A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin FranklinFranklin, Benjamin
Religion
A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin Franklin
Franklin, Benjamin
Churches of Christ
Bro. Reynolds is a _self-made_ man, and not a man not _made at all_,
but made in the genuine sense, an effective and telling man. He is a
cool, deliberate and pointed speaker; speaks with perfect ease, and
interests an audience from first to last. He is simply _himself_, and
imitates no one. We decided before he was near through his discourse to
write out an epitome of it, but one thing after another has hindered
us till weeks have passed, and we took not a note, and we fear now
that our article will be but little more than _an article about the
discourse_.
MOTTO.
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
I. Thess. v. 21.
This means to _test_ or _try_ all things, consider their claim, and
determine which are good. Hold that fast.
Exod. xv. 20, we find an account of dancing: “And Miriam the
prophetess, and the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and
all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.”
Several things are to be noticed in this dancing. 1. It was in
daylight. 2. The women alone danced. 3. It was a religious exercise, in
rejoicing over their wonderful deliverance from Egyptian bondage and
the pursuit of their enemies, and to the praise and honor of God. They
were religious people, praising and honoring God.
Exod. xxxii. 19, we have an account of dancing: “And it came to pass as
soon as he” (Moses) “came nigh to the camp, that he saw the calf, and
the dancing, and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of
his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.” We are not informed who
danced in this instance, but the whole procedure was idolatrous. The
shouting and dancing were in devotion to the molten calf.
Judges xi. 34: “And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and,
behold, his daughter came to meet him, with timbrels and with dances,
and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor
daughter.” 1. This dancing was in daylight. 2. One female danced alone.
3. She simply danced in joy to meet her father, and her dance was soon
followed with a terrible calamity.
Judges xxi. 19-21: “Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the
Lord in Shiloh, yearly, in a place which is on the north side of
Beth-el, on the east side of the highway, that goeth up from Beth-el
to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah. Therefore they commanded the
children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in
dances, then come you out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his
wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.” This
dancing was in daylight. The females alone danced. We are not told what
the object of the dancing was.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account