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  • April 1, 1876
  • Page 18
  • "MILKLAT "—THE CITY OF REFUGE.
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The Masonic Magazine, April 1, 1876: Page 18

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Page 18

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

"Milklat "—The City Of Refuge.

"MILKLAT "—THE CITY OF REFUGE .

BY BRO . REV . AVILLIAM TEBBS . As the sun rose that morning on the Israelitish Capital , it was evident that something unwonted AA'as astir ; for , whilst crowds Avere gathered round the timcAvorn altar of Avitness beneath the ancient oak

of the covenant , multitudes so thronged the approaches to Shechem , that it was hard to keep clear the " prepared Avay " to the " Miklat . " Eagerly and excitedly too , were the crowds debating , for that Avas the third day of deliberation , and they Avere to receive that ansAver which should

determine Avhether the time AATIS come to fulfil the Almighty ' s prophecy , to rend asunder the Kingdom of Great Solomon ' s Son . The wise Grand Master of Israel had gone to his rest . Jeroboam the rebel had been recalled by a numerous body of

supporters from his Egyptian exile , whilst Rehoboam , the rightful heir , had deemed it expedient to come to Shechem , to be crowned Monarch of the United Kingdoms of Israel . But there Avas a question that must be anSAvered first , " Were the stern

imposts of the Father to be continued by the Son ? Should the dread taxes be still levied , or be mitigated , which Avere willingly submitted to , whilst God ' s house Avas building , and even His servant Solomon ' s too , but AAdiich had been endured for many a long year past , only for the sake of what the King had been in clays long since gone

by ? Questions like these Avere earnestl y debated by some of the multitude , whilst others were sorrowfully regarding those sacred objects upon which , perchance , they Avere gazing for the last time . Here was

the oak under which , many a lono- year ago , the patriarch had buried the gods stolen from his father-in-law ; round it had been perpetrated that treacherous slaughter by his two lwengeful sons ; close by it Avas the never-failing Avell that

he had left to his descendants ; nigh to this hallowed spot had the aged Moses stood , Avhen , for the last time , he blessed the people of the Lord that , he had loved and ruled so AvelLwhose rebel-hearts had robbed him of all , save a distant glimpse of that pleasant promised land ; here , again , had stood that other seiwant of the Lord , Joshua , the deliverer , whilst he recalled

for the last time in his failing days , God ' s threats and promises to his Avayward children ; and yet again , though hoary and time-worn , here still remained the altar of covenant , on Avhose . eastern front God ' s light each morning broke ; on Avhose

northern face , pointing to Ebal and the cold , dark , dreary north , Avere recorded the curses thundered against the impenitent ; whilst even now , the sun Avas beginning to bathe in golden light its southern side , full facing Gerizimmount of blessing , on which

, Avere graven deep the blessings of the Almighty , on such as should unhesitatingly Avalk in the ways of His commandments . And , whilst they gazed , they hesitated ; " Was it right to act for themselves , and throw off the heaA-y yoke and burden too

bitter to be borne , imposed though it Avas by God ' s anointed ? or , should they submit still a little longer , and leaA ^ e the ordering of the issue to be accomplished by the Almighty in his own good time ? " Questions hard of resolutionbut soou to be put out

, of mind at least for a space , for as the sun stole softly round the altar ' s southern face , to the appointed time , a terrible commotion arises , shouts rend the crowd , " Make way ! Let pass ! " " Miklat ! " " Miklat ! " and

through the narrow croAvcl , dashes towards the city boundary a young man , yet redhanded Avith his fellow ' s life-blood , sore pressed by his slain felloAv ' s next of kin . Hot groAvs the race , Avell-nigh frantic are the dividing crowd—another cubit and a hatchet cleaves the aironly to fall buried

, in the earth at the fugitive ' s heel—one other cubit more , and the hunted quarry falls , Avounded—but saved—within the border of "The City of Refuge . " Cruel call such a Avager if you will ; cruel and bloody the law which gave it

being ; but it Avas life ' s best preserver ; for such a struggle for existence once Avitnessed , must render every beholder mindful , lest he should eA er by inisadventm-e spill his brother ' s blood . Cruel and bloody 1 v ? as not every effort made to sjiare

the culprit ' s life ? Extensive boundaries , yet further extended by the chance boughs of the overhangingtree ; roads wellmade , wellkept ; and even guide posts erected with the magic word of safety " Miklat . " Cruel and bloodclo we call it 1 shame on us to forget

y the past , with our Avanton shedding of our brother ' s and sister ' s blood—Avithout hope of pardon or reprieA'e—for the paltry theft of that which is the " root of all evil . "

