The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-10-01

oSSNSeSSSSssEsSsksEs)s Observation-Disclosures
ark could be to the entire nation if
properly shrined in their reverential
care.
A new home bringing of the ark is
, now attempted. 1t is done exactly
according to the pattern which the
Lord showed Moses in the Mount.
The priests and the Levites sanctified
themselves for this service And the
Levites bare the ark of God upon
their shoulders, with the slaves there
on, as Moses commanded, according
to the Word of the Lord.
Trained choirs chanted antiphon-
ally the noble hymns which David
had composed for this occasion. There
were suberb orchestral interludes. At
state intervals the procession halted
to offer sacrifices to Jehovah, and the
king, in the ecstasy of religious joy,
executed a rhymic dance. playing his
own accompaniment, and chanting
one of his own hymns.
So this noble shrine-not entirely
unlike the shrines of other nations,
perhaps, but certainly and infinitely
surprising them in hind the mystic
veil it stood, reverenced and unharm-
ed four hundred wears. 1t enshrined
a trinity of truth-the Divine Presence,
the Law, the Divine Mercy. What
heather shrine, however like it work
manship, will for one moment com
pare with it in spiritual loftiness Of
meaning?
The Teachers Lantern.
This sad and startling incident
teaches the importance of an implicit
observance of the Divine method to
its minutest details. David acknow-
lodges that the judgment had fallen
because they had sought God, not
latter the due ORDER
Divine help comes to those who
follow the Divine order. 1t is record
ed, Chron. xxi, 26: And it came to
pass that God helped the Levites that
bare the ark of the covenant of the
Lord.
The emblematic ark, environed by
dread restrictions, was designed to
teach a race, yet crudely civilized.
the holiness of the Diet, and the re-
verence which became his worship
Like the Mount on which the pattern
! Of II or 10
to be touched on pain of death. 1t
was to be seen of man but once a
year, and then by but one person. 1t
was thus significant reminder of
JehoYah's majesty. 1t was an awe
inspiring object-lesson.
For seventy years it had been out
of its place. 1t had become a sort
of palor ornament in hehome of Abin-
adab. Familiarity had breeded con-
tempt. Awe of it must needs be re-
stored by a punitive judgment. A
conspicuous opportunity is afforded
in the act of Uzzah. His suffering was
, substantial. Fear fell upon all.
David, keenly alive to the signiti-
, canoe of the ark bringing, gave way
to an ecstasy when at length it safely
passed within the walls of Jerusalem.
A holy enthusiasm possessed him. But
his queen, distan, cool uninterest
ed observer, viewing the scene from
her palace lattice, and having nc
heart in it, made it the occasion of an
unwifely sarcasm.
, In this exposition the paragraph
has been treated as if it was litera
history. This is for The purpose Of
, extracting its ethical and spiritua
, lesson. These do not, however, de
, pend upon its literal historicity. They
could be as well deduced from eleYat
ed folklore as from the exact annals
of the historian.
The home-bringing of the ARK
= aroused the poetic genius of David
and prompted the composition o
. those noble lyric hymns, Psalms xxxiN
. xcvi, CIV, cxi
- This function and scope of the aestl
!, etical in religion is here illustrat ed
-. For that crude age the ark was ;
= beautiful object. For those rude folk
: the vocal and orchestral music an(
e rhythmic marching were elevating.