The Detroit times., 1911-01-09

ceedlngly afraid What shall be done
uss they inquired. The question put
Jonah TO the test OF his life. He mig hit
have said. Take good care OF me or
my God Will destroy you" But he
said. Take me up and cast me into the
sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you;
for l know that. for my sake, this
great tempest is upon you"
generosity begets generosity, and
the men refused to cast him into the
sea, but strove hard to- bring their
boat to land. Their efforts were vain.
The sea wrought and was more tenn
pestuous. Fearing that they might
offend the God of the sea and OF the
dry land, before casting out their
strange grans pass. they prayed, I'VE
seech Thee. let us not perish for this
mans life, and lay not upon US inno-
cent blood. for Thou. oh, Jehovah,
was their first prayer TO the true God.
From the deck OF their pitching vessel
they cast the prophet into the raging
sea; the ship went on her way. the sea
Jehovah exceedingly and they offered
a sacrifice unto Jehovah and made
vows"
Is Gods purpose to send a mission
airy to Ninevah defeated? Are Gods
resources exhausted? Is there another
man who can do the service just as
well?
What a strange story these men
would tell In every port. and through
out their lives they would proclaim
the greatness OF Jehovah.
Jonah, Chastened, Heeds Gods Mes
sage.
There IL room for speculation as we
wonder what Jonah thought as he
plunged into the raging waters. A
stomach, and his own description OF
his submarine excursion is graphic
II would not seem choice place for
clares that out OF the belly OF sheol
cried" On the third day the fish evict-
ed his tenant and Jonah, wiser and
better man, gazed about wondering.
perhaps ashamed TO go home and hear
his wife ask him where he had been;
determined thereafter TO obey.
With the characteristic brevity OF
scripture narration. we are not told
how the preacher got home nor how
long he remained there, until God
spoke to him again in the same words.
saving. Arise. go to Ninevah." And
for Jonah. No sir! Ninevah is no
nearer. the road Is no better; the peo-
pie are still hated Gentiles. but Jonah
to take a trip to Ninevah. / had a
teacher once who could make me reach
just such conclusions
Jonah arrived in Ninevah and began
TO proclaim In the streets, according
TO his instructions, "Yet 40 days and
Ninevah shall be destroyed" And, of
course. the first question was, who
cast at him. as would be done today In
a similar case: but the question con-
tinues. who Is hep He Is the great
Jeroboam. the second, has triumphed
everywhere and captured all armies
and peoples who opposed him. His God
sent him here, and he attempted to
escape; he was cast into the sea, and
his God caused Ash to save him;
surely we shall all utterly perish.
A hundred fold stronger was the
So o Was
that the people, from the king on his
throne to the beggar In the street, put
on sackcloth and called nightly on
Jehovah to save them; and God repent
ed of that that He said He would do
that they might live
Surely here was something accom-
plished: the ma gnitude OF IL worthy OF
divine interposition In bringing back
the runaway preacher. These souls were
precious In the sight OF God. and HIS
great prophet had learned that they
If Fiction, Who II the Authorf
More wonderful by far is the fact
that the king and all the people came
TO repentance at the preaching OF one
man than the fact that that same man
enered into and came out or nsh
But there are persons who have never
considered the greater fact OF null
titude saved. while smiling at the al
legged fish story. Who can say that
one miracle il more difficult or even
more credible than another? Who Is
competent TO pass on this matter? once
admit the miracle OF the virgin birth
and who will declare that this alleged
miracle is unworthy or Incredible?
If this story IL fiction, how did IL find
n place In the Hebrew scriptures? BY
what possible means could piece OF
fiction, thus rejecting upon one OF
their great prophets. come to be a part
OF their sacred scriptures?
II IL IL fiction. who wrote IT. Find
an anonymous story in any literature
that can che compared for moment
with this matchless narrative ~
written by "A Jew, what Jew would
acknowledge for n moment that God
would save the hated Nineviter? The
story ~ no less credible than other
alleged miracles. and should not be
more lightly considered