The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-15
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THE sUNDAY-sCHOOL LESSON.


The Time of the Judges.
new generation had come upon the scene in
| the providential evolution of the Hebrew
| tion-a generation TO which the splendid, ex-
empary. persuasive and authoritative influence
| OF Joshua did not extend; one to whom the
pernatural deliverances of Egypt and the will
derness We're already much of legend
civil war Is to the boy OF to-day.
This generation annoyed by the thistles
their fathers had failed TO uproot. The Lord in
tended that the last bitter and poisonous root
Of poiytheism should be torn out of the soil OF
Canaan and cast beyond its boundaries in order
that there, as in a favored garden. theism might
flourish to the glory OF God and to the good of
all the nations OF earth.
But Gods people did not carry out Gods plan.
They were swerved from it by motives of policy.
They allowed some heather affairs to remain for
revenue. They said We cannot utterly exter-
inmate heathenism, so let us license or tax it.
They reasoned Live heathens slaves are bet
ter than dead ones.
They said, We cannot spend all our time
throwing down affairs; must throw up walls
and towers to hold what have conquered.
Their courage oozed.
1t was a question OF the shortest possible time
when they would form alliances. first CONNER
cial then marital. with these remnants of
heather populations. Then began that effort.
serving God and mammon
At the very inception of this evil the Lord
sent His messenger Skillfully and courageously
did He block Israel in his fatal descent The
very place whence the messenger added
sanctity to his person and significance to his
message Gilgal-what name TO conjure BY
that was the historical starting point of Israel
in Canaan. There stood the cairn memorial of
Gods viaduct through Jordan. There the pass
forty years omission: The place where the
messenger appeared before the General Assem-
bly, OF Israel was equally sgnihcant-Shiloh
where rested the ark behind the curtain walls
OF the most holy place.
On the radiant background OF Gods faithful
ness, which did not permit a syllable of the
covenant which He had confirmed with an oath
to fail-on that ieckless background Israers
black infdelty was made 10 stand out stereo-
scopically
The national conscience pleads guilty to the
Indictment I've have not obeyed my voice"
1t awaits the infection of the penalty. There is
strong conjunction. lamentation and tears. But
1t seems TO have all ended in emotional ruff
fe. No one cried. Down with the idolsr "Out
with the heathen!' With a bit of pretty sent-
ment they called the spot THE place OF tears
Crucial moment that. in IsraeFs historyi
for the lion heart of a Caleb a Joshua What
Had of sorrows might have been averted!
AS If reminded OF the nations lack of courag eous
leadership. the chronicler throws in his historical
parenthesis. recording Joshua's death and burial
Now follows an account of the inevitable Sc
quence. The leaven of idoIatry leavened the
whole lump. Jehovah, spite OF His .neffable
SELF spite OF His glorious. providential dealings
with Israel, is forsaken. The children OF those
who had heard the awe-inspiring voice of Sinai
saying Thou shalt have other gods before
me-" were bowling to the light god and star
queen. For the Aaronic ritual with all its
lovely signifcaE; and uplifting symbolism
speaking OF the unity, spirituality and holiness
OF God and showing forth in fascinating object
lessons the lofty possibilities OF the human
SOUL there was substituted the cruel and bloody
rites of Baal. the lascivious dance and prostitu-
ton of Ashtaroth
The inky gloom of this descent to hell is IRA
dated at times by those -oblivious heroes
the Shophetim Gudges) raised up to God They
are the moral saviors OF the naton-lumnous
links binding the era of Joshua to that of Saul
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.
Moses made tabernacle that pleased God and
served the purposes of the people for years. be-
cause he made II according TO the pattern shown
him in the mount. Israel would have made a
perfect conquest Of Canaan IL they had obeyed
implicitly their Divine Commander. Gods way
is not merely the best way. II is the only way.
Christians OF to-day more form a league
with worldlings than the lsraeltes could with
the Canaanites. Friendship with the world is
enmity towards Christ. In its heart the world
despises the trucking. compromising believer
Truth is there is an invincible antagonism be-
tween the Christian religion and the worldly
life The principles. maxims and the precepts
of the one strike dead level against those OF the
other 1t is puerile talk OF reconciliation
No quarter can be given. II is war OF ex-
termination.
Shakespeare is debtor to the Bible when re
speaks OF our vices the instruments to plague
Is. The Canaanites tolerated by a sinful pol
w. became decorating and poisonous thorns in
- sides OF the Israeites. Families were fairly