Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-06
I4i.toricnl background.

And guide of sinful men,
Historical background.
Timc.-Probably February, 1851 8. c.
.hi1y-1line years and eleven months after
the Israelites left Egypt. Moses was 40
years old His death occurred a few days
after the date above.
Place-On the plains of Moab near the
banks of the Jordan opposite Jericho,
near the head of the Dead Sea.
The Book of Deuteronomy 1t con-
lists OF four farewell oraticns by Moses
20 the Israelites just before they en-
terrd into the possession Of the Prom
iSed Land. Its contents embrace the
great principles and the forms of their
religion and worship as revealed to them
by Jehovah. and exhortations and warn
ings to be faithful to their God and holy
in His sight. The name of the book is
a Greek word. meaning the second law,
and ii is a rehearsal of many Of the in
cidents of the history of The lsraelltes
during their journey from Egypt to Ca
naan and a restatement in popular and
rhetorical form of the laws already de-
livered to them by the author The de-
livery of these orationS one Of the
men. The book of Deuteronomy is one
Of the most remarkable pieces of litera-
lure in the world. Charles Kingsley calls
t: The grandest and deepest book Of
the Old Testament, the sum and sub
stance OF all political philosophy and mo-
rality." Professor Moulton. of the Uni
versity of Chicago, calls it: The most
spiritual book of the Old Testament
and says these four, orations of Moses
are superior as to the quality of true
oratory to the speeches of either De-
lnostllencs or Edmund Burke. Oasterzee
says Of it: The speaker is an aged man.
whose venerable head is covered with the
snowy white OF nearly six score years.
but whose voice is still both loud and
clear enough to make it heard far off.
The audience is a people, now redeemed:
rulers heads, and members of families.
in thousands and ten thousands. crowd
around the spot from which the prophet
of the Lord addresses them. The sane
tuary where they are assembled is crea-
tons mighty temple. bounded on the
one side by the wilderness which they
quilted only recently, and on the other
by the stream which they were soon 20
cross. and the address itself is nothing
less than the lessons. reminders of past
events. eXhortation and promises, uttered
by lips which, ere a few months shall
lave raised, Will be sle1iti in the dust
FACTS OF THE LESSON
Central theme: Superstition outlaued
and a line of prophets promised.
When thou art come into the land
which Jehovah thy God Eiv9th thee thou
shalt not learn to do after the abomna-
lions of those nations. There shall not
be found with thee any one who maketh
mis- son or his daughter pass through
ire. that uses divination. one that
practices augury, OR AN enchanter, OF a
iorcerer, or a charmer, or conSulter,
with a familiar spirit or wizard, or
necromancer. And because of
shese denominations Jehovah thy God
10th drive them out from before thee.
Jehovah thy God will raise up
into thee a prophet from the midst of
.hee. of the brethren. like unto me; unto
aim We shall hearken. Jehovah
said unto me: Il will raise them up a
prophet from among their brethren, like
unto thee: and will put my words in his
mouth. and he shall speak unto them all
hat / shall command him..
RELIGIOUR ABOMINATIONS.
Man is religious being. Man cannot
aiIest himself of his religious nature.
Nan, by a law Of his nature, is under a
moral necessity of acting in life from
a religious propulsion The religious
instinct or faculty of man may be. at
11T9ES, dormant, unQeFelOpeO, OF par
alyzed, but on occasion it will always
asaert itself. The man who seemingly
has no religious feelings or propensties
Is ian abnormal man. Herodotus the
ANCIENT traveller and the father Of his
.orc,.'' said way back in the beginning of
Greek literature that cities without walls
could be found. and communities without
pretense to arts laws. or even morals.
gut no tribe or nation could be found with
-ol;o nf Id &c iroft1
tive, inherent in the soul of man. Reli-
zion is based upon this necessary idea,
and consists of sense of dependence,
spiritually, and even physically, upon
God and is linked with desire and an
attempt in various ways to discharge the
obligations that arise from this relation
,flip.
men do not have the knowledge of the
rue and divine religion. or reject that
knowledge when they do have It, they
will manufacture religion OF their
OF some false religion. II any set of
men do not possess or exercise true
faith they will be guided in their
delusion or superstition. The history of
Christianity, as a religion that purports
TO be divine, is that it never contra
diets the dictaes Of common sense or
violates the laws Of pure morals. or
shocks the sense of reverence IN man.
The principles Of worship. practice, and
faith We're Just as purs and ennobllns
as found In Judaism as they are in Chris
,ianity. Al false and perverted ed re- re-
voting abominations and ragaraes of
belief True religion is the practice n of Of
faith. The Canaanites, like most heather
people, were given over to the practice
Of all kinds OF denominations. and the
observance OF all kinds Of degrading SUI
perstitions. Their country was plundered.
confused, and cursed by the sway and in
rIencc of OWNERS. scorers. necromancers.
and false prophets. Their religion was
,otoriously idela:rous and immoral in its
worship. God foreguarded his chosen peo-
Die against the influence and fascination
jf these heather practices. In their wor-
ship they were in the habit of passing
their children through the IRE or of burn
Ing them alive. God warned His people
against daiiying with a religion like this.
he told them to have nothing to do with
,o-cailed witches OWNERS. and mediums.
Religious denominations still! continue to
Ipring up like poisonous upas trees-ex-
erescencies on the body of the religious
lar 20 $t.- Scyfi1 Ia rn1S ci 10