West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-11-27


the ford. he u stopped and u asked
why are you running r.
II sm running to cross this stream
The word shibboiesh probably means
stream.
Running TO cross what p
why. this stream. this sibboieth. THE
river. this Jordan. ,
''Oh. you mean TO saw shibboleth No
CiIesdite would say sibboleth. You are
an fphraimite.'' And they kill him.
Or we may suppose another runner
coming toward the ford and halting before
the GiIcadites.
What are you %
"a dwelier In Mount Giiead.'
why do you wish to 60 on to Mount
Ephraim -
II have relatives there and I wish to
learn II any Of them have been killed while
over there"
Can you pronounce the word shlbbolcth
to show you are from Gilead 2,
'S.s-s. sibboieth."
They kill him. And now the other fusi-
tives from the battle come on so many and
SO fast that the victors simply ask for the
pronunciation OF the word shibbolcth. and
they slew $4,000 of the EphraImites.
Ephraim could not hold It's places az chief
In Israel after such loss.
have thus spoken so fully about the
context In order to bring out as forcibiy as
can what think very important truth.
And this truth Is not the truth usually
drawn from this text. Usually the term
shibboleth Is applied to the unnecessary
strictness with which sect or party or
society Il guarded. This Is indeed an i'm.
portant truth--a very important truth.
How often. for example In civil life mem.
Der OF one party must say the shibboleth
oil another. A Democrat can find no EN-.
poyment for his talents in the services of
his country or state or town because he
cannot say shibboleth with the Republicans
In power. and in like manner Republican
Is unable to pronounce the shibboIeth OF
the Democratic masters. And as in poIiti.
cal life. so also In social life, how often the
honest country lad is refused the associa.
ton OF those who can aid him so much be.
cause of habit OF his In not always using
an II In It's right place. There are shibbo.
leths In political circles there are shibbo.
leths in social circles. and alas there are
sometimes shibhoieths In Christian circles
Alas for the church. be IL Baptist. Metho.
dist Episcopalian OF Presbyterian. that
cannot extend cordial welcome to
another church because OF some shibboleth
OF service or even of doctrine. a shibboieth
which the visitor cannot clearly pronounce.
! have known OF church In the West
somewhat offended at a minister of
another denomination not say Amen fire.
quently as the custom was in that church.
have known OF a church In New York
City greatly offended with the late Iohn
Hall. because he worsbipcd with them and
yet did not use the prayer book. Now our
Gileadite oaght to allow the Ephraimite
full freedom, even IL he does not conform
to our pronunciation OF shibboicth. We
must not adopt the rule "Wheu in Rome
10 as Rome does. but when in Rome do'as
you please and allow of breadth for charity
aud Tor true unity's sake. This lesson Is
always drawn from this text, but there Is n
second lesson which In one view at least. Is
oil Infinitely more Importance and IL Is for
that speak. The vast Importance of a
single letter or simple sign in the affairs OF
i'fe.' Lille Is full OF illustrations OF this
truth.
man walks up to the door OF one OF
your lodge rooms; he requests admittance
at little hole in the door. and you tell
him he must give you the password or dc.
part.
soldier passes by night between two
armies he Is suddenly accosted. Who
goes there -
- friend" he replies.
Advance. friend. and give the word"
The soldier turns and tries to run away
and is shot
man presents check on bank. 7,
may take microscope Of a specialist In
writing to discover and yet is,lc curl on
an IN or peculiar nervous twi,ch oil
the pen in the end OF the signature NAV
often show the check to be forgery
Vast estates have changed hands by the
changing OF letter.
Illustrations would indeed be tedious "a
demonstrate this most important and yet
most easily forgotten truth. a Northern
man travelling South has but TO say few
words and the Southern man can tell
whence he came. a Southern traveller In
like manner is Immediately known In the
North. An EngIshman told an American
that the American did not come from tho
United States. for he did not talk through
his nose. Americans claim to know an
Enelishman by peculiarities. have lis
tened to Yorkshire English and could
not tell word that was spoken. They
say that Lancastershire English Is even
m
Scot from Aberdeen and the Scott from
GLASGOW between the Irisbman from
Belfast and the one from Dublin OF course
u needs the native ear to detect the differ.
ence but there II Is. The man from Mt
GiIead says shibboleth: the man from Mt
.Ephraim says sibboIeth and cannot frame
TO pronouce Il right"
Now for the spiritual application or illus
tration. Did not Annanias live with The
apostles Did he not bear an honored
name Did he not like Barnabas. sell a
possession and property Did he moi
lay u at the apostles feet7 Did he sell
II for so much Yes" said he. .for 80
much" Is that not spelling shlbboleth
right1 No. no II was sibbolcth and
not shibboleth And like the Ephraimite
he died before that Jepthah.like Peter.
Was not Sapphire his wife an EphrlamIte
also and misspelt the shibboIctb Was II
sold for so much Yes" said she. for
so much"
Was not Simon Magus accepted and very
| acceptable to the early church, The
Apostle Peter himself seems to have bap
tised him. Then he put hands in his
pocket and drew forth money and offered
u 70 Peter that he might have the power
TO impart the Holy Ghost Then. and moi
I'LL then. did Simon Peter clearly dis.
tinsuish that Simon Magus was pronounc
ing shibboleih with Iisping on his tongue