Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-10-19
4 I,nrnt Orcrinr.

and proudly he looked ut his only son.
4 Burnt Offering.
Well, the dear old man had borne IA
great deal Of trouble. and IL had left its
mark upon him. In hicroglyphics of wrin-
klc the story was written from forehead to
chin. But now his trouble seems all gone
and we arc glad that he is very soon to
rest forever. II The old man shall get de-
crcpit, Isaac Is strong enough To wait on
him. II the father gets dim Of oversight,
Isaac will lead him by the hand. II the
father become destitute Isaac will earn
him bread. How glad we are that the
ship that has been in such stormy sca is
coming nj last into the harbor. Are you
not rcjoiccd that glorious old Abraham is
through with his troubles: No, mol A
thundcrboltl From that clear eastern sky
there drops into that fathers tent voice
with nm announcement enough to turn
black hair white and To stun the patriarch
into instant humiliation. God said,
Abraham The old man answered,
Here I am God said to him, Take
thy son. thy only son Isaac. whom thou
lowest, and get thee into the land of Moriah
and offer him there as burnt Offering. I"
In other words, slay him, cut his body in
To fragments, put the fragments ON the
wood, set fire To the wood and let Isaac's
body be consumed To ashes.
"Cannibalism Murdcr.'' says some
one. Not So" said Abraham. hear
him soliloquizc: Here Is the boy on whom
/ have depended. oh, how | loved him
He was given in answer TO prayer, and
now must / surrender him: o Isaac, my
son! Isaac, how shall l part with your
But, then, IL is always safer TO do as God
asks me to. ! have been In dark places be-
fore, and God got mo out. / will implicit
~ do rs God has told mc, although it is
very dark. 1 can't see my way, but
know God makes no mistakes, and TO him
l commit myself and my darling son.
Early In tie morning there Is "A stir
around Abraham's tent. \ beast of bur
den Is fed and saddlcd. Abraham makes
no disclosure Of the awful secret At the
break Of day he says: Come, come, Isaac,
get up We are going of on two or
three days journey" hear the ax hcw-
ing and splitting amid the wood until the
sticks are made the right length and the
right thickness. and then they are faS-
tened on the beast of burden. They pass
on-thcrc are four of thcm-Abraham the
father; Isaac, the son. and two servants.
Going along the road. ] SEQ Isaac looking
up into his fathers face and saying: Fa-
Their, what Is the matter; Are you not
well! Has anything happened? Are you
tired! Lean ON my arm" Then. turning
around 10 the servants, the son says, "Ah,
father Is getting old, and he has had trou-
BILE enough in other days To kin himr'
The Day of the Tragedy.
The third morning has come, and 1t Is
the day of the tragedy. The two servants
are left the beast Of burden, while Abra-
ham and his son Isaac, as was the custom
Of good people in those times. went up on
the hill To sacrifice To the Lord The wood
Is taken off the beasts back and put on
Isnac's back. Abraham has in one hand u
pan Of Goals or lamp, and In the other "A
sharp. keen knife. Here are all the appli-
anccs for sacrifice, you say. No there is
one thing wanting-thcrc Is no victim
no pigeon, or heifcr or lamb. Isaac, not
knowing that lac Is To be- the victim, looks
up into his fathers face and asks queS-
ton which must have cut the old man To
the bone" My fathcrl'' The father said,
My son Isaac, here l am" The son
said, Behold the fire and the wood hut
where Is the lambg' The fathers lip
quivercd, and his heart tainted, and his
knees knocked together, and his entire
body. mind and soul shiycr In sickcning
anguish as he struggles TO gain cquipoisc
for he does not want to break down. And
then he looks into his sons face, with "a
thousand rushing tcnderncsses, and says,
MY son, God will provide himself a
lamb
The twain are now ut the foot Of the
hill. the plrcc which Is 10 be famous for u
most transccndent occurrence. They gath
er some stones out of the field and build
an altar 3 or feet high Then they take
this wood of Isaac back and sprinkle IL
over the stones, 50 = 10 help and invite
the flame The altar Is donc-it is all
done. Isaac has helped To build it, With
his father lac has discussed whether the
top of the table is even and whether the
wood is properly prepared. Then there Is
pause rhc son looks around to see If
there is not some living animal that can
be- caught ana butchcrcd for the Offering
Abraham tries Ia choke down his faihcry
feelings and suppress his grief in order
that lac mag break 10 his son the terrific
news that hc Is To be the victim.
All, Isaac never looked more beautiful
than ON that day To his father. As the old
man ran his cnaciatcd fingers through his
sons hair he said tn himself: How shall
l give him up: What will his mother say
when cone back without my boyy
thought hc woI aid have been the comfort
Of my declining days. thought he would
have been the hope ~ ages tn come Beau
tiful ana loving and yet 10 die under my
own hand. O tod. Is there not some 9th
or sacrifice that will doy Take my life and
spare his! Pour out MY blood and save
Isaac for his mother and the world" But
this was an inward struggle The father
controls his feelings and looks into his
sou : face and says, ''lSanc, must tell you
all! His son said: Yes, father.
thought yuu had something on your MIMI
Tell 1t. The father said, My son Isaac
thou art the lamb.' "Oh, YOU say, why
didn't that young man, II he was 90 or 30
years Of age, smiic into the dust his in
firm father lie could have done II. d." Ali
Isaac knew by this time that the scene
was typical uf Messiah who was 10 come.
and so he made no struggle. They fell on
each Others necks and walled out the
parting. Awful and matchlcss scene of
the wilderness. The rocks oc.io back tho
breaking Of their hearts The cry: My
som My SOM The answer: My fatheri
My fathcrl'
The Arm of God.
DO not compare this, as some people
have, 10 Agsnemnon, willing 10 offer up
his daughter, lphigcnia Ia please the gods.
There Is nothing comparable To this won
dcrful obedience 10 the true God You
know that victims for sacrifice were al
ways bound, So that they might not strug-
gle away. Rawlings. the martyr. when he
was dying for Christ's sake. said To tho
blacksmith who held the mannclcs, "Fas-
ten those chains tight now, for my flesh
may struggle nightly" 20 Isaac ; arms
are fastened, his feet are tied The old
man, rallying all his strength. lifts him
ON tO "a pile Of wood. Fastening "A thong
on one side of the altar, hc makes it span
the body of Isaac, and fastcns the thong AT
the Other side the altar, and another thong,
and another thong. There is the lamp
ilickering in the wind, ready Ia De- put I'M
der the brushwood Of the altar. There is
the knife, sharp and keen. Abraham
struggling with his mortal feelings on the
one side and the commands OF God on the
otbcr-takcS that knife, rubs the fiat uf
II ON the palm Of his hand, cries To God
Tor help, cuI,es up to the size Of the altar,
puts "a parting kiss on the brow Of his boy,
takes message from him for mother and
hntttss q a..