The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-10-24
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
ENTERTAINING DISSERTATION ON
SERIOUS SUBJECTS.
Pleasant, Interesting, and Instructive
Lesson and Where IL May BE Found-A
Learned and Concise Review Of the

Learned and Concise Review of the
Same.
The lesson for Sunday. October %. may
| be found in Joshua vi. lie.
INTRODUCTORY.
1t Is now 145l b. c.. and at last the con-
quest is TO begin. II has been four hundred
and thirty years since God pro missed 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
battle. 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
| The land rested from war Joshua IL 23)
after six or more years OF fighting, in which
some SIX tribes with thirty-one chiefs were
| brought into subsection. We enter again
with this lesson. upon the noise OF battle.
! WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
| WOO jericho Seven days detention at
Jericho. Why tarry so long over border
| city. from which so few spoils of war were
| to be taken? For this simple reason-it Law
along IsraePs line of conquest. and Gods
| people were TO leave no enemy in their rear,
Some one met Col. Balm on the railroad.
Still at 1t. are you"-spoken in something
|
Yes. going up to A" And are all the
people in Lexington converted? Why. then.
| do you go away a hundred miles TO talk on
temperanceT Il will tell you "a story" an
swered Balm. Once on time. train of
| cars came to a sudden stop. A nervous man
on board. In great haste to reach his des-
| tination, halted the conductor with. Why
don't you go on?' Stopped TO chop wood
was the cool and aggravatng reply. The
| passengers could find no words OF indigna-
| tlOn and POntpmDt sufficient for the
| sion. The fact is the conductor contin-
| ued after a little. there's log across the
| track. All. that altered the situation. If
that's So" said the heretofore irate passen-
ger. I'll get out and help. You see"
the Colonel added. there's a log across our
track. and I've stopped 10 chop loood." There
are some things that need 20 be removed
ere safe progress on any track may be
| made.
StraighHv shut up. The way to straightly
shut up "A hostile citadel is to march over
and invest il. The Germans shut up Metz.
| and Marshal BaZaine with all the French
army, by stubbornly pushing right up 10
| within hailing distance of the walls The
way 10 shut up any evil stronghold the way
| to abate any nuisance is TO come up to IL and
| Gordon it, and literally sit down upon IL.
Israel could have done little with Jericho
| from across the Jordan. Camped on the
| plains OF Jericho, around about her mean
ngful pillar of stones. she had some pur-
| chase power. Jericho might lift head
above her petty wall and hoot. but what
mattered it? The city was straightly shut
up. The Lords people can close up what
| ever they have mind TO. The quarantine
| in the hands of Il determined people has
| been accomplishing some wonders in the
| South. When the armies got down 10 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 a mind
And SO Jericho keeps open.
| See. hare giren into thine hand Jericho.
That settled it. The Lord of life and death
hath decreed il. and the city in his counsels
was already taken in the name of righteous
| ness. oh that we could trust God morel oh
| for more of Joshua's calm and firm assur-
ANGEL Moody tells of French soldier who
saving the Emperor's life at the peril of his
own heard the quick-spoken word from
royal lips Il make you captain OF my
guard" The musketeer dropped his gun
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; IL was the EmperOr's word. My
friends" adds the evangelist. IF God says
anything let us take him at his word"
| Let ham that IS armed pass on before.
There are divisions in the orderly march.
and there are divine capacities and equip
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 place OF special privilege as well
as OF peril. Yet are they but, as il were, the
picket or skirmish line of great army
coming after. They have simply passed on
before as, and we are the rearward."
| And the Ark Of the COrenant of the Lord
foltoloed them. Right after them and with
them, or they would not have gone forward.
1t was the Ark of the Covenant that gave
significance and effect to that itineracy
about Jericho's walls. 1t is always TO be
borne in mind. Only as the church carries
the Book with il does il prove itself power
against walls. That mysterious ark in the
midst OF the people authenticated their faith
| and disarmed ridicule. Without il they
would have been ridiculous IA is the Scrip
tureless. spirtless church to day: with it
mighty TO the pulling down of strongholds.
Going about 10 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 citys walls. The
strength of the Ohio crusade OF the seven
ties was in a like silent marching throhg.
speechless save when they knelt and lifted
| tho trumpet-note of prayer Then back
into the camp" TO wait Gods answering
voice.
SO hey did SIR days. That was for Israel
sake most of all. IL was the 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 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 kind
Of dress parade. and tho novelty
of it would lend something of exhilara-
ton. but to do the same thing the next day
and tho next and the next-O. thank God.
for the grace that could do it then and tho
grace that could do it nowl We march one
day. two days. and stay. They went right
on till the work was accomplished. Whose
answer was it2 why do you have them go
over IL three hundred times?" Because
two hundred and ninety nine times was not
enough" Ii is never enough till faith has
had its perfect work.
Shout for The Lord hath oiuen you the
| citg. II is theme for shouting. III you
have such spirit friend. you may lift up
your voice Withhold il otherwise. You see
they did not shout that the Lord might oiue
them the city. They shouted in anticipa-
ton and. indeed. In assurance of victory.
For the Lord hath given you the victory.
| After ALL is any other sort Of shouting worth
the breath that gives it vent2