JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER
The scene of the first Star Point is laid beyond the Jordan River in Mizpah, the home of Jephthah, and the surrounding country, some ninety miles northeast from Jerusalem and thirty miles southeast of the sea of Galilee.The countries east of the Jordan, beginning with the Land of Moab, toward the north are Ammon and Gilead.
At the very beginning we may say that nowhere in the Bible do we find the name of Jephthah's daughter. She is mentioned by the phrase "Jephthah's daughter."Modern usage, however, attaches the name of Adah, and as such she is known to the members of the Order of the Eastern Star.
The vow that Jephthah made unto the Lord is considered by some writers as an extremely unfortunate one, and the great blunder of his life. He doubtless wanted to have every assurance of success and thus vowed a vow unto the Lord, which cost him the life of his daughter. Viewed from the human point of view he may have been incomprehensibly rash in making such a convenant or vow, yet when once made and success had crowned his efforts, he could not well turn back, notwithstanding the efforts that were made by the elders of Gilead to save him from making so great a human sacrifice. His daughter was perfectly willing that her life should be sacrificed and thus fulfill her father's obligation unto Jehovah. And after all, if Jephthah's vow was to be fulfilled by a human sacrifice, whom other than his own daughter would you suggest for its fulfillment? In conclusion may we say in the dying words of President McKinley; "It is God's way. His will be done."
ADAH
"God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines,
With never-falling skill,
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His gracious will."
ADAH
"Obedience"
Our Star life's not always easy,
We do need rare courage now,
Like that of young, heroic Adah,
Keeping her father's awful vow.
We obey, as she has taught us,
Sometimes cry o'er life's ills;
But steadfast we turn our faces
Far from Adah's lonely hills.
This world has obedient daughters,
Carrying out a hard command;
We must seek them -- weary, troubled,
Their quiet trust and true obedience
Are examples naught can mar.
Bring a candle of rare courage
To the first point of our Star.
Ruth - The Gleaner
The scene is laid in Bethlehem of Judea, which is situated some six miles south of Jerusalem, and also in Moab beyond the Jordan, bordering on and east of the Dead Sea. During the reign of the Judges a grievous famine spread throughout the land of Judah. Elimelich, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Maholon and Chilton, determined to immigrate into the country of Moab beyond the Jordan Rover. There seems to have been no absolute necessity for this sojourn. Others continued to remain in Judea and tided over the period of distress.
While it would seem that upon their arrival in Moab they were well received by Eglon, the King of Moab, yet they did not prosper. The two sons married daughters of Moab. Mahlon, the eldest son, married Ruth (some writers say that Ruth was the young daughter of King Eglon), and Chilton married Orphah. Both women appear to have been model wives. Within ten years, however, Elimelech and his two sons died childless, and were buried in the land of Moab. Noami was left in destitute circumstances. Her heart and her spirit were broken. She felt that God had deserted her - the last link which bound her to earth was torn away. "The heart knows it's own bitterness." Thus, apparently, she is alone. What does the human heart dread more than to be utterly alone! Loneliness, how can we define it? One must experience it to know its real depth. "Kings and priest, warrior and maiden, philosopher and child -- all must walk those mighty galleries alone." Naomi yearned for her old home and the home friends and resolved to return to Bethlehem again.
This story is the classic example of true and tried friendship between two women. It is often compared with David and Jonathan, and Damon and Pythias. It is the passionate love of a girl for her mother-in-law.
RUTH
From Moab's hills the stranger comes,
By sorrow tried, widowed by death;
She comes to Judah's goodly homes,
Led by the trusting hand of faith.
Ye friends of god, a welcome lend
The fair and virtuous Ruth to-day;
A cheerful heart and hand extend.
And wipe the widow's tears away.
She leaves her childhood's home, and all
That brothers, friends and parents gave;
The flowery fields, the lordly hall,
The green sod o'er her husband's grave;
Ye friends of God, a welcome lend
The fair and virtuous Ruth to-day;
A cheerful heart and hand extend,
And wipe the widow's tears away.
She leaves the gods her people own --
Soulless and weak, they're hers no more;
Jehovah, He is God alone,
And Him her spirit will adore.
Ye friends of God, a welcome lend
The fair and virtuous Ruth to-day;
A cheerful heart and hand extend,
And wipe the widow's tears away.
By Rob Morris
TO RUTH
"Uncomplaining"
When we learn to give up idols,
Worship just the God of Truth,
Walk the hard road of endurance
With our uncomplaining Ruth,
Then our patience will grow greatly,
And our love will be complete;
As we humbly glean together
To obtain our Sheaf of Wheat.
