The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-27

September IS, 19O2-Review of the
Third Quarter.


The grandeur of Moses cannot be exaggerated.
He towers sublimely from any angle-physical or
mental, ethical or spiritual. No wonder dream
ing of him. Angelo created the most terrinc ana
noble thing done with chisel, and CONVEY
wrote his greatest poem, and Lord Macaulay
used his consummate art in words.
A peoples proverbs often whole biog-
raphy in epitome. Jewish proverbs concerning
Moses are: when the tale of the bricks is
doubted, then comes Moses, and From Moses
to Moses IMaimonidesl there is none like Moses
Moses's name survives to this day in the Wells
J mountains and valleys of the wilderness. The
earliest literature of his nation also bears his
! name He is a synonym for the law he gave
thus the common phrase is Moses and the
PROPHETS" The nation is said to have been bap-
tized to aim in the Red sea. Very significantly
the Mussulman give him the surname, the
spoken by Cod
1t is apt to be forgotten that among the num-
Der of his functions he not by any means
insignificant a military commander. He was
Joshua's teacher in the art OF war. and was him.
self a great courageous and skillful soldier. of
which his campaigns against Sihon, og and
Amalek are in evidence.
Though the meekness of Moses has passed into
proverb it Is probably not more true that ne
was pre-emnently meek than that he hao
horns" Both ideas probably arise from mis-
TRANSACTIONS. In the Vulgate the Word for ray
stands cornutam, is well known Michael
Angelo has perpetuated this odd error In MS
statue of Moses In 'St. Peter in Chains" On
the other hand this who dashed the
Egyptian to death and the stone tables OF the
law to fragments could hardly be called meek.
A better translation would be ''disinterested-"
OF this noble quality there is abundant evidence
1t is this which makes Moses not only. as has
| been said, the most complete example of Jewish
| patriotism, but of patriotism universally. IL MS
people cannot be forgiven for their sin. he prays
| that he may himself be blotted out OF Jehovahs
| book. More than once he foregoes the oppor-
| tunity to become the founder OF a new empire
| by the displacement of his own race. He does
| not nominate any son of his to be his successor.
| but in dying prays Jehovah to set the best and
worthless. man over the congregation.
In that early era, when men CROPPED in dark
ness Moses stood for two Illuminating truths.
| The first concerned the divine nature. II al
| hrmed the unity spirituality, holiness and beneh-
| cence OF God. This was an incalculable gain 10
| humanity and unreasonable advance upon
| the dominant polytheism. 1t was the kneii OF the
pantheon of cruel and lustful deties. The Sec
end great truth related to human nature and at
| frmed love be the essential basis of the social
| life 1t seems almost incredible that such an
| ethical principle could have been first irradiated
| in such an age. There was nothing in the nat
| ural environment of Moses to suggest and incul-
| cate it. 1t easy believe that he had it
from God. These are the splendid truths which
| carry over from the Old Testament into the New
with their full weight and are the heart and soul
| of IL. The divine nature, love; the human duty.
| love to God and man.
But the Pentateuch is not mere Mosaic"
| This towering personality does not absorb every
| thing into himself Here is the evolution of a
| nation a law, a creed and worship. AS such
| this literature is worthy of that absorbed and
! admiring study which il has never failed TO re-
| ceive The astonishing exodus Of the enslayed
| people, their escape from bondage to the mighti-
est nation OF antiquity, fascinates the reader like
a romance Ii If they received their
| christening a nation in the sea which opened
for their passage. Egypt the furnace where.
In the fellowship of suffering. they had been
fused into the solidity of national form. The
wilderness was Gods schoolhouse. where they
| were further taught and trained. There He
| suffered their manners with infinite patience.
their 'murmurings' and their shameful apos-
| tacy their return to the worship OF the Egyp-
| tan Apis. All the instruction OF Egypt and the
| wilderness is as IL were. concerted In the Deca-
| Iogue These words the basic princi-
rles from which all human codes have since
| been developed. Like the steel frame which
holds a towering modern structure together. the
Ten Comma ndments the invisible framework
| of society Comprehensveness is the characters
tic of this unique ethical code. The command
| ment Is exceedingly broad. 1t is a miracle in
words that such a number and variety of duties
could be included In terms so brief. That is the
| power and utility OF 1t. The Pentateuch is, also
as has been said. the evolution of a creed. the
solemn and stately terms OF which are: Hear
o Israel. the Lord our God rs our Lord FL
ralIy. IL is the evolution of worship whose
ritual was the purest, most significant and ele-
| waiting the world had ever seen.
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.
Lesson 1.-The giving Of mama: Israels su.
preme and inveterate error. after ALL was not
| only that he distrusted Gods providence as tr
his food but that he regarded that food itself Al
| the chief thing ne to live for. But this 1.
not the error Of Israel: it Is the error OF human