The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-04-28
JEpHTHAHS vow.

Text. ..And Jephthah vowed vow unto
| Jehovah "--Judg. XII. 80.
It's thrillingly dramatic story this.
| unrivaled In tragic power by anything
in human literature This Jewish
hall of fame hero was an illegitimate
son cursed for sin not his own Like
many such. Jephtnah develops rare dar-
| inc and force Of character. Crowded
mi of his home, he becomes an out
law. vet a patriot. loving the country
THAT did not love him. In national
| emergency. in the face OF great
enemy. they-eall the exile home. And
| the outlaw of the desert shows him
self a born leader, great soldier. skilled
diplomat He's one IF those coura-
geous men who in time of national
lpanic become popular heroes. Wars
gigantic gamble at best. with human
lives and national destinies as stakes
There's an element of chance as we'll as
heavy battalions. Rain. muddy roads.
| torrents sweeping away pontoons. up
| set all calculations of strategy. Sol
diers become .superstitious. Vows are
L
| Almighty. .Tephthah makes one-that
which first crosses his door when he
comes home victorious shall be burnt
! Offering.
| The warrior returns in triumph.
nation cheers. Then back home to
his own hearthstone But the vow
| the almost forgotten vow. Out from
| his door comes an exquisite piece OF
womanhood to greet him. Horror.
amazement. self reproach. sit on his
| facets his only child. his noble
| minded daughter. the victim for his
triumph. the bride Of death. Oh. that
vow. bad promises are better bro
KEN" says the proverb. What should
the stern warrior do? "Hedge? Lead
out an OK garlanded? Aud the girl
what of her? Should she rebel? God
| of nations. send us such patriots. In
| language heroic she bids him perform
his vow. A soldiers word is his honor.
She's soldiers daughter WHAT'S her
life more than another's as a part Of
price in great cause? This Jewish
Joan of Arc feels while life is pre-
| cious truth is more so.
The Price Of Victory.
All great service demands sacrifice
| Great souls seem to recognize that.
IF thou wilt drive Lee from the soil
of Pennsylvania l will free the slaves"
vows the man of sorrow on his knees
at the White House. Antietam is the
answer. No great cause flourishes
till it's soil is wet with blood The re-
ligious soldier deals staggering blows.
A Cromwell. a Gordon, Robert F..
Lee. makes a terrible antagonist. His
| VOW is with God. His cause. Gods
cause. There's something awfully
splendid in the man who vows to God
and cannot go back. even though his
heart breaks and his life is wrecked.
He's willing to buy his country's good
at a terrible price. | know common
tators get nervous when they. reach
this story | know their explanations
and respect them. But how do we
know that the sacrifice was not &C
ceptable to God? If be demanded the
cross from Christ. why not a broken
heart from Jephthah? OF John the
Baptist he asks death in the dungeon
at Machaerus. of Paul martyrdom in
| the Mamertine prison at Rome, of the
Nazarene crucifixion on Golgotha. OF
torture. lives of insult and physical
agony; the thumb screw. rack. fagot
and arena were their part. Their
greatest attachments were made by
awful sacrifice. in the world We
shall have tribulations." they are as
sured do not know but that the
defect in modern religion is that it is
too cheap: that it asks no vows. no
sacrifice. We ask gifts of God and
give nothing in return. To go to a
luxurious church on beautiful Sun
day morning. when the sun is shining.
dressed in our best. bow our heads to
be observed and admired of all. listen
to a trained choir aud an eloquent
minister. drop our smallest coin on
the plate-this Is called '.service!"
He that stitch in the heavens laughs.
A true religion not only gives all. but
demands ALL Who knows but that
semibarbaric Jephthah had his cropping
hand on great truth?
Pay Your Vows.
Ever make promises to God? Ger
tainly you have. When you were sick.
thought you were going to die. yon
promised God If he would spare you
you'd give time, money and service for
him. Says Mr.. Richman. III God pulls
me through. this time I'll give half my
fortune to him." He's better Preacher
reminds him of his vow. Then he
hedges. Half? That's too much.
Must make allowance for sick mans
raving. Fourth? Why. no man ever
gave that much" Fifth. tenth. hum
dredth part PA different arithmetic
has to be used. ''I'll tell you, preacher;
I've deal on now. If it comes out as
hope III pony up The deal. goes.
Brilliant stroke. He made small
fortuna Tho chnob <,<,xx,<x. 49, iees