The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-20

new things do I announce before they
spring forth. I let you hear of them. 81,
the Lord, have called thee in righteous
ness" The origin of the Jewish race and
the appearance of Israel upon the theater
of history to work out its allotted destiny
is understood by the prophet as a call from
on high, the gift of divine genius stamped
upon the mental character of the race and
prescribing the tasks singled out for its per-
formance in the great work of the perfect
ing of the human spirit to which every ma
tionality with its peculiar characteristic
and mental temperament is to contribute its
special share. The word call is the sim
plest, yet most true Of that mysterious
power through which the human mind has
celebrated it's greatest and most various
triumphs in all the spheres of it's activity.
Ask the musician what subtle power it is
that wrings from his breast sweet melodies
and attunes his ear to draw hidden Truths
from the harmony of sounds and create a
world of passion and love, and human woe
all from the mere combination of different
noises. Ask the artist what charm it is
that makes his eye read the divine story in
the gentle prism of colors, and
skills his hand to boldly ~recreate life upon
the dead canvass. Ask the poet what force
it is that drives him to sing in ecstacy what
others would but dryly speak, and learn the
secrets of human life from flower and
mountain and river. Inquire of the i'm
passioned orator what encouraging and
hope-inspiring angel has touched his lips
that the words flow and in their fiery truth
pierce the very heart of the people and en-
boidens him to make their consciences vi
brate and their checks glow or pale accord
ing to tine force and fury of his speech.
They will all admit it is a power beyond
themselves which calls them out of their
narrow personalities and makes them fol
low, carrying them along on the wing of
inspiration, The great Jewish preachers
felt and openly testified to the influence of
this whirlwind which acted through them.
All that accomplish the truly planned in
art, in poetry. in beauty, in life, all are re-
ally but obeying e call. Transfer this from
individuals to peoples, and you have before
you the principle working on q grander
scale, because instead of single men, masses
are moved by this divine breath.
The Hellenic mind saw the image of
beauty reckoning to it and reproduced its
divine ideal of life to form, its statues of
gods, in its worship of harmony,
and made beauty the standard IN its
temples and it's gymnasia. The Roman
national spirit felt itself urged on by a
thirst for glory which called it forth to
conquer, subdue and regulate, until out of
the narrow confines of Il city it projected
itself over the world. Thu whole people be-
came soldiers; the earth was regarded as Il
field for battles and all nations as plastic
clay upon which to engraft itself. And SO,
did the time and occasion allow, might this
tuOuRub Ne 1uFtEeT carried Dub, anu We
could see how the different nations in mod
ern times had each their special mission
and function in the historic process. But
the Jewish people had heard a call distinct
IN Its nature from all others, and which
has, since Its birth, mapped out the road
which 1t was to travel ever afterwards. 1t
was not enchanted by the pleasing form
OF things to abide i'll pleasant contempIa-
ton of them, but it pierced the thought and
purpose which lay behind them and lends
to nature and life its terrible earnestness.
"Ihep grass wlthereth, the flower fadeth, but
the word of our God standeth forever"
Not III the din of war, and the mad roaring
on the deld of conquest did it hear the voice
calling, but 1t was a still, gentle voice pro
claiming, Il, the Lord, called thee" 1t
heard 1t IN the universe and echo of it in its
Owl heart, and it felt there was a uower
above and beyond it to which it must give
life. 1t grasped the idea Of the existence OF
God, and made it the central point around
which should revolve its whole natural ex.
perience. 1t recognized Him az the father
of men, the law giyer of its laws, the pro
tector in battle, the ruler in peace. In it
politics, in its public laws. in its privati
morality, in its rules of prudence anC
health it looked up to Him as the authorit,
n source of power. The whole nationa
mind was colored by this one leading idea
Its poetry, its o%ratory, it's books of wisdom
its history and its songs all breathed but on
thus became in the Significance and pures
Interpretation of the word, 1.-THE elect il
whom God delighted, F." the chosen people an,
1t made the whole purpose of its ~existenc,
depend upon thus serving the Lord. LIE