The Morris County chronicle., 1907-10-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON CON-
MENTs FOR OCT. ~ BY THE
REV. /. w. HENDERSON.
Subject: Israel Enters the Land Of
Promise, Josh. 3:5-17-Golden
Text, Ps. 1O7:7-Hcmory Verse;.
17-Commenfayy.

Promise, Josh. 3:5-17-Go1deR
Text, Ps. 1O7:7-NTemory Verse;.
17-Commentary.
In accordance with the promise of
| God, Israel enters the land of prom
ise Under the direct and marvellous
manifestation of Gods providence
| they cross the Jordan and stand
within sight of the walls Of Jericho
Joshua's words, as given in the
fifth verse of our lesson, compel our
attention. lSanctify yourselves, for
tomorrow the Lord will do wonders
among you" 1t is a call to conse-
Grafton because God is to work Won
| ders among them and because God
| will not manifest Himself. and can
not, except they are prepared.
The dedication Of themselves was
| followed as we see by a transcendant
manifestation of the providence and
| potency of Cod The rite of sanctifi
cation was fitting.
Israel was upon the threshold Of
| new experience She was about to
enter into new life The hopes Of
| generations, the promises of centu
ries were about to be consummated.
/, 1t was solemn time. The day was.
mementous. History was in the maxi
| ing. Joshua was aware of it, The
wandering multitude must have been
impressed by it. A new epoch was
about to begin. A nation was COM
ing to its own. To-day, the wilder
| ness, its memories, its hardships, its
| discouragements, the vision of a
promised inheritancel Tomorrow,
| Jordan passed, hopes realized, prom
ises fulfilled, memories translated in
10 -, sa.1.A
| 1t was proper that they should be
peculiarly prepared. 1t was right
| that they should be impressed by the
greatness of the occasion The event
was too tremendous not to be sol
emnized and signalized by special
ceremony. The God who had led
| them SO far, so patiently, SO decisive
ly, was entitled to the dedication and
| the thanks of all Israel. They had
| to eonsecrate themselves because
| God was about to exalt them, because
| the manifestation of Jehovah S power
was impossible without their submis-
sion entirely to His will.
So it has ever been So will it
ever be. No man and no nation has
| enjoyed the revelation of the pleni-
tude of the power of God except the
individual or national will has been
| subordinated to the dictates of Di-
vinity. And no person or people will
ever experience a satisfactory knowl-
| edge of the inspiring providence of
/ God except the personal or popular
/ volition be subjected to the mandates.
of the mind OF God. Whenever and
1 wherever persons or peoples sanctify
themselves before God, acknowledge
| ing their Indebtedness to Him, recog--
4 nj hi 1Sorof fNa
/ pledging their faith in undivided 10y
atty to Him, then and there God has
! ever manifested Himself and done
| wonders. And what time men or ma
| tions in future determine to thank
| God and to hail Him and to serve.
| Him then will Jehovah manifest Him
! self nightly Israel has proved it.
| America has proved it. 1t is to be-
hoped that America will demonstrate
the truth again.
For along the highway of human
progress America has travelled under
| the espionage of God to national
| greatness. We have triumphed over
! difficulties and been victorious over
oppositions and gone through dis
! tresses and afiictions and despair.
We are now upon the border of
| larger progress and of an increased
! national prestige. No man of vision
can fail to discern in the signs of the.
times limitless opportunities for the.
| development of our national re-
sources in money and men. in influ-
! ence and character. The achieve
ments of America of to-day are but
/ slight adumbrations of the glories
that may be hers In coming years il
she will, as she stands on the thres-
i I.1I1 - ~ Il. .s.~, L.
| self in spirit and in truth.
We cannot be fit for larger useful
| ness except we are right with God
and dedicated to Him. Jehovah can
| not utilize us more until we subject
ourselves to Him.
In order that we shall be ready for
| service and prepared for the further
| ance of the projects of the Almighty
| as they concern America we must
pay heed to the command of Joshua
! to Israel as given in the ninth verse.
| of the lesson we are studying:
GONE hither and hear the words Of
| the Lord your God" For we cannot
| build without plans and specifications
| building that shall be durable and
| beautiful. We cannot do Gods work
until we hear Gods message. To
serve efficiently we must hear the,
captains orders. If we would labor
| for God we must listen to God.
| Much of the leadership of America
listens little to God In the measure.
that we have a leadership that is.
deaf to divine directions, we are mis-
led. we are Handicapped. For pro-
gress is only possible when we are i'm
harmony with the will of Cod We.
| cannot know Gods mind except we
| listen tO EOd's voipa
The task that God has delivered to,
! America, the future that He has pre-
pared for her, is too great to be ac-
complished without His inspiration,
His direction, Ills sustentation.
Americas future is cut after a divine
| pattern. Only Divinity can effect it's
realization. Only that humanity that
is surcharged with divinity will ever
enjoy the vision of it. Let us there
lore listen to the word of the Lord
| our God and with ganctified souls go
On and UP until this land shall be i'm
deed Gods country and the future of
our fatherland shall be secured.
Big Fresh-Water Pearl.
Probably the largest pearl ever
found in the Mississippi River was
picked IN af Eldnra Ioma n ir o q