Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-04
11t.torica1 nacIsEround.

I5eatheT OF SHOW
Historical Background.
r.ne-p,obab,y. March. 1851. B. c.: Just
eor., years after the beginning OF the
exodus from Egypt. Joshua, uie He"
leader. is 81 years of age.
PIac~The camp of the Israelites was
near the fords of the Jordan. not far
ero,n the head of the Dead Sea, and OPP
nosjte the walled city of Jer,cno.
The Book OF Joshua: It is history OF
tho martial conquest and the se1tieHfehe
~ Canaan By the tribes OF lsraei ui,oef
the leadership of Joshua. IL covers
period OF about thirty years: II IS elose-
~ CONNECTED with the Books OF Num-
,,.rs and Deuteronomy. The man who
,-ote the last chapter of Deuteronomy
,rohabIv wrote also the Book OF Joshua
r. is a weil-told story. full OF dramahc
action and religious eaTnestness.
Josi.,s: The name Is derived from the
vresx "Je" meaning Jehovah. and no
sra" which sgnified salvation. Wiich
makes the whole word to eouaA 'eho
yah Is salvation The name JESUS
means the same thing.
Iosbua was member of the tribe Of
ssnhrain. and descendant of Joseph.
He was bon, slave in Egypt His flrst
appearance in the Scripture nafra'lNe
fs as the commander in the field OF IS
raelites in their battle with the Amer
E,.es soon after the former had crosse
the Red Sea. From that time on III
wilderness wanderings he stood
close TO Moses. and is referred u
ouently as his minister" or adlut3Ili,
1Ie had a very attractive character.
He was redoubtnble. both as to his falth
IN God and as to his own personal cour-
ece In the darkes: hours and III the
most irving circumstances. he seems new
CIR to have faltered IN action or 10 nave
erred in Judgment He is one of.the- spot
less chara cters of the Bible from
modern standpoint his life was monei
of what we call success lie seems 10
have grown In usefulness and IN the snaI
ing Of responsibility of character ana IN
his faithful performance of whatever duty
so,, n his LOT He was a plain and UNI
nretentious man. humble and simple
minded He is remarkable for MS deep
niety his fearlessness. his tr'lstWorlhi-
ness. his energy. and his power Oh leao-
ership JIa was a soldier OF no Hle"ii
gifts. He had keen perceptiye powers:
NE was resolute in his purposes. decided
sn action swift in his maDoeuTres. 1ertile
in expedency skilful in strategy. ana
bold in attack He was just, righteous.
thoughtful. and pure in his i'fe- ALTO
eether Joshua is a lovely character to
contemplate He WIS both warrior
and a prophet The New Testament
points him out as type Of Christ Their
work was similar. Moses conducts us 10,
but Christ. like joshua into, the Prom
Used Land.
FACTS OF THE LESSON.
Central theme: Joshua divinely called
upon and encouraged to proceed with
the occupancy of the Promised Land
Jehovah spake unto Joshua. saying:
fore, arise. go over this Jordan. thou
and all this people. unto the land which
do give them Every place that
the sole of your foot shall tread upon.
s.. from the wildernes- 2nd this Lob
anon. unto the river EupnTa;es: all the
land Of the Hittites. and unto the great
sea. So There shall not any man be
afIe to stand before thee all the days
of thy life: as I was with Moses. SO I
will be with thee: I will not fail thee.
nor forsale thee. Be strong and of good
courage. for thou shalt cause this people
to inherit the land which I swore unto
their fathers to give them Only be
strong and very coura geous TO observe,
TO do according to all The laws which
Moses. my servant. commanded, thee:
turn not from it to the right nor the left.
that thou mayest have good success
wfithsrsocver thou goest This book OF
the law shalt not depart out of thy
mouth, but thou shalt mediate thereon
day and night. that thou mayest observe
TO do according to all that 1t written
therein = Have not / commanded
thee? Be strong and of good courage. /.
For Jehovah. thy God, is with thee
sfhthersoever thou Soest.'' Then Joshua
commanded. saving: Prepare YOU Wet
walls for within three days We are TO pass
over this Jordan
GODS ENCOURAGEMENT.
Our God is a god OF encouragement to
tnen. He calls upon men to reach out
after the highest ideals of manhood. He
wants men to be. something. and to
achieve something. lie desires men TO
covet the best gifts of true manhood.
He gives his Holy Spirit to men to
breathe into them the aspirations afNr
the higher life of true goodness. God
offers great opportunities to men and
calls upon them to press toward the
mark Of the prize of the high calling he
sets before God has great purposes for
the human race. and 1t ;rieves him that
mon should fail of these purposes. God.
in the midst of this present world. is
building a higher world of true right
cousness and holiness in the midst of
the sinful and discordant Kingdoms of
this world God is and has always been
Z
Bible from beginning to end rings with
these encouraging notes of God. God
called Abraham TO be his servant. and
said to him. Fear not. Abraham: ] an,
thy shield, and thy exceeding great re-
ward" So God has ever been encourag-
ing His servants throughout the ages.
The prophets and the psalmists were con-
dnually exhorting men to lift up their
hearts and to trust in God. and to be
strong. The New Testament is full of
this good cheer and hope from God for
men.
NEED OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
Man is so frail. so weak, SO ignorant.
so short-iived> that he needs this cncous-
Hgement of God He is often heset by
darkness, prosecuted by foes. thwarted
by difficulties, overcome by sin. entaa-
Eled by temptations, and threatened by
hae peril Of many dangers, SO that he ce-
spairs of any success in life. and loses
hope for his own existence: But the
ssa i,orC I'D t,.hi rl, ic a of