The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-04-04

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the land which Moses gave you on
this side Jordan; but ye shall pass
before your brethren armed all the
mighty men of valor, and help them;
until the Lord have given your breth-
rem rest as he hath given you
And the Reubenites and the Cad
ties and half the tribe of Manasseh
had promised that they would do even
as Moses had commanded, but the
first day hgd passed without their put
ting In an appearance, and then the
second and now the third day had
dawned, the day on which they were
TO go into the Promised Land. and
still they did not appear. And as the
people waited there by the swollen
waters they wondered whether their
brethren would fail them, and how
they were to cross over
It must be that Joshua would lead
them across, for the night before he
had sent word through the camp tell
ing the people to sanctify themselves
and declaring that on the morrow the
Lord would do wonders among them.
And that morning in eager expectancy
the people had come forth from their
tents, but the river was still there,
and their brethren, the Reubenites
and Gadites and the men from Man
asseh had not yet come, and how,
then, were they to cross Jordan and
gain the Promised Land? Troubled
and anxious they set about the morn
Ing task of gathering the mama, but
scarcely had they finished, when mes
sengers came from Joshua, Nsaying:
when We see the ark of the COW
enant of the Lord your God, and the
priests the Levites bearing it, then ye
shall remove from your place, and go
after It,"
But the river?" the people ex-
claimed and the armed men of the
tribes of Reuben and Cad and Man
asseh have not come, as they prom
ised"
But the messenger had departed in
haste even while they were making
their complaint, and wonderingly, but
obediently the people struck their
tents and prepared for the onward
march.
In the meantime there was test
ing time going on for the men of the
tribes of Reuben and Cad and Man
asseh, Ito whom The call had come to
leave their families and their posses
sions and go before their brethren to
help them gain possession of the land
on the other side Jordan. God had
blessed them, and given them rest in
a goodly land. They must show their
gratitude by helping their brethren
in the harder task of winning posses
sion of their inheritance They must
leave their possessions, even whilo
they were just beginning to enjoy
them They must give up their rest
which was SO sweet after the long
weary years of wandering. But they
would do it because they had prom
ised While any of their brethren
were still without the borders of the
land God had promised to give them
they could not enjoy their own inher-
itance. Nay. the permanency of their
own possessions must depend upon
their brethren taking possession of
the land as Moses had parceled it out.
Thus during those three days did they
purpose to loyalty support Joshua.
And on that third day while the
people waited by Jordan's brink with
their focks and their. little ones I'M
til the priests should set forth bearing
the ark Of the covenant they bade their
wives and their little ones goodby
and turning their backs upon their
own possessions they set their faces
steadfastly in helping their brethren
in obtaining the rest into which they
had already come.
The bugle note had sounded and the
people see the priests lift the ark
and start towards the rivers brink.
And as thcl watch in awe and wonder,
he waters suddenly stand upon
heap and those below the place where
he feet of the priests have touched
low on revealing the bed of the river.
IN move the priests until the center
If the river is reached where they
)ause.
So absorbed have the people been
n watching this miraculous diMdlng
If the waters that they did not OBJ
'SifH VIZ NoiHhotioh la tuS camp IN
heir rear, but now as the priests
lause in the center of the river there
marches forth the long columns of the
and their brethren, armed
nd ready for war.
There are times when the joy and
.ratitude of the heart are so intense
hat the lips are dumb and the voice
ushed before realization of the great
lessing which has come into the life.
here We're the great multltudes of
he children of Israel watching those
Eighty waters of the Jordan rolling
part and opening highway by
'hich their feet might gain the Prom
ied Land; there were the armed
1rces of their brethren going before
lem into the land as token Of the
elp which was to be given them in
onquering the land. But no shout
triumph was raised no voice gave
Spression TO the gladness which
urged within the breasts of those
aiting multitudes
Where now were their doubts and
'ars? Where now were their mur.
urings? Swept like ehaff before the
lghty wind ef Gods Triumphant pow
?. There was the ark of his ooyen-
At in the midst Of Jordan as pledge
security as they should pass under
lat vast wall OF water Diling uD above