We entreat her not to leave us,
But to serve with us, in Truth;
Then our God, and all our peoples
Will be One, who serve with Ruth
| The scene of the first Star Point is laid beyond the Jordan River in Mizpah, the home of Jephthah, and the surrounding country, some ninety miles northeast from Jerusalem and thirty miles southeast of the sea of Galilee.The countries east of the Jordan, beginning with the Land of Moab, toward the north are Ammon and Gilead. |
|
ADAH |
| The scene is laid in Bethlehem of Judea, which is situated some six miles south of Jerusalem, and also in Moab beyond the Jordan, bordering on and east of the Dead Sea. During the reign of the Judges a grievous famine spread throughout the land of Judah. Elimelich, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Maholon and Chilton, determined to immigrate into the country of Moab beyond the Jordan Rover. There seems to have been no absolute necessity for this sojourn. Others continued to remain in Judea and tided over the period of distress. |
| RUTH |
Esther - The Noble Queen
| The scene is laid in Shushan (Susa), some 250 miles east of the city of Babylon and 75 miles east of the Tigris River, and 130 miles north of the Persian Gulf. King Ahasuerus (Xerxes, B.C. 485-465), was king of Persia and reigned at this time over one hundred and twenty seven provinces, extending from India to Ethiopia. One must take into account the circumstances of her life and the conditions of her time. |
| ESTHER |
| Bethany is a small village situated on the southeast side of the Mount of Olives, less than two miles from Jerusalem on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem. No mention is made of this village in the canonical books or in the Apocrypha of the Old Testament.Bethany makes its appearance for the first time, as does the fourth Star Point, in the New Testament. The more recent writer's of biblical history speak of it as a miserable, untidy and tumble-down village. Actual or impending decay would seem to be written upon its dwellings. Yet, we are filled with reverential awe as we recall the immortal memories of what occurred within and around this little village. |
|
MARTHA |
ELECTA
| The scene of the fifth Star Point is laid in Asia Minor, a peninsula lying between the Black Sea on the north and the Mediterranean Sea on the south. On the west coast of the peninsula in Lydian, near the mouth of the Cayster river, situated on high ground of a fertile plain, is Ephesus, the residence of Saint John from about 67 A.D. to the end of his life. Except for occasional visits to established churches in Asia Minor, St. John most probably rarely went out from Ephesus. Asia Minor is a region of extraordinary fertility and beauty, but has bee ruined by centuries of waste and misgovernment. The exact date of the writing of the Epistle is not known, but is placed between 85 - 95 A.D. Our information concerning Electa is based, for the most part on Masonic tradition. She was born and brought up in Asia Minor and, naturally, reared under the principles of paganism. She seems to have been well advanced in years when the edict of the Roman Government was issued against the followers of Christ. It is quite apparent that she was converted to the Christian faith under the preaching of St. Paul. Furthermore, she appears to have been a very influential woman in her community. She apparently spent her income in relieving the poor; devoted much time to the care of them and kept open house for the indigent and hungry travelers. Benevolence seems to have been the great passion of her life -- she sought out those who were lost and ministered to them. The Christian religion, as we have endeavored to make clear, had become quite obnoxious to the people, and pressure was brought upon the Roman government for some action. Electa's mansion was said to have been the most splendid in the province. The edict of the Roman Government was issued against everyone who professed the religion of Christ. All Christians were bound to renounce it under penalty of death. Soldiers were enjoined to execute the law without mercy. All those suspected of holding the Christian faith were commanded to trample upon the cross that was handed to them as a testimony of their renunciation. Electa absolutely refused to comply with the edict. She spurned the test and said that she would never renounce her religion. She and her family were forthwith cast into a dungeon for twelve months, at the end of which time the judge appeared and offered her another opportunity to recant from Christianity, and again she refused. Thereupon she was dragged forth and savagely scourged nigh to death. They were then taken in ox carts to the nearest hill where she and her family, one by one, were nailed to the cross. She was the last of the family to be crucified, and thus witnessed the tragic death of her husband and children. She may well have uttered with her expiring breath, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." She professed her faith to the whole world, although she knew what reproaches, persecutions even unto death, that she must undergo for the stand that she took. It meant the loss of good name, wealth, of means of doing good, of liberty, of husband and children, and of life itself. Yet she was willing to undergo all these things for the love of Christ and for the Christian religion in which she showed the most implicit faith. What a rich heritage is hers! "For we know that if our earthly house of the tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." |
| Her gentle smile and yielding heart |
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