The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-14
THE CITIES OF REFUGE.
GODS PROVISION FOR FUGTTITEs
PURsUED BY DEATH.
The international Sunday School Lesson
for Tomorrow as ExPounded by
Rev. Edward l.. Peli.

| Following is the international sunday
school lesion for tomorrow as .N-
pounded by Rev. Or. Edward l.. Pell:
one OF the first rays Of truth which
came from heaven to light u, the mind
Of nan was a revelation OF the sacred
ness OF human life. Almost from the
very beginning men were taught that
their lives were not their own, but
Gods; that they were put here To stay
until they were hidden To 80; that no
man had right 10 dismiss his own life,
or TO send another unDidden into the
rresence OF God 10 STAY human being
was declared an outrage ON the image
| of God found in man, and 10 prevent
this outrage the most powerful OF all
! safeguards WAS placed about every life;
| Whose sheddeth mans blood, by man
shall his blood be sned, FOR In the image
! Of God made be man
one OF the FIRST glimpses We have OF
tho world in It's early dawn reveals
the existence OF q universal law winch
requires that when a man was slam
his nearest Of kin should act as Gods
representative TO ayenge his blood. How
or al what time this law came into
existence NO man can tell; IT prevails
I'm the East to-day, and. so far as history
goes. il has always prevailed there. No
| other law. except. perhaps, the law OF
hospitality, has 50 deep a hold on the orr
entail mind. The man who would refuse
10 avonge his kinsman's blood would be
ranked with the murderer himself
Useful as this crude law may have
been in a crude age it was easily abused
| and many great evils grew out Of IT,.
II gave opportunities for personal re-
venge and led 20 feuds which seem 10
I a .f.nf |..Hf
were so tightly entwined around the
/ hearts OF men that it could not Dee safe
Is pulled up with 4 single jerk. And
| when God settled Israel IN Canaan. he
( was content TO let the law remain for
| "A time while he placed hedge about
| il and brought il within such limitations
! as would free it from the awful abuses
| which had long attended H. Ia provid-
ing these limitations DE took advantage
! OF a law which WAS fully as old as the
law Of blood revenge and which, per-
haps. had even Deeper hold on the
! oriental mind.
Among the people of the East life
has always been regarded as a pilgrim
age Man is a pilgrim from this world
| 10 the next and he is a guest of God
hv the way. When. therefore. "a stranger
] approaches the home of AN oriental,
he is welcomed as a brother pilgrim
and entertained as one OF Gods guests.
| Acting i'm the place OF God, the host
naturally feels that II IS incumbent upon
him To give his guest the same protection
which God would give him, and he does
protect him with his life Anywhere in
| the east whoever enters your tent can
| claim your protection Tor a snort time
| as q guest OF God
Ia order to rid the law Of blood re-
vonge OF the abuses which had grown
up around h.. 80 was necessary 10 pro-
| vide a convenient asylum for the man
SLAYER. where he could be safe from
the aveuger of blood until Dee could he
tried lt was for this purpose that Cod
ordered Joshua to appoint cities or refuge
| "that the slayer tnat killelh any person
! inaNares and unwittineiy may flee thitf
! or. and they shall Doe your refuge from
the avenger Of blood" These cities weis
sct apart as the tents or hCmes of Got
INTO which a man might run and claim.
protection as the guest of God from
! lis reursscntaUFcs-t Tie LeN-trs-Who
dwelt there. These cities were 10 uc
scattered over the whole land. so that
! the slayer in the remotest tribe woun
not have too FAR 20 run. In after years
fhis command was INTERPRETED 90 mean
that everything possible should Doe done
90 facilitate thu journey Of the SLAYER:
roads were built to each city from every
/ direction. sien-boarQs were kept in re-
pair. and two students of the law were
/ APPOINTED 10 go along with every fusi-
t-Ec.
Note that a city Of refuge was not
/ Intended as an asylum Tor murderer
except for few days unu arrange
mcuts could Doe made for bis trial. IF
he was ,ul,y. De Was NO longer pro-
/ tactei. nor was ne allowed 60 ransom
his life. II De killed "dny person un-
awarcs or uHwlttingly," he WIS Co
! have the privilege of asylum, hut the
asylum was "a place of exile also-the
/ law holding that haman lfe IS 500
precious that the man who takes 10 from
his ncighbor however mwituneiy should
suffer something for Fl. When tho high
] priest Gods representative died. the
slayer could return 10 h's own home and
the blood aveuger would nave no rght
10 touch him.
Christ IS called our city OF Refuge.
! bat 10 is only in greatly accommo-
dated sense thar we can thus speak of
him. \ city OF refuge WAS in some
degree n place of punishment Dwell
ing I'm Christ is I'm no sense punish
ment Tnr SLAYER could safely leave
the city after TIME. There is never
time when we can safely leave Christ.
| There Were frFffhi places oi refuge.
4 Christian has but one refuge. II the
slayer proved 90 De a murderer he could
not Doe kept IN tho city Christ SAYS,
Hin that cometh unto me l viii in no
wise cast out"
But the city OF refuge was Gods pro-
vision for fugitives pursued by death.
| SO H. Christ. The city Of refuge opened
| is arms to every fugitive. SO does
| Christ. Tie city OF refuge was within
easy reach So is Christ. Roads ran 10
20 from every direction. There Is not a
point on the circumference OF the uni-
verse from which a road does mo-. TAN
as straight as spoke 20 Christ. tive
centre The roads We're made plain
SO is the road 20 Christ. Two students
81 the law were ready 60 go along with
the fugitive Students OF the law arc
always ready 20 lead a soul 10 Christ.
EDWARD l.. rELL
| COMMENTS or THE BRTTISH PRESS.
! They in,Iine To- he View That Lord Dun
raven ia- l.ftn itafiiiN 1 -sg.