St. Tammany farmer., 1906-09-29

been driven by the Lord after their
failure to enter the Promised Land
| and a new purpose began to form
within him. Here was opportunity 70
| yet accept-the invitation OF Moses anu
go with them. But when he broacned
the matter to his. family, first r1dl-
cule and then positive opposition met
him. :
| What, had he not heard OF the trio-
| ulation and suffering Of the Hebrew
people?" they asked. Had ne con-
sidered how death had followed them
until the wilderness WAS dotted Win
their graves? What was he to gain
By such move?' they demanded, a7d
when he spoke Of the Promised Lana
to which God was leading his people,
| they laughed him to scorn, saying:
Strange, is it not, that II there II
any land for them that they do not
go thither? And what better place
could you want than that where your
father and your fathers fathers have
dwelt before your
Hobab made no response, out
/
All, he thought, ii he had only made
the right choice away back there
years ago as lie stood by Moses side
and heard his warm invitation? How
much easier 1t would have been.
| Then it would not have cost much TO
break away from home and asso-
ciates, but with the years had come
ties and possessions that made It
harder than ever to leave, and here
new was the united opposition OF his
family and friends, which made It
seem almost impossible to follow the
course which his heart dictated was
| the right one to follow.
But the reason Of the head ana
the persuasion Of friends at last 81
fenced the promptings of his heart,
4 and Hobab found himself settling
back to the old life, and as Is al
ways the case where the better i'm
pulses Of the heart are stifed, there
came not the same old longing to be-
gin the new life with the Hebrew peo-
pie. He ceased to think about the
/ true God, and gave himself up to the
| grosser manner of living of the peo-
| pie about him. And it is always 20
with the heart of man.. As the still
small voice of God IL dallied with,
and then stified, there comes time
when the voice ceases its pleading,
and when the soul is left to drift far.
ther and farther away from God into
sin.
Thus with Hobab the years rolled
by and old age was beginning to
/ creep upon him. Long since had he
forgotten the earlier impulses to fol-
low Israel and IsraePs God. Long
since had he ceased to expect or hope
for anything different than that which
he had known all his life. II he ever
thought at all OF those earlier days
and of Moses urgent invitation, It
was with a cynical smile and unre-
sponsive heart.
Forty years and more had passed,
and Israel had already crossed the Jor-
dan and taken possession Of the land
IGod had promised them. But It'd
ings of these things did not reach
Hobab, and he would. have remained
Indifferent to the earlier promptings
Of his heart, had not startling CIR.
cumstance occurred which stirred him
to his very depths and made him real.
fze, that the old question was again
before him for answer. Would he or
would he not choose Gods people?
That day his sons with others OF
the chiefs of his people had returned
from long expedition, filled with the
stories OF the wonderful things which
the people Of Israel had wrought In
/ taking possession Of Canaan.
"Why, the people Of the land are
| driven before them like chaff before
the wind. There is hope for none
of the nations about save as they form
"a league against them. Many who
have escaped are fleeing to the south
to our country, and we have made
league with them this day that we
will make common cause against Is
rael."
what" exclaimed Hobab. aghast,
thou hast done fooLshly. Know you
not that the Lord hath spoken good
concerning Israeli" he added, as the
words of Moses suddenly came back
to his memory And then he contin-
ued, while fear took possession Of his
heart at what his sons had done: I'VE
dare not ally ourselves with those
i who fight against Israel"
t'But we dare not do else, for II we
ally not ourselves with those who are
being driven out of Canaan, we shall
! be considered enemies
Never before had Hobab realized
the position into which his decision
of years before could plunge him.
Never had he thought Of being classed
among the enemies Of Gods people,
and yet 1t was now plain that there
was no middle ground. He must be-
for Israel or against and II for, ho
could not remain in his present posi-
tion.'
my sons" he spoke firmly, for now
his heart was made up fully. The
choice had been made. my sons. -
he repeated, after long pause, In
which he searched their faces with
appealing look, .'years ago Moses
urged me to come with him, but in
the hardness Of my heart !. refused,
and now see to what depth that deci-
sion has plunged me. It has brought
us in line with the enemies Of God
and Gods people. Such we carnot,
We dare not be. Cost what It will, /
am resolved to join myself to Gods
people, for the Lord has spoken good