The Tupelo journal., 1909-10-15
no had gained possession of it years

cannot be enjoyed while there be
those which defy our rule and au-
thority,'' exclaimed Simon. one day to
against GAIA. and also to conquer
those who are holding the strong
tower in jerusalem"
Thou hast spoken WE'LL. exclaimed
the men around him. I'VE shall serve
thee in this thing"
So Simon beseiged GAIA and when
he found that his soldiers were unable
to take it with their ordinary weapons
he set about making a great engine Of
war and soon the city of GAIA was re-
duced to a ruin.
And now for Jerusalem and those
who still trouble the inhabitants of the
place"
"Shall blood flow also there?"
YEA, indeed" replied Simon. 'for
there can be no peace while yet there
be those who know not our God or
who will not obey his will, but choose
to trouble his people"
So he came to Jerusalem With his
picked men and day after day he drew
in his forces closer and closer about
the tower until at last they who were
therein were in such straits that they
had neither food nor drink and were on
the verge of famine. So they cried
unto Simon and entreated him that
he would spare them. This Simon did,
but he put them out utterly from the
tower and city, and cleansed the
tower from all it's pollutions.
There was a great celebration held
with thanksgiving, and branches of
palm trees, and with harps and GYM
balls, and with viols, and hymns, n
songs, because there was destroyed a
| great enemy out of Israel. And Simon
ordained that the day should be kept
every year with gladness.
So it came to pass that the land Of
Judea was quiet all the days of Simon.
for he sought the good of his nation in
such wise as that evermore his au-
thority and honor pleased them well.
| And as he was honorable in all his
acts, so il this, that he took Joppe for
a haven, and made an entrance to
the isles of the sea, and enlarged the
bounds of the nation and recovered the
country, SO that the people came to
! speak of the wonderful blessing which
God had bestowed upon them.
YEA" said one old man as he sat
in the gate of the city and talked over
the peace and prosperity which had
come upon the nation, hath not a
new age dawned? Is not now Jul ma
ton to rule from sea to sea and from
the waters unto the ends of the
earth?"
Thou speakest as some of the
prophets of DID," exclaimed the people,
as they crowded around to listen.
"And we'll might we all. for was it
not of just such time as this that the
prophets did writer"
But Rome still rules the world"
| spoke up one of the group.
"She is not our master, but our
friend" spake the old man with some
| shirt. "She has accorded our people
| and our religion a place, and honored
| our ambassadors which were received
| at Rome. Why then should we not
| feel that the great day has come in
| Israel? When before has the land
| brought forth so bountifully? When
| have our streets been SO filled with
| honorable trade? When have the peo-
| ple come every man into his W pos
| session all through the land? Every
man now sits under his own vine and
fg-tree with none to modest or make
afraid"
yea" spake up another, "and see
| how the law is searched out by u
wise men and how it is honored by
the people"
True" exclaimed the old man of
| the group, evidently pleased with the
| affirmation of his own views, Il say
| again that the times of which the
! prophets of old spake have come to
pass. Listen" and taking a scroll from
| the folds of his robe he unrolled it and
read:
"But in the last days it shall come
| tn mass. that the mountain of the Lord
| shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and it shall be exalted
| above the hills, and it shall be ex-
| allied. Has this not come to pass?"
And with a shout, the people cried:
Amen"