Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-08-01
Sunday School Lesson Notes.
BY REV. j. o. SHERBCRN.


The arduous work committed TO Joshua
had been well accomplished; the corrupt
and debauched inhabitants of Canaan had
been driven out of the land, only few
fragments of tribes being left, and all the
people had been settled upon the portions
of land that had been assigned them by
lot, Now, as Joshua must soon die, he
called al the people together in solemn
assembly, each family being represented
by its elders, and all the officers of the
people being assembled, and under these
circumstances he delivered the solemn
charge which forms the basis of this les
son.
He enjoins upon them the fear of
the Lord, and sincere service rendered
to him. The adverbial clauses which is
used 10 designate the manner of service
they were to render is of greatimportance
Sincerity and truth are strong words.
Sincere, in the Latin tongue, was com.
pound word, sine ezra, without wax. 1t
was word much used in the description
of art works A third rate piece of statu'
ary was often mended with wax, some
part of the piece having been broken off
or damaged and another part waxed on in
ils place. Hence without wax" came to
mean anything sound or whole. To serve
God in sincerity, then, would mean to
render him an unbroken service. How
far short of this did the children of Israel
come! To serve God in truth implies a
real, practical, service which touches
every part of mans doings, and makes of
him a Cody man. In order that they
might render such service as this, they
were to put away all the false gods which
their ancestors from beyond the Euphrates
had worshipped and all that they had
come to know in Egypt. 1t was necessary
to mention these forms of departure from
God, as they were particularly in danger
CT falling into them.
Joshua brings all the people face 10 face
with the alternatives in the case, and bids
them choose whether they will serve the
god of the nations about them or the God
of Abraham.
They made choice, as men always do in
their senses, to serve the true God; but it
was one thing to pledge loyalty to God
under such circum stances. and quite
another to bring all the people into loyalty
to Jehovah ard Feep them there during
the generation following. Joshua himself
even could not make promise for his own
house or family, save to the extent of his
influence over his descendants. Under
the patriarchal form of government ii
would be easy to control children or even
grand children. but no man could make a
pledge for his more remote descendants.
After recounting the wonders by which
God had given proof of his power and
love 10 them. Joshua proceeds to declare
that it would be impossible for them to
render service acceptable to God. Col
was so perfect in all his attributes, and
required such perfect service of them that
they would be unable to measure up to his
requirements but despite all these forbid
ding prospects the people stoutly declared
that they would serve God and none other.
Joshua then brought them face to face
with this their voluntary choice and said
ye are Witnesses that ye have chosen you
the Lord God to serve him; and they
solemnly affirmed we are witnesses. The
people under Joshua were not essentially
different from their brethren Of the present; !;
it was easy for them % make verbal prom
ises under favorable surroundings, and it
was easy to break these pledges when the
surroundings were different.
The question arises in view of the sad
history of this people whether it was oil
any avail that Joshua secured of them
such solemn promise, the same question
arises concerning many pledges taken and
broken in the present time. But they are
not barren of good either then or now.
MANY will be held, and helped, and saved
by such promise, while in the case ol
every one it rises up as proof that mans
sober judgment prompts him to follow
God, and that in every turning from God
man is disloyal to the best that is in him.
This consideration will add terrible
weight of woe to those who die in their
sins. There will remain with every such
one forever the consciousness that he knew
better than TO give himself up to the
service of sin. And with such conscious
ness it will be impossible ever to charge
his fate upon the government of God.
After Joshua had finished his address
and his exhortalion to the people, he de.
clared that his words and their response
were to be written in the book OF Gods
law, and to keep the covenant more fully
before the people he caused stone pillar
to be erected under an oak tree, at the
place where they were assembled
While that stone remained there would
stand witness who could attest the fact
that they had made voluntarily agree
ment to take Jehovah as their God. With
this impressive covenant vividly before
their minds the people went away each
man TO the homestead that had been allot.
ted him. There is no better thing for q
man, beginning life anywhere, than to
give himself first of all TO God in solemn
compact. But better thing, for all his
life, is to keep this compact scrupulously
and thus secure the daily bessedness
that comes 10 those who Serve God.
If the covenants made at our freside
and church altars were kept, the whole
world would soon rejoice in the light and
glory of The gospel day.
Faith may be cast down, but faith can
hot be destroyed. There is no reason.