Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-22
LESSON OF FAlTG IN THE HISTORY OF
JOSHUA,
Who Commanded Israsrs Hosts Against the Ca
n2anitss-Ths Passage Of the Jordan and
The assault and Pail Of the City
Of Jsricho-Rnal Triumph.
sp.e.el 7.lsaran 70 Ae Rsotster.

tine by the waters OF MerOin. AllcI
long march we have found our tents
pitched, our fires kindled, and though
far away from civilization, variety OF
food that would not compromise first
class American hotel, for the most OF
our caravan starts an hour aud
half earlier in the morning
We detain oaly two mules carry
ing so much of our baggage as
we might accidentally need. and tent
for the MONDAY luncheon. The maiar-
las around this Lake Merom are so poiS-
onous that at any other season OF the
wear encampment here is perilouS, but
this winter night the air is tonic and
healthful. In this neighborhood Joshua
fought his last great battle. The ma
tiOnS had banded themselves together
10 crush this Joshua, but along the
banks of these waters Joshua lett their
carcaSseS. Indeed il is time that we
have in these diScourSeS caught only
momentary glimpse, although he crossed
and recrOSSed Palestine, and next to
Jesus is the most stirring and mighty
character whose foot ever touched the
Holy Land.
Moses was dead A beautiful tradi-
tion says the Lord kissed him, and in
that act drew forth the soul OF the dy-
ing lawgiyer He had been buried,
only one Person at the funeral, the
same One who kissed him. But God
never takes man away from any place
OF usefulness but he has some one ready.
The Lord does not go looking around
amid great variety of candidates TO
find some one especially fitted for the
vacated position. He makes man for
that place. Moses has passed OF the
stage, and Joshua, the hero, puts his
/ foot on the platform OF history so solid
| ly that all the ages echo with the tread
| lie was a magnificent fighter, out
| he always fought on the right side, ana
| he never fought unless God told him TO
fight. He got his military equipment
| from God, who gave him the promise at
the start: There shall not any man
be able TO stand before thee all the days
of ,hv life" God fulfilled this promise,
although JOShua'S first battle was with
the Sbring freShet; and the next with Il
stone wall: and the next, leading on Il
regiment Of whipped towards; and the
next battle, against darkness, wheeling
the sun and moon into his battalion, and
the last, against the King Of TcrrorS,
Death-ive great victories.
CROSSING rHC JORDAN.
For the most part. when the general
OF an army starts out in conflict he
would like To have small conflict in
order that he may get his courage up,
and he may rally his troops and get
them drilled for greater conflicts; but
this first undertaking Of Joshua was
greater than the dwelling of Fort PU-
laski. or the laundering down of Gibral-
tar. or the overflow of the BaStille. 1t
was the crossing OF the Jordan at the
time Of the spring freShet. The SHOWS
tof Mount Lebanon had just been melt
ing and they poured down into the val
lev. and the whole valley was raging
torrent. So the CanaaniteS stand on
, one bank and they look across and see
Joshua and the IsraeliteS, and they
laugh and say: Aha, aha, they cannot
disturb uS in timc-until the freShetS
fall; il is impossible for them TO reach
US" But after while they look across
the water and they see movement in
the army of Joshua. They say, whats
the matter now? Why, there must be a
panic among these troops, and they are
going To fly. or perhaps they are going
TO try To march across the river Jordan.
Joshua is a lunatic." But Joshua, the
chieftain, looks at his army and cries:
Forward, march," and they start for
the bank of the Jordan.
One mile ahead 90 two priests carry
I l., nd
two feet wide. 1t is the ark OF the Gov
enant. And they come down, and nc
sooner do they just touch the rim OF the
water with their feet, than by an al
mighty fiat, Jordan parts. The army
of Joshua marches right on without
getting their feet wet, over the bottom
lof the river, path of chalk and broken
shells and pebble, until they get to the
lother bank. Then they lay hold of the
oleanderS, and tamarSkS and willows and
pull themselves up bank thirty or
forty feet high, and having gained the
other bank. they clap their shields and
their cymbalS, and sing the praises OF
the God of Joshua. But no sooner have
they reached the bank than the waters
begin TO dash and roar, and with ter
rife rush they break loose from their
strange achorage. Ont yonder they have
stopped, thirty miles of distance
they halted. On this side the
waters roll off toward the salt sea.
But as the hand OF the Lord God
is taken away from the thus uplifted
waterS-waterS perhaps upllfted half 4
mile-as the almighty hand is taken
away, those waters rush down, and
some Of the unbelleying Israelites say:
''AlaS, alas, what misfortune! Why
could not those waters have stayed
parted? Because, perhaps we may
want to 20 back. O Lord, we are en-
gagged IN Il risky business. Those Can
aanites may eat US up. How If we
want to 20 back? Would it not have
been more complete miracle if the
Lord had parted the waters to let us
through, and kept them parted to let
rs 90 back if we are defeated?" My
friends, God makes no provision Tor 4
Christians retreat, lie clears the path
all the way to Canaan. To go back is
10 die. The same gatekeeperS that
swing back the amethyStine and cry
Stalline gate Of the Jordon to let Israel
pass through now swing shut the anne
thyStine and crystalline gate.
BEFORE JERICHO.
But this is no place for the host to
stop. Joshua gives the command, For
ward, march,. In the distance there is
a long grove of trees, and at the end OF
the grove is city. II is a city of ar
bors, a city with walls seeming TO reach
to the heaven, to buttresS the very sky.
Ii is the great metropolis that commands
the mountain pass. 1t is Jericho. That
city was afterward captured by Pompey,
and il was afterward captured by Herod
the Great, and it was afterward captur-
ed by the Mohammedans; but this cam
paign the Lord plans. There shall be
no swords, no shields, no battering ram.
There shall be only one weapon OF war,
and that a rams horn. The horn OF the
slain ram was sometimes taken and
holes were punctured in 1t, and
then the musician would put the instru-
ment 10 his lips, and he would run his
fingers over this rude musical inslru-
ment. and make a great deal OF sweet
harmony for the people. That was tue
only kind of weapon. Seven priests
were 10 take these rude rustic musical
Instruments, and they were to go around
the city every day for six days-oncc
day for six days; and then on the sew
enth day they were to go around Olow-
ing these rude musical instruments
n la