Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-04-21
VOW OF JEPHTHAH.
CITED AS a WARNING AGAINST PA
RENTAL HEEOLESSNESS.

Dr. VnImage Lodges an Earnest Pro-
test Against the sacrifice Of the
Young on the Altar of Worldly AM
bition and Pride.
Copyright. 1889. by American Press Asso-
ciationl
WASHINGTON, April 1G.-In his ser
mon today Dr. Talmage lodges a protest
against the parental heedlessness and
worldly ambition which are threatening
the sacrifice Of many American chill
dron: text. Judges xi. 36. My father.
if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the
Lord. do to me according to that which
hath proceeded ont of thy mouth. "
Jephthah was a freebooter. Early
turned ont from home where he ought
TO have been cared for, he consorted
with rough men and went forth to earn
his living as best he could. In those
times it was considered right for a man
TO 20 ont on independent military ex-
peditions. Jephthah was a good man
according to the light Of bis dark age
but through a wandering and a preda
tory life he became reckless and precipi-
tate. The grace Of God changes man
heart. but never reverses his natura
temperament The Israelites wanted
the Ammonites driven ont Of thell
country. so they sent a delegation L
Jenhthah. asking him to become com
mander in chief Of all the forces. H'
might have said, "You drove me ou
when YOU had no use for me, and now
Won are in tr0uble You want me back,
but he did not say that. He takes com
mand of the army, sends messengers t
the Ammonites to tell them to vacat'
the country, and. getting no Favorable
response, marshals his troops for battle
Before going out to the war Jephthal
makes very solemn vow that if tn
Lord will give him the victory then
on his return home. whatsoever hrs
comes ont Of his doorway he will offe
| in sacrifice as a burnt Offering. III
battle opens 1t was no skirmishini
on the edges Of dangers, no unlimber
inc Of batteries two miles away. bu
the hurling Of men on the point o
swords and spears until the groun'
could no more drink the blood and th
horses reared to leap over the pile o
bodies Of the slain. In those old time
opposing forces would fight until thei
swords were broken and then each on
would throttle his man until they bot
fell. teeth to teeth. grip to grip, deaf
stare to death stare, until the plain wa
one tumbled mass Of corpses from whic
the last trace of manhood had bee
dashed ont.
.Jephtbah wins the day. Twent
cities lay captured at his feet. Scum
the victory all through the mountain
of Gilead. Let the trumpeters call u
the survivors Homeward to your wlvt
and children. Homeward with you
differing treasures. Homeward to hav
the applause Of an admiring nation
Build triumphal arches. Swing ou
flags all over Mizpah Open all you
doors to receive the captured treasures
Through every hall spread the banque
Pile up the yiands Fill high the tanl
ards The nation is redeemed. the II
vaders are routed and the national hoi
or is vindicated.
Jephthnh's Solemn Vow.
Huzza for Jephthah. the conquerol
Iephthah, seated on prancing stee'
advances amid the acclaiming multi
tudes. but his eye is not on the excite
populace. Remembering that he ha
made a solemn vow that. returnir
from victorious battle. whatsoever tir
came ont of the doorway Of his hon
that should be sacrificed as burr
offering. he has his anxious look upC
the door. | wonder what spotless lam
what brace of doves. will be throw
upon the fires Of the burnt offeringl
Oh. hcrrorsl Paleness OF dea
G blanches his cheek Despair seizes b
heart His daughter, his only chill
rushes out the doorway TO throw herse
in her fathers arms and shower up'
I him more kisses than there were woun
! on his breast or dents on his shield. A
the triumphal splendor vanishes. Hol
, ing back this child from his heayil
breast and pushing the locks back fro
the fair brow and looking into the ey
of inextinguishable affection WI
i choked utterance be says: Would
- God lay stark on the bloody plai
J.. Ny daughter, my only child. JOY OF
home. life of my life. thou art the sa