The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-12-20

ticipation that it is easy for US to
pray for their welfare" Well, see
you do not understand that these
friends Of Job were the most tantaliz-
ing and exasperating friends . mar
eve-- had. Look at their behavior.
When they heard Of his bereavements
and the accidents by whirlwind and
lightning stroke they came in and sat
down by him whole week, seven
days and seven nights, and the rec
ord is "none spake word to him."
What a disreputable and wicked 81
lence! Mind you, they professed to be
religious men, and they ought to have
been able to offer some religious con-
ISOLATION. Instead Of that they were
dumb as tie sphinx which at that time
stood in the African desert and stands
there still. Why did they not say
something about reunion in the Heav-
enly realms with his children who
had been slain? Why did they not
talk to him about the satisfactory ex-
plantations in the future world OF
things we do not understand in this
world? Why did they not go to the
apothecary and buy . poultice that
would have soothed the carbuncles.
or some quieting potion that would
calm his nerves, or few drops of
febrifuge that would cool his heated
frame? No! For seven days and
seven nights they did nothing and
said nothing for his relief. They must
L $n nfh
After these three friends had COM
pleted their infamous silence Of a
| week they began to lecture Job. First,
Eliphaz the Temanite opens with q
long story about dream which he
had in the night and irritates the suf-
ferer with words that make things
worse instead Of better and sets him
in an attitude Of defense against the
| lecturer. Then comes Bildad the
Shuttle, who gives the invalid q round
scolding and calls him garrulous and
practically tells him that he deserved
all that he got, and that if he had be
haved himself Alright he would not
have lost his house or his children OF
his estate He practically says: Job
/ will tell you what is the matter with
you. You are bad; you are hypo'
critic; you are now getting paid fol
/ your wickedness." No wonder that
! there came from Job an outburst o.
| indignation which calls out the sothel
quondam friend, Zophar the Naa
mathite, who begins denouncing Jol
by calling him liar, and keeps OF
the discourse until Job responds to al
three OF them in the sarcastic words
mo doubt but We are the people, ant
wisdom shall die with you"
1 Oh, what friends Job had! Heayel
deliver us from having one sucl
! friend, to say nothing of having thre'
of them. It was for such friends tina
Job prayed, and was it religious tri
umph for him to do SO? Would you
the very best of you, be in very devon
mood and capable OF making intercea
sion for people who had come to yo1
in day Of trouble and said: "Goo'
for you. You ought to be chastised
You are being taken in hand by eter
nal justice. If you had behaved your
self Alright you would not have bee
sick or prosecuted or impoverished Q
! made childless." Oh, no, my friene
you would not have felt like Job whe
! he prayed for his friends, but NOR
like Job when he cursed the day Of hi
! nativity.
Notice that this fagellation by th
, three friends was premeditated. The
! did not merely happen in and com
i suddenly upon the trouble for whic
. they could not offer compound. Th
). Bible says: .sThey had made an al
) pointment together" The intervie'
j was prearranged They had agree
i as to what they would say to the sic
: man. You can see that their remark
: were not extemporaneous. What the
! said was sublimely poetic. They ros
: In style into what in later times v
) would call the Homeric or Dantesqu
: But Job was not in need of poetry !
!. much as salye for hts eruptiye di
i order. He was not dying for lack I
: paragraph in blank verse. He ",
!, not so much in need Of didactic le
! ture about the justice Of God as .
/ dSSuEdHCC VI lAC 1IANAAAC AA1SA ~ ASSAA
: pious rustic Of the land OF Uz not alb
! to put three grammatical sentenc
8 together could have said somethiI
= more consolatory.
S. The mearness Of the attack Of the
= religious critics was augmented
y the fact that they had the sufferer
3 their power. When we are we'll n
we do not like what one is saying ,
S, can get up and go away. But j.
10 was too i'll to get up and 90 avs
q First he endured the seven days q
st seven nights Of silence and thel
i. endured their arraignment OF his n
o. tives and character, and after th'
is kcfuel campaign was ended by : 81
IS. | lime effort Of soul, which this day I
ID hold for imitation, he triumphed
1t prayer for his tantalizcrs. In all b
a. tory there is nothing equal TO II I
" cept the memorable imploration
re Christ Of His enemies. No wont
er that after that prayer Of Job Y
rd once uttered thrill Of recovery 81
,e- through every nerve and vein OF
1 = 4. -. y SN4