The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-30
RELIGIOUS NEWS

faint, hopeless.
| S1NN1NG.-1t is not strange that the
| people were discouraged in that terrible
march. They had no light of the after
| day to cheer them (Heb. xl:26), and the
past was one of dismal memory. But
alas, their misfortunes became the occas-
| ions for sin! They cried out against
| Moses as their fathers had done lex.
xvi:D. They even spoke against God,
| while recognizing themselves under His
| guidance. The substance of their com
| plant was that they had no bread, nell
ther water, and that the mama. sent
| from heaven. their only food, which they
| called light bread" had become loath-
some. This was indeed large bill of
| grievances. All that they might have
| done with some propriety. Man Is per-
| mitted to tell his sorrows to God DANES
v.D. But they went on beyond permiS-
| sible limits Wherefore have yet brought
| us up out of Egypt to die in the wilder
ness?" they inquired. Ungrateful words,
| If spoken to Moses. their best friend!
| Brasphemy If spoken to God! Supreme
| folly If Egyptian bondage is remembered!
(Ex. HE'D. Shall physical comfort meas
ure divine wisdom? tActs Aiv:.2) Are
no sacrifices to be accepted in the holy
| cause? Il Thes. iii:3).
PUNISHMENT That was a sad day in
| Israel. The old spirit of stubborn selfish
ness and rebelllous unbelief has been re-
vived. 1t reappears at time when patti
ence and fortitude and faith are demand
| ed. This second generation must be
| chastised as their fathers WERE Elsa. !,
5) Like disobedient children. they must
| be made submissive (Heb xii 6) If the
| Lords will Is to be done by them. II they
| are to become heirs of the promises and
progenitors of God-fearing people.
| Punishment had been inflicted upon the
| nation by various methods-by instant
death. by 1eprosy. by plague. by fire. In
| each instance there had been a close rela
| tion between the offense and the penalty.
| In the childhood state of the people 1t
| was necessary to make them know some
| thing of retributive justice. CEccl. viii.
| H. In this instance fiery serpents were
| sent among the people, so named, because
| of their color, or. possibly. because of
| their malignant virus. which produced a
| wound of fiery appearance. Gen. ILL
! Many were bitten and many died. Groan-
ing from pain and bereavement were
| heard throughout the camp.
PENITENCE.--The afflicted people were
| quick to learn the cause of the calamity
| that had befalen them. Before the days
| of science every unusual circumstance
was assigned to some supernatural intlu-
| ence (Acts, xviii. ~, and the sudden ap
pearance of misfortune awakened a sense
| of i'll desert. Perhaps for these reasons,
| or because of a direct impression made
by the spirit of God, the people came
| promptly forward to confess to Moses.
| They did not attempt TO cXtenuate the
matter. I'VE have sinncd," they cX
| claimed 1t is a notable day in the life
| of an individual humbly acknowledged.
What speedy change had been wrought
| in these people! How soon were their
| rebelious hearts converted! The SER
pents bite had power in it. Now the
voice of complaint changes to the voice
| of prayer. They do at last what they
ought to have done at first. pray unto
| the Lord" they cried. that He take
| away the serpcnts." They had learned
Moses worth. They believed in Gods
| mercy and power. The time of their ex-
tremity had come. They must have help
| or die. (Matt. viii, 25)
PRAYER.-"And Moses prayed for the
people, This is the most eloquent sem
| tence in the lesson. An old man, ap-
preaching the end Of his six score years
Dcut. xxxiv. y, double the age of the
| Oldest of Israel. Numb. XXXii, 11) Bur-
dened for years with the cares of great
| people, often unjustly condemned by
| those to whom he had given his life-thc
| leader dealt gently with the erring and
| became intercessor in their behalf. He
exhibited the same spirit which, through
| all the years. had distinguished him (FIx.
| xii, -. a man of meekness and faith.
| adapted to the exalted position to which
he had been called. Entering into the
| tabernacle by the appointed mode ZEN.
| XXX 2O). he poured out his hearts desires.
| The words of that prayer are not record
ed-they do not belong to after genera
| tions. 1t was a spectacle on which after
| ages might gaze with delight and even
with wonder. One man, alone with God.
pleading for dying men--a man who had
| access into the presence of the Infinite
| (EX. xxx. 1D. using his high prerogative
| for those in distress.
| PARDON.-God has two modes of ac-
complishing His purpose-mediate and i'm
| mediate. In the moral and religious
realm He usually adopts the former be-
cause of it's educational value. If an in
strument or institution is used, something
| may be seen or touched, and the required
| corporation imposes a condition and cul-
| tivates faith Gohn. ri, AZ Whereas, a
direct result, produced by fiat, with no
effort of man, might be taken as the out
| come of some natural process, and God
| might be unknown. And so after Moses
| had prayed. he was directed ito make a
fiery serpent of brass and put upon a
pole.' This was not a violation of the
second commandment QX. XIX, ~. for the
| figure was not set up for worship. 1t was
merely an object toward which the eye
of the suffering might be turned. Qsa.
xiv, 22) Whosoever looked upon it should
live. The serpents We're not removed
probably they infested the country
| through which Israel travelled: but the
| remedy was provided. After that the
people We're In constant peril. but were
| held to the one source of security. Mis-
fortunes had become blessing. Jesus
| used this incident to illustrate the saving
grace that Is In Him (John iii11-D.
CONCLUSION-The law of spiritual
progress Is the same In all ages and
| countries-among half civilized tribes
emerging from bondage and the most en-
| lightened people thirty centuries after.
| The body was against the soul. Rom.
vii, 23) Its imperious demands must be
subordinated to the senses of duty. q
| Cor, TX, 27) Present physical losses are
sometimes unavoidable in the struggles
| for the good beyond. (Phil., iii. 81 A
godly life Is a perpetual choice between
| Canaan and Egypt-between the aspira-
| tions of the spirit and the needs of the
| flesh, John. ". 3l-32) Sorrows. dsap-
| pointments and burdens will not be tax
EN- away-they lie all along the journey
| of this mortal life (Gen. iii, l7-S), but
| help will be given to bear them. uI Cor.
| xiii $50 If, in times of sorest difficulty,
man Is led away from God, there is par
don for his penitence. John. ill., 1G)
I'VE have sinned, pray for u.s." Is the
| confession and plea, the condition and
hope of victory and success.