The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-12-25
An Unknown Grave.

He was great man-one of the 9reatt]
est of men-who led the people of Israel
through the wilderness. No monument
marks his grave. No one knows where
Le was buried. A veil of mystery is drawI3
bver the last scenes of his life. he hadi
come to full old age, yet death was MOI
.ue to the number Of his years. He had
carried heavy. burdens Of care and don9
service enough to wear out man,H
weakness. His eyes were still clear, hiI
ttep firm, his strength full. God called
him to lay down his life on lonely mount
ain, and laid his body to rest IN quiet
valley where no human voice broke tha1
stiffness and no human foot trod. "And
no man knoweth ct his sepulchre untd
Ibis day." 1
There is something very touching about
the close of his life. He had been called4
to life of hardship. Seldom, i evT, haS
harder task been given to any man. II
and in the desert. he took his life in hi3
hand when he went into the presence oh
the proud king and demanded the. freeiI
dom of his people. Never did nurse bear
more patiently with a sick child than hs}
bore with tn follies and murmurings andt
sire cf the people. For forty years he ledI
them and sought to train them Only once
or twice did his patience fail him. It was !
q bitter disappointment to him when, afl
ter all his effort and sacrifice, tht. people,
we're turned beck from the very bordersj
of the land to die in the wilderness. IA
sense of great loneliness must have com8I
upon him, as The people sickened and diedi
or we're swept away in Judgment. He waS
still lonelier when the leader who hsdI
stood so long by his side was taken awayt
A greater sorrow came when he foundj
that he too, would never tread the prom
ised land. d II:
In an unguarded moment he had shown
a spirit which was displeasing to God.
The people, complaining as usual: had
cried for water. He was told to take his
stead of simply obeying he became angrN
and in spirit of passion sno:e the rock
twice. Such a spirit was not allowed t0l
go without mark of the Lord't displeast
ure. He must pay the penalty Of it, that
the people might see that God wac not
partial. Because of it he is not allowed t8I
crown his life-work by leading the people1
into the land of promise. He NAV bring
them to the borders of it, but then he !
must give the leadership to another.
Without q word of complaint he sub
mits. He turns over his Office to anotherl
He goes about his duties as faithfully asf
cfSls llC HiNSS iuSIA uCGlOuo 90 W. tlS WSSyr
in which the land is to be divided. he
gathers the people about him as father
would his children, or chief his faithful
followers. He repeats in their hearing the |
law of their God. and charges them to-
keep it. In words of great beauty and
tenderness he tells the story of Gods good.
ness, and gives to each tribe among themI
his parting blessing. Tho1 60; the word
of the Lord he takes leave Of them and
goes up to mountain top rom which,
fer little while, he feasts his eyes upoal
the land which his feet shall never tread.
Then in the spirit of q hero he gives upy
- work as gracefully as he had done ii
faithfully and lies down to Gle: The jew,
sh rabbis speak CT him as dying "by 'theI
kiss of the Lord" Not in anger of the
Lord did the end come, but with grace
and tenderness, as when a father takes
his boy upon his knee and kisses himf Be-
died grand Old man, full Of faith,f and
was laid to rest in rameless, unknowny
zrave, watched over by angels and in tha
safe EeePing CT his God.-E. E. Chivers.