Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-27

| great, and thOu shalt be blessing
and | viii bless them that bless thee,
and curse him that curseth thee, and
In thee shall an families OF the earth
be blessed" (Gen. Il; 2, 80 Some cen-
turtles later the Lord inspired the false
prophet Balaam 10 virtually apply this
to the descendants OF Abraham, then
| camping in the plains Of Moab. He
Was directed to say Blessed Is he
| that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that
curseth thee" Numbers "a 80 Here
is one OF the many features of the BIZ
HE that can be tested by history. What
has that most important science 10 say
on that subject? Are revelation and
history agreed on this? IL II, or Is II not
fact. that the descendants of Abra-
that those who blessed that nation
have been blessed. While those that
have cursed them have, themselves,
been cursed? What does history say?
Let us glance at the history Of Egypt
That country was at one time the CEN
ter Of civilization, the mistress OF the
world, II Mr. lie plongeon's ideas are
correct the civilization OF this contin'
ent was brought from here to the val
ley of the Nile in the very earliest ages
OF oarth's history. At all events, as
long as the Pharaohs treated Joseph
and his brethren with kindness, Egypt
vas prosperous and powerful. But
with the persecution OF the children
Of Israel, and their exodus, Egypt COM
menced to decline In every way. AS
has recently been said By Jewish
speaker Egypt has seen the day when
foreigners desecratcd the sacred tombs
and carried away the mummified bodies
Of once mighty rulers, to serve as fer
tilizers on foreign soil Not until lately
under the influence Of a country friendly
to the Jews, has Egypt again COM
menced to advance, SO true has the
prophecy proved Il viii bless them
that bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee.
We may pass quickly the history OF
Assyra and Babylonia. sennacherib
was an oppressor Of the Jews. He
laughed at Jehovah, but while wor-
Shipping In his own temple and doing
honor to his own god, he was assassin
ated by his own sons. Assyrian de-
cline dated from the hour of persecu-
tion. So with Babylon.
No less remarkable is the history Of
Rome. That mighty empire sent It's
renowned generals and mighty hordes
to demollsh Jerusalem. They execut-
ed their mission but too we'll, Humid
reds OF thousands Of Jews were slain
IN the streets of the city and outside the
walls. women ate their own children;
the nation was scattered to the four
winds. But II was not many years be-
fore the dust OF the streets OF Rome
was moistened with the blood OF its
citizens. The mighty empire was
broken up, never to appear any more
on the stage OF history 81 will curse
him that curseth thee.
The history Of Spain tells the same
story. In the fifteenth century that
country was great, wealthy and pros
porous, 1t was mistress Of half OF
the world. But in an evil hour Spain
issued an edict for the Punishment OF
the Jews. period of fearful suffer
ing resulted. That was the beginning
Of the ruin OF Spain. From that time
her course was downward to poverty
and humiliation, ending, let us hope
in the conflict which drove her from
the western hemisphere.
Finally, look at Russia today Is It
merely coincidence that the
massacres OF Klschlnef preceded
the disastrous war with Japan, In
which mighty navy has been blown
out Of the water, by accidents and 9TH
erwise, and Russian blood been shed
like water?
Great Britain and this country have
both given friendly asylums to the
chosen race. In these countries they
have been blessed" and not cursed"
True, mobs have at times In this coun-
try brought persecution upon that
branch OF the chosen people which has
been gathered out OF the nations and
united IN the Church Of Jesus Christ
OF Latter-day Saints; but II is never
theess true. that the people have been
blessed with liberty. under the gov
eminent, and the American institutions.
Where are there any countries more
blessed" than these. IN which Gods
chosen people have been blessed
History repeats again and again the
promise given so long ago; Blessed Is
he that blesseth thee. and cursed Is he
that curseth thee"