The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-12-24

they had such splendid dchanco-stand.
ing on the top OF the bank or forty feet
high, completely demolish those poor
Israelitos down in the river?' will
tell you why. God had made promise
and He was going to keep 1t There
shall not any man be able to stand be-
fore thee all the days of thy life."
But this is no place for the host to
stop. Joshua gives the command, "For-
ward, march," In the distance there Is
long grove of trees, and at the end OF
the grove is city. 1t is a city of arbors,
city with walls seeming to reach to
the heaven, to buttress the very sky 1t
is the great metropolis that commands
the mountain pass. 1t is Jericho. That
city was afterward captured by Pompey,
and it was afterward captured by Herod
the Great, and 1t was afterward captured
by tho 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 q rams horn. The
horn OF the slain ram was sometimes
taken and holes were punctured In
It. and then the musician wonld
put the instrument to his lips, and he
would run his fingers over this rude mu-
sical instrument, and make great deal
OF sweet harmony for the people That
was the only kind of weapon. Seven
priests were TO take these rude rustic
musical instruments, and they we're to
20 around the city every day for six
days-once day for six days, and then
on the seventh day they were to go
around blowing these rude musical In
struments seven times, and then at the
close OF the seventh blowing of the
rams horns on the seventh day, the
peroration OF the whole scene was to be
shout at which those great walls
should tumble from capstone to base.
The seven priests with the rude musi-
cal instruments passed all around the
city walls on the first day, and failure.
Not so much as piece of plaster broke
loose from the wall l-not SO much as a
loosened rock, not so much as piece Of
mortar lost rom its place. There" ="
say. the unbelieving Israelites, didn't
tell you SOP Why, those ministers are
fools The idea OF going around the
city with those musical instruments
and expecting In that way to destroy 1t!
Joshua has been spoiled; he thinks be-
cause he uas overthrown and destroyed
the spring freshet, he can ovcr-
throw the stone wall Why II
Is not philosophic. Don't you see
there is no relation between tho blowr
ing OF these musical instruments and
tho knocking down Of the wall? 1t isn't
philosophy" And suppose there were
many wiseacres who stood with their
brows knitted, and with the forefnger Of
the right hand to the forefnger Of the
left hand, arguing 1t all out, and show
ing 1t was not possible that such cause
could produce such an effect. And sup.
pose that that night in the encampment
there was plenty OF philosophy and carl
cature. and II Joshua had been nomi'
mated for any high military position, he
would not have got many votes.
Joshua's stock was down. The second
day, the priests blowing the musical
instruments go around the city, and a
failure. Third day, and failurei
fourth day, and failure; fifth day, and
failure; sixth day, and failure.
The seventh day comes, the climacteriC
day. Joshua is up early in the morning
and examines the troops, walks all
around about, looks at the city wall.
The priests start to make the circuit oi
the city. They go all around once, all
around twice, three times, four times
dvo times, six times, seven times and {
failure.
There is only one moro thing to do
and that is to utter great shout ses
the Israelitish army Strengthening them
selves up, filling their lungs for vocif
,ration such as was never heard before
and never heard after. Joshua feelI
that the hour has come, and he cries ou
20 his host: Shout; for the Lord batl
yiven you the cityp All the people be
rim TO cry: Down, Jericho, down, Jeri
,hor and the long line of solid masonry
Begins TO quiver and to meve and u
'ock. Stand from underl She falls
Crashl 90 the walls, the temples, the
towers, the palaces; the air blackeneC
with the dust The huzza Of the victori
,us Israelites and the groans Of the con
luered Canaanites commingle, ant
Joshua, standing there in the debris o.
the wall, hears voice saying: ''Ther,
4 ,han ha In Nn al ha
ore thee all the days OF thy life."
Only one house spared. Who live,
;here? Some great king? No. Som'
woman distinguished for her kindly
ieedsp No. She had been conspicuous
Tor her crimes 1t is the house Of Rahab
Why was her house spared2 Becaus'
the had been a great sinner? No. bu
because she repented. demonstrating Il
Ill the ages that there is mercy for tn,
,hief OF sinners The red cord of divin,
injunction reaching from her window Il
the ground, so that when the people saw
that red cord they knew 1t was the dl
vine indication they should not disturb
the premises; making US think OF tn,
divine cord OF Saviour's deliverance
the red cord Of Saviour's kind
ness, the red cord OF Saviour's mercy
the rod cord OF our rescue. Mercy fo
the chief OF sinners. Put your trust II
that God, and no damage shall befal
you. When our world shall be NOR,
terribly surrounded than was Jericho
even by the trumpets Of the judgmen
day, and the hills and mountains, th,
metal bones and ribs OF nature, shall
break, they who have Rahab's faith
shall have Rahab's deliverance.
When wrapt n fro the realms Of ether gio".
And Heavens last thunder shakes tho earth be
low;
Thou undismayed shall o'or tho ruins smile,