The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-27
The International
Sunday-School Lesson
THE GOLDEN CALF

THE GOLDEN CALF.
The position of the emigrant nation att
trying in the last degree The region was
utterly UNEQUAL by any natural means to|
suddenly planted upon 1t. There were war;
like tribes, the shock OF whose lmpetuonsi
valor Israel had already felt at Rephdim
~ watching taSir front ss many
an inaccessible aafie, II swast mott npossibla
that the, empire whose ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
dtion for their recapture or determination;
for scant hundred and eighty miles inter-
Nened between them and Rameses their
TO be sure. God had undertaken to be
their commissarlat and send them rations
from the skies, He had Moses so in ad-
supply them water In abundance. He had
brought them out Of Egypt with high
hand and an outstretched arm He had
steps; had Tveeteped waters given them
dainty food to eat. and defeated their enc
niles. And this Very moment the noun.
a asiatop enrnea ana eazed WIN ms
But the peoples heart was .stlll gross.
Their reliso!a pereeptlops we're lndistlhet
power That had brought them out of Egypt
They had not attained to the idea of The
omnipresenee God They pr9sae, locked
Jurisdiction II WAS possible for them TO
stray They were very far y, short IT, OF the
eted a visible palladium. They we're jeal-
Gus also OF Noses and showed their spleen
in the contemptuous language they used
| concerning him.
1t was a crucial hour In Israel's history.
God was proving, His people, The test was
severe, but mot out sof proportion to their
absence continued, ana Of the. lntermisslon
OF divine Communications Would faith
prevail? Would they be true TO the pledge
. y hay saI II 4
| we will dol"
Alas there was sudden epidemic OF
Ing personality to Withstand Il. The black
idoatry of Egypt eclipsed for them the
heavenly light OF SINAI. How nstantaneo-
Gus and great was. their darkness' This was
WIN .nsaS,s voice ole stu ringing In 4 II r.
ans any craven aHS Ss sui reau1sd
! Aaron 10 make one. II the high priest
could show such pusillanimity as he did.
| ought we to wonder. at the immaturity ana
perversty OF the rank and hle'
Charity seems to have suggested that
Aarons compliancee wasS IN reality only
Turn. or that he3was sdeftly playing one sin,
/ i,li, propensity against another in hopes q
i chackmatng idolatry With cupidity AZ best
an easy-going beneAce, but had no hero or
/ martyr stun In him.
4 This was the occasion on when the lsrael-
|ites in their hearts turned back TO Esypt
i as stephen affirmed, That gliuering image
4 carried In tho van would be a substitute
1 for the fire cloud pillar; and the Image Of
Esypt's famed Apis would be an aeg's undel
4 which they might shelter themselves from
4 the wrath OF their former taskmasters
While the carnival OF idoiatry, lust, ant
4 drunk ebness, was at It's height the. tower,
4 Ing form Of Moses appeared upon the elif
Il like a Nemesis, Well might they fear tbs
wrath Of that meek man, Al unconscious
: perhaps OF the symbolical character of hi
: action he held the tablets OF the law loft
= then dashed them on the rocks below thu
4 giving for all time the ST. sest possible
EMPHASIS To the phrase "the broken law
4 He broke both tables, for law on eacl
4 was broksn--one against simase.makinE. tn
other against adultery. Even if this had no
II been the ease, the breaking Of one precep
il ia the breaking Of the whole law, for II !
Next no attacked the image so costly an
III venerated. Not one Of that idolatrou.
\ lecherous, drunken mob dared utter a. wor
4 OF yemonstrance, much lest hit hand =
i oppnsition Moses may have taken III
B granite fragments OF the broken tables !
. lnulvarze the lido,
!. Ths next step is enc Of retribution, De
= cimatton Ia the universal penalty az muffin,
: Acting on that common Law Moses send
|. tbs Lsvites with drawn swords, Ike q
: ayensing cyclone, through the hordes .
N naked idolaierssts Enough pay the eapltt
d psnalty 10 OPEN the ayes Of the frest TO IN
d ( exceeding turpittde OF their sin
! "a Having done what mortal hands coul
ID