Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-10-01
Sunday School Lesson and
Young Peoples MEETINGS
What the Church Folks Are Thinking About
and Doing Religious News From Every
where.

sinai by Moses. Therein was the pot
OF mama. Therein was Aarons rod
that budded. Therein was the Book of
Law There was the Mercy Seat over.
swallowed by the wings of the Cheru-
BIN. This was the ark that had gone
before the marching children of
israel and opened the waters of Jor-
dan. 1t was the ark that had put to
Hight the enemies of the kingdom. AS
the visible emblem Of the presence
and leadership of Jehovah, the ark
held UNIQUE place in the life of the
chosen people.
All that the recovery of the Holy
Sepulchre meant to the Crusaders,
and more. the removal of the ark to
Jerusalem meant to the children of
israel. For seventy years it had been
lying In partial neglect. Part of the
1lme 1t had been in the hands of the
Phlllstlnes. Now it was in the house
or Ablnabab, eleven miles southwest
OF Jerusalem. It's absence from the
tabernacle at Shiloh, and Its neglect
ed condition, Indicate the low state of
religion in the kingdom. After It's in.
stallation at the center of worship bv
David, the ark, became a reyered and
honored object. When the CITY was
destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar the ark
disappeared. There are many persons
Today, as there have been through all
the centuries since, who cherish the
lneytinguishahle hope that. like many
lesser treasures of antiquity, the ark
VIII one day be found and restored to
the people Of the covenant-keepins
Cod
Death for the Profaner.
mere are right and wrong ways Of
doing everything, from driving tack
TO ruling a nation. In the first removal
OF the ark, David showed inconsider-
ateness and haste, and a desire to
no'd the center of the procession him
self. He neglected the divine ritual
and the directions for the treatment
or the ark. There was plenty of pomp,
put lack of reverence and adher.
ence to the law in the removal of the
sacred object. 1t was treated like
mere chest OF gold, or any other COM
mon treasure. When the oxen which
drew II stumbled, Uzzah put forth his
hand to steady their burden which
never should have been carried. ex.
cept upon the shoulders of Levites.
For this act of indiscretion he was
smltten dead. BY this terrible retribu-
ton David and the nation were stern
~ reminded of the aWfulness of God.
Even the king in his exultation seems
to have forgotten the greatness and
glory and majesty of Jehovah. of
Whom 1t Is written, "Holy and rever
end is His Name" The prosressive
christians who are turning their
churches into concert halls, and who
are "popularizing" Christianity by
cheapeRng 1t, need to study this
tragic episode of Uzzah. There are
some persons who perceive the sacred
ness of the national flag more clearly
than they do the sacredness Of The
things of God. Significantly tha rec.
ord runs: "And David was afraid NJ
Jehovah that day." a wholesome az.
perience for the popular and success.
Iful king. ''s'
correcting a Kings BIunder.
terrified and mystified by the death
or uzZah, the removal of the ark wss
matted, and it remained with The
mouse of Obededom for three montbs
to the rich blessing of that household
David, seeing this, would not be with.
out the favor that followed the pres.
ence OF the Ark of the Covenant So
ne ORGANIZED a great religious festival.
this time taking heed to obey the d.
vine directions. Proper formaIity was
observed throughout. David divided
the honors and responsibilities with
other men. The priests were invested
with the dignity that belonged to
them A spectacular procession and
ceremony, with music and dancing,
was arranged. the ark being conduct,
ed with all pomp and reverence that
It's sacredness merited
l have seen in Japan religious fes.
rivals when the shinto ark from the
temple was carried in great process.
sions, with music and shouting and
dancinss and crowds of people lining
the highways. Similar, but on a vast
~ greater scale was this procession
to Jerusalem. 1t was the greatest day
in David's life, and perhaps the great
est day in old Israel's history; for the
truth runs forever, that a nation is at
its best when God and religion are
given their right place in the right
way