The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-10-05

Whlch must be oyerthrown.'
But would God promise His people
a land which He was not able to give
unto u.s." persisted Caleb, and Joshua,
quickly coming to his support, added:
God is leader and He will show
us how to overcome these strong.
holds. Remembered thou not how
bravely the army of Israel withstood
the powerful forces of Amalek, and
shall we falter now in the face Of this
new foe?" and the memory of that
day when Joshua had led the fighting
men of Israel to victory stirred his
blood, and he arose and paced impa.
tiently to and fro as though he would
go up at once against this new diff
Guilty.
The rest watched him in silence.
Down the long open glade he strobe,
farther than he had gone before, and
he was just turning TO retrace his
steps, when there burst p o him, al
most overthrowing him with their mad
haste, the two spies whose return they
We're awaiting. Their frightened looks
and breathlessness betokened some
thing startling, and before they could
ecover themselves to speak, the 9TH
ers came running up and eXcitedly de.
manded to know what was the matter.
By way of answer the two pointed
in the direction from which they had
come and exclaimed;
"Giants!"
And then leading back cautiously In
the direction from which they had
come, they brought them to the top Of
a high overhanging bluff, and parting
the bushes carefully pointed down be-
low them, There, sure enough, was a
sight which made all stare in surprise
and fear, for passing up the narrow
valley to the mountain height opposite
was a group of the tallest men they
had ever seen before.
Surely, these must be the sons of
Anak, about whom we have heard"
exclaimed Joshua.
Yea, We are but grasshoppers be.
fore them" ~rejoined the others, and
in silence they watched them until
they had disappeared from view. Then
almost sullenly they returned to the
camp, and in spite of all the encour.
agement which Caleb and Joshua could
give they were disposed to take any
thing but a hopeful view of the situa-
ton. Some were for going at once
under the of the darkness from
the dreadful place, as they called it,
but Joshua said, boldly:
This must be the place where
Abraham, our father, pitched his tent,
and the God who protected him will
watch over us in this land that He has
promised to give u.s."
So they had passed the night, but
the next morning early found them
on their journey again, fearfully
threading their way down the valley,
and looking apprehensively on either
hand lest they should be suddenly sur
prised and overwhelmed by the giants
they had seen. Caleb and Joshua had
done their utmost to delay the de-
parture, insisting that they ought to
search out the land more thoroughly,
but unable to overcome the fear of the
other spies they had hurried on with
them.
Finally they came to a beautiful bit
of country. The valley spread out be-
fore them like a perfect garden, and
upward on either hand sloped the
hills, which were robed in their ex-
colors of green and purple and
gold, for at that season of the year
the grape vines were in the glory of
their rich coloring, the great purple
hanging in such p~rofusion
it seemed as though nature was
to spread a table for the ma
tons of the world.
The IL spies stood %entranced by the
scene.
"Ah, if Israel could be here to en-.
Joy such a feast as these afford" they
exclaimed.
And they shall be-" exclaimed
Joshua and Caleb, in a breath.
But the walled cities and the
cried the others. 1--WE can
lot because OF them
Surely the Lord who has promised
o give us the land will help US over
it," replied Joshua.
Let us gather Of the fruit that we
nay take it and show the people the
wonderful land to which God has led
49," spoke up Caleb, starting forward,
m%pulsively. &
But if we burden ourselves thus we
hall not be able to go swiftly and the
inhabitants of the land may overtake
IS and destroy u.s." objected the 9th
RS, drawing back and turning as
hough they would proceed at once on
heir journey.
NAY, but we will take back of the
of the land" said Joshua, hurry.
lg forward to join Caleb, "for the
eople shall see that the land doth
eritably flow with milk and honey as
ne Lord spake concerning it before
left Egypt"
And Caleb and Joshua cut and bore
etween them upon a staff one of the
immense clusters. And they gathered
( the pomegranates and the figs and
1us laden they returned from search
Ig out the land.
Indian Missionary Society.
The Indian Missionary society. n