The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-10-22
The Mourning for Moses.

our recent studies In the Sabbath
school have brought fresh to mind
the chief events in the life OF Moses.
Under trials which few, If any, have
ever faced he was faithful to God aud
true to Israel. Bearing without COM
plant their murmurings and threats,
interceding with God for them when
they sinned, teaching them the way
OF truth and life, their general, their
Judge their prophet, their leader, for
forty years he had borne Them on his
heart. And at his death Israsl sus-
pended their march and mourned for
him thirty days. he deserved to be
honored thus if ever man did.
And how they spoke Of his noble
lifel One would speak Of bis fear
lessness in the face Of .anger; an
other Of his uprightness as Judge;
another Of his love for the people
and his patience and meekness; an
other still Of how he had been hon.
ored Of Jehovah aa friend with whom
He talked face to face. "Greater
and more honored of God than even
our father Abraham" "The world
has never seen his like before. o,
that we might see his face again"
Frequent no doubt were such excla-
nations during those thirty days.
But the mind turns back. With
deep grief they mourned for Moses
now that he was dead, but how had
they treated him while living! When
they had no water they murmured
against Moses. Wien they were in
need Of bread they murmured against
Moses. It was Moses who was blam-
ed because they didn' have the onions
and garlic and flesh pots Of Egypt
out there In the wilderness. When
the spies brought back an evil re-
port about the land, it was Moses they
went about to stone. All the hard.
ships Of that journey through the
wilderness were charged against him.
Murmuring, murmuring his ears were
accustomed to hear. There were Joshua
and Caleb true and loyal. A few
others perhaps who gTieved his heart
but seldom. But from Israel as q
body he received but few tokens of
esteem and confidence, and heard but
few words Of encouragement and
praise So it seems from the record.
These things were kept for the day of
mourning.
A picture Of human nature. A
bit Of history repeated over and
over again in many communities, in
many homes. Perhaps it is some pa
tient, self-denying wife and mother.
Many are the wishes that are carried
to her. She sees frowns and hears
complaints when they are not graf
i6ed, but only silence when they are.
Living an unselfsh life, not minis
tered unto but ministering until the
eyes are closed and the hands folded
in death. Then, suddenly, the veil
is lifted, her excellencies are discover
ed, loving tears are shed, and the
grave covered with flowers. Perhaps
it is some toiling father, anxious that
his children have all possible advan-
tages in life and enjoy its comforts.
What he provides they enjoy, not
with grateful loving hearts but rather
with selfish longing for more. He
grows accustomed to it and expects
nothing else, but after while he is
given his full measure Of love and
praise-in the days Of mouraing. Or
it may be some true hearted son or
daughter, brother Or sister, speaking
words Of cheer, doing deeds of help
fulness and kindness-so common
that they are taken as amatter of
course, like the air and the sunshine,
with no thought Of appreciation or
return until it is forever too late.
We believe in proper honors for the
(dead, but let not all the flowers be
kept for the grave. Let not all the
words Of appreciation and esteem be
saved for the days of mourning. Use
some of your precious ointment of
love and tenderness before the heart
is still in death. Thirty days Of
| mourning were poor atonement for
for forty years Of murmuring.-A. r.
Presbyterian.