Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-10-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.

ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.
A Pleasant, Interesting, and Instructive
Lesson and Where It May BE FONDA
Learned and Concise Review of tho
Same.
The lesson for Sunday. October %. may
be found in Joshua vi. Lie.
INTRODUCTORY.
1t is now 1851 B. c.. and at last the con-
quest is to begin. It has been four hundred
and thirty years since God promised to the
Father OF the Faithful this fair land. At
last they are come to it. But they find a
war to be waged The campaign opens with
the taking of Jericho, which lay in the Jor-
dan valley. Then follow in rapid succession
Al: Shechem. and Gideon. telling partly Of
p an, partly OF counsel. and the conquest
OF central Palestine is completed. The con-
quest OF Southern Palestine follows, the
conquest of Northern Palestine coming last.
me land rested from war Joshua II: 2S)
a u.er SIN or more years OF fighting, in which
some six tribes with thirty-one chiefs were
Drought into subsection. We enter again,
with this lesson. upon the noise of battle.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
VOC Jerlcho. Seven days detention at
c ctv no., Why tarry 50 long over border
Guy. from which SO few spoils of war were
70 DO taken? For this simple reason-it lay
along lsraefs line of conquest. and Gods
people were to leave no enemy in their rear.
some some one met Col. Balm on the railroad.
Still at it. are you"-spokcn in something
OF banter--giving temperance lectures q"
Yes: going up to A. And are all the
people in Lexington converted2 Why. then.
40 you go away hundred miles to talk on
sWersd Bsp dp % tell yGm s In
cars came to IL sudden stop. A nervous man
on board. in great haste to reach his des-
tinatlon. halted the conductor with, Why
don't you go on?' stopped to chop wood.
vas sne cool and aggravating reply. The
tion and contempt sufficient for the occa-
sion. The fact is the conductor contin-
ued, after little. there's log across the
track. All. that altered the situation. IF
mats So. said the heretofore irate passen-
the Colonel added. there's a log across our
track. and I've stopped to chop soood." There
are some things that need to be removed
made.
Straightly shat up The way to straightly
shut up hostile citadel is to march over
and invest it. The Germans shut up Metz.
and Marshal Bazaine with all the French
army. BY stubbornly pushing right up to
within mailing distance Of the walls. The
to abate any nuisance is to come up to it and
Gordon it, and literally sit down upon it.
israel could have done little with Jericho
from across the Jordan. Camped on the
plains Of Jericho. around about her mean
ingful pillar Of stones. she had some pur-
chase power. Jericho might lift a head
above her petty wall and hoot but what
mattered it? Tho city was straightly shut
up The Lord's people can close up what
ever they have mind to. The quarantine
n of nn1 40 hoe,
oeen accomplishing some wonders in the
South. When the armies got down to work
on sea and land. even plucky little island
No. 10" was shut up. No. the trouble with
the church too often is that it hasn't mind.
And SO Jericho keeps open.
See. hare g1ren into thine hand Jericho.
That settled it. The Lord of life and death
hath decreed it. and the city in his eounsels
was already taken in the name Of righteous
| ness. Oh that we could trust God more! Oh
for more of Joshuas calm and firm assur-
ance! Moody tells Of q French soldier who
| saving the Emperor's life at the peril OF his
own heard the quick-spoken word from
royal lips Tso I make you captain Of my
and walked right up to where the body
guard stood. go back into the ranks
said the subordinate in charge. no"
Why not?" Because I'm captain of the
guard" "You!" cried the officers. who
said it," He said it" 1t was all that was
necessary; it was the Emperor's word. my
friends" adds the evangelist. IF God says
anything. let us take him at his word"
Let han that IS armed pass on before.
There are divisions in the orderly march.
ments in the Lords hosts. Not all are to
bear the brunt of the fray. not all can be in
! the van. though all can follow. Out there
at the front to-day are Clough, Downie.
Lord. God has armed them and called
them to q place of special privilege as we'll
as of peril. Yet are they but. as It were. the
picket or skirmish line of u great army
coming after. They have simply passed on
before as. and We are the rearward."
And the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord
them. or they would not have gone forward.
1t was the Ark of the Covenant that gave
significance and effect to that itineracy
about Jerichos wallis 1t is always to be-
borne in mind. Only as the church carries
the Book with it does it prove itself a power
against walls. That mysterious ark in the
midst of the people authenticated their faith
and disarmed ridicule. Without it they
would have been ridiculous as is the Scrip
tureless, spiritless church to-day; with it
| Going about 1t once. That first days
| journey. how strange it would seem. how
| absurdly strange to some! A company of
| priests blowing upon trumpets; behind a
| great. silent. speeches. throng. answering
not to taunt nor query, but moving straight
| forward. the tramp Of their feet heard with
| forebodings beyond the city's walls. The
| strength of the Ohio crusade of the seven
| tics was in a like silent marching throng,
| speeches. save when they knelt and lifted
| the trumpet-note of prayer. Then back
into the camp to wait Gods answering
| voice.
SO they did sac days. That was for Israers
sake most of all. 1t was Tie test Of patient
| continuance in well-doing. Marching around
| walls, sounding, the trumpet and going for
ward. that was all. To keep up such move
ment. apparently vain and empty of results.
| for six days, for not until the seventh came
! victory. was not Il little strain upon mind and
heart as we'll as foot and limb. The
first days circuit might have been
| looked upon in one aspect as O kind
| of dress parade. and the novelty
| of it would lend something of exhiara-
| tion but to do the same thing the next day
| and the next and the next-O. thank God.
| for the grace that could do it then and the
| grace that could do it now! We march one
day. two days, and stay. They went right
| III till the work was accomplished. Whose
answer was it? why do you have them go
over it three hundred timcs?" Because
| two hundred and ninety nine times was not
| enough" It is never enough till faith has
! had its perfect work.
Shout for the Lord hath giuen you the
city. 1t is IL theme for shouting. If you
have such u spirit, friend. you may lift up
| your voice. Withhold it otherwise. You SEQ
| they did not shout that the Lord might gire
| Al,@ IA elk, -.