The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-07-27

they shall possess the land which Abra-
ham consecrateo when he raised in it
the altar to the One God.
TEACHING POINTS.
INTRoDUcl IoN.-The long stay of thirty-eight
years was made at Kadesb Barnea. "rhe Holy
Place of the Desert Wandering" because the
people took undue counsel of their fears. They
were too prudent" Moses, on the contrary
having staked his life on the success of the jour-
ney to Canaan and the conquest thereof, pre-
ferred to waste no time on representations
which could not change his action.-Years ago
Christian minister confessed to us that If he had
foreknown the difficulties of the Christian min
istry he should not In his youth have had cour-
age to choose the ministry as his life-professioD;
yet by not ante, 2ating the possible evils Of the
morrow, he made his life grand success-To
bring tomorrows hardships and dangers into to-
day is to spoil today and then not be prepared
for tomorrow when 1t comes.
~. v. 1920 The Commission given to the
Twelve Spies. If the Hebrews had promptly
obeyed Moses command (Deut. 1:21): Behold,
the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee;
go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of
thy fathers. hath spoken unto thee. fear not,
neither be thou dsmayed,-in two years from
the time of leaving Egypt they would have
been in possession of the Promised Land. The
Israelltes then began the habit of hesitating.-
The ten spies whose names are now forgotten
were fair representatives of the over prudent
Israelites. The two, Joshua and Caleb. who ad-
vised the heroic choice, we're ideal men of faith.
Moses, after consenting to the appointment
of the spies proposed to make their report prac-
teal; therefore advised in what particular, in
regard to the land and the people. he would have
authenticated information
(2.) V. 21-27. The Return of the Spies. The
spies, according to Moses instruction, entered
the Promised Land in the South and pursued
their way to the mountains of Lebanon at the
north. On coming backward it being the time
of the first harvest. they gathered fruits of the
South, near Hebron, to bear with them to the
waiting people. When their forty days of pio-
neer work had been completed, they came to the
people in the wilderness bearing their trophies
with them. The one cluster of grapes carried
by two men, the pomegranates and the figs,
were intended to raise the expectation of the
people. The ten spies raised the enthusiastic
anticipation of the people for the purpose of
dashing them with disappointment. thereby
creating resistance to the onward march.
(3) v. 2S33 The conflict of the Majority
and Minority Reports. The ten conservatives
and re-actionists told the facts concerning the
power of the Inhabitants of the Promised Land
to resist invasions. When the two Apostles Of
progress afterward reported. they did not call
In question the facts. But where the ten spies
failed was in not making due account of the
additional fact that the Israelites were In a rea
sense a Chosen People. and could count upon
Jehovah as their Ally. Because Caleb and
Joshua shared Thu faith with Moses, they were
Divine leaders. 1t is easy to see now that Il
the co1nsels of the two brave spies had beer
followed the sudden appearance of the host il
Canaan would have paralyzed the mutually hos
tile inhabitants and given to the invaders an easy
victory.--A potent fact, yet one which only
frst-class military men ever act upon, is thai
time taken for preparation by one army is useG
for preparation by the other army This fac
was made strikingly serviceable to Bonaparte
Yet delay may, under some circumstances
be advantageous; as, for example. the delay Of
the Children of Israel forty years In the wilder
ness After one has chosen his course it IL
weakness to deliberate upon the difficulties
They are to be, from the first, in general way
anticipated; they are to be, when met, bravely
overcome. Gen. Grant said of Gen. Sheridan
that his apparent foolhardiness in his desperate
charges was the result of the most panstakint
orethought--Divine help is factor which
cannot be over-estimated in every moral con
hict.