Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-14

because 1t qualities men FOR legitimate bust
ness and prevents them from unholv pur-
SUITS Besides. accumulated treasure handed
over To n cody post, r!ty will increase moro
and more. And what was especially worthy
o. consideration, it was a rich land into
"hlch we people We're to enter. FUN OF all
sood Things tverse III. They would re-
celFe wells which they did not dig vine
yards and olive trees" which they did nor
plant The wealth of the Canaanites and
the othcr nations tNumb., NNxi. 32) would be
transferred to them Isa lx.:Gl and win
mat beginning they would go on from year
TO year and from century TO century Nyi-b
a prophets eye Moses may have cortcm
plated the vast aggregate of earthly posses
SONS which would ultimately be granted
TO this highly favored people under the
Dless ng OF Almighty God Il Chron.. Xxi.
l6l. ANIL
DANGER.-Wealth brings luxury. and
luxury pride, and pride turns the heart
away from God prov. xvi;lS). And 90
Inc prosperity which results from right
eousness is attended by danger Moses did
ho' ieaVe the people ignorant on tins point.
II they had complained in their poverty
tNungb., Xxi:5) and suffered in CONSEQUENCE
ne would have them know that when they
had eaten ana were full they might fail
INTO greater evil: Beware lest thou forget
the Lord which brought thee out of the land
of Egypt" he says verse 12). Bad as II IL
to question the wisdom and goodness of
COO because OF temporal reverses, il is in
iiilitelN worse TO receive blessings his
hands, and then, satisfied with the gift,
ignore the giver. Indifference and ingrati-
tude are the basest of sins ,Rom. i:2D.
When the heart has been filled with earthly
good Matt, Xx:22) and God has been
crowded out. how shall the man head a true
ife-how shall he fill his mission-how shall
ne become an agent of kood to others
mark, x:20? Beware" cries the venerable
leader (James, i:lO.
REMEDY.-How shall Israel be saved
from apostasy. from practical atheism and
worldiness through wealth? In the midst
of increasing riches how shall the nation
be made true to God? Moses answers,
Fear Him. Serve Him." Swear by His
name" Reverence first hallowing His
name in the thought Matt vi:9); serving
next, consecrating all things to His use,
testifying in His name, appealing TO Him
for the truthfulness of all testimony Here
is the proper state of the heart the sur
render of the life and the homage of the
lips, covering the inner and the outer, and
the entirety of human existence This is
the plan OF absolute and perpetual loyalty.
IN connection with this positive precept,
Moses gave negative, forbidding the sery-
Ice OF other Gods Verse I'd. Unwilling
to conform to the demands of the Almighty
ana equally unwilling to abandon all re-
hgion, wealthy men sometimes make a God
and religion to suit their convenience
(Rom., i:20. The Israelites were warned
against such a course by the fact that God
~ dhSci might utSlTOy tneHl Verse lob.
Remembrance of His judgments would fix
this thought In their minds (Numb. xxi.8).
REVIEW.-By the foregoing outline
1t appears that Moses desired to build tho
new home of his people In Canaan on a
purely theocratic plan. Love for the one
only God, His word treasured in the heart
childhood nurtured for Him, steadfast 10y
atty with increasing wealth-these advices
were adapted to make a nation with whom
God could abide, through whom He might
accomplish His purposes with other nations
Whatever prominence had been previously
given to the tabernacle and the priesthood,
the family and the parent are placed above
them. However much in after centuries
the Holy Spirit might communicate by the
prophets, special stress is here laid on the
commands then delivered, which were never
to be forgotten. The system was not one
of popular sentiment and majority of mill
tary power and glory, of superstition and
tradition, but of truth. of training, of cul-
ture, of love, dealing with individuals This
is the most remarkable political structure
of all ages. Considering the time and the
circumstances of its announcement, il must
have been divine.