The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-04-27

| whose time Jonah prophesied, relgned
SBeecher) c. S32-192. Cliastlngs) B. c.
N-I63. Amos and Hosea were contem-
porary prophets
PLACE-Gath-hephor. north OF Naza-
rem In Galilee, tho Mediterranean Sea.
Joppa, and Nlneveh
! kINGS-Jeroboam II attained suze-
rainty over all the peoples from the Medi-
terranean TO the Euphratcs THE writer
or the book Of Jonah has presented accu-
rately the values OF the historical situa-
zion. IL was the unknown dlasters In As
syria, Just after Ramman-nrari had bro-
Ken the power OF Damascus. that rem
ble."
Jonah was unquestlonably a his-
torical parsonage. He lived in the
reign Of Jeroboam H., king Of Israeli
In whose time Amos's work was ac4
complished. According to 2 Kings IA:
| 25, he prophesied the recovery from
Syria of the lost border possessions OF
Israel. He is said 10 have belonged
to Gath-hepher, town Of Zebulon,
and his grave is still shown IN the
vicinity of Nazareth Gath.hepher
was about an hours walk north OF
Nazareth. Jonah was therefore a
prophet of Galiee Jewish legend
said that he was the son OF the widow
Of Sarepta, whom Elijah had restored
TO life; and also that he was the youth
whom Elisha had sent to anoint Jehu.
king of Israel.
This little biography begins with
the announcement that God asked s\
man to do something for him. II is
significant that other Bible writer's
| nehemiah, Jeremiah Zephaniah.
Haggal, Mlcah) begin the story OF
their lives at the same point, Our ac-
quaintance with Paul begins with his
summons to duty, and the apostles
were not known until Christ bade
them follow him. Jonahs call was to
go to Nineveh. the greatest and wick
edest city in the world. and threaten
It with doom from Jehovah.
How did Jonah answer his mission
sry call? BY running away. lie fed
from the presence OF the Lord. as II
God were, In his mind, only a local
divinity, ruling over Israel. but unable
TO see the fugitive If he fed far enough
beyond his territory Jonah should
have asked himself, IT the God OF
Israel sees what is going on at distant
Nineyeh, and is concerned about II, is
II to be supposed that his unfaithful
servant will escape his notice. like
some defaulting apprentice lad, who
hopes to elude his masters notice by
running away to sea-"
Jonah jumps on board a vessel
bound for the most remote place
known to the ancient world, Tarsus.
that is Tartessus, on the Guadalquivir
in Spain. God interfered with Jonahs
plans by sending one OF those sudden.
treacherous storms so frequent on the
Mediterranean, storm so fierce that
even the skilful Phoenician sailors
were compelled to throw out their
cargo, and were filled with terror.
Jonah calls upon the sailors TO
throw him into the sea-to purchase
their peace by his sacrifice. That call
is the finest thing in the picture. IL
is the real miracle. 1t marks the en-
largement OF the man. But the honest
fellows were loath to take him at his
word. and the poor rowers piled the
long sweeps more earnestly than ever.
Even when obliged at last to throw
Jonah overheard, they did II with a
prayer to Jehovah. And at once the
sea was calm.
How long was Jonah in the great
FISH? Three days and three nights,
which, according to the Jewish mode
of reckoning. might. rs In the case OF
our Lords stay in the tomb, have been
only one emlre day and parts Of the
day preceding and the day following.
1t is striking to notice the change
in Jonah as soon as he ceased to run
away from his duty and became obe-
dlent to Gods command What was
the command? The first repeated:
Go to Nineyeh. that great city, and
proclaim what bade you proclaim.
the doom of their sins"
Then God prepared a gourd This
book is full of this word prepared We
are told that the Lord prepared
great fish, gourd, worm, and a sui
try east wind This gourd was most
likely the bottle-gourd, often planted
TO grow over trellls-work II is thought
by some to have been the palma
christi or castor-oil plant, which stlll
grows to a great size in the Jordan
valley It is so-called because It is
five-leaved plant, one leaf of which
outspread was thought TO represent
the hand OF Christ,
Next in the acted parable came
worm, destroying the gourd. and the
sirocco. driving its hot blast down
upon the sweltering prophet. Then.
by wonderfully true touch of human
nature. Jonah transfers his pity for
himself. as an ill.used prophet to the
gourd which likewise had been hard
ly treated.
The divine question, SHOULD not
have plty?" remains unanswered.
Above the stir and din and wickedness
the divine compassion is still brooding.
The argument is very fine On tho
gourd Jonah had spent neither labor
nor strength. How much more should
God, of whose goodaess mans highest
virtue is but the falntest shadow, pity
and spare the helpless aud ignorant
works of his own hands who now fill
the streets of Nineyeh with pathetic
appeals for forgiveness! Gods pity
extends to the little children. that can.
not discern between their right hand
and their left hand, and even to thd