The Taney County republican., 1907-09-26

dDJuls
Why, this splendid palace Of cedar
is monument and testimony to the
friend whom the Lord has raised up
for me In Hiram, king Of Tyre" David
exclaimed, appreciatively as he enter
ed the stately portal and proceeded to
the inner private apartments, whittier
he had loved Of late to withdraw him
self and let his mind contemplate the
things of God and to dwell upon his
| holy law. Laying aside his outer robe
| he stretched himself upon the low
| divan in a nook of the spacious apart
ment overlooking courtway in which
rare flowers bloomed and cool waters
| played like a chime OF sweet.toned
| bells.
What more could the heart Of the
| king desire, seeing that the Lord hath
established me in the kingdom and
given me this splendid house in which
to dwell. My heart does magnify the
Lord, and | do long to serve him and
to establish the people in their devo'
ton TO the Lord. What more can
do?" And David lay in silent medi-
tation striving to find some new way
in which he could show honor to God
and prove his devotion before all the
nation. Strangely enough his mind
kept reverting to the recent incidents
connected with bringing up the ark to
| Jerusalem, and he soon was absorbed
in tracing the journey step by step,
until Jerusalem was reached and with
the sound Of music and with dancing
the ark was restored TO its place In the
tabernacle.
Suddenly, almost violently, the king
sat bolt upright as the thought flashed
across his mind that the ark Of the
Lord rested within tabernacle made
of curtains, and he, the king dwelt
within house made of cedar. With
almost a reproach in his eyes he
looked about him, as he exclaimed:
Can it be that am content to dwell
within these splendid walls while the
ark of the Lord rests still within the
curtained walls of the tabernacle, as
ii did when our fathers took their jour.
neys through the wilderness? Shame
on David" he repeated over and over
again as he paced back and forth
through his apartments under the eX-
element which stirred within him at
the thought of the contrast. But
he exclaimed, with great vehemence,
as he stopped abruptly before the
beautiful archway overlooking the gar.
den plot of the courtway. IF David's
house was built first it shall be only
that he might build the house for the
| Lord even more magniiicently. This
is the thing which will dc" and catch.
ing up his outer garment he hastily
turned and left the apartment and was
soon on his way back to the taber-
| naCle.
With the intensity of the emotions
which stirred within him he paced
back and forth in the arcaway su.,
rounding the outer court of the tabor.
naclc. He viewed it from every angle
and stepped off all the surface Of the
great rock on which the tabernacle
had been pitched.
How splendid is this location. How
glorious will be this city when David
hath built the Lord temple in which
to dwell in the midst of his people,"
And in his minds eye he tried to pic,
ture just how 1t would appear.
Yes" he exclaimed as he again
measured off the size of the taber.
p. naclc and then the surface Of the rock.
Yes, the temple shall be double the
dimensions of the tabernacle con.
structed under the direction Of Moses.
And after making various mental
calculations and studying over the
new plans which were formulating in
his mind, he returned home and was
soon cOniidng all his plans to Nathan
, the prophet whom he had summoned
; to his presence. And with the hearty
commentator of the prophet ringing
in his ears and a new song of gladnes,
sounding in his heart he botook him
self to his couch and was soon lost in
: slumber, from which the next morning
, he was awakened by one Of the serv
ants entering and announcing that the
, Prophet Nathan desired to see him
SHOW him in at once" cried David
eagerly, and as the prophet entered. he
exclaimed: What, but some splendid
thought concerning the building OF
the Lords temple could bring thee
hither so early?"
The king paused. Surely the prophet
did not share his elation of spirits. He
looked at him in wonder as he noted
the detected look and the hesitatine
manner.
Speak" he said, briefly, "for ! per
- ceiye that thou hast a message from
, the Lord"
Yea" spake the prophet, "verily
the Lord ha;h said that thou shalt moi
build him temple" And went on tc
! tell him all that the Lord had spoken.
With bowed head David listened ant
when Nathan had ceased he kept
silent. and the prophet withdrew
, Then King David went to the taber
nacle and sat before the Lord ant
= there was given that vision which
| caused him IN pyclainn in -anfrra. 0f