The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-10
MAN MUST NOT FORGET HIS
DUTY TO THE GREAT KING.
Ihe Reverend b. p. Fullerton Preach
es a Sermon ON the Obedience
of Christians.

The Reverend b. P. Fullerton preached
yesterday morning at the Lucas Avenue
Cumberland Presbyterian Church from
Joshua XIV. 10: Choose you this day
whom you will serve; but as for me and
my house, we will serve the Lord" He
said. in part:
This is the appeal of an old man to a
people whom he had led under the direction
OF GOD and settled in the land of promise.
Iheir Journeyings were past. their enemies
had been driven out or slain, the land had
rest and the people We're in peace and en-
1oytng plenty.
and plenty had their perils as well as war
and poverty and felt the necessity of this
parting counsel before he retired to his
called for the leaders of the people. and
through them gave this last counsel to the
whole nation. He Iehearses briefly the
story OF divine providence In their history,
from the calling of Abraham to the pres
emit. and describes with a masters skill
the particular care which God had exer-
this care. and their present favorable posi-
ton. all Of which he claimed as the gift Of
the God whom. he then and there proposed
to serve. he called upon them to come to a
definite. positive and public decision as to
whom they would henceforth serve.
THE surroundings were holy and full of
sacred memory. II was here that Abraham
obtained the promise that his people should
possess this land. and here in commemora-
ton of the event had built an altar, and it
was here that the Lord had met Jacob and
gave him an inheritance, and 1t was here
that the bones of Joseph. the great and
and 1t was here that Joshua had caused the
law with its blessings and c~ursings to be
read. and tits a fitting place from which
having given them his parting counsel and
made to them his last challenge.
IT viii be noted. that this is a man who
not only breaches, but practices. The world
cares little for our sermons if they are NOT
followed by the service which hey recon-
mended. This man said. as for me and
tnose Tor whose moral and religious stand
ing am responsible. We will serve the Lord,
and l call upon every man in Israel now
through his representative to choose what
dealings of God with your fathers as well
as with you: and now It is for you to choose
man Is worth much.
The choice which he made at this time
was not nasty. nor was it made in ignor-
first thing which claims our attention ix the
fact that this is an intelligent choice. Every
one should be and unless so made 1t istwith-
out one OF the essential elements of a choice.
Joshua was with the people of God in
Egypt during their most trying history.
under the hard masters of Egypt. How old
ne was when the great liberation came we
do not certainly know. but at least he was
If SO then his birth was contemporanesus
with the flight of Moses from the land after
tsndIngs slain Hitp tn the Egyptian WHO was con
- "a lOEly
years in Egypt were full of events calcu-
4ated to Impress very powerfully his youth
full mind.
He was in the very midst Of the thrill
ing events Of the deliverance from this
calling bondage. because we are not to sup
pose that Moses would put him in charge
Of his first and great battle with the Amaze
kites unless he was somewhat familiar
with him and his spirit. So it is a reason
able conclusion to make that he was very
familiar with all the thrilling events of the
last night in Egypt. and the crossi,s Of
the Red Sea and the destruction OF the
Egyptians that essayed to follow their
hitherto captives. and he heard the soDg
or triumph which was sung upon the banks
when the people saw the destruction OF
their enemies. He saw and took part in
the victory, which they achie:ad over the
Amalekites. and which ne believed was
achieved because of the interference of the
God Of Israel.
while the Israelites. perhaps, outnum-
bered the Amalekites. they were by no
means SO well equipped and drilled in war
as were these first foes of the wilderness.
So that quite as much depended upon the
prayers of his great master on the noun
tain side as the prowess Of the arms of the