Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-09-21
soLACE IN PSALMS.
BoER REPUBLIC MUCH LIKE
OUR OWN AT START.
The News That the nSitish Gaabosts
Had nomb.r'isd hostoa Called Forth
the same kind of suppiio.tioa That
Kruger Has Done.

President Kruger. in the course OF
an Interview today regarding the crisis
said he regarded the Boer position best
defined by the eighty-bird Psalm"
This announcement from South Atri-
ca reminds US that this is not the mrs,
time that statesmen have found COM
fort in the Book OF Psalias. The first
continental congress met al Philade!-
phia in September. i7Ti. !, was pro-
posed that the proceedings should be
opened with prayer. Mr. Joy OF New
York and Mr.. Ratledge OF South Caro-
lima objected on the ground that the
delegates were not sufficiently united In
their religious sentiments. some being
Eplseopalians. some being Anabsptists.
others Presbytsrians. and still Others
Consresationai!sts. A false report had
Just reached Philadelphia that Boston
had been bomsarded by the British.
What followed is thus narrated in a
letter written by John Adams 10 his
wife under date OF September i6. i77t:
Mr.. Samuel Adams arose and said
he was no bIso: and could hear
prayer from n gentleman OF plc;y and
virtue who was a. the same time
friend to his country. He was strsns-
or In Philadelphia. but he had heard
tha; Mr.. Duche CDashay they pro-
nounee 10 deserved ihat character. and
therefore he moved that Mr. Drchc. an
Episcopal clergyman. might be desired
TO read prayers 10 the congress tonor-
row morning. The motion was second
ed and passed In the affirmative. Mr.
Randolph. our president. waited on
Mr. Duehc. and received for answer
that II his health permitted he certain
~ would. Accordingly next morning
he appeared with his clerk and In hLi
pontiaeais. and read several prayers In
the established form. and then read the
collect for the seventh day OF Sep,cm-
Der. which was the ,hIr;y-asth Psalm.
You must remember that this was the
next morning after We heard the horr!-
BILE rumor OF the caanonadc OF Boston.
] never saw n greater effect upon an
audience. II seemed rs II heaven had
ordained that Psalm to be read on that
morning
There Is n singular likeness between
some OF the verses which thus Impress
ed the continental congress OF i77t and
portions OF the ciEhty-th!rd Psalm.
which Dom Paul finds 80 expressive OF
his own feelings In this year. 1899. In
the clghty-thlrd Psalm. to which the
Boer president appeals. we ind these
words:
Keep not thou silence. o God: hold
not thy peace. and be not still. o God.
For 10. thine enemies make n tu-
mutt: and they that hate thee have lItt-
cd up the head.
20 my God. make them like n wheel:
Us the stubblc before the wind.
"As the fire burneth wood. and rs a
fame setteth the mountain on fire.
so pcrsecu,e them with thy tempest.
and make them afraid with thy storm.
Let them be confounded and troub-
led forever: yea. let them be put to
shame and PERISH
While In the thirty-fifth Psalm which
thrilled the continental congress OF
1774. We read:
plead my cause. o Lord. with them
that strive with me; fight against them
that fight against me.
Let them be confounded and put to
shame that seek after my soul: let
them be turned back and brought to
confusion that devise my hurt.
Let them be as chaff before the
wind: and let the angel OF the Lord
chase them.
Let them be ashamed and brought
to confusion together that rejoice at
mine hurt"
Thus the same sentiment expressed
in different portions OF Holy Writ has
afforded solace to the troubled states
men of America and OF Africa in the
latter days of the eighteenth and nine
teenth centuries.