The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-10-25
Caleb's F~aithfulness
Rewarded
Specially Prepared for This Paper

Ni<DOIAF
DRY verses z, g.
GOLDEN TExT.-"Thou hast been
faithful over a few things, / will make
thee ruler over many things.
25:23.
TIME.-The verses Of the lesson belong
about six years after the last lesson. to-
ward the close OF the first conquest OF
Canaan, and during its distribution
among the tribes.
PLACE.-Joshua's capital was at Gil
gal; Caleb's Inheritance at Hebron. ~
miles south OF Jerusalem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Caleb.-Family Origin.-"Caleb
the Kenezite," the descendant OF
Kenas, the son of Esau. The proba-
bilities are that Caleb, or his father,
became members of the tribe OF judah
by adoption" (Prof. Beecher), like
Hobab, Ruth and Heber. "The faith
Of this family was prominently the
fruit OF conviction, and not the ac-
cident of heredity. II had a hrmer
basis han that of most Israelites. It
was woven more closely into the tex
ture of their being, and swayed their
lives more powerfully. 1t is pleasing
to think that there may have been
many such proselytes; that the PROM
Use of Abraham may have attracted
souls from the east, and the west, and
the north, and the south" "a foretaste
of the glorious fulfillment yet to
come).-Blaikie in Expositor's Bible.
He was born while the Israelites
were still in slavery in Egypt, for he
was 40 years Did when Moses
sen him from Kadesh-barnea to
espy out the land ". u.
His Character.-1. Caleb was a great
and marked man, but what is often
called "a self-made man." rather, a
God-made man. Coming from without
the nation, he became a prince, and a
power in the nation because OF his
faith in God and utilization Of all thai
God had given him.
2. Mr.. Tuck in his Revelation by
Character represents Caleb as quite
an ordinary man . no genius" but
the message of his life was that he
did commonplace things in an uncom-
mon spirit. The uncommon thing
about Caleb was precisely this-his
religion was thorough . he wholly
followed the LORD" ". 81"
8. On the other hand, Matheson in
Representative Men, calls Caleb a
leader and explorer, capable of Pts
gah glimpses," his life pitched upon a
hill; he could see things afar of; he
vas the real hero of the exploring ex-
petition. Was faith to drop her
wings at the very gate of Paradise!
4. BY faith and faithfulness were
the living heart of Caleb's character.
IL n,a ,,r41r& - a. aN.o Tso fot%h
endured As years without fading or
faltering. Caleb is one Of those men
whom we meet with seldom in Bible
history, but whenever we do meet
them we are the better for the meet.
ing. Bright and brave, strong, mod
est and cheerful, there Is honesty in
his face, courage and decision in the
very pose Of his body, mt the calm
confidence of faith in his very look
and attitude.
5. Caleb met opposition with cour.
age and faith, when my brethren that
went up with me made the heart Of
the people melt" ". 81. They could
stone him, but, like the prophets Of
old, lie lever wavered.
6. Caleb was of a thankful disposi-
ton and full of cheer. He did not
dwell on his desert trials, or the As
years delay, or the opposition Of his
brethren, or his failure to change their
minds; but or what God had done for
him on his promises, on his long and
healthy life of usefulness, so that even
at IS he could say with Xavier in his
dream realized in his life, "And yet
MORE. o Lord, yet more"
10. "The Lord hath kept me alive"
AS he promised. One promise full.
filed gave the assurance that the
other would be. But Caleb's clean,
active life was one Of the means to
this healthful old g Maclaren in
the Sunday School Times warns the
young thus:
"The old man of IS is vigorous and
hale as when he tramped through the
land nearly half a century ago. The
life that is dictated by Christian prin-
ciple directly contributes to physical
health and longevity. Insurance Offices
find that clergymen live longer than
the average. In England some of.
fees have separate tables for total alb
stainers, whom they insure at a low.
er rate than others. It Is true still
that sinners do mot live out half their
days." In u great cities every year
numbers of lads from the countr0
who have been going the pace" have
to drop out Of the race.
IL. yet l am as strong this day al
I was" Spoken to give assurance
that he could take possession Of the
land.
This old veteran, whose services
would have entitled him to almost any
reward he might ask. did not seek for
a soft place for his declining years.
but authority to do yet more hard
fighting."-Prof. Beecher.