The Washington times., 1903-10-03

Frustrated, and often the most lament
able conditions PREVAILS because the
Ark OF God is In Kirjath- jearim, neglect
ed, forsaken. without recognition or re-
gard. and what applies to the nation or
the community has even more force with
the individual. II we permit the ark to
remain In Kirjath-j earim-the Kirjath-
jearim OF business, care, pleasure, in
difference-and have no desire for God S
word, for private prayer, for divine wor-
ship; no regard for Gods day or the
ordinances of His house, there will be
tumult in the heart. and a soul unrest
like that of the ever-heaving sea- A
proper question here for each one to
ask is: Where IS the Ark of God in my
life? The happiest time of a life is
that in which the soul is being prepared
to receive the Ark of God The coming
Of religion to the heart means great re-
joicing
Happy is the nation whose public
leaders guide men into spiritual paths,
as well as into paths of civic. CONNER
eial. intellectual. and, If need be. mar
! ttai greatness. There was something
splendid about the enthusiasm OF Da-
vid and his men over the discovery
of the ark. Why shouldn't we have
more enthusiasm for the very best
thing In the world. when so much
is wasted, over vastly inferior
things. Many Christian enterprises are
begun and continued under an apparent
sense OF compulsion. Gods people Of
ten lack spontaneous Joy and enthusi-
asm. II we would pause TO consider
all that the coming of Gods kingdom
means to us. We would seek to bring
his presence into hearts and homes
with unbouuded vigor and gIadness
David enlisted great numbers In this
religious work This gave evry one
| l..
personal interest. There was some
\ thing for all. Some OF the instruments
could be played only by skilled per-
! formers. others could be used by any
willing hand and all voices could join
In the chorus
Sin of Ineverence.
attempt to bring up the ark to the capi-
tai rof the nation. but he made one great
mistake which resulted in disaster to
his plans at frst-the Ark OF God was
not borne in q reverential and pre-
scribed way. Instead of causing the
sacred symbol to be borne by the --a---
of Levites, 1t was consigned to a cart
drawn by oxen. driven by Uzzah. a man
who was not a Levite. All went we'll
for while, until the oxen stumbled on
the rough road, and the ark was about
TO be precipitated to the ground when
Uzzah put his hand against the ark to
steady IL and was stricken to the earth
as by lightning, on account of the indig-
nation OF God at the sacrilegious act.
This dreadful judgment brought the
great procession TO a sudden halt. David
4 as he well might be, was much dis
pleased with himself and possibly dis
appointed at the outcome of his plans,
and also afraid of God. Uzzah's death
was rebuke to the King and protest
against the method of the whole proce-
dure- Uzzah violated a spiritual law
and suffered the consequences, as under
like circumstances a man would touch
heavily charged electric wire and per-
ish from 1t. Yet the law OF electricity
and the law of reverence are both good
laws. 1t was the business of UzZah 70
know how or who should have carried
the ark. II we do not obey God in the
right way we do not really obey him al
ail-1-'Our business Is not to defend the
truth, but TO use II; not to maintain
: the gospel, but 70 proclaim Il; not to
preserve Christianity, but 10 intrust
- ourselves 70 its preserving power