Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1911-03-17

rep L e sentative kCStEJlM\ "a ,SSyg
government. or !j{W1llINs5Sl,IliSgt;5f
greater freedom "a' ''S~ |7'x1il1--s'
of religion. Rob- po,,,.,,,
berry and pillage, '' -
by an invading army, are reprobated
Whatever IS taken from the conquered
people must he obtained by the levying
of an indemnity fund. All this speaks
TO us of n higher moral sense, even
though much relating to it be hypoc-
risy. The very need for the Hypocrisy
implies that. with n considerable num-
Der. there arc qualms OF conscience on
tie subject.
Tho Baltic Was tho Lords, and of
Course He Won
Bcnhadad sent his demands TO King
Ahab saying. Thy silver and thy gold
are mine; thy wives and thy children.
even the goodliest of thine" King
Ahab, recognizing the greatness of the
army and his own appropriateness for
resisting them, answered. MY Lord.
y King. according to thy saying. 1 am
thine. l and all that l have" But
when the invader broadened his de-
mand and included with it the wealth
Of all the mobiles of Israel, their wives
and their children. etc, resistance was
aroused. Thereupon the invaders set
the battle army against the walls OF
Israers Capital. Samaria.
At this juncture God sent Prophet
TO lsraels King. informing him that
he would deliver the invaders into his
hand and give him great victory.
The astonished Ahab asked by whom
would the battle be waged against the
host. The answer was that mt the
command the princes of the provinces
should fight under Ahab's direction.
supported by the militia. By this sig
nal victory God would demonstrate
his power by protecting the nation
with whom he had made the Law
Covenant.
The Divine order was followed. Two
hundred and thirty-two princes, or
chiefs. of the people at noon passed
out of the gates of the city, followed
by seven thousand militia-a small
number wherewith to meet host
Apparently this was poor generalship;
but the Lord was the General and
overruled the results. King Benhadad
and his associates had been drinking.
The Syrians were ordered to capture
the men alive. But this they did not
do Soon the Syrian forces were In
disorder and completely routed. HUI
manly speaking. the battle was lost by
Benhadads over-confidence. and par
ticularly by his Indulgence in intoxi-
eating liquors.
Lessons Which We May Draw
The honest. the holy. the reverential
of mankind. who seek peace and right
eousness may be likened to Israel, to
Gods people. Benhadad and his thirty
two kings and their armies would cor
respond to Satan and his various hosts
of unrighteousness. We may name
these hosts as we please. TO some.
one portion, and to others. other por.
tons of these hosts are the more rep
rehensible. Many of these kings may
represent various Trusts which. by
manipulation of life's necessities, are
attacking the welfare of the people
Others of these kings may represent
political grafters. Others may repre-
sent various vices which prey upon the
public. including intemperance. The
forces thus set in battle array against
the public are appalling, especially
when the wealth at their command is
considered.
The demands of these various 'inter-
ests" come first upon the honorable
and well-meaning public servants. But