The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-11-05
DaVid's Grief over AbsaIom

The fate of the Hebrew monarchy
trembles in the balance. Once more,
now in his old age, David is a fugitive.
The graphic narrative describes his
small force as hungry, weary, thirsty.
On the other hand, the conspiracy is
strong" and the rebel army 'increas-
es continually Humanity speaking,
the fortunes of the aged monarchy
are past retrieving. But stand still,
and see a salvation conspicuously
providential.
The gilded youth, never so dazzling
in the charms of his person, enters
triumphantly the capital his father
has just evacuated with weeping. He
proceeds at once to the abOminable
thing common among Oriental victors
the commission of that objectionable
crime which fixed the character of the
war as one of determination.
A council of war is now called. The
oracular Ahithophel advises immedia-
tie pursuit by twelve regiments of
picked men, which he offers to com
mand the object being the dispatch
ing of the king, whose person was the
only obstruction in Absalom's path.
What an incarnation of filial unnat-
uralness. The proposed killing of his
father pleased the son.
Hand of Providence intervenes.
Prayer of David is heard The counsel
of the age of Giloh, best advice from
a merely military standpoint, is made
to appear folly. The Archite, spy and
traitor, adept at sophistry succeeds in
having the Fabian policy adopted
and thus insures Absalom's ruin and
| David's deliverance.
| In this darkest hour of his checker
ed career, the best traits of David's
noble character shine respondent
He needs not the regalia of royalty
He is kingly without it. One sees il
him "a great man, bending under
the judicial visitations of Providence.
While his throne is shattered, hi
family disrupted, he maintains hi
self-possession and shows his sagacity
In the black enamel setting of appar
emily irretrievable misfortune. hi
piety, submission, generosity, pru
dence, shine like lustrous jewels.
David's genius for generalship nov
asserts itself. He puts the natura
barrier of the Jordan between himsel
and the rebel army. He enscounce
himself in the splendid fortress o
Mahaniam. When the battle impends
he chooses the field where his bush
whacking guerillas will have ever
advantage, knowing that the woo,
could devour more people than tn
sword The uncompromising pre-
test of his troops is all that restrain
his lion heart from taking the field il
person. With the undying, unquencf
able affection of the paternal heart
he has enjoined it upon the command
ant of each division that they idea
gently with the young man,
Now, upon the very site of his fore
father Jacobs wrestling, David enter
into an agony of soul. The kine
like the patriarchs, has brought hi
grief and peril upon himself by hi
own misdeeds. The points of contras
are that David is in gate instead {
a glade; it is daytime, instead of nigh
and it is son that approaches i
hostile mien, instead of brother, a
in Jacobs case.
Unfilial treason receives it's desert
that day. There is defeat, with slaugf
ter. Absalom's vanity forestalls hi
escape land insure his doom. Hi
ambrosial locks identify him, as doe
the very beast that bears him.
Nature herself furnishes a gibbe
for this unnatural son. His luxurian
hair, perhaps, serves as the black ca
of the,hangman. Suspended betwee
heaven and earth, he gazes into tn
phenomenal chasm.at his feet as int
the very mouth of hell, gaping to re
ceive him. Into that pit, a mome1
later, his dishonored corpse is cast.
The last picture in the somber ga
lery is drawn by a masterhend. 1t
true to the life. In pathos and natu
alness, nothing in literature surpasse
it. Up the stone steps to the chan
Der over the gate goes the chastene
monarch, crying in piteous grief
We can look into the depths of bro
ken heart. 1t is a revelation of par
entail tenderness, forgiveness, an
disappointed ambition.
The Teachers Lantern.
Carlisle says of Burns: 1.-The canar
sings sweetest when it has been long
est trained in a darkened cage" S.
David learned in suffering what h
taught inIsong. Psalms iii, iv, xl, "
Xix, elk, are attributed to this period
Ahithophel.was David's Judas Isca
riot. He portrays his treason in tn
words: ut was thou, a man, min
equal, my guide, and mine acquaint
ance. We took sweet counsel togeth