Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-28
Exekicl-,hc Waterman OF Israel.

EzelSiri-,hc Waterman OF Israel.
The NTH century. Is. G.. was n
period OF dccpes' gloom iicathenism
was triumphant; Jerusalem in ruins.
Its people IN ny! "M'is; bI, IN the dark,
heacons burning Jeremiah in Jer-
usa!cm: Daniel In Babylon. and
aZ g. lei IN $4,000 IN Ihe% prs ~,
coming OF the Mcssiha. Ezekiel
was never Prosecuted lifc jeremiah.
company. Thcy were for the most
part patriots who listened TO the
prophet as the messenger Of God
:. Like Isaiah. Ezekiel was in
Iductcd to office by vision OF God
! But what he saw SO surpassed
! power of human language that moth
IDEAL OF an inenah!c presence such
vas IN. installation OF a prophet ca
senually on. OF action. He was not n
Weeping composer Of elegies, but a
man OF determined energy. who. az
his name signifies, was Gods provider
tor His peoples needs, %ow
| like those OF Jeremiah. He drew with
stylus on IA clay tablet n picture OF
the Impending siege OF Jerusalem. lie
cut off his hair in sign that the holy
| city was to be shorn OF it's glory.
He gave picture of what he saw
when 'spirit-led'--thc temple walls
worship OF Adonis In progress at the
very altar OF God. 30 wonder that
he next sees live GOALS scattered over
ch"rub!m. The forccful book closes
with description OF the city OF God
80 glorious AS 10 make IL the Appeal
Jews put Ezekiel along with the first
part of Genesis and the Gcnticles-
calling them the trcasurcs'-and di.
rccting that they should not be read
before ones thirticth year. That is
manifestly u mistake. for Ezekiel. I'm
,is ltveiincsS and picturcsGuenesS. es-
i ral Fs.1 In ',
piece OF literature. lac makes for the
best form OF expression. But. more
than that. he Is a uuickcner OF pa
triotisn. His spiritual meanings also
are clear and applicable 10 our day.
lie puts supreme emphasis on the
ssniri'ua!ity OF Worship and the doc.
book reaches It's Sloroius and golden
climax when he cries. az II no was
Gods own voice. Then viii sprinkle
clean water on you"
Under the study limp.
Raphael. with the daring OF his
genius, attempts TO picture the inen-
able sccnc-Ezek iel's vision OF God.
That diminutiyc painting in the Pitt
.predcstincd TO failure, although il is
majestic hand breadth Of canvas.
Ezekiel's style is marked by
sublimity-pathos. beauty and mel
ody. He has been likened to Aes-
chylus. Dante and Milton. His des-
cripton OF the sack OF Tyre under
y
chairman with - Ioodiy cargo is un-
surpassed. The lamentation OF
Israeis princes in the parable of the
IONS whelps makes an elegy Of melt
ing tenderness. Ezekiel Is n
treasury OF ethnoIoey: objects man
ners. customs OF extinct nations are
here preserved as in cabinet.
The sensitive plate of the prophets
genius cnught those weird baS-rcliefs
and the gigantic character and pro
portions OF Babylonian architecture.
inc prophets primary meaning
IS one. of course, for the Hebrew peo-
pc. They are shown how the chas-
.cnins OF the exile IL to rid them OF
idoiatry and produce the fruits OF
larger m"aning.depth below Sow depth
in The prophet His is message to
the human race as well as to the
Hebrew Idst.r race; Its terms are far too
Ezekicrs Is call of all humanity to
spirituality! How wearisome
onis's became Ga@ris OF "a" fh iHG
cechcr and the others. The same
" true of the TEMPERANCE cause. No
q, ant roll than it,Iyman Beecher,
WooIloy, frances willard. 'G Eliza
The sSen advocates Of SUI
susan Il. Anthony, Anna Shaw. Mrs.
! ivermorc. These were the Ezekiel
Ike wa ishn Of modern tines YIN
tho liberation OF the evils they re-
sisted. whose persistent voices warned
OF danger. All these have seen OF the
travail of their souls and are satis- |
Fed" The bearer of an un-
pleasant message must expect to bear
the odiun Of his message. y certain
King said of certain prophet: II
hato him! lie speaks only evil OF
ME! 1t is an odious and
pusillanimous prophet who tunes his
message TO fit the popular ear. \
Kings messenger once said to a GER
tain prophet; "The prophets declare
good to the King. Pray let thy word |
be like their word. Whether II is |
so or not. let II be good!" Splendid |
In contrast was the uneuuivocnl word |
OF William Lloyd Garrison: "I will |
not compromise! I will not retreat q |
single inch and l will be heard."
Police Commissioner Curtis, of |
Boston. recently deceased denied the |
right OF policemen TO unionizc. be- |
cause that carried with II the liability |
To call TO strike. which would be !
against public safety. Against this |
ruling the policemen struck" and |
left the city unprotected several days |
in which there was disorder Of serious |
character. The incident illustrated |
the principle that policemen. hremen |
and others in similar relation are |
Ike soldiers and sailors, who volun-
.arily waive their personal rights in |
this particular when they enter tho |