The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-01-01

" was NVrWaru capturcu ny tlc MO-
hammedans; but this campaign the
Lord plans, There shall be no swords,
no shields, no battoring ram. There
shall be only ono weapon of war, and
that rams horn Tho horn Of the
slain ram was sometimes taken and
holes were puncturcd in it, and then
the musician would put the instrument
% his lips, and he woull run his fingers
over this rude musical instrument and
make n great deal of sweet harmony
Tor 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 We're to go around blowing these
rude musical instruments seven times,
and then at the close of the seventh
blowing of the rams horns on the sew
enth day the peroration of the whole
scene was to be 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
cal instruments pass all around the city
walls on the first day, and failure.
! Not SO much as piece of plaster broke
loose from the wall; not so much as a
loosened rock, not SO much as piece
of mortar lost from its place. "There,"
say the unbelieving Israelites, didn't l
tell you SO? Why, those ministers are
fools. The idea of going around the
city with those musical instruments
and expecting in that way TO destroy it.
Joshua has been spoiled; he thinks be-
cause he has overthrown and destroyed
the spring freshet he can overthrow the
stone wall. Why, it is not philosophic.
Don't you see there is no relation be-
tween the blowing of these musical in
struments and the knocking down of
the WALTZ 1t isn't philosophy. And l
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 it all out and showing it was
not possible that such cause could
produce such an effect And sup
pose that night In the encampment
there was plenty of philosophy and
caricature, and if Joshua had been
nominated for any high military posi-
ton he would not have got many
votes. ....
Joshua's stock was down. The sec
ond day the priests blowing the must
cal instruments go around the city,
and a failure. Third day, and fail
ure; fourth day, and failure; fifth
day, and a failure; sixth day, and a
failure. The seventh day comes, the
clhnacteric 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 of the city. They go all
around once. all around twice, three
times, four times, five times, six times,
seven times, and a failure.
SHOUT, FOR THE LORD HATH GIVEN
YOU THE CITY!
There is only one more thing to do,
and that is to utter great shout. l see
the Israelitish army Strengthening them,
selves up, filling their lungs for vo-
ciferation such as was never heard be-
fore and never heard after Joshua
feels that the hour has come, and he
cries out to his host "Shout. for the
Lord hath given you the city, All the
people begin to Cry, Down, Jericho,
down, Jericho!" and the long line OF
solid masonry begins to culver and to
move and to rock. Stand from under!
She fallsi Crash! go the walls, the
temples, the towers, the palaces; the
air blackened with the dust The
huzza of the victorious Israelites and
the groan of the conquered Canaanites
, commingle, and Joshua, standing there
in the debris of the wall, hears voice
saying, There shall not any man be
able to stand before thee all the days
OF thy life"
| Only one house spared. Who lives
there7 Some great king2 No. Some
woman distinguished for her great
kindly deeds? No. She had beer
conspicuous for her crimes. 1t is the
house of Rahab. Why was her house
spared2 Because she had been grea,
sinner? No, bat because she repented
demonstrating to all the ages that there
is mercy for the chief of sinners. The
red cord of divine injunction reaching
from her window to the ground, Sc
that when the people SAW that red core
they knew it was the divine indication
they should not disturb the prem
ises, making us think of the divine
, cord of Ii Sa,iouI's deliverance, the
red cord of Saviour's kindness, the
red cord of Saviours mercy, the REQ
: cord of our rescue. Mercy for the
chief of sinners. Put your trust in thai
God and no damage shall befall you
When our world shall be more terribly
surrounded than was Jericho, even by
the trumpets of the judgment day, anc
the hills and the mountains, the. meta
bones and the ribs of nature, shall
break, they who have had Rahab'
, faith shall have Rahab's deliverance.
When wrapt in fire the realms of ether glow,
, And heavens last thunder shakes the earth be
, low:
Thou undismayed shalt 'er the ruins SMILE
And light thy torch at natures funeral pile
) But Joshua's troops may not hal
here. The command is FORWARD
: march," There is the city of All;
must be taken How shall it be taken
: A scouting party comes back and says
Joshua, we can do tiiAt without you
it is going to be very easy job; yo'
just stay here while we go and captur
it." They march with a small reg
ment in front of that city. The mel
of All look at them and give one yell
! and the Israelites run like reindeer
The northern troops mt Bull Run did nc
make such rapid time as these Israelite
| with the Canaanites after them. The