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The Protest of Devotion

BY C. MENTE, A CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN ARTIST.

"I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon."-Song Sol., 1, 5.

ITHOUT some such understanding as the fore

W

going of the "Song of Solomon," it becomes a medley of love speeches. Critics have tried to set these in some sort of order, to interpret them, and discover, underlying them, the tale of some ancient love on earth, whether of Solomon or another.

There are fragments which suggest a king riding forth from Jerusalem with his splendid escort, and meeting a village maid, a Shulamite, with whom he falls in love. He carries her perforce to his palace, where she converses with the women of his harem. She admits herself to be browned with the sun, not carefully nurtured and fair like the others. “Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards."

She protests to the women that she does not desire their splendor; for she has already a shepherd lover to whom all her heart is given. She then flees from the palace and is wounded in an effort to find her beloved, to whom she is ultimately reunited.

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ISAIAH LIV THE REDEMPTION

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6 For the LORD called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. 7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

110 thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror: for it shall not come near thee.

15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.

16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waters to destroy.

17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Chapter 55

1 The prophet, with the promises of Christ, calleth to faith, 6 and to repentance. 8 The happy success of them that believe.

O, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fat

ness.

3 Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

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