Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-11
THE RICHMOND D1srATCH-sATURDAY. OCTOBER IL 1902

foods or miss our true goal. Men must
GO and dare in the name Of God.
SIGNS OF GODS PRESENCE AND
POWER.
me Jordan was a wide and raging
river when the Israelites faced it. Enc
mics also lined the fartfest bank. But.
nevertheless. it must be crossed or all
World be lost, and the bleaching bones
oil cowardly and effete race would have
marked great historical failure. The
| occasion slgnified a great crisis. HUI
manly speaking, it was practically i'm
possible for this great host of Israelitcs
10 cross the swollen stream and meet
VIGOROUSLY their opponents at the same
time. But what is impossible for men is
possible for God. Jehovah was inter-
eStcd III the success of these 1sra
in their pilgrimage. Jehovahs help is
sent them. Joshua. their leader. an
hoUnceS Gods purpose toward them for
their present needs and their future en-
enlargement. In our efforts at striving
after all higher good for ourselves and
for the Kingdom of God. and the world.
we must count upon the divine factor
in our success. God will always help the
righteous in every necessary work. God
has pledged himself 10 men to this end
The pathway Of mems upward progress
is illumined all the way by the blazing
promise Of God. Our God is a God OF
ye shall know that the living God Is
among you. and that he viii without fail
drive out from before you the Canaan
ties. and the Hittites. etc. God was
going TO perform a notable miracle to
prove 10 his people that he was with
them and that he would so before them
as their conqueror.
The cutting off of the waters Of the
Jordan, so that about 2,cp' 20 Israclites
crossed the river on solid o ound in a
broad line so that all passed over in
few minutes, was an act Of God, done
by Him 10 prove His presence among His
people and His Almighty power 1t
makes very little difference how the act
was Derfor1neG-by what we call a mira
cle-the direct exercise of divine power,
or by pTovidential means, such as an
earthquake, or the falling Of q cliff of
rock and earth into the stream. What
we must remember is that what was
done was a sign from God that he was
present, and that BE would exert His
power for the deliverance and triumph
of His people. How God will perform His
wonders is His secret. The Scripture mar
rative does not state low the waters
were stopped above and flowed away
from the people. But it is probable that
ii was by the direct exercise of super
natural and miraculous power. God thug
shows Himself the ally and guide of good
men.
THE SPIRITUAL FIRST.
Such is the order of progress in the
life Of righteousness for men in the
world Let the spiritual in life have
the right OF way. Let faith in God lead
In the train Of all the graces Let true
religion have the precedence over all
worldly ambition, business, pleasure, or
earthly interests. The ark Of the pledge
o. faithfulness between jehovah and the
Israelites was to advance first toward
49, Il -1>o u
be borne in the hands OF the priests be-
fore the floor would subside. The priests
advanced to the edge of the waters
and the people followed behind them
in the full assurance of faith. and the
waters were cut of, leaving pathway
for their feet. Faith gained the victory
over the great obstacle to their pro.
gress. AS God leads on and we follow in
faith obstacles vanish before us as We
advance in the spiritual life. Faith |
and perseverance Will solve all difficult
ties that ought to be solved. God has |
to give men the victory spirit |
uaIly, but they must do the fighting. We |
are safe and victorious as we follow the |
ark of the covenant. Every Christian |
should follow Christ as He has led and |
as He is leading in the world each day |
still Each days work, duty, and path
way is new, strange, arduous. and bur !
densome it may be. but Christ has pro- |
missed to lead, protect, and give grace.
even to the end of the world Each |
soul. like a stout mariner, must steer
boldly through the desperate winter sea-"
Divine help is given to the true child
Of God for each battle of life. Rely on
this truth. Jur God is an ever-presen-
and ever-acting God.
MEMORIALS OF GODS MERCY.
Each life. each age, every church, every
people and nation set up memorials as
testimony 10 future generations Of
Gods mercy and goodness to them. When
The Jordan was crossed twelve represen-
ative men built a monument Of stones
rom the bottom Of the river, to show
succeeding ages what God had wrought
or his people OF old. Woe unto the peo-
Die, or family, or individual, who forgets
1od's power and goodness. The deeds
md characters of good men are memo
ais of Gods mercy and goodness to them
II their day. Every man should do some
hing TO testify to the world when he IS
rome that God was good to him. God still
loes wondrous things for His people, mar
els that prove lie is with US, and which
them 10 go on in the conquest
# evil-lnarvels of converting power, of
loly lives, of triumph over temptation.
rouble. and death, OF national and inter-
aJional Righteousness and betterment.
These things should not be forgotten.
DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY.
What right has Israel to this new
ountry? a God-given right, that is all
Tod took the land away from the Can
antics and gave it to better people.
'ba ha of Cod E