Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-06-26

fountains of water, and the name Of the
star is called Norwood. "-Revelation viii,
10, II.
Many commentators, like Patrick and
Lowth, Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry and
Albert Barnes agree in saying that the star
NORWOOD, mentioned in Revelation, was
Attila, king Of the Huns. He was 50 called
because he was brilliant as O star, and, like
Norwood, he embittered everything he
touched. We have studied the { tar of
Bethlehem, and the Morning Star of the
Revelation, and the Star OF Peace, but my
present subject calls us 10 gaze at the star
Norwood, and my theme might be called
Brilliant Bitterness.
A more extraordinary character history
does not furnish than this man thus referred
to, Attila, the king of the Huns. One day a
wounded heifer came limping along through
the fields, and herdsman followed its
bloody track on the grass to see where the
heifer was wounded, and went on back fur
Their and further, until he came to sword
fast in the earth, the point downward, as
though is had dropped from the heavens and
against the edges of this sword the heller
had been cut. The herdsman pulled up that
sword and presented it to Attila. Attila said
the sword must have dropped from the
heavens from the grasp Of the god Mars and
should conquer and govern the whole earth.
Other mighty men have been delighted at
being called liberators, or the merciful or the
good, but Attila called himself, and demand
ed that others cali him the Scourge of God.
At the head CT 1000 600 troops, mounted Oh
Cappadocian horses, he swept everything
from the Adrlatic to the Black Sea. He put
his iron heel on Macedonia and Greece anil
Thrace. He made Milan and Pavia and
Padua and Verona beg for mercy, which he
bestowed not The Byzantine castles, to
meet his ruinous levy, put up at auction
massive silver tables and vases Of solid gold
city captured by him, the inhabitants
| were brought out and divided into three
| classes-the first class, those who could bear
arms, who must Immediately enlist under
| Attila or be butchered; the second class, the
| beautiful women, who were made captiyes to
| the Huns; the third class, the aged men and
| women, who were robbed of everything and
let 90 back to the city to pay heavy tax.
1t was common saying that the grass
| never grew again where the hoof Of Attila's
horse had trod. His armies Redeemed the
waters of the Selne and the Moselle and the
Rhine with carnage and fought on the Cata-
lonian plains the fiercest battle since the
world stood-3G0 900 d. ad left on the field
On and on until those who could not oppose
him with arms lay PROSTATE on their faces in
prayer, and, cloud OF dust seen in the dis
lance, bishop cried, at is the aid Of Godw
and all the people took up the cry, ut is the
aid of God I" AS the cloud of dust was blown
aside the banners of reinforcing armies
marched in 10 hep against Attila, the
Scourge OF God. The most unimporiant oc-
currences he used as supernatural re-
source, and after three months Of failure 10
capture the city Of Aquileia and his army
ho1 11,o .1.I,A
and her young from the tower of the city
was taken by him as a sign that he was to
capture the city, and his army, inspired by
the same occurrence, resumed the siege and
took the walls at point from which the
| stork had emerged. SO brilliant was the
conquerer in attire that his enemies could
not look at him, but shaded their eyes or
| turned their heads.
Slain on the evening of his marriage by his
bride, Ildico, who was hired for tho assas-
sinatioD, his followers bewailed him, not
with tears, but with blood, cutting them
selves with knives anil lances. He was put
INTO three collins, the first ofiron, the second
] Of silver and the third of gold. He was buried
| by night, and into his grave were poured the
most valuable coin and precious stones,
amounting to the wealth Of kingdom. The
| gravediggers and all those who assisted at
Ihe burial were massacred, SO that it would
0ever be known where so much wealth was
| entombed. The Roman empire conquered
| ;he world. but Attila conquered the Roman
| empire. He was right in calling himself u
| ,courge, but instead of being the Scourge Of
| God no was the scourge Of he'll. Because OF
his brlliance and bitterness the eommenta-
:ors were right in believing him 10 be tho
'tar Norwood. AS the regions he deyas-
| .ated were parts most Opulent with fOun-
| - L.
graphic is this reference in Revelations
rThere fell a great star from heaven, burn
| ing as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the
J bird part of the rivers and upon the foun-
| ;ains of waters. and the name of the star is
| jailed Norwood"
Have you ever thought how many imbit-
| cred lives there are all about us, misanthro-
oic. morbid, acrid, saturnintf The Euro
| oean plant from which wormwood is ex.
| iracted, Artemisia absinthium, is a perennial
| oil mt, and all the year round it is ready TO
sxude its oil. And in many human lives
| here is perennial distillation of acrid OK
| perionces. Yea, there are some whose whole
work is to shed baleful influence on others.
| There are Attilas of the home, or Attilas Of
| The social circle, Or Attilas of the church. or
/ Attilas of tho state. and one-thiT0 of the
! waters of all tho world, If not tw1-tdirds the
Iaters, are poisoned by the falling Of the
| star Wor1 wood. 1t is not complimentary to
| human nature that most men. as soon as
| they get greater power, become overbearing.
| The more power men have the better If their
power be used for good. The less power
men have the better if they use ii for evil.
Birds circle round and round and round
| before they swoop upon that which they are
| aiming for. And II my discourse so far has
! beer swinging round and round this mo-
ment it drops straight on your heart and
| asks the question, Is your life benedction
to others or an imbitterment, a blessing or
curse, basam or wormwood?
Some Of you l know are morning stars,
ana you are making the dawning life OF
your children bright with gracious in
| Ruences, and you are beaming upon all the
opening enterprises Of philanlhropic and
| Christian endeavor, and you are heralds Of
that day of gospelIzation which will yet flood
ell the mountains and valleys of our sin
cursed earth. Hail. mc-ning star! Keep on
shining with encouragement and Christian
hope!
Some OF you are evening stars, and yon
are cheering the last days of old people, and
though cloud sometimes comes over you
| through the querulousnsss or unreasonable
! ness of your old father and mother II Is only
| for a moment, and the star soon comes out
| clear AGAIN aud is seen from all the balco-
MES of the neighborhood. The old people
will forgive your occasional shortcomings,
for they themselves several times lost their
patience VIII n you were young and slapped
| you when you did not deserve it. Hail,
evening star! Hang on the darkening sky
your diamond coronet.
Bat are any OF you the star WOrmWood2 Dc
you scold and growl from the thrones pa
ternal or maternaI2 Are your children ever
| Iastngly pecked al? Are you always cryinj
"Hush!" to the merry voices and swift feet
and their laughter. which occasional.