Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-09-12
NO. A.

+tA Wv FHN affs 4E1 CnNusfsHtNF " Ea
p~0rie ard tIs army II D. taiIai TO
u'tsier ihe Ieh.Isitcs ard gain pcsses-
sl1u of ttrlr stronghold Su.h ssre
re Guesfiouiuxs which trs.ghist
aim from within. aud ffom without
there came the fresh protests % the
people or Judah whose posses IONS
Nvrr near to jerusalem
What usa fog us % plant our vine
yards art % s1w our uelds u these
lehusstss a-c to descend ur,nn us IN
the utrht aud take aWay the fruits
~ uur toll Rud Nhsn we pursue
them they nnd refuge Nithin their
stronsholt and cast ridlcuie upon rs
FROM The walls
such vas tho last bitter complaint.
and David found himself asking the
question whether he could turn a deaf
"ar To their pieadiugsr Could he re-
fuse to put forth effort 20 help. To
b sure q seemed like a diffit uit task.
but sught he not try But the failures
% the nations about To conquer the
place gave him iittie confidence that
he WOULD prove more successful in
But you can try. came the clear
voice of conscience from within Vie
tory belongs to the Lord. and he will
not fail the one who putteth his trust
in him. he added bali aloud 20 him
self
Yes. continued David 20 himself.
as the rnused confidence within made
ian - a..
matter. Yes. 1t is rrproach upon
David that such stronghold should re-
main uncouquercd What an ideal
piace that would br Tor the placing
~ tae tabernacle of the Lord. that
God might have bis dwelling place
there n God has given 4s the land
did h. not Vish and expect that Va
would take this place. as WELL
One noble thing about David vas
that as soon as be saw his duty clear.
IS h. did not DELAY action For him
IA come face To face With an issue and
realize that h must be met II he re-
uiaincd true to God and 20 his nation.
was all that Was necessary To bring
him iutn action. For this reason
that very night orders went ou, to
the army 10 be- prepared for an early
start upon the morrow. when they
would go up against Jerusalem
The order created some nt,le dis
satisfaction. hut this vas quickly dis
pcIled Whehn David himself appeared
clad IN his armor aud declared his
purpose to lead she army in the din
fore H. Hut as they came beneath
the steep iofty precipices with Which
nature had surrounded the place they
sought hy every device "a seal. spme
point AMI gain admlttance To the
place. they realized more furcibly
than ever What a task lay before
them And to add 10 their discom-
fort. the lame and the blind of the
Jehusttss Were gathered upon the
walls and natled upon them. saving
Except ye take the lame and the
blind ye cannot come in hither~
Then ~ will take the lame and
the blind. David muttered under his
breath The seeming impossible shall
become possihle with Gods help The
- IT. AAafAA mss A1AA Ne AAr- ~ 80
shall enter the eity
A1a With that determination taken.
David ceased the efforts az scaling tn.
walls and directed his men To search
the secret underground aqueduct
which supplied the city with water.
saving unto them
"whosoeVsr getteth up to the gut
ter and smiteih The Jebusitss and
the lame and the blind. that are hated
ot Dsvids soul. shall be chief and
captain
And thus encouraged. the ascent %
the precipice Was made and the gate
Of the city quickly opened. 81 that
David entered in triumph the place
whOch had defist him
And David dNelt in the fort and
called 1t the city ~ David. and as
he sal contemplating the victory from
the heighths OF the city. he sx-
claimed.
4 never knew before that Judah
and the land of Israel Nere 81 fair.
What would the kingdom have been
without this splendid place