Year: 1870

| HUMoR IN THE BIBLE.-Ihe disposition 10 trlht


with sacred associations cannot be too severely re-


pretended. Irreverence does not scruple to relate


anecdotes in perversion of Scripture texts, and 70


fasten upon them the most udcrous Interpretations
possible The humOr in such cases ls not derived


from the original narrative, but from the incongru-


ous relations to it of some accidental circumstance
| We may not always avoid smile when something


of this sort is forced upon our attention, out IL is


unwise to treasure it up aud wrong to set it aioat


upon the errand of worldly gossip


There are, however, suggestions OF humorous


character which do not detract from our reverence


either of the Book for the characters represented


in it, Some of these suggestions are the result OF


changed customs. If the elders or deacons OF mo


dern church should report to the pastor the iail-
ing away of certain of bis church members, his


heart would be greved at the defections. He would


wear sad and troubled look wherever he went.


But suppose him to express his grief as Ezra did on
a similar occasion, by tearing in pieces his cloak
and hat and by pulling out hair from his bead and
beard There was much rending OF garments ="
among the ancients that we wonder If wives and


mothers did not become impatient at grief: They
must have kept large mendlng baskets Imagine
what an accumulation of needlework would be oc-
casioned by any public aflctioD, had this custom
descended to US.


Some of the Mosaic ordinances are SO foreign to
the spirit of our modern society that it is hard to
conceive that they could have been fulfilled with
the gravity suited to a divinely ordained custom.
Marriage with deceased wife's sister was prohibit
ed but marriage with deceased brothers wife was
in some cases compulsory under pain of public
ceremony-having the shoe loosed.~ The woman
whom the unfortunate man did not wish to marry,
took off his sandal in the presence OF the elders,
spat in his face, aud gave the sandal TO neighbor-
perchance to a man who had liking for her. In
the case of Boaz this public ceremony was neces-
sary before he could step into the shoes OF near
kinsman.


Certain acts recorded of prophets aud inspired
men, and attributed by Scripture writers themselves
to divine authority, are at least amusing


Samson INDUCED in sort of grim hutnor, when
he took the doors of the gate of the city of GAIA aud
the two posts with them, bar and ALL and carried
them up to the top of hill miles distant, and also
when he slew thousand OF his enemies with the
jawbone of an ass. His original manner of picking


Quarrel with his enemies is not little remarkable
We are told "that it was of the Lords; but we
could not certainly set down as dangerously whim
isca a man who married vile for the sake of
finding occasion" to kill her country people, and
to set their property on fire. Royal alliances have
often been made for similar reasons, and there is al
ways au element of absurdity in them.


III Solomon's writings there is much which show,
that the wisest man had purchased his wisdom by
an experience sorrowful enough to himself. but
highly entertaining to lookers-on. He describes the
fool and the sluggard by vivid comparisons such as
solemn folk of the present day think too dignifed
for the pulpit A clergyman will read without
thought of humor. Though thou bray fool in a
mortar among wheat with pestle, yet will not his
foolishness depart from him;'' but should he dare
to originate an equally striking illustration, make
use of some modern invention, say the threshing
machine his hearers would wake from their half |
state aud look at another as If to say



Should he describe man rs too lazy TO eat, he |
would be thought vulgar, unless he had just read |
The sluggard hdcth his hand in his bosom, 1t griev
eth him to bring il to his mouth again" Solomon /
had many wives, and we must believe that some of
them were not good-tempered, as he writes, "ltis I
better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than
with brawling woman in wide house" We can 4
imagine how the philosopher driven into the
garrett by the disputes of his heather companions,
and while there, listening 20 the neyerceasing rain
on the roof, penned that apt simiIe: "a continual
dropping on very rainy day, and contentious wo-
man, are aliken There was no holding up for
the prosecuted man until he applied fora divorce"
We commend one of his sayings 10 the advocates of
Early rising "He that blesseth his friend with
oud voice rising early in the morning, 1t shall be
counted curse to him. y


The pictures brought before the mind BY such pas
'ages have sort of quaint humor not Incompatible
with the profitable Impression which they are de-
signed to make. We cannot, however, be too care
ul in distinguishing between that which is actually
included in the sacred text and the promptings of
Imagination. The latter, when not wise
guarded, may lead TO forget that to everything
here is a season, and time for every purpose under
heaven. Chrisfi0a Union