Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-09

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from the literary genius of The eraa,
master. Is Othello lass OthnI,n he
cause some cynic claims it to have
oeen createG. out of the forgotten nov.
Nj NJ VI 1.faldi Cinthio, entitled "The
'iosr or Venice"' whence is that
knocking? How is't with me when
every noise appals me? What hands
are here? Ha! they pluck out mine
eyes! Will all great Neptune's* ocean
wash this blood clean from my hand ?
NO; this my hand will rather the null.
tltudlnous seas incarnadine, making
The green-one red" Poor Macbeth;
ditto his sinful lady. Alas for them
that the blood upon their hands had so
llncarnadined their consciences that
their spotless hands still seemed
blood's image to reflect. What doubt
OF commences in history was ever so
emphatic as to lessen the nerve ire
NOR OF ones being who made his men,
tal own, the tragedy of Macbeth. So
llttie matters it who Job was or when
or where, nor yet who was the poet
dramatist of Hebrew blood and schol.
arship who gave him us to keep.
Great Master, Job. I'VE shall not look
upon his like again" The prologue,
the epilogue, the body of the poem,
the prose relief, the chief human char
acter Job himself, the other charac-
ters OF hell and earth and heaven have
ne er In inspiration been surpassed.
1t were delightful to spend this hour
IN literary study of this great drama,
put tbs our purpose rather to pursue
II further as a character study.
The personality of Job is well set
forth in this: THAT man was perfect
and upright, and one that feared God
and eschewed evil" And again. "The
young men saw me, and hid them
selves; and the aged arose, and stood
up; the princes refrained talking. and
laid their hand on their mouth: the
mobiles held their peace, and their
tongue cleaved to the roof of their
mouth" Again 81 put on righteous.
ness, and 1t clothed me; my Judgment
was as robe and diadem. | was
eyes to the blind, and feet was | to
the lame. | was father to the poor;
ana the cause which | knew not l
searched out" Again, Unto me men
gave ear, and waited, and kept silence
al my counsel and 81 chose out
this way, and sat chief, and dwelt as
king in the army, as one that com
forteth the mourners"
Job, with his seven sons, three
daughters, large estates, broad philan-
thropic spirit and wide spread interest
In all classes of humanity and all
phases of society; Job with his affec-
ton for his family, his concern for
their welfare and his. devotion to God:
JOB with the favor of men upon him
and the confidence of God in him was
a mighty character. In his defense
before the critical counsel of his un.
hidden friends he plead candor, SINGER
lty, honesty, constancy But most
men plead right when accused of
wrong. That does not signify saws
critic. Hast thou considered my SER
want Job, that there is none like him
in the earth, perfect and an upright
man, one that feareth God. and es-
cheweth evil?" Jehovah himself here
confirms Jobs witness.
The manifestation of Jobs right.
eousness is seen not only in his phi
lanthropy, charity and brotherhood
but In his devotion to God himself.
For when Jobs sons and daughters
had Toasted, fearing lest they might
have sinned, good father Job rose up
early in the morning, and offered burnt
offerings according to the number of
them all: for Job said, it NAV be that
my sons have sinned; and cursed God
in their hearts. Thus did Job contin.
ually." If Job had lived in our era
he had been a Gladstone, a William
the II, a Mckinley or a Moody. Large
estates, contented wife, worthy. sons
and daughters grown to maturity, po-
tential influence, divine favor. what
mad JOB to fear? Happy Job. Envied
Job Alas for any man when men do
envy him. His care and caution must
needs have emphasis then.
Satan meets Jehovah, true to his cyn-
lcal subtitle self, with a spirit of hum
BILE challenge and in reply to divine in.
quiry that implied the strength of
mighty personality, insists that Job
serves God for favor as many another
had done before and has done since.
Further that Job deprived of his favor
can no longer be trusted and God per.
mits the heavy hand of affliction to
come upon his trusted and princely
servant. On day when Jobs sons
are feasting his oxen ploughing in the
helds, his asses feeding beside them.
his multitude of servants busy with
many cares, suddenly there bursts up.
On the quiet serenity of Jobs content
The messenger of Satan who cried ''The
oabeans, the Sabeans have fallen upon
the oxen and the asses and the ser.
wants in attendance and only am es.
eaned." What surprised but listen:
The fire of God from heaven is fallen.
he sheep are burned up and the ser.
wants are consumed:" bark We again:
The Chaldeans in three bands are fall. !
IN upon the canals and the servants
md these are booty to their crime"
Sheep, oxen, camels, servants. what
could intensity Jobs sorrow? 'Twas
out little We're not his sons Teasing
n their elder brothers. house? This
lash of thought and then another mes |
senger and jobs great soul was
Weighted with the burden of the sor
'ow of years. in these few short mo- |
nents, for this latter told the story of
| cyclone from the desert that burst
lpon the four corners of the elder
1Tother's house end reduced it TO
'reedy wreck with all his sons amid !
he debris. dead. Yves ever wall more
,iteors and vet more loyal than that
IF JOb2 Hear tho outburs+ of , /