The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-11-29

lost his grip On things. He had bee
driven out of the royal city. VIII
again saddle the aged king upol
them? Let him remain in exile
1 They would seek out another wht
should rule.
| This new conspiracy was stronges
/ among certain of the tribes of Ben
jamin, prominent among whom wa!
] Sheba, the son of Bichri. But amons
] all the tribes or Israel there were NAL
contents, who were only waiting the
j call of leader to make fresh rupture
in the nation.
Such was the chaotic state Of the
. nation while the old and sorrow-strick,
( en- king remained at Mahanaim. And
: if in the hearts of the people the mem.
I; DRY Of David's greatness and goodness
, and power came crowding, into his
! heart there came likewise the men,
! DRY Of other days. Now that the first
poignant grief over the death of Abb
SALON. was passed and he had time to
contemplate his state and think on
what the loss Of the nation and the
royal city meant to him, a deeper,
more crushing sorrow came upon him.
Jerusalem, the holy city of God, the
place where with joy he had set up
the tabernacle of the Lord and with
er he had brought the ark Of the cov-
enant Of the Lord.
When fist he came upon the strong
hold years before while it was still in
the hands Of the enemy the inspiration
had come to him to conquer it for the
Lord. What q glorious situation for
the city which should become in a pc
| culiar sense the habitation of the
Lord, he had thought And so in the
strength Of the Lord and at the peril
OF his life he had assembled by almost
superhuman effort the precipitous
walls and had after a fierce hand.to.
hand conflict subGued the city.
And because OF what that city had
cost him, and because of what it had
become in his thought and ambitions
he longed with an intense longing to
be back there once more. 1t was in
that city he had planned and purposed |
to build the Lord a splendid temple,
but God had said him nay, and had
given him the promise that his son
should build the Lord house. And
this thought of the future had made
bright the late years of his life as
ne mad set about gathering material
which would be used in the construc-
ton OF such temple as he longed to
see built.
But now he was an exile from his
beloved city. Were his dreams for
the future of the city never to be
realized? Was he never more to
dwell there? Thus in sorrow and
doubt he waited. But no word came
from his people looking to his re.
turn.
But one day delegation came to
Mahanaim from the northern tribes.
bringing words of good cheer to the
king and urging his return.
While thou art absent, Sheba. the
son or Bichri, and others are busy
to cause further trouble"
they said. Come with us, and we
will establish thy kingdom"
But how can l return" David cried
% his confidential advisers, after he
lad dismissed the delegation, while
he people of Judah, mine own bretb-
EN-, and while Jerusalem, the holy
'ity, speaks no word OF invitation?"
So this proved a great sorrow TO
David that no word had yet come to
lin from Jerusalem, and those who
erved near to the king discerning the
'rlef OF his heart over this thing, sent
Messengers secretly to Zadok and Abi-
thar, the priests at Jerusalem, say
ng:
Speak unto the elders of Judah,
aging, Why are We the last to bring
ne king back to his house? Seeing
he speech of all Israel is come to the |
ing, even to his house. Ye are his
'rethren, ye are his bones and his
esh: wherefore then are We the last p
bring back the king?" u
Now when this word was repeated IL
the ears Of the elders by Zadok and u
Abiathar, after they had summoned III
hem into their presence, deep sorrow e.
eized their hearts that they had so IL
orgotten and neglected their king. 10
why" they said, I'VE had feared nj
is anger, and thought that he would II
eturn but to punish us for our dis. ca
oyalty." dc
Nay, but thou hast misjudged our OF
ing, for his heart is towards, his peo. M
lie and Jerusalem, continually" la
Yea, and the tribes to the north Ell
ave been first to send word to the If
ing beseeching his return. How al
yer, If thou shalt send speedily and al
SIX the king to return he will for Sc
i've thy neglect and return with low bl
his land" urged the priests.
Then We will send at once" thew oil
i exclaimed. For our city and
If land is desolate without it's king"
So they sent this word unto the
ing.