Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-05-31

waters rush down, ana some Oi tno un-
believing Israelites say: ''Alss, alas,
what misfortunel Why could not those
waters have staid parted? Because per-
haps we may want TO 60 back. o Lord,
we are engaged in a risky business.
Those Canaanites may eat us up. How
if we want to go back? Would it not
have been a more complete miracle If
the Lord had parted the waters to let us
come through and kept them parted to
let US go back if we are defeated?' My
friends, God makes no provision for
Christian s retreat. He clears the path
all the way to Canaan. To go back is
to die. The same gatekeepers that swing
back the amethystine and crystalline
gate Of the Jordan TO let Israel pass
through now swing shut the amethystine
and crystalline gate Of the Jordan to
keep the Israelites from going back.
declare it in your hearing today, victory
ahead, water 40 feet deep in the rear.
Triumph ahead, Canaan ahead; behind
you death and darkness and woe and
hell But you say, why didn't those
Canaanites, when they had such a
splendid chance-standing on the top Of
the bank 30 or 40 feet high-completely
demolish those poor Israelites down in
the riveri" will tell you why. God
had made promise, and he was going
to keep it. "There shall not any man
be able to stand before thee all the days
Of thy life. "
The March.
But this is no place for the host to
stop. Joshua gives the command, For
ward, marchp' In the distance there is
a long grove of trees, and at the end Of
the grove is a city. 1t is city Of ar
bors. a city with walls seeming to reach
to the heavens, to buttreSs the very sky.
1t is the great metropolis that commands
the mountain pass 1t is Jericho. That
city was afterward captured by Pom
pey, and it was afterward captured by
Herod the Great, and it was afterward
capture by the Mohammdans, but this
campaign the Lord plans. There shall
be no swords, no shields, no battering
ram. There shall be only one weapon OF
war, and that rams horn. The horn OF
the slain ram was sometimes taken and
holes were punctured in it, and then
the musician would put the instrument
to his lips, and he would run his fingers
over this rude musical instrument, 'and
make a great deal of sweet harmony fOr
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 ev'
cry day for six days-once day for si1
days, and then on the seventh day they
were 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 seventh day
the peroration Of the whole scene was Il
be a shout, at which those great walls
should tumble from capstone TO base.
The seven priests with the rude music
al instruments pass all around the city
walls on the first day, and failure.
Not so much as a piece Of plaster broke
loose from the wall, not so much as
loosened rock, not so much as a piece Of
mortar lost from its place There, say
the unbelieving Israelites. Didn't Itel
you so? Why, those ministers are fools
The idea Of going around the city will
those musical instruments and expecting
in that way to destroy it Joshua hai
been spoiled. He thinks because he hal
overthrown and destroyed the spring
freshet he can overthrow the stone wall
Why, it is not philosophic. Don't yor
see there is no relation between the blow
ing Of these musical instruments and th'
knocking down of the wall? 1t ism
philosophy. "
And l suppose there were many wise
acres who stood with their brows knit
ted, and with the forefnger Of the righ
hand to the forefnger Of the left hand
arguing it all out and showing 1t wa
not possible that such a cause should
produce such an effect. And l suppos'
that night in the encampment there
was plenty Of philosophy and caricature
and if Joshua had been nominated 10
any high military position he would no
have got many votes. Joshua's stocl
was down. The second day, the priests
blowing the musical instruments, g
around the city, and failure. Thir'
day, and a failure; fourth day, and
failure; fifth day, and a failure; sixtl
dav. and a failure. The seventh da
comes, the climacteric day. Joshua
, up early in the morning and examine
the troops, walks all around about, look
at the city wall The priests start
make the circuit Of the city. They 3
, all around once, all around twice, thre
times. four times, five times, six times
seven times, and failure.
The Shout at the Fall.
There is only one more thing to &c
, and that is to utter a great shout. l Sc
! the Israelitish army strengthening them
selves up, filling their lungs for vocii
Grafton such as was never heard befor
and never heard after. Joshua feels tha
, the hour has come, and he cries out
, his host, "Shout for the Lord hath giN
: en- you the cityr' All the people begi
to cry: Down, Jericho Down, Jeri
, chop And the long line of solid ms
) sonry begins to culver and to move an
, to rock. Stand from under She falls
, Crash go the walls, the temples, th
, towers, the palaces The air Is blacl
. sned with the dust. The huzza of tn
: victorious Israelites and the groan
, the conquered Canaanites comminglt
and Joshua, standing there in the debrl
, If the wall, hears voice saying
, "There shall not any man be able
, stand before thee all the days Of tn
life. "
But Joshua's troops may not halt here
. The command is, Forward, march ]
There is the city OF Al. 1t must be tai
, en- How shall it be takeng A scoutin
, party comes back and says: Joshua, v
= can do that without you. 1t is going
, be very easy job. You Just stay hei
r while we go and capture II. " The
march with small regiment in front
i that city. The men Of All look st the