The morning call., 1890-09-29
SATAN'S EXPERIMENT.
DR.. Stebbins DiscOurses on Jobs
TribulatiOnS.

Last evening Rev. DR.. Stebbins of the First
Unitarian Church preached his second ser
mon on JOB; the prose narrative scene of
the poem and Jobs position as great and
successful Eastern Sheik and his mIsfor-
tunes The previous Sunday evenings
sermon, which was the first of the series of
six on Job, was on the book itself and its
form, whether epic, dramatic or parable,
terminating with few Introductory remarks
on general impressions of the character of
its author. Next Sunday the open
ing of the dialogue between Job and his
friends will commence and be continued
until the sixth sermon, when the center of
the tragedy, where the wicked prosper, VIII
be reached, which will terminate the series.
DR. Stebbins took for his scriptural lesson
last night an excerpt from the book OF Job
detailing the giving to Satan by God his
permission to take from Job his substance.
Taking up Immediately the thread of the
narrative, DIR. Stebbins said q shall call
the book of Job a drama, the seat or point
of action of which is in the human soul and
its action humble one on the neral plane.
"'There was man in the land OF Uz,
the scripture says. This land of Uz is in
Arabia, small peninsula, which Is: not
prosperous one now, nor are the people
large and strong even in this day. In this
land of w lived Job, man OF pure mo,
yves, Will Hullldu SNHlHdlulcs, ubutoJ anu
an eschewer of evil. There is nothing said
of his executive ability. the whole descrip-
ton being that he was an esehewer OF evil
and rich.
''In the inventory of his riches it is worthy
of notice that his seven sons and three
daughters are first mentioned. Though his
stock would not be counted large now. In
his age he was very rich. He had oxen.
asses and camels, some ten or fifteen thou
sand. With these animals we see three
stages of life possible to- hiln-hrst, the
herder, a nomadc life; secondly, cattle
man. and thirdly, the life Of an agricul-
turlst
"Imagine Job living in a central tent, sur
rounded by his servants, herders. and near
him his family, sons and daughters. Their
life was one of luxury, each son having bis
day of Teasing, to whose board all the Others
were invited. Job in his seriousness and
years did not go with them in their hiarity,
but on the following morning would offer up
a sacrifice for fear that they had sinned dur
ing the feast.
often does in dramas. 1t is next before the
throne of God. Another person, Satan, pre-
sentS himself.
''God said to Satan Imagine, if you can,
Gods speaking to such fellow: Where
hast thou beeuY
I'D and down the earth God asked him
whether he had seen his servant, Job. Sa-
tan,sad: Yes; but added, But think you
he serves you for naught? Tonch his riches
and see him turn and curse you God then
gave him permission to imp0verish him.
This was done. Yet job did not curse
his Maker. God then said to Satan, See,
he has not ceased to worship But Satan
said, Touch his flesh and bones and see
And God said, Do so. He is in your hands;
only spare his life
''Satan smots him, the scriptures say.
with boils, but that is hardly true. lie
probably had leprosy OF elephantiasis, a dis
ease that swels up the countenance and
human form to elephantine proportions.
This disease is not unknown in the East.
when his three friends came-Elihu,
Bildad and Zophar-they did not know him,
and they sat down and wept in silence for
seven days and nights. That is the strength
of sorrow With this scene the Introduction
to the great drama ends"