The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-06-01

and passionate speech hlled the
courts and streets where men disa
greed. Some jeered, others smiled
grimly and there were those who
moved thoughtfully along and moth
ing happened beyond the momentary
emotion. They talked but talk was
all Fine sermon this morning"
and the next day cuisines as usual"
Occasions change but folk are much
the same thru the centuries. But one
out of the throng differed from the
rest and that makes any sermon
worth while. He had listened to
some purpose and hurrying into the
presence of the Princess wonder
why they had not been at church that
morning ?-he repeated practically
the whole message. With his own
soul reused into a new passion he
made such stirring report that they
also wanted to hear what he had
listened to and they sent a messenger
hurrying for the Book. One real
nearer carrying the Word created
more stir than all the eloquence upon
the Temple steps. Presently Baruch
entered with the roll and read the
message that jeremiah had sent to
the city of his love. Fear blanched
their faces as they listened. Yet it
must have been fear for themselves
rather than real penitence for the
King would not have to know what
had been done and he might show
most uncomfortable temper. Having
been drawn into this thing thru the
word of one real hearer they did not
know what the consequences might
be but it was getting where the
Prophet wanted the message, into
the place of power where changes in
policy could be made. That the
fear was physical and not moral
and centered in the palace
and not in Heavens Court
is seen by their care to get Baruch
and jeremiah out of the way. The
thrones lightning was pretty certain
to flash and the reputation of Jere-
miah was little too big to make it
wise for his death to be laid at the
palace gates. These were sail-trim-
mers all right. With the authors
safely out of the way they made
their way to the palace with grave
faces and told their story. jeremiah
had not been silenced and in more eff
fective fashion than ever was making
himself heard. And even the King
had to listen. jeremiah must have
chuckled over the situation he had
created
THE INDESTRUCTABLE BOOK
The Kings temper grew hotter
than the fire in the brazier and he
reashed impatiently for the roll in
the hands of the reader. Perhaps
poor reading had a little to do with
his wrath for the message may be
marred by the manner of presenting
it and Jehudi probably had no SYM
pathy for the words he read. The
King contemptuously cut the parch-
ment into shreds and flung them dis
painfully into the blaze. He had set
tied the whole matter. A good way
to kill bees is to kick over the hive.
If you don't like the ideas burn the
book that contains them. If you
don't agree with a law just act as tho
there were none. 1t is very simple
remedy for all existing things that
oppose our own particular fancies.
Boot-leggers and the like should
adopt Jehoiakin for their patron
saint because he made such salts
factory discovery for doing away
with whatever stands in the way of
having what we want. OF course
there are other ways of cutting and
burning the Word which is the final
law Never reading it cuts all the
wonderful literature of it, to mention
nothing else, out of the life. Re-
fusal to obey it is another knife that
is often used. Tearing out parts of
it with which we happen to disagree
is a very common form of mutila-
ton. Fanciful interpretations from
gathered proof texts that are mere
eddies along the current of revelation
cut many a page from the Word. We
have no larger a Bible than we live
out in our life. Only the burning of
the Book leaves all its message un-
touched. The King found this to be
true for jeremiah proceeded to re-
produce all that he had written in the
burned roll. When a Bishop bought
up all the copies of Tyndale's early
translation to be found in England
and after the great bonfire that sent
the smoke skyward rejoiced with
great JOY he was nightly surprised
later to find that every coin that he
had spent for destruction had gone
into the perfecting of the presses and
the improvement of processes by
which with much greater speed the