The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-01-11

the fleeing lines OF the I~sraelites, for
they had already secured a good lead.
On, on, pursued and pursuers went,
until a warning cry Of mingled fear
and dismay caused the king to look
back.
What was that lurid glare in the
heavens? That was not the sunrise!
No! For the sun at that very moment
was rising in the other quarter OF the
heavens, and his dull red glow seemed
to pale before the brighter, fiereer
light which crowned the hill on which
their city stood. Flames leaped and
curled upward as though striving to
see which could first reach the blue
vaults of the sky. while the clouds of
smoke crept lazily across the horizon.
The kings heart stood still. With
pale face and wildly-staring eyes, he
watched the terrible sight. He and
his army were dazed by the spec.
tacle, and fairly paralyzed with fear.
What could it mean? Each man
asked himself. And then as they
saw a multitude of men rising ON
every hand and rushing down the
hill towards them, and heard behind
them a warning shout as the fleeing
Israelites turned and came back at
them, they became panic-stricken and
broke ranks and fed in every direc-
| ton.
The king and his bodyguard sought
refuge in the thick underground and
made their way as rapidly as they
could toward the north, where they
hoped that they would be able to find
some friendly ally that would take
them in and give them shelter.
Bitter were the thoughts Of the
king as he thus made his way, torn
and bleeding and weary. The thorns
| goaded his flesh and the interlacing
boughs and branches seemed to be
doing their utmost to delay him and
give him into the hands of his enc
mics. But Notwithstanding the diff
culties and perils which surrounded
him, his heart was still defiant, and
he promised himself that II he could
but reach safety with some Of the
%neighboring nations to the north, he
would some day return with a power
full army and have his revenge upon
these dogs of Israelites, who refused
to mingle with the peoples about them
and worshiped an unseen God.
In the meantime Joshua and his
army had taken up the pursuit eager
ly, remembering the words of the
Lord that they should destroy the peo-
pie utterly. Some of the men who
served close to Joshua had marked
the place where the king had stood
with his men, and now rushed for
ward determined on his capture. 1t
was not difficult following the trail
through the underbrush, while the
king and the men with him remained
together, but as the pursuit had be-
come To- fierce and the Israelites
were close upon them, they scattered,
and the king was left to go his way
alone.
When the Israelites came to the
place where the king and men had
separated they were puzzled to know
just what to do, for they were deter
mined that the king of all others
should not escape.
But has not God told us that we
must utterly destroy them, and will
he not help us to do that which he
has commanded" exclaimed one.
Thus encouraged, they scattered
and followed as best they could
the trails left by the fleeing men. Now
each man was eager to win the glory
of capturing the fugitive king, and
so when they burst through the un-
derbrush into an open field and saw
the king before them, they all left
the pursuit of the others and followed
hard after him, unmindful even of
n of the kings men who could be
seen making his way just on the other
side of the open space.
Should they all in their eagerness
to capture the king and share in the
glory thereof let this fellow escape?
was the thought that smote the heart
of one of the Israelites, the one who
had SO confidently declared that the
Lord would help them.
BY way of answer he resolutely
turned aside and took up the pursuit
of this other fugitive, while the rest
continued to follow the king.
Imagine his surprise, therefore,
when at last he overlook the man
and made him captive to discover that
it was none other than the king him
self, who, hoping to divert pursuit
from himself, had exchanged clothing
with one of his men.
And 80 he who in faith had sought
to perform the commandments of the
Lord, was granted the favor of bring
ing to Joshua the king Of the strick-
en- city, and Joshua hanged him on a
tree until eventide, and as soon as the
sun was down, Joshua commanded
that they should take his carcass
down from the tree and cast it at the
entering Of the gate of the city. And
they raised thereon a great heap OF
stones as a testimonial against all
those who would dishonor God and de-
stroy his people.