The herald., 1895-09-14

tomorrow. AS the heaven-a piring oak
is struck down by the thunderpolt. SO
mighty Assyria is crushed 10 the ground
by the storm of destinies. AS the beauti-
full cedar plucked by hurricane, so re-
fined Greece is swept away by the tenn
pest of time; and as the lofty fiji with its
widespread branches is carried away
by sudden inundation, so naughty and
imperlous Rome is uprooted and swal-
lowed up BY the tide Of nations.
And yet, during all these changes
wrought by the tooth of time. we see a
tiny bush thrive and flourish despite all
destructive forces past and present-a
bush ever ahame, but never consumed.
Amazed at this wondrous sight. as Moses
f old, you say: Il will now turn aside
and see this great sight-whv, the bush
is not burnt Nearer and nearer you
draw. You want to know why tie ever
burning bush is not consumed. You
are eager 10 solve the pioblem--why
Israel, ever suffering, is and ever shall be
imperishable. And as you step forward
there comes in mighty volume the voice
of God, as it did to Moses in the wilder
ness: Put off thy shoes from off thy feet.
for the place whereun thou standcst is
holy ground"
The divine voice treason" calls now
to you. "Put thy shoes from Off thy feet
and withdraw for awhile from the busy
walk of life, with mind at rest, and re-
fleet upon this matter, if you seek to un-
derstand this mystery, to solve the prob
lem for the place whereon thou standest
is holy ground" and the question to be
dealt with is not a trivial one. It's soiu-
tion depends upon the knowledge and
considera tion of a principle holy and di-
vine.
What has been Israeli safeguard during
all the days Of suffering past and present?
What has saved him from utter annihila-
ton during ali the times Of oppression
and persecution? What IS it-that remark
able principle upon which Isrnel's exist
ence depends? We now do ask and seek
to know the answer.
The same question, my friends, must
have arisen also in the mind of the lone
ly shepherd at Horeb when planning the
redemption of his people. What has rem
dered Israel invincible, proof against all
opresslons and prosecutions of a host of
enemies, be must have sought to discern
no less than we do now. For Moses, great
observer and judge OF human affairs as
he was, could not possibly have overlooked
the state of circumstances around about
him, especially since knowledge OF such
was necessary foI carrying out successful
ly the planned liberation OF his enslaved
brethren. Nor could he have neglected
to study the character of a people for
whose freedom and we'll being he toiled
ana labored and spent all the days of his
life.
y Tolsee q nation, rich in resources, now
erful to all appearance, afraid of a few
tribes, unorganized, weak and helpless
as the Hebrews then were, was indeed a
phenomenon strange enough. to arrest
the attention even of a Moses; it was a
problem worthy even of his considera-
ton. But our wise lawgiver, passing as
he wa, from Egypt's magnificent palaces
to Goshen's lowly novels, soon discov-
cred the solution of this mystery, che
source OF Isrel's strength and vitality. :
his eyes as not to see the black spots
that fingered beneath it's surface. neither
could the Hebrew mercy with all its
darkness conceal from his sight the
splendid virtues that were glimmering
within the hearts of his Oppressed breth-,
ren. Plain and clear hel could see be-
fore him, on the one side. nation great,
opuient. and. as 1t seemed. powerful; but
sn the other, people, small, poor and