The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-04

King.
Prof. Richard G. Moulton delivered his
second lecture at the Park Congrega-
tional church last evening before a large
gathering. He discussed in detail - the
book of Ecclesiastes, treating the sub
ject of SolOmons dissertation upon the
ftailties and vanities of life to very
severe analysis.
1t mattered little, the speaker asserted.
whether Ecclesiastes was written by
solomon or someone else. Job was not
a book by Job, but a book about Job, and
the same was true of Esther, Samuel and
many other books of the Old Testament.
In fact he thought, the question of au-
thorship oftentimes disturbed literary
study. 1t was not unusual for historians
to put philosophy into the mouths of
historical personages. Socrates did not
say what Plato said he said, but Plato
simply clothed the philosophy IN his own
language, thus indicating that he was a
follower of Socrates. Many times Biblical
and historical characters were made to
speak in the first person in the books
written about them
Prof Moulton discussed the prologue
and epilogue, and divided the book of
Ecclesiastes into five essays which he
analysed separately.
The first essay was the keynote of all
vanity, Prof. NIoulton said Solomon had
been withheld nothing by the divine hand.
His every desire was provided for, yet
above all things he exalted wisdom. and
even in the end he declared all and this,
tnn If
that would more .modernly be called en-
terprise. Yet he despised it, seeing that
he must leave it to his successor. and
who knOweth wise man or a fool!
'This is also vanity" he declared. Then
he tried to appreciate no one thing. but
enjoy to the fullest extent the passing
Of the days and what they brought But
in this he found no better success. As
supplementary to this, the speaker said
that the power to appreciate life day by
day was something sent direct from
above. The part OF the book discussed
as the second essay was termed by the
speaker the philosophy of Time and Sea-
sons" No one thing was superior, but all
things have their time and place in the
field of wisdom. Passing to the third
essay he paraded it under the head OF
vanity of Desire" Solomon had a desire
Tor knowledge, yet he was unable to ap-
preciate it. The essay. dwelt on the
other departures made by Solomon in the
reach of full appreciation of life
In the fifth and last essay, Solomon
gives the conclusion of the whole matter
in Fear God and keep his command
ments." Truly life is sweet it is plea eon+
for man to behold the sun, ana MS az
mOnition. Rejoice, young man in the
strength of you; youth" was not the
advice Of a WORKOUT debaucha, but Of
man who had been given from above all
that mortal man could desire Prof.
Moulton asserted that Solomon did not
mean the rejoicings Of the reveler. but the
sober responsible happiness Of one who
followed, 'Rcmember thy Creator in the
days of thy youth" The essay concluded
with a s0mber Illustration OF the end
of life, the grave. dust thou art" etc
But these symbols We're Illuminated and
made beautiful through proper inter
probation.
''Tn those five essays" concluded Prof.
MoultOn, Solomon fails to find anything
in the universe. FIe finds it all vanity,
and vanity of vdnities. From this il is
seen that the power to enter into the
pleasures Of your labor does not lie in
the individual, but is a gift direct from
God Devout skcpticism has background
of natural happiness. 1t m axes the very
ground around ore a pathway of nat
ural happiness.
"There are people who wish this book
was not in the Bible. The reason men
do not find pleasure in life is because
they believe in a universe bounded only
BY death"