The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1890-12-26


some Of the unbelieving Israelites say
"Alas alas, what a misfortune! Why
could not those waters have staid
partedf Because, perhaps, we may
want to go back. O Lord, we are en-.
gagged In risky business Those
Canaanltes may eat US up. How If we
want to 60 backa Would 1t not have
been a more complete miracle II the
Lord had parted the waters to let US
come through, and kept them parted
to let lis 70 back II we are defeatedg y
My friends, God makes no provision
for a Christians retreat lie clears the
path all the way to Canaan. To go
back is to die. The same gatckeepers
that swing back the amethystine and
crystalline gate Of the Jordan to let
Israel pass through now swing shut the
alnothystinc and crystalline gate.
But this IA no place for the host to
stop. Joshua gives the command,
Forward. inarch!" In the distance
there is long grove of trees and at
the end OF the grove is q city. It is a
city of arbors, a city with walls SEEM
ing to reach to the heaven, to buttress
the very sky. 1t is the great metrop-
oils that commands the mountain pass.
1t is Jericho. That city was afterward
captured by Pompey, and it was after
ward captured by Herod the Great, and
1t was afterward captured by the Mo-
hammedans; but this campaign the
Lord plans. There shall be no swords,
no shields, no battering ram. There
shall be only one weapon Of war, and
that rams horn. The horn of the
slain ram was sometimes taken and
holes were punctured in it, and then
the musician would put the instrument
to his lips, and he would run his fingers
over this rude musical 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 were to go around the city
every day for six days-once a day for
six days and then on the seventh day
they were to 60 around blowing these
rude musical instruments seven times,
and then Mt the close of the seventh
blowing of the rams horns on the sew
enth day the peroration of the whole
scene was to be a shout at which those
great walls should tumble from cap
stone to base.
THE FIRST DAY A FAILURE.
The seven priests with the rude must
,al instruments pass all around the city
walls on the first day, and failure.
Not SO much as piece of plaster broke
Dose from the wall; not so much as a
oosened rock, not SO much as piece
# mortar lost from it's place. There"
ay the unbelieving Israelites, didn't l
ell you soG Why, those ministers are
ools. The idea Of going around the
,ity with those musical instruments |
md expecting in that way to destroy it.
Joshua has been spoiled; he thinks be-
,ause he has overthrow and destroyed |
he spring freshet he GAN overthrow the
tone wall. Why, it is not philosophic.
DON'T you see there is no relation be-
ween the blowing of these musical in
truments and the knocking down of
he wall9 1t isn't philosophy" And l
oppose there were many wiseacres
Who stood with their brows knitted,
nd with the forefinger of the right
land to the forefnger of the left hand,
rguing it all out and showing it was
lot possible that such cause could
'roduce such an effect. And sup
'ose that night in the encampment
here was plenty Of philosophy and
and if Joshua had been
dominated for any high military posi-
ion he would not have got many
otes.
Joshua's stock was down. The Sec
nd day the priests blowing the must
al instruments 60 around the city,
nd a failure. Third day, and fail
ire; fourth day, and failure; fifth
ay, and failure; sixth day, and
allure. The seventh day comes, the
day. Joshua is up early in
he morning and examines the troops,
,alks all around about, looks at the
ity wall. The priests start to make
he circuit Of the city. They go all
round once. all around twice, three
ines, four times, five times, six times,
even times, and a failure.
HoUT, FOR THE LORD HATH GIVEN
YOU THE CITY!
There is only one more thing to do,
nd that is to utter great shout. 1 see
he Israelitish army Strengthening them
elves up, filling their lungs for vo-
Iteration such as was never heard be-
ore and never heard after. Joshua
sells that the hour has come, and he
ries out to his host: .Shout. for the
ord hath given you the city, All the
eople begin to Cry, Down, Jericho,
own, Jericho!' and the long line of
Did masonry begins to culver and to
love and to rock. Stand from under I
he falls Crash! go the walls, the
snples, the towers, the palaces; the
ir blackened with the dust. The
,1zvo pf tho viofnvionc Tcro ol:foc oVA |