The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1888-11-16

lied upon Him and obeyed Him"
A. 1.-THE Lord gave them rest, according
10 all that he swaro unto their fathers" It
Is as difficult for many Christians to learn to
rest, not in tdleness 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
two 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.
. As. "There failed not ought of any good
thing; all came to pass" The same glorious
fact Is stated In ch. xiii, ID; Ri. viii, Sc;
and no true believer shall. ever be able to say
that any one thing has failed of all that |
God has promised.
Oh. xii, /, q. Eye have kept all that |
you, and have obeyed my voice in oil 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 aud 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. Num. uxii.)
So 10000 Of them prepared for war,
passed through the Jordan with the other
tribes. Josh. iv, 12, 1877 Now that they
have faithfully kept their promise during
these years Of fighting and subdulng, 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 conlmendation Of the obedience Of
Abram and Of the Rechabites in Gen. xii,
1s; XVI, 8; Jer. Wv, 6-18; and the
awful end of tho disobedient in II Thes. /, 8.
"Willing aud obediens' are the two con-
ditions Of peace aud prosperity.
8. "Ye have not left your brethren these
many days unto this day." Every delay on
the part Of their brethren to go up quickly
and possess the land must have been great
trial to them, as their hearts would naturally
long to return to their homes and to their
families; thus their patience was manifested,
and their faith in God that tho time Of their
rest and return would come.
4. "Now return ye unto the land of your
possession" Let those who have been for a
! long time separated from home and friends
and then permitted to return, describe the
| feelings Of these obedient ones now released
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 civi
war, and Is now teacher In some Sunday
school. tell his scholars how he felt when per
4 mitted to set his face homewards.
8. "Take diligent heed to do, to love, K
walk, to keep, to cleave unto, and to serve
Here are topics for series Of seven most In
structiye Bible readings. Let me suggest .
few texts on the first two: Take heed-Heb
iii, 10; II Pet. i, 10; Nix. tv, "a; Lu. viii, 1s
Josh. xii, s; II Chr xix, 6; Cor. Iii, 10
To do-Ezek. nxiii, 81, 80; Matt vii, 81
Lu. viii, 81; Jas. /, %; Matt. vi, L; Col iii
23, "a; John iii, 49, Thus you may wit
great profit search out the others and us
n them If time permit
6, 2. $50 Joshua blessed them" As th
/; representative Of God he blessed them; thu
David the King blessed the people in th
name of the Lord Of Hosts q Sam. vi, 18
, thus Moses the man Of God blessed tt
children of Israel before his death Deu
tuxiu, ~; and when Jesus was parted frol
i'll the disciples at His ascension it was viii
He blessed them. luke xiv, so, 51.) Whe
God created man he blessed them Gen.
%. 2s. when he called Abram He said d.s.I wi
{ bless thee,, Gen. XII. 9. 81: when he cor
,nendad Israel IN lax tbe iand rest ave,
= ..a .a.anth roa- .nd Srornised T tharn . that nat
: would produce enough In the sixth year
t last them three years, he gave as ths dmr
Q reason for this extraordinary frutttulne.
r ~ will command my blessing.n Gev. II
q 91A The blessing Of the Lord. IL make
r;ch and Ha addath M sornow With e.
Co., ~ 1 ..s.I. ,,s,,o,, s.o,,as W.T., -,