The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-31
"THE FALL OF JERICHO"
INTEENiTTON1L sTNDdI sfHOoL
LESSON.
mr. rdw.rJI. P.lI'- observations on the
Historical Feat of the Children
of I-rcal.

Jericho rising NJ before them ana the
waters OF Jorian rushing on behind
them. IL could hardly be said that these
people had improved their situation by
coming TO Canaan. II looked as N they
had Jumped out Of the frylug-pan into
tho FIRE They Were not warilke people.
They did not know how TO storm cities.
They could build walls-nobody had built
better-but they had no engines with
which TO break them down. They could
not hope to starve the city out 10y a
siege. for the surrounding nations were
already combining TO wipe them out. X
Was ii time of extremity. Unless God him
self Should come 20 their help they were
utterly undone.
Doubtless Joshua came to this con-
cIusi0n as he walked around the walls
OF The city studying It's defcnces, and
engcavoung TO fix upon plan OF at
tack. lie must have prayed while he
planned. for as be went an angel met
him. The angel proved 20 De the cap
tain of the Lord host-tne Captain VINO
always comes 20 as at the moment when,
overwhelmed by a sense OF cur helpless
ness We throw ourselves upon God.
Joshua threw himself al his feet Having
10 plans Of his own, conscious that he
could do nothing, ne was ready 30 cry.
w hat saith my Lord 90 his servant.'
10 was tremendous relief to have Gle
Captain of the Lords no'-s come io
him in such an hour.
10 is only when man is FOLLY cor
sciOus of his own helplesshtss tnat he
is ready 90 carry out -ach directions
"a God gave 90 Joshua. For 20 seli-
c0mplacent mind the only striking dining
about the Captains plan was its absurd
ity. il was utterly opros'i to reason
and common sense. II was Wheiy con-
uafy % all rules OF fariare. DO was So
supremacy ridiculous That no man NOuiA
attempt % carry IL out who could not
swallow his pride end consent to Dee
laughed at. I}u- joshua opinion oi lim-
self was al zero. and his faith boo Col
was al blood neat. and lhc plan was no
sooner presented than Dee went 10 work
20 carry 3D. out.
The next morning the entire armed
force of Israel marched out OF camp
and started around the City. Following
We're seven priests with trGmpcts of rams
horns. Then came the ark of tle cotcn-
amt followed bog an unarmei multitude.
Silently the strange pro- .ion moved
around The walls. Not d sruli was Aedf 1
save the trumpeuns Of the priests pro-
claiming the presence of JtnoNaA. IDipl-
less There were many 900 the procession
each other. How perfectly absurd this
isr Doubtless there were people on the
walls Who Notwithstanding their uneas.-
ness. could not help laughing at the army
of idiots cnciroling the city. but doubt
less. too. there were multitude of ne-
levers. headed by Joshua. whose hearts
We're turned toward heaven and VINO,
all through that march, prayed as hard
as they had ever prayed in their lives.
The next day there was another proc
ccssi0u and the people who saw SO much
TO laulh al the day before began to
think mat DO was not SD absurd after
all Tine silence was oppressive. The
third day 10 was repeated and many au
Indifferent heart came under the influence
of the impressive scene. Six days the
people marched around the rty. Six days
they exercised their faith Boa Jehovah.
Six days they presented themselves before
the world confeseing ihemseiyes The iol-
lowers OF the true God. SIX days their
hearts were Lpturned toward heaven. Six
DAYS they impressed themselves upon The
world around them. filling the hearts Of
the enemy with terror. And then came
the seventh. The order for an early start
impressed the people that something WAS
about 20 happen. When the procession
had compasscd the city once. and started
around again. this impression was
strengthened. 10 is easy to imagine fnat
eve-y pious heart was uufurnel tO God.
AT last came the orlc-. Shout. for the
Lord nath given you the city, Noinins
had happened 10 show that the Lofl Vas
about 10 give them the city. lnt tne peo-
pie had faith. and they shouted. And as
their shout of praise Went up. ihe pow er
of God came down and the halls irene
hlel and fc'l with a crash to the earln.
Aad tVcry man Wtlt STRAIGHT before
him. and they took the city, lle awful
scene which followed has proved o. stlm-
livingstone 10 many pious heart VINO
can Justify the children Of lsrae in car
wing on "a cruel war of eNtt rminatiou
80 one. The children of lsrao did not
carry on VAR OF determination. 1t was
not their war. Time aua again they were
warned that The natue was not theirs.
but the Lords. IL was Gods matter, ami
they were simply his Instruments with
mo- responsibility except 10 obey HIM. The
question is not \tho cau Justify Israel
but Who can Justify God The inoabi-
t4lts OF Canaan We're corrupt beyond
cure Their cup of iuiqMty Was full
They were in Tine condition The world was
in when Noah was commanded 10 build
the ark God knew that there was Moth
ing 10 Doe done but 20 destroy them.
ro question his right to Use human ir-
strumcnts 20 bring about their destruction
is 70 question ms right % destroy the
world by "a food or SolOm and GomOrrah
bv fire. But 10 is well 10 remember that
in commenting upon the conduct OF God
We are Ike simple-mnled children site
.Irfs IN Judgment upon fhir fathers
whose ways are beyond their understands
ing "Shall hr that r0uffudrrh with the
Almighty instruct him. lie that reproy-
eth cod let him answer ii. Then job
answered the Lord. and said. Behold. 1
ann vile. what shall ! answer thee;
will lay mine hand upon my moutl."
In the presence OF stronghold OF
Satan lhr people Of God stand as help
less as tho children OF israel stood ie-
fore Jericho. There are some things
which We cannot overcome by our own
strength. but "a stronghold of Satan can
never Doe broken through by human
power There are sinful appetites and
tempers within as that have walls about
them so high and strong that only di-
zine power can break them down. 10 is
as foolish for us TO try 20 overcome these
things by our own strength a. IL would
have been for the children OF Israel Oh
Try 20 break down the walls OF jericho
by making battering rams ~ their own
heads. We are 10 do our part. We are
20 80 afHi'h TOT TIC "o"'f W arr x"
show our faith I'm God We are 10 praise
his name. we are 10 proclaim his presence.
but only God can break down The walls
The same is true with regard TO the
strongholds OF Satan which We are TO
overcome as a people. We are in the
habit Of saying that If the good ele-
ment In society would mite against the
bad element. We could wipe our the ter
rible evils which disgrace our cities.
But the fight against great evils is not
a night between good people and bad peo-