“The Masonic Magazine: 1876-04-01, Page 18” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 12 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmg/issues/mmg_01041876/page/18/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
Monthly Masonic Summary. Article 1
SONNET. Article 1
THE WILSON MANUSCRIPT CONSTITUTION. Article 2
AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF MASTER AND FREE MASONS. Article 7
AIMEE. Article 11
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF SCOTTISH FREEMASONRY. Article 11
LINES Article 14
THE ANTI-MASONIC VICAR Article 15
TO A SNOWDROP Article 17
"MILKLAT "—THE CITY OF REFUGE. Article 18
ODDS AND ENDS OF WIT AND HUMOUR. Article 19
CONTEMPORARY LETTERS ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. Article 24
ORATION Article 26
THE OLD FOLKS' PARTY. Article 28
BENEFIT MANKIND. Article 32
CURIOSITIES OF THE POST OFFICE. Article 32
THE WOMEN OF OUR TIME. Article 34
BRO. DANIEL COXE—THE FATHER OF FREEMASONRY IN AMERICA. Article 36
THE ORIGIN AND REFERENCES OF THE HERMESIAN SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY. Article 39
HALF-WAY DOIN'S. Article 42
GODFREY HIGGINS ON FREEMASONRY. Article 43
THE SITE OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE DISCOVERED. Article 44
NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE AND ART. Article 46
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Page 18

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

"Milklat "—The City Of Refuge.

"MILKLAT "—THE CITY OF REFUGE .

BY BRO . REV . AVILLIAM TEBBS . As the sun rose that morning on the Israelitish Capital , it was evident that something unwonted AA'as astir ; for , whilst crowds Avere gathered round the timcAvorn altar of Avitness beneath the ancient oak

of the covenant , multitudes so thronged the approaches to Shechem , that it was hard to keep clear the " prepared Avay " to the " Miklat . " Eagerly and excitedly too , were the crowds debating , for that Avas the third day of deliberation , and they Avere to receive that ansAver which should

determine Avhether the time AATIS come to fulfil the Almighty ' s prophecy , to rend asunder the Kingdom of Great Solomon ' s Son . The wise Grand Master of Israel had gone to his rest . Jeroboam the rebel had been recalled by a numerous body of

supporters from his Egyptian exile , whilst Rehoboam , the rightful heir , had deemed it expedient to come to Shechem , to be crowned Monarch of the United Kingdoms of Israel . But there Avas a question that must be anSAvered first , " Were the stern

imposts of the Father to be continued by the Son ? Should the dread taxes be still levied , or be mitigated , which Avere willingly submitted to , whilst God ' s house Avas building , and even His servant Solomon ' s too , but AAdiich had been endured for many a long year past , only for the sake of what the King had been in clays long since gone

by ? Questions like these Avere earnestl y debated by some of the multitude , whilst others were sorrowfully regarding those sacred objects upon which , perchance , they Avere gazing for the last time . Here was

the oak under which , many a lono- year ago , the patriarch had buried the gods stolen from his father-in-law ; round it had been perpetrated that treacherous slaughter by his two lwengeful sons ; close by it Avas the never-failing Avell that

he had left to his descendants ; nigh to this hallowed spot had the aged Moses stood , Avhen , for the last time , he blessed the people of the Lord that , he had loved and ruled so AvelLwhose rebel-hearts had robbed him of all , save a distant glimpse of that pleasant promised land ; here , again , had stood that other seiwant of the Lord , Joshua , the deliverer , whilst he recalled

for the last time in his failing days , God ' s threats and promises to his Avayward children ; and yet again , though hoary and time-worn , here still remained the altar of covenant , on Avhose . eastern front God ' s light each morning broke ; on Avhose

northern face , pointing to Ebal and the cold , dark , dreary north , Avere recorded the curses thundered against the impenitent ; whilst even now , the sun Avas beginning to bathe in golden light its southern side , full facing Gerizimmount of blessing , on which

, Avere graven deep the blessings of the Almighty , on such as should unhesitatingly Avalk in the ways of His commandments . And , whilst they gazed , they hesitated ; " Was it right to act for themselves , and throw off the heaA-y yoke and burden too

bitter to be borne , imposed though it Avas by God ' s anointed ? or , should they submit still a little longer , and leaA ^ e the ordering of the issue to be accomplished by the Almighty in his own good time ? " Questions hard of resolutionbut soou to be put out

, of mind at least for a space , for as the sun stole softly round the altar ' s southern face , to the appointed time , a terrible commotion arises , shouts rend the crowd , " Make way ! Let pass ! " " Miklat ! " " Miklat ! " and

through the narrow croAvcl , dashes towards the city boundary a young man , yet redhanded Avith his fellow ' s life-blood , sore pressed by his slain felloAv ' s next of kin . Hot groAvs the race , Avell-nigh frantic are the dividing crowd—another cubit and a hatchet cleaves the aironly to fall buried

, in the earth at the fugitive ' s heel—one other cubit more , and the hunted quarry falls , Avounded—but saved—within the border of "The City of Refuge . " Cruel call such a Avager if you will ; cruel and bloody the law which gave it

being ; but it Avas life ' s best preserver ; for such a struggle for existence once Avitnessed , must render every beholder mindful , lest he should eA er by inisadventm-e spill his brother ' s blood . Cruel and bloody 1 v ? as not every effort made to sjiare

the culprit ' s life ? Extensive boundaries , yet further extended by the chance boughs of the overhangingtree ; roads wellmade , wellkept ; and even guide posts erected with the magic word of safety " Miklat . " Cruel and bloodclo we call it 1 shame on us to forget

y the past , with our Avanton shedding of our brother ' s and sister ' s blood—Avithout hope of pardon or reprieA'e—for the paltry theft of that which is the " root of all evil . "

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