disclosing their own sins; blessed they whose hearts have been purged.
Blessed most of all they who, educated and trained through these
experiences, have taken this as the motto of their lives, 'Here am I;
send me.'




SHILOAH AND EUPHRATES

Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly
... the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and
many.' ISAIAH viii. 6, 7.


The kingdom of Judah was threatened with a great danger in an alliance
between Israel and Damascus. The cowardly King Ahaz, instead of
listening to Isaiah's strong assurances and relying on the help of God,
made what he thought a master-stroke of policy in invoking the help of
the formidable Assyrian power. That ambitious military monarchy was
eager to find an excuse for meddling in the politics of Syria, and
nothing loath, marched an army down on the backs of the invaders, which
very soon compelled them to hasten to Judah in order to defend their own
land. But, as is always the case, the help invoked was his ruin. Like
all conquering powers, once having got its foot inside the door, Assyria
soon followed bodily. First Damascus and Israel were ravaged and
subdued, and then Judah. That kingdom only purchased the privilege of
being devoured last. Like the Spaniards in Mexico, the Saxons in
England, the English in a hundred Indian territories, the allies that
came to help remained to conquer, and Judah fell, as we all know.