The Newtown bee., 1897-05-14

David, and Juuan ana Il6 lhldpAIuhCo OA Jerusalem did him honor.
 These words were written concerning one of the most illustriOus of the kings of Judah. His name stands associated in history with peaceful and warlike achievements of very great renown. At the age of five and twenty he succeeded to the throne of his father Ahaz, and began his good reign by restoring the abandoned worship of God and the de- parted glory of his realm, improving the conditions of the city, repairing the for tiflcations, erecting magazines of all sorts, and an aqueduct. It was during his administration that the Assyrians invaded the neighboring kingdom oi Israel, and carried the ten tribes away into captivity, replacing them by differ ent people sent from their own country This was very threatening state of at- fairs for the kingdom of Judah, but Hezekiah refused to bow down to the Assvrian power and, because he would not pay the tribute levied upon hls peo- ple, his Kingdom was likewise invaded by the Assyrian monarch, and the cities were besieged. But Hezekiah displayed remarkable generalship, and God assist ed him to overcome, and brought de- liyerance to Judah by the miraculous destruction of one hundred and eighty five thousand men of fLennacharib's host I need not here repeat the familiar story
 -k.s zs.Ir nF a e ton of his life in answer to prayer; of the backward movement of the shadow on the dial of Ahaz; of the literary work of the king upon his recovery, and of the flattering honors bestowed upon him by the king of Babylon. Our text, with the context, commemorates his peaceful death, his august burial and the tributes of praise to his memory by a grateful and admiring people.
 Many of the circumstances just named bear a marked resemblance to the case of General Grant, whose illustrious honors form the all-absorbing topic of the hour. An interesting parallel might be drawn between these two great men of different lands and ages widely re- mote. They stand before us both promi' nent In civil and military affairs; both aided in a marked degree by Providence ; both specially remembered on account or peculiar circumstances attending their sickness; both subjects of prevailing prayer; both buried with unusual token i of reverent respect; both honored by un- foId ynuItitudpa after death.
 can only take time on this soccas- lon to speak of the posthumous honors conferred upon General Grant To our dead hero has been ac- corded burial more distinguished than usually falls to the lots of.even our great est men. The universal mourning at his death, the magnificent pageantry of his funeral and his memorial day, the superb sarcophagus Ithe splendid and costly tomb, intended like Hezekiah's to besthe chicfest of the sepulchres"-all seem eminently fitting when we consider who 1t Is on whom these high honors are bestowed. We do honor to ourselves in giving honorable sepulture to the great men of our nation. Joseph per- formed the sublimest act of his life when he embalmed the remains of his old father and carried them back to Canaan. Joseph of Arimathea won immortal honor when he begged the body of Jesus, and laid 1t in his costly tomb, and what a lesson of respect for the dead body of great man Jehovah taught us when Moses died on Mount Nebo, and God buried himl
 while could not hesitate to condemn