The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-26
JONAH, TIE UHLovELY.

"RUG IT DIsPLEAsED Jonah eE-
II ceedingly and he was very an
cry"
In this brief sentence a white light
IS flashed on a most unlovely Old Tes-
lament character, if we may accept the
Bible story as the literal truth Jonah
was wroth because the Lord didn't de-
stroy Nineveh as he said he would.
This prophet of evil had himself been
the beneficiary of Gods goodness. If
he lad been given his just deserts ne
never would have escaped the fury OF
the tempest which ) Jrsued the boat in
wnch he was journeying 20 disobey
the divine command. The God of the
cd Testament isn't always a merciful
God. but he was good to Jonah.
When the seer was saved and allowed
TO sc to Nineveh he joyfuIIy delivered
mis- calamitous prediction. yet forty
days" he said, "and Nineveh shall be
overthrow" We can imagine the unc-
ton Of his defamation; we ran see
aim rolling the sweet morsel under his
tongue as his resonant voice proclaims
Nineveh's impending doom. But the
people Of the city look Jonah serious
". They put on sackcloth and they
threw ashes over themselves. Even
the king laid his robe from him ard
covered him with saclzcloth and sat in
ashes"
Poor Jonahi The Lord looked favor
ably on the repentance Of Nineveh and
vas merciful to it even as he had
shown mercy 10 Jonah Now Jonah
didn't Ike the idea of being discred-
tied. His reputation as an astrologer
was badly damaged, so badly that he
walls: "Oh. Lord, beseech thee, take
my life from me; it is better for me to
die than to live" Yes it would have
been better for Jonah to die than to
live. 1t would have been still better
if he had never lived.
Aud the same thing is true Of mod
ern JOnahs. We have the class still
with us. the prophets of evil who are
very angry when their woeful pre-
dictions don't come to pass. Csoakers
and "knocbers"-if the aptness of the
have caused more trouble and worry in
this world than all the plaques and pes
tilences. There are litde Jonabs and
big ,ronahs in Salt Lake in this second
year of the twentieth century.
A man says: IT don't believe we're
going to have enough water next sum-
raer; there amt no snow in the noun
tains and we amt going to have any"
There's your Jonah. If he doesn't get
q chance to say. Il told you SO" he'll
be the worst disappointed man of your
acquaintance. You're not looking a
bit well today" says another. Il don't
hardly believe you can last much long
er." One more Jonah on your list.
You'll probably outlive him, but wheth-
or you do or not he won't be able to
say. Il told sou so" to you, and that's
some comfort.
More Jonahs borrow, trouble. They
look ahead and see nothing but darH
clouds. The path is hard and the flow
ers are dying. When they set there
and find the sun still shining, the path
easy and the flowers fresh. thy are
''very angry" but content themselves
With gloomy fOrebodings Of yet an
other future. Away vita the prophets
of evil! Let US take the good while
we can and the bad when we must
Preaching. you think? Yes, preach
ing, if you please. This IS a good day
for it. If you're not a Jonah you
needn't read this. anyway. If you are
may the good Lord help you to mend
your ways.