The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-16
Third Quarter, Lesson VII; August
II, 1902; Numbers K, Ills,
1886.
JourneYing Toward Canaan.

Gods school at the foot of Sinai was
out, after twelve months term. Three
million scholars started for a recess in
the wilderness. Little dreamed they that
1t would be forty years duration.
We have at this point a glimpse of the
domestic life and relationships of the
leader of this mighty caravan. Just af-
ter the defeat of Amalek, and before the
arrival at Sinai, Jethro, the priest of
indian, Moses father-in-law, had come
to the camp, bringing with him Zipporah,
Moses wife, and his two sons, Gershom
and Eliezer 1t may be. Hobab, Moses
brother-in-law, was of the party. If so,
he was in the camp almost a year
Fortunate visit that for Hobab! What
privileges! He ate of the mama, drank
of the water from the stricken rock in
Horeb. heard the Voice, saw the won
ders of Sinai. learned the Decalogue, grew
familiar with the speaking symbolism of
the tabernacle But circumstances now
required a decision at his hands. He
must needs cease being guest and become
a fellow-citizen in this emigrant nation.
or quit them altogether for his own land
and kindred.
The tabernacle had been taken down,
and packed in the smallest possible COM
pass. The porters stood waiting the or
ders to lift. The clans were forming in
their appointed marching order. The i'm
pcdimenta were in position. All the while
there was tumult in the Midianites
heart 1t was fairly torn asunder. And
Moses knew it. With characteristic kind
illness, though himself at that moment
oppressed with great responsibilities and
harassed by interminable minutiae, so far
from forgetting mis- brother-in-law, he
actually took time to hunt him up.
An invitation could scarcely have been
couched in more attractive terms than
Moses invitation to Raguel. There is
nothing tentative about it. 1t rings with
the joyous optimism of faith There is
place for US. 1t must be good since
Jehovah gives it. There can be no flaw In
| title. no failure in possession. since ON
our happy fortune with u.s."
Racial feeling gets the ascendency for
moment in the foreigners heart. He
bankly refuses the invitation so deftly
given. He announces his purpose of go
ing back Immediately to his country and
countrymen. The noble host is not piqued
by this brusque declination. He plies
new motive. Hobab can not only get
good he can do good. The fire-cloud pill
lar only marked the general course the
caravan was to take not how it was to
deploy on hating. This desert born and
bred youth with a Bedouin eye. trained
to detect at distance tokens or water
and pasture, could be of incalculable ser
vice. Moses fairly pleads with him for
aid in the mighty task of taking these
millions across the wilderness to their
new home in Canaan.
Moses prevailed. Such an inference Is
fair. In the case of the young rich ruler
who came to Jesus for terms of disciple
ship. it is distinctly stated that he went
away. No such historic comment is made
in the instance of Hobab. He probably
remained His gains were incalculable.
Going back to INDIAN would have been
going back to heathenism. Going on to
canaan was going on to God, and being
helpful to the largest possible number on
the way.
Now all things were ready. Gods sig
nal in the sky moved majestically, slowly,