Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-11-04

from captivity had made tn en-
thusiastic beginning at rebuilding
Jerusalem. They began with the
Temple and laid the foundations in
few months. Then, surrounded
by enemies, hated by rivals, dis
couraged by difficulties, put back by
false reports, they ceased their
work, and for twelve or fourteen
years the bare foundations of the
house were allowed to remain,
Temple abandoned. Then came
forth Haggai and Zechariah and
stirred up the people to finish what
they had begun.
~
To inspire their confidence Zech-
ariah tells them the vision of the
Golden Candlestick. The candlestick
or lamp stand naturally had to be
filled with oil daily. But in the
vision Of Zechariah the olive trees
are tapped and the oil without any
human help flows in continuous
stream that the lights may never
go out. Nov" in effect said Zech-
ariah to the Jewish people, you
are the lamp stand and you will be
kept bright and shining because
you arc systematically helped. No
one can adulterate your life, and no
one can cut it short and no one can
check it's flow. Letyo light shine
amony the nations for no human
power can hinder it," Cheered by
such a prospect the people reused
themselves to a new trial, and in a
few years the marvellous Temple
stood complete.
***
You see how one man with mes
sage Of hope and good cheer re-
volutionized great nation. They
had all been saying ut is no use
We can never hope to accomplish
anything here, the odds are too
great against us" But Zecnariahs
vision of the golden candlestick sus-
tanned by the trees of oil put new
things in a different light and they
rose up to build. encouragement!
We all need it. There are very few
people who do not at some time in
their lives have the ''black agonies."
1t is all very we'll to philosophize
about it and learnedly explain the
cause but that doesn't help the vic
tim. The thing to do is to get him
out. And the only way to do that
is to show him the lampstand glow
ing with supernatural radiance. He
has been looking to the dark side
show him the bright side. He has
seen the oil lnagnates monopolizing
the Illuminating product - show him
olive trees that he can tap himself
and get up little corner IN oil on
his own account. He has been list
ening to the groans of the lugubri-
Gus respondents around him-siug
the songs of the victors in his ears
He has looked in vain for human
helpers-teach him that he Can get
along without them who has super
natural forces at his command.
There is no man more to be pltied
than the constitutionally pessimistic.
1t is worse and more to be dreaded
than fever and ague and rheumatism
and gout. Knowing it to be two
thirds imaginary yet the trouble is
as real to the victim as the snakes
are to the man in delirium tremens.
All such people should cultivate the
brightest society and the cheerfulest
surroundings and the most digest
ible food and the best dispositioned
associates
~
If he is laboring man let him
take small doses Of labor troubles in
the newspapers but large doses of
philanthropic movements of which
the world is full. If the victim is a.
hard worked mother with six chill
dren let her rejoice that she has a
sober husband. If he is a preacher
let him be thankful that he is not a
layman let him rejoice that he
lodged the ministry. Every man
who looks for them will find lamps
of illumination on the darkest
problems and exhaustless sources
of supply where he least expected
them. The world needs more Zech
ariahs to point out golden candle
sticks to weeping eyes. Let it be
ours to act the part of optimistic
seers: One weeping Jeremiah is
enough. There is only one book OF
lamentations in the sixty-eix books
of the bible. When from cover to
cover it sings and dances and laughs
and claps it's hands and thunders its
ha11aIuiah chOr11S. He who is on his