The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-09-04
THE PROMISED LAND.
THE PROMISED LAND.


of the Council Bluffs Nonpariel, who
in his "Lay Sermons" used to write
some of the most touching gems OF
Iowa journalism, seems to have fallen
| upon some writer connected with the
Burlington Hawkeye. Though the
name to us is unknown the articles
that grace the Sunday morning paper
| are none the less absorbing and beau
tiful. AS sample we quote from last
Sundays Hawkeye:
Did you ever think how many there
are who like Moses are taken up into a
| mountain and from there look over in
| to promised land, and yet are forbid
den to enter? For long, weary years
Moses had been wandering through a
dreary wilderness. How tired he must
have grown OF the daily march over
rough, stony paths and angry streams,
only one of which was turned back
| for him to pass over on dry land. The
long. hard march was almost complet-
ed when Moses was called to go up in
to the mountain where he could look
over into the land of Canaan, whose
| fertile plains his feet might never
| tread.
If we look no further that the sum
| NIT of Mount Nebo and that grave
| made by angel hands. we may say that
| 1t was an unjust, cruel decree that
| forbade Israel's deliyerer from making
his home with his people in that
promised land" He had not given
up wealth and position in Pharaoh's
royal household to become wanderer
| for long years tor the sake of Gods
| people? He preferred the dangers and
hardships that must be faced in that
exodus to the peace and plenty of a
kings palace, for he loved the chill
touched by their misery and so he cast
his lot with them that he might deliv-
er them.
But this chosen leader must be true
to his trust in every way If he was to
be rewarded with them. There came
time when Moses for just little
while forgot what God had command.
was led-not down-but up to death
on mountain top-just little nearer
heaven than even the promised land.
Our lives like that of Moses seems
often to fall short of final success
The wilderness claims us for long
years, and we must follow the pillar
cloud through tiresome days. We try
so hard to help those about US and vel
we md them going back to their idols
1t is hard to keep steadily ON in the
face of desert cold, the places where
we feel that to go forward we must &c
alone. Our hearts hunger for the
mama that fails us sometimes because
God sent it by human hatnds and they
withheld 1t. We wonder sometimes Il
Moses in that long journey, when hs
grew weary and discouraged. eyel
dreamed of the splendor that he hat
left behind in Pharoah's palace-if the
mama tasted as sweet when ht
thought OF the dainty viands that has
been served him daily at the king!
court, and If such thoughts did come
: to him when he was hungry and tiret
J we wonder II they were ever accom-
panied by swift regret that he ha,
forsaken it-and for the sake of 9th
J ers-and yet how true he was, hov
faithful, even In times Of disappoint
ment. and when the commandment
J came. Get thee up into this noun
J tain," there to look over into tn,
3 promised land--and die. Mose
. blessed" the people and without
= murmur went up into that lonely grav
on Mount Nebo. But while Canaan
l. was wonderful land, the chosen hom
n of the wandering Israelites. after thei
s years of oppression. land chosen b
y God himself because OF It's fertilit
d and loveliness, still 1t was only a
O. earthly home. and there would be acl
ing hearts there sometimes. The
le must labor for their daily breas
le Sickness would come and death woul
IN find his way to the foot Of Noun
IS Nebo. but for Moses the promised lam
Is that opened to his vision was withil
II the gates of the city mot made will
& hands" Labor ended, sorrow AM