Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1899-09-22
S0LACE IN THE-PsALMSs.

President Kruger, IN the course OF
recent interview regarding the
crisis, said he regarded the Boer po.
sitiGn best defined by the eighty-thir
psalm.
This announcement from South
Africa reminds us that this Is not the
first time that Statesmen have found
comfort in the Book OF Psalms.
Tho first Continental Congress met
Mt Philadelphia in September, l174.
1t was proposed TINT the proceedings
should be opened with prayer. Mr..
Joy Of New York and Mr.. Rutledge
oi South Carolina objected on the
ground that the delegates were not
sufficiently united in their religious
sentiments, some being Episcopalinns
some being Baptists, Others Presbyter-
ians and still others Congregational.
lists. y false report had just reached
Philadelphia that Boston had been
boubarded 10y the English. What
followed is thus narrated i'll letter
written by John Adams TO his wife
on Sept, lG, IT7i:
MIR. Samuel Adams arose and said
he was no bi.Ot and could hear a
prayer from gentleman Of piety and
virtue, who WIS at the same time n
friend to the country. lie WIS
stranger in tn" city. but he had heard
that Mr.. Duchc Dushay, they pro.
nouncc it, deserved that character
and therefore he moved that Mr.. Du.
che. an Episcopal clergyman, might
he desired to read prayers to the
Congress. The motion was seconded
! md passed i'll the affirmative. Mr..
Randolph, Our President. waited on
MIR. Duchc and received for answer
that il his health would permit he
certainly would. Accordingly the
next morning he appeared with his
clerk and in his pontiiicials, read sew.
cral prayers in the established form,
and then read the collect for the scv-
enth cay Of September. which was
the Thirty fifth Psalm. IOu must
remember that it was the next day
that we heard the horrible rumor OF
the cannonndc of Boston. never
saw greater effect upon nm audi
cnce. II seemed that heaven had or.
dered that psalm read ON that morn.
ing
There is II singular likeness be
tween the verses which thus impress.
ed The Continental Congress Of lTTi
and II portion Of the Eighty.third
Psalm which Dom Paul finds so cx-
prtssive Of his own fccllug in this
year. 1899.
In the Eighty third Psalm to which
the Boer President appeals We find
these words:
keep not thy silence, o God; hold
not thy peace and he not still, o
God.
"For 10, thine enemies make a tu-
mutt; md they that hate Thee have
lifted up tho hcnd.
40 my God, make them like the
wheel; as the stubhic before the
wind.
AS the fire burneth a wood and Ms
n flame scttcth tho mountains un fire.
$50 pcrsecuto them with thy TEN.
pest; and make them afraid with thy
storm.
LET them he coniounded and trou-
bled forever; yea, let them be put to
shame and perish
While in the Thirty.iiith Pealm
which thrilled tho Continental Con.
grcss, we read:
"Plead my causc,O Lord,with them
that strive with me; fight against
them that fight against me.
"Lct them be coniounded that sock
aftor my soul; let them be turned
back and brought confusion TINT de.
visc my hurt.
"Lct them he ms chat before tho
wind, aud let tho angel Oi the Lord
chase them.
Let thcm bc ashamed and brought
tu confusion together that rejoice my
hurt
Thus the same sentiments express.
cd in different portions OF tho Holy
Writ, has afforded aolacc to the trou.
hlcd statesmen Of America and Africa
in the latter part Of the eighteenth
ind nineteenth centuries. New York
Sun.