The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-08

| any such danger. He would make Je
hovah the unrivaled city before whom
the tribes should bow, to whom the,
should pay allegiance.
CHOICE Religious service must bt
voluntary. Any other is but short livet
| mockery Matt. XIV, 81. Joshua did no
| wish Israel to enter into an engagement
merely to please him. Had they done sc
they might be easily changed by some
| other leader into new way. He woulo
| have the subject carefully considered ant
settled on its merits Dofn. viii 2D. "Il
1t seem evil to you to serve the Lord,
| lie said. the boldness Of the hypothesis OF
| doubt being calculated to startle his
| hearers and awaken serious reflections
| In such an event he suggested that they
| might return to the god of their ances'
tors, or that they might adopt the gods
| of the land in which they had come &c
| live. He did not mention the gods OF
| Egypt. assuming doubtless that the his
| tory of the golden calf CIx. xxxii. eS)
| had put that subject beyond considera-
| ton. lie may have dwclt upon the fca
lures of the two systems of religion. He
closed by letting the people know. that
| whatever their decision might be, he and
| his house for which he presumed to
| speak Gen. xviii. 19), were determined to
serve the Lord.
ANSW WER.--How long or in what way
| the people deliberatcd we do not know.
| They may have called assemblies of fam
| lilies and tribes. They may have consid-
| cred that as Abraham left his country
| and people at the call of God Gen. xii,
| u, he also left the gods of his ancestors,
and that to return to those gods would
be to reject Abraham They may have
remembered the commands of Moses for
bidding them to serve the gods of the
land Gen. xiii, 20. which by his order
We're doomed to destruction. They could
not cast aside the example and precept
of their progcnitor and law-given, or turn
the whole course of history and renounce
their national place and destiny. They
may have contemplated the manner of
their delirerancc. the signs and wonders
wrought out for them. their preservation
iii the wilderness their entry into this
good land. BY what method they pursued
their reflections they reached II cOnclu-
sion that indicates these points We're in
mind Their answer was explicit and en-
phatic. I'VE will serve the Lord. for lie
is our Cod
WEAKNlISS.-On might suppose that
this answer would be entirely satisfac-
tory to Joshua. in its letter. and even ~.
its spirit. it was the very thing he had
requested. But a great chieftain who has
passed more than five score years. most
of the time in public life, knows how to
weigh men. 1t is vastly easier to promise
than to fulfill psalm lxXvi. ID. "Ye cam
not serve the Lord" he said He knew
how weak they We're. how easily turned
away from the right for he had watched
their course for more than half CEN
tury. Ife gave as an additional reason
for his remark, the fact that God was
holy Rom. xii D. And he declared that
if after protesting. they turned away. God
would destroy them. Did Joshua intend
to discourage the people? Would he
make that appear impossible which be-
fore he had urged as desirable? No. He
intended to make them feel the impor
tance. the difficulty. and the magnitude
of their undertaking duke xiv, 27-2S). He
was dealing with precious interests in
voving after generations. and he deter
mined to make thorough work of it.
RI1sOLVE.rle people adhered to their
promise, I'VE will serve the Lord was
their simple and unanimous reply. Over
against his 'ye cannot" the wrote 1--WE
will" 1t is probable that the words used
to express difficulty only intensified the
determination. And it may be that the
thoughts of the Divine holiness increased
in them the honest desire. for the true
heart in its calmer hours is attracted
most by an exalted standard. The re-
ligion wins at the tribunal of human jude-
mcnt which is loftiest and most exact
ing in virtues. Certain it is that the pros
pcct of Judgment for the waywardness,
because of memories of for former scenes
(Numb. Xxi % operated most powerful
upon their minds. 1t is a great day in the
lift of Il man when he comes to resolve
for the right. The Israelites might have
added ''by the help Of God but they
knew not as we do, the wonderful mess
rf 4
strength, however. and God would not fail
to give them needed help UI Cor. iN s..
WlTNESS.-'I'his second promise was
accepted by Joshua at its full value.
There was no good reason for further
testing, ''Io are Witnesses against your
selves he exclaimed. that We have cho.
sen the Lord Each tribe was made to
attest what each tribe had done, each
family for each other family. They
stood together that day as partners
in IA most solemn agreement. If in
after years any broke away from
ii all the others would know that
vows and obligations had been vio-
lated. that matter of supreme and
common interest. presented in the most
searching manner in the presence of one
whom all loved. had been approved only
to be abandoned Men need such intlu.
cncc to strengthen their resolve. Joshua |
took advantage of the recognized law that |
individuals are stronger in companies |
and that they would pledge their words |
to each other are more likely to be trllc |
psalm Nv, y. The people did not disap- |
point him. They replied. I'VE are wit |
nesses,' ready to attest forever the VOW
taken.
REFORM.-Josh,ias $ work was not done |
vet. He knew more than the people sup |
posed. As they stood before him, promis- |
ng and promising again, and sealing their |
words with IA united witness that they |
night not be broken prov XX, 1S). they
probably thought that all was WELL that
he nation was in perfect accord with
Gods promise. Alas, how a few ind-
'iduals may initiate against the well
are of company Gel, IN, 1S). At that |
there was hidden away among
apparel of household furniture strange
gods, even as Rachel concealed the i'm
'geS (ien- NNNi, I'D. Put away those
strange gods" said Joshua, Destroy
hem, cast them out of your families, 1t
vas genuine reform that he sought,
evival of religion. For he added, TN
line your heart unto the Lord God of
srael" He was urging that which he
'egan, the entire devotion of the people
q God. Did they respond? Were all the
dolls destroyed? AS now the earnest ap-
'eals of faithful pastors fail to win all
heir congregations, so then doubtless
ome continued in their sins Il Sam. viii
D. while the many We're faithful.
CONcLUSlON.-The last act may now |
'e performed on this interesting occasion,
The scribe was called and a solemn COM
'act, or statute. was drawn, the agree
pent between the nation and their God.
ovenant of service ard blessing. The
nr1e, IN, tIn IL