The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-08
INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON
Copyright, Davis W. Clark


ated: the address, at once modest and
sublime, had an overwhelming effect upon
the distinguished auditory. With Oriental
profuseness they deprecated any forsak-
ing of Jehovah, and protested their deter
mination to serve him. Joshua Sits them
like wheat. He dscloses the character Of
Jehovah. Affirming his holiness, his un-
willingness to accept Q divided affection,
and the derceness Of his punitive wrath.
Such Q God cannot be served except with
sincerity and Wilderness Of heart. They
protest that such shall be their service.
Your conscience shall be witness, judge,
and executioner, II you are unfaithful to
this covenant" Joshua cried. 80 let It
bel" answered the people. So Joshua re-
corded the covenant. and set up Q per-
petual reminder OF 1t in the form Of q
pillar under the sacred terebinth. And
the assembly was prorogued.
The Teachers Lantern.
Joshua's influence was phenomenal. He
held Israel to the Lords service while
he lived, ana projected his controlling
power upon the succeeding generation
I'VE search the sacred history In vain,
from the exodus to the captivity. for an
other generation that was 80 wholly
faithful to Jehovah"
The secret Of Joshua's influence was
not 20 much in heroic deed or eloquent
word as In his character. It was not so
much what he had done or said that made
him potent. 1t was himself. his stainless
reputation, his modesty. piety. faith, con-
stancy. heroism, and patriotism. He was
in himself the best argument. the strong
est appeal for fidelity to God. His char
acter backed up his exhortation.
Half-hearted service ID a. impossible to-
A,lxy fn lvnA trt,
needs iteration, I'VE cannot serve God
and mammon." II we would institute q
search for idols. we would md them in
the safety deposit box, the spick-and-span
turnout or the Worth gown. Not the rich
alone or even chiefly have their idols.
but the middle class and the poor as well.
A rustic preacher. called upon in IA
pinch to make the invocation at a session
Of the Ohio Senate. prayed that IL the
Senators had any little idols in their
hearts, God would help them to get rid of
them. The prayer offended the liturgical
tastes Of some Of the Legislators. Per-
haps II was just as well the thought
was not obscured in ritualistic circumle-
cutions. Out on the idols of todayl
Lack of decision In the conspicuous
| fault of the current religious life of to-
day. Through numberless concessions and
inveterate trucking. we have come to a
| state aptly satirized by Carlyle as a
''mush of concessions"
II the Hebrews had as thoroughly
purged Canaan of idolatry as they did
their homes of leaven before the Pass
over, they would have saved themselves
| the disgrace and woes of the captivity.
| They did not faithfully follow the will Of
| God in this. The idolatrous remnant was
| like a thorn in 1sraefs flesh as long as
- AHl AH
cause Of It's downfall.
Joshua, from his moral elevation, had
| the Divine thought In Israel's election
and planting in Canaan unrolled like a
| map before him. He consciously yielded
| himself as an instrument to God for the
| fulfillment OF the benefcent purposes of
Providence. There have been many such
In later days, Instruments. choice and
| cunning, In the hand of God for the moral
| culture of the nations.
Years ago 1 bent over the suffering form
| of u young man, and asked him, by way
of opening a religious conversation:
Brother. what do you think the Lord
| requires OF your II suppose | ought
to worship Him." was the answer Not
| as exact as might be expected from ohe
better instructed in the Bible Yet the
dying youth struck a keynote of duty
Who will deny it? Worship (from worth
and ship is the act of acknowledging
| Gods worth. II ought"-ought is the old
form OF owed. Worship is debt 1 owe.
Being due, IL is not matter OF conve-
! nience or inclination. ] must pay my
| debt to God. God has appointed a time
when (Sabba.h ~, "A place VIII ere (church),
| this duty can be performed, this debt
paid. Joshua being dead. still speaketh.
| His cry is, Fear the Lord. and serve
| him in sincerity and truth"