The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-15

sfsSsEsSsts seSs(sHs(sss essssse sfsNsrs s(slstss
ers when they find themselves belea-
guered by temptations and unfavor-
able conditions.
Half measures are usually weak
measures. An Athaliah's cruelty
counted her nothing, because she was
not quite cruel enough. If she Lad
killed Jehoiada together with the 9th
ers, she might have reigned longer.
After all, she was too unsuspicious.
She left the old high priest in possess
ion of the dilapidated temple That
was her undoing.
The temple was an asylum for one
boy (Joash). Every boy should have
right of asylum in the Church. 1t
should be chief shelter and resort of
youth.
What the Roman Forum is TO Rome
and the Acropolis it to Greece, the
temple is to Palestine. \ history of
the temple is a history of the nation.
Names illustrious and ignoble, deeds
yalorous and despicabe, doctrines of
faith and usages of ritual,-all are
shrined and exemplified there. 1t is
the epitone of a thousand years. 1t is
no wonder that the repair of such a
| building became a matter Of State,
and that the king took personal SUI
pervisiOn of it. But the crown was
not able as in Soiomons day, to carry
/ out the enterprise unaided. The CO.
/ operation of the people must needs
be urged, and there was the reflex adj
| vantage incident to such cooperation.
The very position of Isaiah in the
canon is significant. Although writ
| ten later than others, it yet stands
first among the prophecies. Isaiah is
easily first of the. prophets. He is
more frequently quoted in the New
Testament than all the other proph-
cts put together. Whether every part
/ of the book which bears the name Of
Isaiah was written by that prophet or
not is curious question which does
not bear upon the integrity and use
fulness of the book. There NAV have
been several lsaiahs, as there were
certainly several Davids, who Joined
in writing the Book of Psalms His
tory or the prophets is absorbingly
interesting. They make brilliant
galaxy from the Samuel on-men like
| Othneil, Gideon, and Samson. proph-
cts of the sword, and Hosea, Joel,
Amos, prophets of the pen. History
Of prophecy is equally entertain ing
the function and possibility of the
prophetic office how the personality
of the prophet is conserved he is not
a speaking trumpet, but a speaking
man: not so much a mechanical pre-
dictor of future events as man with
a vision of the bearing of current
events upon the future.
The Prophet Isaiah appears i'll a
new role. He is parexcellence the
temperance reformer ofhis age. He
is not incorporate in his attack upon
intemperance. Yet for moral earnest
ness he is not surpassed. Drunken
ness is usually insolent. 1t was ri
bald and abusive toward the prophet.
But this did not deter him. He ward
ed off the sheer with a terrible denun-
citation.
The times were very evil and irrelig-
ious. The Chronicler tells of Israers
neglect of the temple in graphic
phrase. They showed their backs to
it instead of their faces. They shut
the doors, put out the lamps. and
ceased from incense and offerings.
The sacred ritual was entirely discon-
tinued. Neglect of public edifice is
species of vandalism, slower, but Ill
timately as effective as the hammer
of the inconclast. When sweeper and
artisan left off their daily work.
filth accumulated, and the holy and
magnificent house was on the verge
of dissolution. No reasons of State or
policy deferred the young king from
at once mending this evil He did
not wait until he had tested the allie
glance of his subjects or debated the
matter with his council of princes,
He Immediately addressed himself to
the task of restoring religion and
strenuously squared himself to the
difficulties involved
EstraY Notice.
This is to give notice that about
June, 1904, there came to my place a
yearling steer without mark, red in
color: also three two-year old heifers