Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-11-16
HELPING ONE ANOTHER.
LESSON VII, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
INTERNATIONAL SERIES, NOV. 1e.

xii, 10 Commit Verses 1-4-GoIden
Text, Gal. vi, documentary by Rev.
ID. NJ. stearns.
CONDENSED from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission Of IL S. Hoffman, Philadelphia,
publisher.1
The principal incident in today's lesson is
the return of the two tribes and half to
their possessions on the east Of Jordan with
the charge Of Joshua to them. Between last
weeks lesson and this one we find three lead
ing events: The removal of the Tabernacle
from Gilgal to Shiloh, the division of the re-
mainder Of the land among the seven tribes
which had not received their portion, and
the appointing of six cities of Refuge, three
upon each side of Jordan.
49, "And the Lord gave unto Israel all the
land which he sware to give unto their
fathers" If the ten spies who discouraged
the people and all the thousands who per-
ished in the wilderness could rise from their
graves and see their brethren and children
In actual possession of the good land which
they had refused to possess because of the
giants and walled cities, and Caleb possessing
and enjoying the very center and stronghold
Of the giants, they would surely be greatly
surprised, and perhaps ashamed Of their I'M
belief, which had shut them out from this in
heritance, and if they should ask the dwell
ers therein how they ever overcame the diff
culties, what answer could be given but sim
ply this: "Our God fought for us, and we re-
lied upon Him and obeyed Him"
Al. 1.-The Lord gave them rest, according
to all that He sware unto their fathers" 1t
is as difficult for many Christians to learn to
rest, not in idleness but in activity, as it is
for some swimmers to learn to float; but as
surely as the latter finds that the water does
bear him on its bosom when he quietly rests
upon it, SO surely does the Christian find that
tive who have believed do enter into rest"
Heb. iv, 81 when in confidence we commit
ourselves and all our affairs to the love and
faithfulness of our covenant keeping God
45. There failed not ought of any good
thing; all came to pass" The same glorious
fact is stated in CHI. xiii, IA; ri. viii, 56;
and no true believer shall ever be able to say
that any one thing has failed of all that
God has promised.
Oh. xxi, l, 2. I'VE have kept all that
Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded
you, and have obeyed my voice in all that
commanded you" When these two tribes
and half asked Moses for their inheritance
on the east of Jordan he was afraid they
meant to enjoy Immediately their posses
sions and thus discourage and cause discon-
tent among the other tribes; but when they
assured him that they would only build cities
for their families and folds for their sheep.
and that they themselves would pass over
armed with the other tribes, and not return
to their homes until all the children of Israel
had inherited ever man his Inheritance, then
Moses was content to let them possess the
land on the east of Jordan. Mum. xxxii)
So 10000 of them prepared for war,
passed through the Jordan with the other
tribes Josh. iv, IL, 1877 Now that they
have faithfully kept their promise during
these years of fighting and subduing, Joshua
is about to dismiss them to their homes with
his blessing and he first commends their
obedience to Moses and to himself. Notice
Gods CONNIE ndation of the obedience of
Abram and of the Rechabites in Gen. xxi,
Is; XVI, 5; Jer. xxxv, SIS; and the
awful end of the disobedient in II Thes. i, 8.
"Willing and obedient" are the two con-
ditions of peace and prosperity.
8. "Ye have not left your brethren these
many days unto this day" Every delay on
the part of their brethren to so up quickly
and possess the land must have been a great
trial to them, as their hearts would naturally
long to return to their homes and to their
and their faith in God that the time of their
rest and return would come.
4. Now return ye unto the land of your
possession" Let those who have been for q
long time separated from home and friends
and then permitted to return, describe the
feelings of these obedient ones now relea ed
from their promise, that they might return
to their families; let some one who was sol
der from one to four years, in our great civil
war, and is now teacher in some Sunday
school, tell his scholars how he felt when per
mitted to set his face homewards.
s. Take diligent heed to do, to love, tc
walk, to keep, to cleave unto, and to serve.
Here are topics for series of seven most in
structive Bible readings. Let me suggest 6
few texts on the first two: Take heed-Heb
iii, IL; II Pet i, 10; Nix. iv, "a; Lu. viii, IS
Josh. xxi, 5; II Chr. xix, g. Cor iii, 10
To do-Ezek. xxxiii, 81, 80; Matt. vii, 81
Lu viii, 81; Jas. j. %; Matt. vi, |; Col iii
%, 24; John iii, 49, Thus you may with
great profit search out the others and ust
them if time permit
CO. $50 Joshua blessed them" AS the
representative of God he blessed them; thu!
David the King blessed the people in the
name of the Lord of Hosts g Sam. vi, 1S)
thus Moses the man of God blessed the
children OF israel before his death lDeut
xxxiii, II; and when Jesus was parted from
the disciples at His ascension it was while
He blessed them. Luke xiv, so, ST. Wher
God created man He blessed them Gen. i
%, 2S) when he called Abram He said, II viii
bless thee" Gen. XII, 2, 81 when he com
manded Israel to let the land rest every
seventh year, and promised them that il
would produce enough in the sixth year t.
last them three years, He gave as the simple
reason for this extraordinary fruitfulness
Il Will command my blessing" LEV. XIV
21.) The blessing Of the Lord, it maketl
rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it,
S. Return with much riches unto you
tens" Besides the conscious approval o
God in their hearts, they return home witt
much temporal riches; cattle, silver, gold
brass, iron and raiment; they have not los
anything by helping their brethren, anC
serving the Lord with much self denial
God will not allow those who serve Him to d.
it unrewarded. If we serve Him for so much
and have an eye chiefly to the wages, HI
may give us just so much, like the penny