New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-13
THE BOOK OF JOB.
THE SEARCH FOR SPIRITUAL GER
TAINTY" THE SUBJECT OF MRS.
HOTGHTON'S LECTURE
TALK rrox THE TIME WHEN THE wicket

A TALK UPoN THE TIME WHEN THE WICKED
PRosPERED AND THE RIGHTEOUS SUI
FERED"-JoBs TRUE FRIENDS
Only a small proportion OF Mrs Houghtons usual
audience bravcd the snowstorm yesterday morning
to hear the ninth lecture I'm her course on "The
Literary Study of the Bible" but those who did
venture out felt we'll rewarded for having done
The subject THE Book OF Job; or. the Search
FOR Spiritual Certainty" and the lecture was per-
haps. the most fascinating yet given
I'VE have seen" said Mrs Houghton, that the
Hebrews believed firmly that God always rewarded
the religious With temporal prosperity. and In the
earlier days OF their history circumstances must
have been such az to confirm such teaching. Under
the simple conditions OF primitive life. II doubt
loss true. In the main. that Righteousness did lead
- worldly prosperity: but time went and their
life became more complex, the wicked began TO
prosper and the righteous 10 suffer. They could
understand this first. reconcile IT with the be-
lief in just God. and the writer of the Book Of Job
Is trying TO work out the problem
Jobs three friends that he must have
been guilty OF sin for they explain his
ahiictions any other theory. and they express
this opinion. at first very gently and courteously
ana then with unconcealed severity and contempt
1f thou vert pure and upright, says Bdad, surely
now. lie would make the habitation Of thy
righteousness prosperous
But Job knows that he has not sinned. and all
TIE OF MS !flenOS only make MIN assert
his innocence more vehemcnty. He accuses them
Of speaking falsehood in Gods behalf. and says.
My heart will not upbrad me
This belief I'm his innocence leads him to an
awful fear-tOo deep to trouble his friends-that
God Il not a moral Judge. 1t seems to him that
He destroyeth the guilty and the innocent alike
and he has no hope Of a world that sets This
right though on occasion he catches a mo-
mentary glimpse OF that truth
AT length. goaded by the words OF his friends
TO the last extremity o. endurance, he becomes "a
defiant az PrOmeth cuS. and openly arraigns the
justice OF God. Yet the unmpeachable testimony
OF his soul continually rises up against the testi
mony OF facts. He Is II he could only find
God and plead his cause before Him. that He
would acqut him.
3" oh. that / knew where | might find Him, he
exclaims, that ! might come even to His seat.
| would order my cause before Him. and fill my
mouth with arguments. He knOweth the way that
take; when He hath tried me shall come forth
gold My foot hath held His steps. His way
have kept and not declined
AT last Jobs prayer is answered God speaks
to him out o: the whirlwind, ID though the
problem remains unsolved Job IS satisfied for he
perceives that absolute goodness must with
absolute power. else the wreck OF matter and the
crash o: worlds would come Immediately
The lecture given at the home OF the Rev.
and Mrs Arson r. Atterbury No. AS East Eighty
sixih-st.
pr Atterbury took advantage OF this circum-
stance to ask II he might hear II. The permission
was granted, and throughout the hour he sat
humbly I'm a corner and considered himself highly
privileged individual