The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-24
CROSSING THE JORDAN.
rNTERy4TfDyAL sUNDif SCHOOL
LESSON FOR TO-NJBROW.
As Expounded by Rev. Edward l.. feii-A
Very striking Object-Lesson
Deducted.


of Israel passed TO Joshua, the son of
Nun. II the world hau been searched
over. more worthy successor 10 the
great law-giyer could not have been
found than this noble warrior. whose
teart had not tainted at sight Of the
sons Of AnaK. and VINO. with Caleb had
risked his life to turn back an angry
mob from reDellng against the Lord.
Nevertheless, he was not the equal OF
Moses. whom the Lord knew face TO
face" and It was important that the
beginning of his rule should be- signal
lied by such manifestations OF Divine
favor as would lead the people 10 fear
and honor him as they had feared ana
honOred mis- predecessor. by great mir
acle God had delivered them out OF Egypt
and magnified Moses BY similar mir
acle he would usher them into Canaan
and magnify Joshua. When the Lord
chooses leader for his people. he man.
ages to let his people know il, somehow.
When God calls a man 10 preach the
mans neighbors are likely 20 hear the
call II we think We have received orders
20 do the Lords Work and can find no
man to agree with US, We would do well
to call al headquarters and verify our
impressions. God calls no man whom he
is not willing 10 honor IN the sight Of
the people, and the man who fails 10
command the respect of the people may
seriously question whether he has been
honored by the Lord.
But the great miracle which was about
TO be performed was designed TO benefit
the people as well as Joshua; and II it
was to do them good. IL was necessary
that they should prepare for A. Sane
tify yourselves thus ran the order which
was repeated from officer 10 officer
throughout the camp "sancufy your
selves. FOR tomorrow the Lord will do
wonders among you" IL was an order
which they readily understood, for they
had received IL before. The Lord was
about 20 come among them. they must
wash themselves and their clothing. and
put their tents In order and separate
themselves from all uncleanness, and
prepare their hearts and minds 10 well
come their Holy Guest. This Is the order
which. In every age, has heraldcd 10
the world the coming OF the wonder
working Lord. When holy man Is
about to visit us how anxious We are 10
nut out Of sight everything that would
| offend his pure eyes. How carefully the
decanters and the impure books are
hidden away. Even IL we thought there
was no evil in these things. We would
| hide them out Of respect for the feelings
of our guest And yet when God offers
10 come TO work wonders fr us, we do
not want to put away even a single
trihiug indulgence We want him 10
work for us, but we are not anxious for
him to work. with Us. We don't want
| him TO come 10 our house. We don't
| want him TO see our surroundings.
The melting SHOWS of Lebanon had
caused the river TO overflow it's banks,
and the main current WAS rushing to-
ward the sea like n mill race. The in
habitants i'm Canaan had no fear Of an
/ invasion so long as the fresnet continued,
/ and We're i'm no hurry TO get ready FOR
/ il. no army could cross that flood. The
children of Israel had settled themselves
/ I'm camp, resolved 20 content themselves
ithe best they could until the waters
/ should subside. But the set time for
crossing had come. ana if Jehovah would
not wait on tine water. the water would
! have 10 wait on Jehovah. Tile priests
who bore the ark were ordered TO d9-
] proach the river. They obeyed. They
/ needed failh down TO their feet to DO
/ that. The ark. the symbol of the pres
/ ence Of God, had always seemed 10 move
/ I'm the wrong direction and at the wrong
/ time. but never bad their faith been so
severity tried as now. The order was
/ us to-day that we should not obey an
order from Heaven that does violence
/ 10 our reasonJ why could they not
/ wait until the frcshet was ovcr2 or
why they were not permitted 20 enter
| Canaan from uhc South. where they
| would have no river 10 CROSSE or, IT it
were necessary to cross now, WIZ
could they not make RATS or boats
! and try 10 float the army acrossf hy
should tie ark De always leading the
/ people into danger? IL was so hard Tor
/ them to see that while God was leading
] them into a dangerous place b. was only
ehat he might lead them through H.
and that his way, which so often seems
/ the darkest Of all. is the best Of all. II
| the children OF Israel had tried TO enter
/ from the South. or If they had waited
until the freshct bad subsidized, they
would have found the combined armies
| Of Canaan 10 dispute their way. IT they
! had tried 10 cross on RATS, the whoie
army would have been swamped. Ihtie
was no way into the promised lana eA-
cept through danger. and III they had
| 10 20 through danger, 10 was better
! that they should follow the ark. when
/ had never yet failed 10 FIND path.
when "the feet OF the priests that
bore the ark were dipped IN the brim
] of the water. the waters stood and rose
nm npon an heap And those that
/ came down toward the sea Of the plain,
oven the salt sea, failed and We're cut
/ off Ii is not worth while to Try TO ac-
count for this miracle II matters not
whether a land slide near the city or
/ Adam was time 10 do the work or wheth-
/ or the waters stopped az the word OF the
/ Lord 4 miracle is as broad as If IS
/ long. il you can get the measure OF one
side Won know the measure of the other,
and when you have gotten its measure
/ II ceases 10 be a miracle IL is enough
] FOR us to know that when God moves
| forward and his people follow. a path is
opened. and that il Is as easy for God
/ 10 make a path through the water as
/ fl is through the land-just as il is as
easy for cyclone 10 make a path
/ Through a forest as through a corn
/ Held
When the path was made, the priests
/ that bare the ark were commanded 10
move forward 10 the middle of the stream,
and There remain until ali the people
had passed So long as the ark Of the
/ covenant was i'm the middle-sO long as
/ the Word of God and the symbol OF Gods
presence were there-sO long as God
/ himself was there. the waters could not
return. The people could see the ark,
and they would tay. There we have
/ Gods Word for IT,, and they could see
the priests standing IN the rlacs Of dan
| ger. and the faith Of the priests would
| strengthen their own. In all ages God
has required the leaders of his people
TO be leaders In deed as well as in word
It is the business Of the minister to