Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-04-01

1T TO victory,
kN( - sound forth from
AT II the 10th Psalm,
which was writ
ten supposedly in commemoration of
the great deliverancc of Jerusalem
from the mighty Assyrian army. 1t
was during the reign of the godly
King Hezekiah that these remarkable
events transpired. They are full of
thrilling interest. Following the Wig
orous religious and political reforms
with which Hezekiah inaugural ted his
reign, he boldly threw off the yoke
of the Assyrian king and refused lon
ger to pay him tribute. Later the
northern tribes of Israel were taken
captive and their country laid waste
by the Assyrians, and this exposed
Judah to fresh attack. Many of her
strongholds were taken and the vast
Assyrian army under Sennacherib
came and encamped against Jerusa-
lem. The city was ordered to sur
render in the most insulting and
blasphemous language. The God of
Judah was defied as being unable to
save them from the iron hand of the
great conqueror. In the hour of
peril and desperate need HeZckiak
lays the matter before the Lord and
obtains word through the Prophet
Isaiah that the Lord has hears his
prayer and will deliver the city out
of the hands of the enemy. And it
came to pass that night thGJ the
angel of the Lord went out and smote
in the camp of the Assyrians an
hundred four score and five thou
sand: and when they arose early in
the morning behold, they were all
dead corpses."
@ o MUCH for tho historical facts
~ which probably furnished some
devout Jewish poet with his inspira-
ton for the Psalm. In the eleven
short verses of this paean of praise the
words of our text are repeated twice,
echoing the thought in the opening
verse, and furnishing the key to the
whole. The sound of the words
comes with the reassuring calm of
the Peace, be still" which hushed
the raging sea of Galilee to rest 1t
is confident boast which swells and
throbs all through the Psalm and re-
linking of the Divine power with hui
man weakness, bringing victory in
the face of a mighty foe. What must
these words have meant TO those
helpless Jews shut up in their
city and unable of themselves TO
strike single effective blow at
the enemy which threatened their
homes and their loved ones? To-day
the Assyrians are seen to be drawing
the lines closer about the city and
preparing to make the final assault
upon the city's walls Darkness
closes in upon the city and the en-
camped enemy. What the morrow
may bring forth fills the people with
anxious dread. But Hezekiah and
Isaiah have placed the matters at is
sue in the hands OF n mighty ally,
and, while the bcsegcd city waits
Gods angel goes forth and smites the
Assyrian army with the scourge of
death. The morning light as il breaks
over that troubled and anxious city
reveals TO the wondering eyes of the
people heaps of dead instead of an
Onrushing and conquering army. and
in the distance the remnant of Sen
nacherib's army can he seen retreat
ing, leaving behind its lifeIess war
riors. Ut is no idle boast which echoes
throughout the city. They can say
in truth: THE Lord Of Hosts is with
MS; the God of-Jacob is our refuge"
q 7 WAS q great thing for King Hezc-
~ kiah TO be able TO claim the Lord
ms his ally. Ut is the greatest boast
which any soul can make. japan n
few years ago was proud 10 claim as
her ally the British nation with her
powerful fleets Cuba more recently
was made strong and confident in the
knowledge that the United States
stood behind her in sympathy and
was ready TO help strike the blow for
liberty.
Napoleon's boast that God was with
the heaviest artillery sounds well. and
has echoed and rcechoed on the lips of
men in self-asSuring confidence ever
since, but we dare TO claim Il is not
true. We would like to recast IL and
say: God, with the artillery. makes
IT The strongest" The imputation that
God Is always looking for the biggest
army and the heaviest guns, so ms 10
be on the winning side, is worse than
blasphemy. God is always with the
right. a nd whether IL has the heaviest
guns or not IL wins gloriousIy in the
end. Surely il was not because Hcze.
kiah had the heaviest fighting force
which made God his ally and secured
for him the victory. Follow through
The pages e sacred history and II will