Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-10-27
A PRECIOUS BURDEN.
SCION OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID IN
JEHOSHEBA'S ARMS.

Or. TnimaRe Draws Lesson FROM
the Slaughter of the Princes-Ex-
horts Parents to Lead Their Chill
dren to Christ.
WASHINGTON, Oct 21.-In this dis
course on a neglected incident Of the
Bible DR.. Talmage draws some COM
forting lessons and shows that all
around us are royal natures that we
may help deliver. The text Is II Kings
XII, 2, 3: "Jehosheba. the daughter OF
King Joram, sister Of Ahazlah, took
Joash, the son of Ahazlah, and stole
him from among the kings sons which
were slain, and they hid him, even him
and his nurse, In the bedchamber from
Athallah. so that he was not slain.
And he was with her hid in the house
of the Lord six years"
Grandmothers are more lenient with
their chlldren's children than they
were with their own. At 40 years OF
age IL discipline be necessary chastise-
ment Is used, but at 20 the grandmoth-
er, looking upon the misbehavior OF the
grandchlld, is apologetic and disposed
TO substitute confectionery for whip.
There is nothing more beautiful than
childhood. Grandmother takes out her
pocket handkerchief and wipes her
spectacles and puts them on and looks
down into the face Of her mischlevous
and rebellious descendant and says: IL
don't think he meant to do II. Let him
of this time. I'll be responsible for his
behavior In the future" My mother,
with the second generation around her,
a boisterous crew, said one day: Il
suppose they ought to be disciplined,
but can't do It, Grandmothers are
not ft to bring up grandchildren" But
here In my text we have n grandmoth-
er Of different type.
have been at Jerusalem, where the
occurrence Of the text took place, and
the whole scene came vividly before
me while l was going over the site OF
the ancient temple and climbing the
towers Of the kings palace. Here In
the text 1t is old Athaliah, the royal
murderess. She ought to have been
honorable. Her father was n king.
Her husband was king. Her son was
q king. And yet we find her plotting
for the determination of the entire roy
al family, including her own grand
children. The executioners' knives are
sharpened. The palace Is red with the
blood of princes and princesses. On all
sides are shrieks and hands thrown up
and struggle and death groan. No mer-
cy! XIII, kill But while the Ivory
floors Of the palace run with carnage
aud the whole land Is under the shad-
ow Of great horror feet footed wo-
man, n clergyman's wife, Jehosheba
by name. stealthily approaches the I'm
perlal nursery, seizes upon the grand
child that had somehow as yet escap,
ed massacre, wraps IT up tenderly but
In haste, snuggles II against her, flies
down the palace stairs, her heart In her
throat lest she be discovered In this
abduction. Get her out
Of the way as quick you can, for she
carries a precious burden. even a
young king. With this youthful prize
she presses into the room of the an
cient temple, the church or olden
time, unwraps the young king and puts
him down, sound asleep as he Is and
Of the peril that has been
and there for six years he
Is secreted In that church apartment.
Meanwhile old Athaliah smacks her
lips with satisfaction and thinks that
all the royal family are dead. But the
six years expire, and II Is time for
young Joash to come forth and take
the throne and to push back into dis
grace and death old Athaliah.
Come to Light.
The arrangements are all made for
political revolution. The military come
and take possession of the temple,
swear loyalty to the boy .Ioash and
stand around for his defense. See the
sharpened swords and the FURNISHED
shields! Everything Is ready. Now
Joash, half affrighted at the armed
tramp Of his defenders, scared at the
of his admirers, is brought
'orth In full regalla The scroll OF au
.hority Is put in his hands, the cOronet
If government Is put on his brow, and
he people clapped and waved and huz-
.aed and trumpeted. What Is that"
,aid Athaliah. what is that sound
,ver In the temple?" And she flies to
zee, and on her way they meet her and
say: "Why, haven't you heard? You
thought you had slain all the royal
'amily, but Joash has come to light"
Then the royal murderess, frantic with |
age, grabbed her mantle and tore 1t to /
alters and cried until she foamed at
he mouth: "You have no right to |
,rown my grandson. You have no
light to take the government from my |
houlders. Treason. treason"
While she stood there crying that the |
military started for her arrest, and she |
ook n short cut through back door OF |
he temple and ran through the royal
stables, but the battleaxes Of the mill
ary fell on her In the barnyard, and |
or many a day when the horses were
,elng unloosened from the chariot aft
Y drawing out young .Ioash the fiery
Iteeds would snort and rear passing
he place as they smell the place Of the
'arnage.
The first thought hand you from
his subject Is that the determination
# Righteousness Is an impossibility.
When a woman Is good. she Is apt to
,e very good, and when she is bad she
s apt to be very bad. and this Athaliah
vas one of the latter sort She would
xterminate the last scion Of the house
# David, through whom Jesus was TO
ome. There was plenty Of work for
and undertakers. She would
lear the land Of all God fearing and