West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-03-17

treat We could go back dry shod jus, 90
very risky experiment. How, IL these
Csnsaniles eat Us all up7" All, my hear
ers, God never makes any provision for
the Christians retreat. He clears the
path to Canaan IL we 20 ahead. IL we
&c back we die. II Is dry shod on a path
of broken shells aud pebbles in one 6irec-
ton. 1, is water, forty feet deep, in the
rear. The same g~ste-keeper that swung
back the crystal snd amethystine door OF
Jordan to let you pass has barred anJ
bolted the crystal and amethystine door
of the Jordan to prevent you from going
back. declare 1t to- day, victory ahead,
darkness, Hood, ruin and death behind.
"You say "Wby didst those Canaan
ties destroy Joshua and his troops while
they had a chance2 Here they were on a
bank thirty or forty feet high. There
were the Israelites under Joshua down in
the bed OF he stream. Why didn't the
Z n aaite' fight back these invaders?
The Cansanites were familiar with their
own country. The invading army were
strangers TO the country they were in.
Toe Csi q inter were ell fresh troops.
The soldiers unuer Joshua were travel
worn. Why didn't the Cara mites double
up the fight wing, and then double up the
left wing, and then pierce the center of
Jushuas army z" L will tell you why
hey did not. The promise had been
given and the Lord God keeps his prom
ise. There shall not any man be able to
stand before thee all the days of thy life"
But we cannot stop here. II is no place
for Joshua's troops to stay. What ia that
ia the %distance2 AT The end of a grove
OF palms, eight miles long, is the chief
city. Ii is a city Of gold and &rborS, and
huge, i~mpregnable walls that ace Al to
reach the heavens and butress the sky
That is the city that guards the mountain
pass. b is Jericho, the great metropo-
lis. Take 1t Joshua must. ''Take IT
Joshua can't" says the unbelievers.
Where are the battering rams for such a
conflict as this? Why, tbs Caananitish
archers will come out on the top of the
walls and shoot destruction and death into
these Israelites if they come anywhere
near the walls. This city ia after times
was taken by Pompey it was taken by
Herod the Great, and it was taken by the
Mohammedans but this campaign is plan.
ned by the Lord Almighty. There are 10
be no swords, no shields, no batterinp
rams. There is to be only one weapon,
and hat Is to be u rams horn. The
crooked horns of the Aain rams were
punctured with holes so that the fingers
Gould play on them, aud then the must
clan would put this rustic instrument ~
MS Ups and make music for the people.
Now the command is that seven of the
priests should take these rude musical in
struments, and for six days they shall go
around about the walls of Jericho
once q day, and then on the seventh day
they shall go around seven times, blowing
this curious rustic musical instrument, ard
the peroratiOn of the whole scene is TO he
a great shout, under which that wall from
base TO capstone is to tumble. Round the
wall Of Jericho go the priests once. and q
fsIlure. Not SO much as a piece of NOR
tar or plaster drops from the wall-not so
much as a crevice opens-not so much as
a rock gets loose. Around the CITY the
second day, and q failure the third day.
and a failure ; the fourth day. and a fail
ure the fifth day. and a failure; around
the sixth day, and a failure. "Ahl" saw
some of the unbelieviBg Israelites. 81
told you 30. Those musicians are simnlv
making fools of themselves, that wall
stands as firm now after elk days surround
ing as when it was first built the fact lie
mat our leader Joshua is getting spoiled
dethlDks because he can conquer q spring
freshet that he can conquer a city wall
Come now, let us be philosophic about
This 1t isn't reasonable that the rams
torn blown should knock down q CITY
wall" Aud the wiseacres knit their brows
and put the ~foTCdnger of the right hand
against the forefnger of the left hand and
reasoned it all out that such a cause could
not reasonably produce such al effect.
The encampmeDt | think that night was
full of philosophy snd caricature and IL
Joshua had been nominated for any proml-
nent military position he would have re-
ceived but few votes. Joshua's stock was
down. But the seventh day came, the
cimstric day, and Joshua is up early, &C
cordiDg to the statement, and be is around
among the troops looking a. their condi-
ton, and ne is impatient for the moment
TO come when he shall march on to yicto-
~. NJ last the hour has arrived. The
priests with these rude musical %iDstru-
ments, go all around the city of Jericho
once, and a failure; around the city twice.
three times, four times, ana a failure.
around the city five times, six timef. seven
times aud a failure. There is only one
more thing 10 be done, and that IL TO give
q great shout. i see the Israeltish army
Strengthening themselves up aad filing
their lungs for a vociferation such as was
never before or since heard. Joshua rises
up TO his full stature add gives the com.
mand. He feels the right moment has
come, and he says ''Shoutl for the
Lord bss given you tho city, aud the com
mand is heard and the people altogether
shout Down, Jericho : Down, Jericho z,
and that long line Of solid masonry begins
10 quive. and then crash 20 the walls. the