
house, looks off. and he sees some eonsrunning
He is coming with great speed, and the man
on the top of the house announces the com
ing of the messenger, and the father watches
and waits: and as soon as the messenger from
the field OF battle comes within hailing dis
tance tine father cries out. Is it a question
in regard to the establishment Of his thronei
Does he say: Have the armies Of Israel been
victoriousl Am | to continue in my impe-
rial authorityl Have l overthrown my enc.
miesin Oh, no! There is one question that
springs from his heart to the lip, and springs
from the lip into the ear of the besweated
and bedusted messenger flying from the bat
tie held-the question: "Is tho young man,
Absalom, safer When it was told to David,
the king, that, though his armies had been
victorious, his son had been slain, the father
turned his back upon the congratulations of
the nation, and went up the stairs Of the
palace his heart breaking as he went wiring
ing his hand sometimes, and then again press
ing them against his temples as though he
would press them in. crying; 30 Absalomi
my soni my soni Would God had died for
thee, . Absaloml my sonl my son!n Stu
pendous grief of David resounding through
all succeeding ages. This was the city that
heard the woe. Jerusalem, Jerusaleml
am also thrilled and Overpowered with
the remembrance that yonder, where now
stands a Mohammedan mosque, stood the
temple, the very one that Christ visited.
Solomon's temple had stood there, but Neb-
thundered it down. Zerubba-
bells temple had stood there, but that had
been prostrated Then Herod built tenn
pie because he was fond of great architec-
ture, and he wanted the preceding temples 70
seem insignificant. Put eight or ten modern
together and they would not equal
that structure 1t covered nineteen acres.
There were marble pillars supporting roofs
of cedar, and silver tables on which stood
golden cups, and there were carvings ex-
quisite and Inscriptions resplendent, glitter
ing balustrades and ornamented gateways.
The building Of this temple kept ten thousand
workmen busy for forty-six years. Stupend-
Gus pile Of pomp and magnificence! But
the material and architectural grandeur of
the building were very tame compared with
the spiritual meaning Of its altars and holy
of holies, and the overwhelming significance
ofits ceremonies. 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
CHRIsT's LAST VISIT THERE.
But standing in this old city all other facts
are eclipsed when we think that near here our
blessed Lord was born, that 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, and his assassination. One
day this old Jerusalem is at the tip top of ex-
citement. Christ has been doing some re-
markable works and asserting very high
The police court has issued papers
for his arrest, for this thing must be stopped,
as the very government is imperiled, News
comes that last night this stranger arrived
at suburban village, and that he is stop
ping at the house of man whom he had
after four days sepulture, Wen,
the people rush out into the streets, some
with the idea Of helping in the arrest Of
this stranger when he arrives, and others ex-
pecting that ON the morrow he will come
into the town, and by some supernatural
force GUST The municipal and royal authori-
ties and take everything in his own hands
They pour out of the city gates until the
procession reaches TO the village They come
all around about the house where the
stranger is stopping, and peer into the doors
and windows that they may get one glimpse
of him or hear the hum of his voice The
police dare not make the arrest, because he
has somehow won the affections Of all the
people. Oh, it is a lively night in yondol
The heretofore quiet village Is
filed with uproar and outcry and lo,al dis
cussiOn about thestrange acting countryman.
do not think there was any sleep in that
house that night where the stranger was
stopping. Although he came in weary, he
finds no rest, though for once in his lifetime
he had pillow. But the morning dawns
the olive gardens wave in the light, and all
along yonder road, reaching over the top OF
Oivet toward this city, there is a vast, ,swaying
crowd pf wondering people. The excitement
around the door of the cottage is wild as the
stranger steps out beside an unbrokeu colt that
had never been mounted, and after his friends
hal streWp their garments on the beast for a
saddle, the Saviour mounts it, and the popu-
lace, excited, and shouting, and feverish,
push on back toward this city OF Jerusalem.
Let none ieer now or scof at this rider, or
the populaoe will trample him under foot in
an instant. There Is one long shout OF two
miles, and as far as the eye can reach you
sec wayiugs Of demonstrations and approval
There was something in the riders visage,
in his majestic brow, something
in his princely behavior, that stirs up the en-
thusiasm of the people. They runuD agains,
the beast and try to pull the rider OF into theI
arms, and carry on their shoulders the illustri-
Dus stranger. The populace areso excited that
they hardly know what TO do with themselves,
and some rush up to the roadside trees and
wrench Oft branches and throw them in his
way and others dOff their garments, what
them for a carpet tor the conqueror to ride
over 'llosannaF' cry the people at the
loot of the hill "Husanpap cry the people
al up aud down tho mountain. The proce5
sion has nov come to tie brow Of yonder
Olvtt. Magnificent prospect reaching out in
every Observation-Disclosures, olive groves, jut
Ting rock, silvery Siloam, and above all, rising
N its thr Of hills. this most highly honored
ity Of all the earth, Jerusalem Christ there,
n the mi,st of the procession, looks of and
ees here fortressed gates, and yOnder the
'ircling wall, and here the towers blazing in
he sun, Phasaelus and Marianne. Yonder
$ Hippicls, the kings castle. Looking along
n the range of the larger branch Of that
dive tree, you see the mansions Of the mer-
,hapt princes Through this cleft in the lime
itone rock you see the palace Of the richest
lafficker in all the earth. He has made his
money by selling Tyrian purple. Behold now
the templel Clouds Of smoke lifting from
ihe shimmering roof, while the building rises
up beautiful, grand, majestic, the architect
lral skill and glory Of the earth. lifting