Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-09-26

rare noWers blOomed and cool waters
played like . chime of sweettoned
bells
What more could the heart ot the
king desire. sec.ag that the Lord hath
established me In the Kingdom and
given me this splendid house In which
to dwell Ny heart does magnify the
Lord. and do hong 20 serve him and
to establish tho people in their devo-
tion TO the Lord whs; more can I
do" And David iay In silent medi-
iaiion striving To find some new way
in which he could show honor 20 Cod
and prove his devotion before all the
nation. Strangely enough bis mind
Kept revertiug to the recent incidents
connected with bringing up the ark 20
Jerusalem. and he sOon was absorbed
in tracing the iourney step by step.
until Jerusalem was reached and with
the sound Of music and with DANCING
the arb vas restored to its place In she
tabernacle.
Suddenly. alnos; violently. the king
at solt upright a. tho thought aashed
across hts mtnd that the ark of the
Lord rested within tabernacle. made
Of curtains. and he. the king. dweit
within a house made Of cedar. With
almost reproach in his eyes he
looked about him. as he exclaimed
Can It be that I am content TO dwell
within these splendid walls while the
ark of the Lord rests s,ill within the
curtsined walls of the tabernacle. as
IL 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-
| citementt which stirred within him at
the though, Of the contrast But
he exclaimed. with great vehemence.
as he stopped abruptly before the
beautiful archway overiOoking the gar.
den plot Of the eourtway. II David's
house was built FIRST II shall he only
that he might build the house for the
Lord even more magnificsntly. This
Is the thing which I will do. and catch
INK up his outer garment he hastily
turned and left the apartment and was
soon ON his way back 10 the taber.
nacle
With the Intensity Of the emotions
which stirred within him he paced
back and forth In the areaway sur.
rounding the outer court OF the taber-
nacie lie viewed Il from every angle
and stepped Oh all the surface Of the
great rock ON which the tabernacle
had been pitched
How splendid Is this location How
glorious vii, he this city when David
hath bull; the Lord a temple In which
10 dwell in the midst Of his peopie,~
And m his minds eye he tried to pic
ture Just how II would appear
| Yes. he exclaimed. as he again
measured on the size OF the taber-
nacle and then the surface of the rock.
Yes. the temple shall be double the
dimensions - tn. 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 confiding all his plans to Nathan.
the prophet. whom he had summoned
To his presence And with the hearty
commendation OF the prophet ringing
in his ears and a new song of gladness
sounding in his heart he beiook 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. h.
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 hesitatinr
manner
Speak. he said briefly. for | per.
eeive that thou hast a message from
the Lord
Yea, spake the prophet. verify
the Lord hath said that thou shalt not
build him temple" And went on TO
tell him all that the Lord had spoken.
With bowed head David listened and
when Nathan had ceased nc kent
silent. and the prophet withdrew.
Then King David went to the taber.
naele and sat before the Lord and
there was given that vision which
caused him to exclaim in rapture: %
Lord God. thou hast spoken of thv
servant for great while TO come and
hast regarded me In the Arrangement
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