Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-03
CBv William T. Ellisl

tBy William r. Elis)
As | sit at my desk to write the
story of a great king, who made his
mark on his world, but who is best
remembered for his leprosy. there
rise unbidden before my mind the
iigures of other men of our own day
whom know who are, like Uzziah,
spotted men; so that their leprosy
rises up like hideous mantle, to blot
out all remembrance of their good
nesses and greatnesses.
Most communities have these men.
often they are leading citizens" But
when the strong men of the neigh
oorhood mention their names il is
usually to speak first of their spotted
ness. The bad that is in them obscures
the good, even as a drop of ink may
pol!ute glass of crystal water. A law
OF life which King Uzziah illustrates,
is that, as Shakespeare says,
The evil that men do lives after them:
The good is oft inferred with their
bones"
The one spot OF leprosy, showing red
on Uzziah's forehead, so fllls the OBJ
servers eye that the beauties of his
character are not seen. Like him,
many a man with good deeds to his
credlt VIII be remembered, after he
Is gone. only for his spottedness.
Ihere is another timely warning
IN TINS story. Uzziah sinned after he
mad reached middle age and had won
a a, nopie record, We commonly think
that youth is the time of danger; vet
our own observation shows that moral
collapse often comes to men of estab-
llShed reputation when they have
reached full maturity. Two score or
more years of blameless living does
not insure against disaster to charac-
ter. With Uzziahs great ancestor we
may well pray to be delivered from
presumptuous sins" Written large
over this lesson is the injunction Let
nlm that standeth take heed lest he
fall -S
Some Marks of a Great Man
in ooyhood, when but sixteen years
old' Czziah came to the throne of
israel. tThe story in Kings gives his
name as Azariah, a mistake easily
MADE in the Hebrew.) His father had
oeen assassinated. after turning again
10 heathen practices, and the Young
KING KING FOUND himself at the parting of
the ways. Royal stuff was in hin,
however. and his course through LONG
years may be written down as a model
TOT every public official
ne sought godly counsel. Finding
a prophet Hechariah mot the author
ot tne oook). who had a clear vision
Vi G9u, Czziah made him a special
cohIlaant and adviser. He led tho
people along the old paths of rigbt-
eousness. When he might have haep
panperinS his vanity among fooIist
CouItlers, the young king diIieentIv
sought out the highest truth. I thourbt
VI = I1lhh Yesterday morning when, in
h,,njr NeW York church, I saw
nundreds of strong men of busino..
sitting at the feet of a Modern jntoT
prefer OF the mind of God To GO 81
church IN sagacity; for. after All fbare
is no wisdom of such universal ay,d ;T,,
m ediate application as +kI sal ano I'M
Lord. the VIII OF the
NO mollycoddle was Uzziab No mn.
for an instant imagine that he 10 @ not
the sort of spineless saint who rinas
10 slt ana sing his soul away 10 go.
IdStlIls Dilss. Not bit Of n rEt.
!uIei, VINO 1rst OF all sought To know
@ @.me VIII OF Jehovah, was a fearless
b ,, n.ateg ushter, as brave in battle a 6
ne was devout in meditation A go
OF Richard the Lion-HeaTteG u,a, sSI' S
gong out to seek battles in the oon5
cause. He went forth ana ,..sI,os SUoS
against the Philistines." and diS ~
%aiI until they came to him. One ~
Zoo mliltants was he, whose sword
was 10 the fore in every holy war
Preparedness" in the Long Ago
Many class of men and ~ 49,
VII STUDY this lesson for its light ON
national preparedness. Uzziah was
great general in that he created a bnge
NoIuh'eer army. and equipped everv
uldn. lie not only prepared for ali
the hosts' spears and swords and bows
ana arrows and shields and helmers
put ne also called the skilful men ~
Jerusalem to invent new engines for
lnlhtary purposes of attack and siege
Like Cromwell, he trusted in Cod ana
Kept his powder dry" He did NOT he
heVe in giving the heather and fine
sodless monopoly of sagacity and
prudence. The sacred trust Of ma
tlonal responsibility needed to be
looked to.
On all sides. the foes of the Jews
telt Uzziah's strong hand. He smote
the Philistines on the west. destro,,~
ing thelr fortresses and the walls of
their great cities. He was king
ana builder" for he erected his
own strongholds in the enemy's coun- |
try. to keep them in check. In the |
wilderness, too, and on the fertile. F.
Wind-swept uplands east of the Jordan
the words bring back to me the |
memory Of how bitingIy the winds !
sweep across that tableland!--Uzziah |
erected towers of protection for his !
people. Score it to his credit that he |
was builder and a constructionist.
For .hve thousand years past, right |
down to the present day. any ruler in !
this part OF the world who wanted
trouble could have it at the hands of