The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-17
gHE PULPIT And The PEW.
, Ussutllul and Instructive Custom Pre-
Va1ins Among the Jews.
qVgIR HUMILITY IN ANCIENT TINES.
vanity and Instability 81 All Earthly
Greatness and Power-Other
Selections.

,.,s somewhere related that in times passed
40 was beautiful and instructive custom
INC among she Jews. AZ the wedding
-, tbe bride and groom together drank the
v,ne rom the same glass and then broke
... scattered fragments The interprota-
.,f This custom. so lraught with beauulu
wise reflections carries its less n not
-,.to the bride and groom. but 20 all who
.-..,,.e the great sum Of human existence.
v-,en together they sipped the sparkling
'tr,m lie same frail and delicate glass.
w.. 10 remincd them that together they
l, am of the lows and together tread the
+ rery meads of existence, az the same time
., lv adm nished 10y the fralty ahd broken
.-.eats Of the crystal glass AS to che
....escence Of All earthly JOYS, the snortness
tIe duration Of all mundane things, be
.'.r pleasures and JOYS, OF wealth and
-es the ruthless hand OF time levels equally
.t sf the peasant and the palace of
~ .e-t king lei TINS beautiful custom OF
I,v. adm0ush as that there IS nothing
lament but The favor and the love OF God,
..st,.cn IN the highest state of exaitatiOn
..-..l the largest share of humility.
t,re of Austria the wife of Louis XIII,
.,. birth 70 a son. LOUIS NV, after u child
~ marriage of TWENTY-FIVE years, and the
r-.rrl nation were SO oyorioyed al the birth
..- heir 20 the throne that they styled him
IL O.euX Dome, he God ,iyen. lie was the
~. lest and most absolute Of French kings
..r I'D the arrogance of his eXaltatlOn,
,rs-si his famous saying. lie etat c'est
. am the State" His direct descend
-t Iouis XVI. IS led 10 the scahold. at
..-i.i bv the deriSive howlingS and demOnlac
behring's u a Pausla2 mob, and, when de-
-.r the last grace OF addressing the people,
,ssfercci hy the roar of the drum and the
sh frrrrlI
eas, Of the Jewish custom is hitting Illus
t-srau Oh this closing scene.
Humility was virtue but little understood
.- r-rtced in the ancient days. and the
READER Cf the Greeks, When mourning the
absence Of Achilles, expresses as much
f--ritv rs is possible TO find in the early
dsys when he eXclams
-ro here the wretched AcamemnOn stands,
nh. unhappy general OF the (ircClQn bands.
Wrom love DEGREES with daily cares 10 bend,
And woes that only with his life shall end
We see King Herod sitting upon his throne
.-rsvel IN his royal apparel, which was doubt
f.s. Che royal purple. and delivering an ora
ton TO the surrounding people, and they
cheering with loud huzzahs, 1t Is the voice of
s D15d and not of man;" be does not reprOve
-h4 ser,lia crowd but accepts the Dlasphe-
mons hulation as his kingly due, and lmme-
fatelv the angel Cd the Lord smOte HIM be
oersa lie gave not GOD the glory Again
fitting illustration Of this closing scene.
Bs.shazzar is the great king OF great Baby
Ion the prophet Isaiah calls at the golden
stv. built on the plan of square. 10 miles
to fine side 60 in It's circumference, 100
-at-s of lid brass - to the side. towers
between each gate and at the corners walls,
ACCORDING 10 HerOdltus 3l3 feet high and y3
thick. Well might BelshazZar IN the immen-
gty ~ his glory, forget the selt-laudatlon
his father. NebuchadneZZar. and the swift
punishment which overlook him az the hand
Of God where he exclaimed IN his eXaltaton,
"l,not this great Babylon that ! have built
.rthe house Of the kingdom of my power
and for the honor of my majesty" Forget
ting this Instance in his fathers life, forget
ting bis fathers subsequent humility, he
makes % Great feast TO a thousand Of his lords
le calls for the gold and silver vessels taken
from the temple at Jerusalem, that his wives
and colcuoines may drink from them, ana
doubtless the walls rang with toasts 10 the
various gods of gold silver, iron and wood.
Ia the midst Of this bachanalian saturnaha he
bebolds the dreadful writing upon the wall,
The terrible words prOclalmlng the end OF ms
fo and the end Of his glorious kingdom. Yet
again the shattered glass of the jewish Gus
tom Is a fitting illustration OF another closing
scene.
Such historical happenings as these are we'll
calculated 10 impress MS with the vanity and
instability of all earthly greatness and power.
Forget not the Jewish custom, remember the
shattered glass,
Remember. when highest exalted, all things
come TO pass, 800
As the viii of God directs, as the will Of God
demands.
Remember. wher highest exalted, obey the
Lord commands;
Nan here nothing brought and nothing can
Remember, when highest exalted, God rules the
day:
b humble in prosperity, do nothing the Lord
Remember. when highest exalted, God the
nation rules,
Then glory 10 God, the highest; glory 10 God,
the King: -
Let earth declare his glory, and Heaven His
South Boston Times.