The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-11-17
HELPING ONE ANOTHER.
International sunday School Lesson f,y
November ~, 1883.

:, CENTRAL IRt1H-IWln Vlftues-F2ithful
ness and HeIpfulness.
= TIME-B e, l++4. Not very long after tn
last lesson.
n PLACE Joshua had made his capital a
. Shiloh ". % where the tabernacle rema ine,
nearly all the time of the Judges. Sbilol
D was seventeen miles north of Jerusalem
. half way between Bethel and Shechem.
, The CoNQvEsT completed after nearl,
seven years OF warfare
The LAND DIvIDED-Nlne and one-hal
7 tribes west of the Jordan; two and one hal
east OF Jordan.
HELPS OVER HARD PLACES -I3. tn. LORD
0av; by delivering them from EGYPT, BY
leading them through the wilderness. by
giving them the victory. SWdrs unto fh,i,
fathers Gea. 1918; Mum. A;l-l2 Thev pos
sess,d Il: il WAS theirs, they lived in il,
though some nations were not wholly driven
out, Judg. l:2l-36. But the 0ir was per.
feet. God would have given them the vic
tory at any time they were willing To do
their part. .. Kept all that Moses comm andeI
ysu: that il they should take their inner
itance beyond Jordan, they would yet aid
their brethren to conquer Canaan, Mum.
aS, z B, H. Forty thousand went over,
but there were 100. $50 male adults in these
tribes, Mum. % g. Thes many days: nearly
seven years l. Unto your tents: unto your
homes beyoud Jordan. s. Take dQisert heed,
because there was great danger Of going
astray; for they would be separated from
| their brethren and the tabernacle, and be
surrounded by heather influences. It would
be difficult to attend even all the great an
nual feasts. Moses charged you: see Deut
| chs 1923 &. Return Uith much riches. from
the spoil Of the rich nations of Canaan. An
idea Of the extent Of these riches can be
seen in the spoil taken from the Midianites,
Mum. 81 :2647 The Canaanites had forfeit
ed il by their wickedness. Divide TIE spoil.
those who remained at home, taking care Of
their families and possessions, were to re-
ceive their portion, IS well as the warriors.
See Mum. 81 :26; Sam. D:2225.
LESSON FACTs-The two tribes and half,
Of whom our lesson to-day speaks, had re-
ceiyed their inheritance on the east of the
Jordan, on condition that they cross the
river with their brethren, and assist them
in gaining possession Of the land, before
they settled down themselves in peace. This
condition they had honorably fulfilled, and
now they were allowed to return to the
land Of their choice, with the blessing Of
God upon them. In parting from them we
hear Joshua giving them the same kind Of
counsel that God gave to him. when he took
the place of Moses, rs leader of the people.
(See verse S. Long experience had con-
WINGED him that the security OF the nation
depended, not on their arms or their valOr,
but on their obedience to the commands of
the Lord. He knew that righteousness
e1alteth q nation" and was very anxious
that the tribes that were leaving them
should persevere in the law Of the Lord.
If only all Israel had hearkened to this ad-
vice, and had abstalned from any idolatry,
they would have been the first nation Of all
the world TO this day. 1t was their god
lessness that killed them. -'-r -.
CoMxENTs-We have seen the way in
which the tribes spoken OF in our lesson
fulfilled the law of Christ. But the princ-
pie is one of universal application. Even
the world has learned it in some Of its
forms. For while men in business have
only too much neglected to apply this golden
rule, we do see it applied in many ways
When Chicago was burned, all the country
leaped to the assistance of the sufferers.
From every village and town there came
help for those who had no homes left. When
the yellow fever was so severe in Memphis
some years ago, the cry for help went out
and the answer came swiftly from all over
the land. During this last year the cry
has come to this land from far-of Turkey,
where there were so many thousands that
were starving, and we have sent them
of dollars to give them food
The world has become very small lately,
and the need of one part is soon supplied
from another part. We are beginning 10
recognize the common brotherhood OF man,
and to feel that if there is famine IN CHINA,
America must at once come to the rescue.
This is as it ought to be. Perhaps no set OF
men have learned this lesson so well as thoSe
that go to sea- There are hardly any clrcum-
stances OF peril in which the sailor Will not |
at least try to help his fellow-sailor VINO IS
IN distress. 1t is accounted dastardiy
thing to pass by any vessel that is III
trouble, even though to give help means
the risk,ng of your own life Yes, there
are many departments of human lie III
which the golden rule is practced very
nearly perfectly. Life is made up OF small
things, and he who would make the most OF
his life must be careful to do the Titles, or he
will never do any thing that is worth speak
ing of. Kind words, thoughtful deeds. cost
us nothing, but they are very helpful 10
those to whom they come Many sore
heart is hungering for them, and we have
them, and yet because of carelessness or
selfishness we do not give them. 1t has
been truly said that If half of the kind things
that are said of people after they are dead
were said before they die, they would have
lived longer than they did. Praise after one
is dead has no effect but judicious common
dalton before one dies is like water TO
thirsty soul.-Rsu. 4. +. Schauter.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
1. The Lord fulfills all His promises to the
letter.
@ God will give US a perfect victory over
sin and temptation.
g. Whatever our failures, they arise from
neglect on our part.
l. 1t is privilege and duty to help our
brethren.
5. There is great danger in isolation from
Christian brethren and Christian privileges
6. Brotherly kindness enriches this HE
both temporarily and spiritually.
Z. Those who sustain ministers and mis-
sjonaries receive a similar reward with
them.
If all the Sunday school children IN tne
world would commit to memory the sermon