Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-02-28

| retreats in the forests. where sacri.
nee was made and the worship OF
their God was held.
And bitterly did they repent OF
their folly and sin which had made
them first the friends and associates
ot the Moabites. and then their slaves.
What deep humiliation Il was for
them. and how as the years dragged
on and the heavy tribute was collect.
ed. the people yearnei for deliver
ance and 4 restoration 10 their old.
time power and influence. Sin is a
hard taskmaster. and he exacts full
Measure Of penalty for every indul.
gence granted. And so Il was with
the children of Israel. For is long
years the heavy hand q King Eglon
was felt
During the latter half OF this pc
Rod Ehud by his apparent loyalty to
King Eslon. won the latter's favor
and confidence and was entrusted not
only with the task Of receiving the
a money from the people. but with
carrying the same 70 the king at the
royal city. When there had been in.
cipient revolts against the payment OF
the tax he advised submission. point.
ing GU that IL were only to invite
greater hardship and a heavier tax
to rebel And when this led the
people to distrust him. some openly
charging him with ~disloyalty to his
own people and his God. he made no
reply. which was taken by the people
as an admission Of guilt.
Now Ehud had pledged himself in
the secrecy OF his own heart to the
task Of helping Israel to deliverance.
and he realized that he could not
trust himself to the counsels Of his
people. lest the king should be led
to suspicion him. In fact. he knew
that the very hostility and resent.
ment Of his people against him would
strengthen the kings faith In him.
and perhaps give him the opportunity
he sought OF striking an effective
blow for independence.
Thus as time vent on the breach
between Ehud and his brethren grew
wider and wider. and at last the lat.
ter entered into a conspiracy against
him. The time had arrived for the
taking Of the annual present to the
king. and Ehud was busy gathering
the treasure. all unconscious of the
plan to lie in wait for him as he de
parted for the royal city, TO kill him
and seize the treasure.
Tidings of this thing in some way
reached the ears OF the king. and he
sent his servants to warn Ehud. who,
as soon as he understood the temper
OF the people. realized that the time
had come for him to act.
Now up to this time there was no,
a weapon in all Israel, save such as
the soldiers Of the king carried. Meth,
er was 1t possible to obtain the metal
out OF which to make them. How,
ever. Ehud. in the present extremity.
succeeded in obtaining a fragmen,
from the side of one OF the kings
bronze chariots which had been
broken, and all that night he labored
In fashioning IT into a long dagger,
putting a keen edge on both sides OF
the blade. This he girded upon his
right side. for he was as clever in the
use Of his left hand as his right
and the mex morning took up his
journey with those who had been ap
pointed to go with him. But instead
of going by the usual route he made q
detour and thus safely arrived before
the king and having presented the q
fering. he departed with those with
him.
Now he had scarcely gottes beyond
the court of the craven images which
when he suddenly turned himsel
back. and again sought the presenc,
of the king.
The latter had withdrawn himsei
to his summer house in the midst o
the garden. where he went each da'
for rest, but when he understood VIII,
il was who desired TO see him he or
dered that he be admitted. suppos
ing that he had some secret messag,
concerning the plot which the chi
dren OF Israel had made against him
Now. King Eglon was e~xceedingl,
fat. and so as Ehud drew neal an,
bent owe to whisper in his ear tn,
king could not discern that Ehud'
left hand had grasped the dagge
which lay concealed beneath the fold
OF his robe. And a he waited 70
Ehud to speak. the latter drove tn
keen edge Of his weapon into hi
heart, 50 that he gave not so much a
a groan. 50 swiftly was the blov
struck And Ehud escaped. even a
the Scripture states. and having cal
ell Israel together. he led them to vic
tory srainst the Moabites.
NAEaE rAE AIpQOs aarAE