Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-28

Niohar'hgS Ooo ~ -"
The lessons of the quarter now closing
NAV be considered as but separate chapters
of one awful and most impressive lesson
the decline and destruction of an unfaith- |
full government and the punishment of |
people who rebelled against God, their true |
King. Owing to the peculiar character OF |
the series, it is deemed best to insert here |
few historic notes, pointing out how the
prophecies of punishment were soon made |
history
Hosea, sometimes called the first of the |
minor prophets, entered on his mission |
aboKt 7S5 B. c., and continued TO exhort |
and(threaten Israel (of which kingdom he
was resident) for over fifty years. His
sty1e is concise and sententious, and the
form in which his prophecies are compiled
makes them seem as one continued series,
without divisions to indicate the period of
their utterance or the specific subject of
each prediction. This calls for unusual
diligence on the part of the student in not
ing the internal evidences. The first verss
declares that the prophecies were delivered
sin the days of Uzziah, lothian, Ahaz and
Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days
of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king of Is
rsel,"
This gives us a key to the proper division,
and we perceive that after repeated warn
ings to Israel, in which the patriot is seen
as clearly as the prophet, he despairs OF his
own people, sees the evil at hand, and with
an awful burden of sorrow turns to the
other kingdom aud implores Judah not to
follow the evil example of her sister. The
, fact should be noted that he entered on his
nsiA;on at time when all was outwardly
Hrosperous, for Jeroboam ii had raised
Israel to something like her former glory.
But the people had become snfully vain
and were given up to idolatry, and the
prophet, as il in agony-turning Gods
message into his own language, as is the
Biblical rule-cries out, "How shall give
thee up, Ephraim9 How shall give thee
up, Israeli How shall I make thee as
Adamy How shall set thee as Zeboimi
My neart is turned within me, my repent
ings are kindled together" Xxi, 81.
Israel's punishment came soon, for Shall
manezer took Samaria after a siege Of
three years, and dispersed the Israelites
through the northeastern provinces OF Sa-
maria A few escaped into Judah, and at
intervals for many years after fragments
of the Israelites Joined their fellow coun
trymen, but the great mass was absorbed
and lost among the heather, fate for
which their idolatrous habits had already
prepared them. Their place was filed by
a heather people called kutbim or Gu
thaens; but there is reason for believing
-. that they became mixed to some extent
with a remnant of the lsrselites, for IN
lime they adopted some part of the old
customs of worship, mixing them strangely
with their original idolatry, and Josephus
tells us that when the Jews proper were an
favor with their rulers these piantet
heather claimed kindred with them.
Such was the origin Of the people known
later as Samsritans, ard the intense hatret
felt toward them by the Jews WAS the &C
casioa Of Cbrist's beautiful parable on tn
man that fell among thieves. The devou
reader may well find cause for reflection il
the fact that this hated name has by thi
parable become in all Christian nations
title for the charitable and tender hearted
1t is also fact OF intense interest that
remnant of this people still exists an
maintains a religious organization Il
Egypt, having for its Scripture only a mt
tilated copy of the Pentateuch- Their for
fathers were taken there by Alexander tn
Great when he conquered the Persian Ell
pire Is it not in accord with all we kno'
of Gods providence TO believe that tbi
fragment of a nation has been divinely pm
served through all the mutations of ~
years as Gods own witness to the truth {
His prophets' See on this subject con
nentaries on Daniels prophecy of TIA
power that was to conquer Persia (Dal
viii, sen.
The subsequent history of the kingdol
of Judah comedies closely with the predi
tions of the prophets Josiah stands OF
with peculiar glory as the last of the gre
and reforming kings. and soon after il
dah's cup of iniquity was filed The kin
dom proper was overthrown, but Zedekia
reigned some time as a tributary or vass
of Babylon. Against the imploring pr
test of Jeremiah, and equally against con
mon sense aud good faith, Zedekiah r
belled, being deceived by false prophet
The enraged Nebuchadnezzar came with
large army, and though the Jews with thi
stubborn bravery which they always ma
ifested held out fora year and seven month
the city was taken at last with every CT
cumstance of horror.
Zedekah's sons were slain in his sigh
then his eyes were put out and he W
taken to Babylon, to linger out paint
captivity with only the recollection of b
sins and follies. In this and the next su
ceedng portions of Hebrew history "A
many affecting episodes, and in the Il
eraturc of the time we find some of q
most mournful poetry of ancient time
Out of the hearts Of captives longing f
their homes were wrought those sublin
strains, those prayers and songs of hope
of resignation, which charm even the ske
tic by their sad sublimity.
In conclusion it may be well to note he
strongly the era Of decline was marked
the two vices which the student of histo
ALWAYS looks to find in a degenerate pc
ple-drunkenness and oppression Of {
poor. "Woe to the crown of pride of {
drunkards of Ephraim," is the way t
prophet begins an invective against tn
degrading vice, and Woe unto them til
add field TO field and house to house, etc
is the exordium Of another. The lesson
plain The national spirit was destroye
The rich oppressed the poor, and both n
and poor sought temporary pleasure
oblivion in the beastly vice.
A Street Car Conductors Hard Lot
There are some things in the life OF
Boston car conductor that are, to say