The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-07
International Sundays School
 Lesson

Copyright, Davis ". Clark.
 Save for my daily range Among the pleasant fields of Holy Writ, I might despair. -Tennyson. Third Quarter. Lesson N. Numbers xxi'
 To. September 8, 1907.
 THE BRAZEN SERPENT.
 A new generation of Israel one that had not been debased land corrupted by the ser vittde and idoltaFy of Egypt. but instead had a Divine tutelage, and been inured by the hardships of the widerness-such nation was approaching the borders of Canaan
 One last ordeal for their faith and pa- tence remained to be endured Between them and the Land of Promise lay Edom. Moses had sent deputation requesting In most fraternal language the privilege of passing through. assuring the king that they would keep to his own highway. and not deploy through the country to the en-, dangering of the fields and vineyards. As custom was, promise was made, In addi- tion, to pay for the water used en route
 To this civil petition Israel got churlish answer, a blank refusal, emphasized by warlike demonstrations. The Israel or forty years before would have gotten am Rry on the instant. and. whether God wiiIed it or not, would have undertaken to have forced a passage. But the genera tion bred in the Wilderness was more do- cie.
 But hope deferred, and the exceeding difficulty of the way-flinty, arid and sand swept ss 1t was--finally broke down the spirits even of the new Israel They raised the old murmurinss that ought to have died and been buried with their fathers In their petuianee they failed to mention its real cause; namely, the postponement Of of the entrance to Canaan. and fell to de- .A kh1 hnnnR providence--the mama, without which they would long sincehave perished.
 Their punishment was by natural means Their path lay through a tract infested to this day with venomous serpents. At that day, undecimated by the Bedouin, who, familiar with their traits and haunts, avoided them, they had bred in prodigious numbers. In these serpent ~dens the peo- pIe, sulIen and unwary, walked. The ser- ried hosts in the rear unaware o&~the sub tie danger, pushed the foremost ranks for ward and made escape almost impossible. The brief and pitiful record is that much people of Israel died" Their manner of death was shocking, They were quickly affected with burning and raging thirst. accompanied with fiery inflammation.
 The promptness and genuineness of Is- raers repentance is a mark of improve ment in national character. There seems
  some contrition on the part of the former generation. Moses intercession was ap- parently the only ground on which they were spared. But this generation frankly says: we have slnned." Pray for us. "
 The means provided for restoration were striking and significant The supernatural character of the case did not admit of question. It was patent to all that there could be no natural connection beetween looking at a bronze snake. clinging to pole set up in the midst of the camp and the allaying of the deadly fever incl dent to the bite of a venomous reptile. Strange antidote for poison that But the power of the Almighty was in that im- probable means to all who had faith enough to look towards 1t.
 Many looked, and instantly the deadly fever was allayed and an impending and awful death averted The mourning of the stricken camp was changed into rejoicing The mercy and power of God were mag nified.
 ~ ANALYSIS AND KEY.
 1. Second approach to Canaan.
 A new nation.
 a Passing through -Edom denied.
 2, old Israel could have fought pas > sage New Israel more docile.
 4 A shameful lapse.
 Old "murmurings" repeated
 ..B. Punishment by natural means
 Serpent, infested region
 G. Prompt repentance additional sign of
 national improvement.
 T. Novel means of cure
 Supernatural.