The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-16
The International
Sunday-School Lesson

Fourth Quarter. Lesson VII. Judges
vii. O-23. November II. 1907.
GIDEON AND HIS THREE HUNDRED.
The Hebrew church had catacomb
experience as well as the Christian
church. The fierce oppression of the
Midianites drove them to the device OF
carving grottoes in the mountains and
corridors onto which cell-like dwell
ings opened. dimly lighted. with air
holes like windows"
The Christian church was ground be-
Meath the earth by the iron heel OF
cause. But thu. Hebrew church richly
deserved It's affection because OF Its
black apostasy. It was following
IN The way Of Baa The ns
sdeliverance Of Deborah and Barak was
still alive. But these lustrous char
acters and their valorous deeds were
already forgotten; and the land was Va
wanton groves OF his voluptuous con-
sort, the star-queen.
AT length, after seven years, the
apostate eeremS grew te them rut
lessly burned or trampled by the camel
droves of the enemy. These ex1es In
mountain dens sighed for their happy
IN er the srt the
sons slain and their daughters meeting
a worse fate They cry Enough" to
Gods punitive providence. Instantly
Jehovah prepared for their deliver
Gideon, the con Of Joash. is engaged
In the homely task OF threshtnE wheat.
No moonshiner ever ran his still more
sheaves in in the stone vat t. beneath the
wine-press: and there, entirely hid
den from view. as Eoiselessly as posi-
BILE. with hooppole perchance. HI is
ba e AND OF
the man mark him as one we'll quail.
fled to outwit even willy foe.
!, Sarcasm T., vas IS mater Of heredity with
ed1on wo Hs ndt Sa b Is n1 win Rbea
in a wine-press." is matched by his
fathers "If Baal be god. let him
contend for himself with the one who
has cast down his altar
Gideon was as humble, and self
deprecating as Moses; He deemed him
self the least member of an insig-
nnificant house. ana deprecatingly cried:
"NvhereWith shall.I save Israeli"
fathers house. His .sanctitied artfui-
the daytime. to split up. that big /
open the licentious shade OF the star
goddess's grove to the sunlight, he
would have had fight on hand. and
that. too. with his own kindred. When
no use "crying over split milk" rhe
fathers Righteousness revealed itself in
the nickname he gave his son. Jerub-
baal-'Let Baal have It out with him.
the rod in the angels hand. the rocky
table was converted into an altar, on
which the savory meal spread for
his refreshment was suddenly consu!m-
heartened Gideon for the first steps in
his great task. But when he looked
down upon Esdra elon, that batte-nlain
Of Palestine, and saw the swarmine,
and the Signs Of the i tee wet ,eNs and
dry, were given to HIM. In the Mldian-
lite soldiers dream of the contempti- |
Bile barley loaf ups ting the camp, and
MS eon,radss comment upon y! both
as he reconnoitreY5t the enemy by |
night. he was further encouraged III
his extremely .exaeting, task.
petty arW Of ne
The process reduced thirty
two regimeNts to three companies.
This paltry band had ridiculous ar
But ltdsns t assfu ana
these strange weapons were
invincible. The. flaring torch sudden
Is uncovered. the inexpicable sound |
OF tHe CraSnlHE pottery: the trumpet I
blast, and the utterance Of those awe
names OF Jehovah ana his
captain. Gldeon--it !s enough! Three
companies throw 40 regiments into i
completest panic, Each Midianite be-
comes his fellows foe. The remnants
OF that proud army, broken and wreck !
ed, are holly pursued Israel's deliv- {
erance Is completes. With bowed heads
the confession is devoutly made that |
the arm OF "the Lord hath done IT."
a Analysts and Key.
E |, Catacomb experience of Hebrew
and Christian churches; contrast and I
& Hebrews brought to repentance.
L Q, Deliverance and deliyerer pre-
4 Personal history OF Gideon; traits
and characteristlcs.
s, Domestic reformation. 4