The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1902-04-25

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other hand, there are docility, harm
lessness, unity, the virtues of submits
sion and obedience, of gentleness and
innocence, of brotherhood, agreement
and mutual sympathy.
God led His people, but He led them
by the hand of Moses and Aaron. The
Great Shepherd had shepherds under
Him, acting for Him in leading His
flock
BY human ministers God led His
people like sheep. His people were to
be guided by the ministry. The ap-
pointment of that ministry was by
Him. With their appointment by Him
two things were necessarily esta blished,
one their right and responsibility to
lead the people, and the other the
right and responsibility of the people
to be led by them.
In some places a different theory has
been prevalent; theory which puts
the minister in subordination to the
congregation. To agree with that
theory our text would have to be
changed to read: 'Thou leddest Moses
and Aaron like sheep by the hand of
Thy people," Whence and whittier
were the people led?
There is another wrong interpreta-
ton OF our text; one at the opposite
extreme, viz, that a minister is to say
to his people: II will lay down the
rules; what you have to do is to obey, -
treating men and women as though
they were sheep literally instead of
metaphorically, in effect explaining
the text to mean, ''Thou drivest Thy
people like sheep by the hand of Moses
and Aaron.'
When Moses and Aaron began their
work of leadership of the Hebrews.
they found them in bondange in Egypt;
compelled to make brick though lack
ing one of the materials necessary in
making it, and scattered throughout
the land gathering stubble for straw.
A picture this Of the whole world of
men in bondage to sin and things
earthly; trying to make happiness
without the materials of which to make
it, and scattered in laborious search
for them.
Moses and Aaron had first to get the
attention of the Hebrews, their trust
and obedience, and unite them in a
common purpose of escaping from
Egypt and seeking the promised land.
And that is the Office of Gods minis
tiers in every age; to lead mankind out
Of the bondage of the moral Egypt
through the wilderness of this world
to the Land OF Promise, which is to be
hereafter.
In what manner were they led?
'Thou leddest thy people like sheep by
the hand of Moses and Aaron" it says.
And certain it is that if in the escape
of Israel out of Egypt and their jour-
neylngs through the wilderness unity
was necessary, a giving up of self-will,
attention to those appointed by God to
lead them to know what they should
do, and, then, fidelity in doing it, the
same virtues are now necessary in the
escape of Gods people from stronger
hand than that of the Egyptian Pha-
raOh'S, even the hand Of Satan, the
tyrant over human souls.
There must be an earnest attention
to learn spiritual truth; steadfast
will to obey it when learned; habit of
crucifying self-will, of being true and
faithful for truth and faithfulness'
sake, of abiding in unity and brother
hood not for our own advantage only,
but for the good of the rest.
And here I come to the CHIEF benefit
OF being led like sheep, i. e. in a flock.
The safety of one is the safety of the
one next him. The welfare which is
secured by the flock all together is Sc
cured by each individually because he
belongs to the flock, as the rain-drop
which, falling by itself on the sand
perishes, falling into the lake in the
company of it's fellow rain-drops lives.
There is safety in union, there is
strength in union. And further there
is discipline in it, an education in
honorable behavior and high charac-
ter. Very truth it is that there are
certain Christian graceS which cannot
be acquired except by belonging to the
Christian brotherhood. The plan of
salvation, nay, salvation itself, re-
qulres the brotherhood feeling, a ioy
in the spiritual welfare of other men,
bers of Christ's family; requires of
every Christian faithful ctond;,r =;