The Brookhaven leader., 1891-01-01

loosened rock, not so much as piece of
mortar lost from its place. "There,"
say the unbelieving Israelites, didn't I
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 aud destroyed
the spring freshet hos can overthrow
the stone wall. Why, it is not philo-
sophie. Don't you see there is no
relation between the blowing of these
musical instruments and the knocking
down of the wall? 1t isn't philosophy"
And | suppose there were many wise
acres who stood with their brows knit
ted, and with the forefinger of the right
hand to the forefinger of the left hand,
arguing il all out, and showing it was
not possible that such n cause could
produce such an effect. And | suppose
that night in the encampment there
was plenty of philosophy and carica-
ture, and if Joshua had been nominated
for any high military position he would
not have got many votes.
JOSnud Sltth was NloNHs 4 Ht SSC-
ond day the priests blowing the musical
instruments go around the city, and a
failure: third day, and a failure; fourth
day, and failure; fifth day. and fail
ure; sixth day, and a failure. The sew
cnth day comes, the climacteric day.
Joshua is up early in the morning and
examines the troops, walks all around
M ot hn off W
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.
There is only one more thing to do,
and that is to utter great shout. | see
the Israelitish army Strengthening them
selves up, filling their lungs for vocif-
Grafton such as was never heard before
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 be-
gin to cry, Down, Jericho. down, Jer-
icho" and the long line of solid ma
sonry begins to culver and to move and
to rock. Stand from under! She falls!
Crash go the walls. the temples, the
towers, the palaces: the air blackened
with the dust. The huzza of the victo-
rious lSraelitcs and the grOan of the con-
quered Canaanites commingle, and JOS
hua standing there in the debris of the
wall hears a voice saying: There shall
not any man be able to stand before
thee all the days of thy life.
But Joshua's troops may not halt
here. The command is: Forward,
march, There is the City of Al; it
must be taken. How shall it be taken?
A scouting party comes back and says:
Joshua. we can do that without you;
it is going to be very easy job; you
just stay here while we go and capture
it." They marched with small rcgi-
ment in front of that city. The men of
Al look at them and give one yell, and
the Israclites run like reindeer. The
Northern troops at Bull Run did not
make such rapid time as these
Israelites with the Canaanites after
them. They never cut such a sorry
figure as when they were on the retreat.
ANY body that goes out in the battles of
God with only half a force, instead of
your taking the men of Al, the men of
Al will take you. Look at the Church
of God on the retreat. The Bornesian
cannibals ate up MunsOn, the mission
airy. Fall back said great mauy
Christian people-''Fall back, . Church
of God. Borneo will never be taken.
Don't YOU see the Bornesian cannibals
airy ," Tyndall delivers his lecture at
the University of Glasgow, and a great
many people say: Fall back, O Church
of God. Dou't you see that Christian
philosophy is going to be overcome by
worldly philosophy? Fall back"
Geology plunges its crowbar into the
mountains, and there are great many
people who say: Scientific investiga-
ton is going to overthrow the Mosaic
account of the creation. Fall back
Friends of the church have never had
any right to fall back.
Joshua falls on his face in chagrin. 1t
is the only time you ever see the back
of his head. He falls on his face and
begins to whine, and he says: "Oh, Lord
God, wherefore hast Thou at all brought
this people over Jordan to deliver us
into the hand of the Amorites to destroy
us? Would to God we had been content
and dwelt on the other side of Jordan!
For the Canaanites and all the inhab-
itants of the land shall hear of it, and
shall environ us round and cut off our
name from the earth"
am very glad Joshua said that. Be
fore, it seemed as if he was super
natural being, and therefore could nos
be an example to us; but find he is b
man, he is only man. Just as some
times you find IL man under severe OPP
position, or in bad state of physical
health, or worn out with overwork
| lying down, and signing about every
thing being defeated. l am encouraged
when | hear this cry of Joshua as he
| lies in the dust.
God comes and rOuses him. How
does He rouse him? By complimentary
| apostrophe? No. He says: Get thee
up. Wherefore lest thou upon thy
| face?' Joshua rises, and | warrant
you with a mortified look. But his old
courage comes back. The fact was,
| that was not his battle. If he had been
| in it he would have gone on to victory.
He gathers his troops around him and
says: NOW, let us go up and capture
the City of Al; let us go up right
away"
They march on. He puts the ajority
of the troops behind ledge of rocks in
the night, and then he sends compare
lively small regiments up in front Of