Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-27
TIC hebrew rcorlc.

5-ornder.-Abrahani.
.Tvhe Fa-ni!y-Thc FatriarcnS
r7-ha Saffon-The Twelve jfioes.
ImS5nic4,es by their Egyptian experience.
,SSs,..,..5 {rorn bondage at Exodus
ss,,oa,e.i nv their wilderness expert
Established as q nation at the CON
guest. r,,d1.s
Important pates-eoco 3 e taosa.,a as,,.
ga i. C. (41xodusl; ii5l Is. 7. 'Soii9o
is.?-lo9s B. c. tJndgesl-
LESSONS.
>x our studies We have see people
,,n6er The leadership OF God dcveiopins
awards great national ideal
GOD, IS preparing peoPls. no a,,;,sr
themselves alone. but as means. fEah .,
~. ,,,,,nlc world tc he His Kingdom iile
,rI,s~.ess is slow. difficult. variable ou'
~ 4l,a whole q steady growth mere -
ses,a 10 be g great variety OF innus,le,S
punishments. glorious works. Inailllesta-
tfn,,s Of love hard battles. great Nictot iss,
revelations Of God and His VIII: 10
~ fafthfulness. long discipline.
The times were these Of mingled COCO
md evil The sins and crimes disooeoi-
g.ce idoiatry. unfaithfulness. wars. a,.e
5eyastations on the one hand. ana en- lLie
att}er the heroisns, The penitence the ioiis
periods OF prosperity. such ghnpses OF ''c
inner life OF the people as are luL .iisiSo
S,, 1osi1.,a. Caleb Deborah, GIDEON,
s,,.b Hanna. Boaz, ELI. and SamLel VS.
coo The Israelitcs taking possession OF me
PROMISED Land. just as every believer III
Cod has to enter upon q ne"
spiritual life and conquer a Kingdom Oh
spiritual strength and Righteousness Tor
himself This promised land OF 900 -
81 first held by enemies and pese' WIN
Plantations. We have just so innch OF
a..,,sr
,lpcb as we subiue We saw how the
CAPTAIN of the Lords hosts takes ms
place at the head OF the column OF 500
army of righteousness in the world, AS
The hosts OF the Lord advance IN spite ol
their enemies. Jehovah shows his pres
ence with them by performing on 'ieti
behalf miracles Of grace and power ior
.teno such as the drying up Of the Jor-
don. the fail Of the walls of jericho. me
.,rolc,rCinE of the day ct the battle OF
Deth-horou We see the lsraellteS eatllS
OF the fruits Of the Promised Land. type
fyins that the Christian. even III tbs me-
has foretastes of heaven. We can WIN
some Of the fruits Of the LAND by our
Yaithfulncss in our battles here. We De-
neld the Jsraelites in a great rational con
ventiorl inpressively renewing Their cove
nant with jehovah. teaching Us that We
ought often TO rcconsecrate our ilNes 20
God. In the establishment OF the cities
al Refuge. we see how the laws ana m
stitutions OF the Hebrews modified the
prevailing evil customs OF the times. ana
how forgiving the God Of heaven IS 10
those Of US who slip each day and are
-Lll Of failures and in7perfeclons. INC
Judges are examples of triumphant ana
jatr living in the midst Of evil surf ound-
ings exhibiting to MS the reality OF VIC
tarious living in the midst OF the strug-
.-les of life. But after awhile, rest came
,Ii, nd tI,n ne
CT their lives began. So, to the IhfiStlall
comes at last peace and quiet and growth
Dean Stanley says: I'VE are now arrived
Al the last Stage Of the first period OF the
history OF the chosen people. We nave
seen the nation OF slaves turned into !
nation OF freemen in the deliVerance IRON
Egvpt We have seen them become the
repositories OF q new religion in Sinai.
We have seen them in their first fash OF
CONQUEST in the Promised Land. We have
now TO see the gradual transition from
iheir primitive state. and 10 track them
through the interval between the death OF
Joshua and the rise of Samuel. between
the establishment OF the sanctuary at
Shiloh on The first occupation OF the coun-
try. and lis final overthrow by the Philis-
tines the characteristics of this period
are such as especially invite our critical
and historical inquiries. Other portions
OF scripture may be more profitable Tor
doctrine for reproof for correction, 1Ui'
instruction in Righteousness; but for mere
" human interest for lively touches Of
ancient manners. for the succession OF
romantic incidents for the consciousness
that we are living face 10 face with the
persons described. for the tragical pathns
Of. events and characters, there is moth
ing like the history Of the Judges.
IDEALS AND REALITIES.
Zone Of the impressions left upon us
Nv of Il Ia ct
the history OF Israel during The years OF
tte conquest and settlement OF Ca
naar,'' says DR.. Mcfarland. illustrates
the way in which all human life falls
short Of its perfect ideals and possibilities.
When Joshua led the invading host across
The Gordon. what their duty was lay per-
fectly clear before them. The land was
10 be completely conquered and occupied
rom the river Euph:ates, 10 the great
Bea on the west The idoiatrous Inhabitants
were TO be utterly driven out. The COM
nandments OF God given through Moses,
were to be strictly obeyed. The people
were 10 keep themselves free from the
Corrupuons OF the heather. and We're &c
live in righteousness. That was the ideal.
and in the first enthusiasm Of The advcn-
ture OF conquest they seemed determined
10 fulfill il. But they did not, Great sec
lions Of the land we're left without at
re.npt at conquest The wicked inhab
tantS IN the balance were only partially
expelled. The people fell into careless
ness and neglected the laws Of the Lord.
In consequence. a multitude al evils came
Epon them. They were defeated and lla-
raised by their enemies. and disorder and
encouragement prevailed. The ideal. the
possibility was so great. the realization
was so meaale.
'tBut TINS IL the story of human life,
The territory which we might have but
nave not conquered; the enttlusIa SINS that
have died out into neglect and indifer-
snce; the humiliatons and defeats that
lave come upon us as the result our
compromises and half-hearte6ness: the
disturbing evii7 in our lives viii, should
have wholly. but which in fact, we have
only partially cXpelled-tls is the sadness
and the shame OF human experience.
But the study OF these lessons. as well
IS the review Of our own lives, shows Us
though we fall very short OF our ideals.
God does not lose hope OF US. notwi;h-
standing The Instance between The ideal
and our actual achievements
Fell and Broke His Arm.