The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1907-08-23

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LESSON TEXT - Numbers i0u-is
9B
GOLDEN TEXT.-"And fhs lord WEN
before them by day N Pillar N
cloud q lead them tho way. and bog
night IN pillar q hro. ~ give then
nght~-Ex i3,A
TIME b c. ieo according 70 M
| common chronology Scholar ar 3D.
vided between this Date 8Dd N year
later Tho second stage Of tho wilder
ness Journey. tho now start from Sinai
began on the 20fb Of tho second
month Of tho second year after leaving
Eaypt May They had spent about d
yaap az Sinai one 30ih day of the sec
ond month was May q N 1872. and val
BE- May Z IN islD
PLACE -Thoy started from sfinl near
the southern point ~ tho peninsula be-
tween Tho two northern arms .ot ne
Red sea. They moved IN % northerly d..
roction into the wilderness of Paran ~
the TIL rreel. thc groai barren region
hotwoen slnai ami the southern border
Of Palestine
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Israelltes had now remainod
nearly a year az Sinai. where they
we're safe from attack from Egypt on
the scattered population OF the desert
All this time they had been In God S
school preparatory % their longer
training and discipline In the wilder
ness.
Tho people left Egypt a mere crowd
OF fugitive slaves. with only the ruai.
ments OF national organization. and
the dimmest religious ideas. But the
interval had effected an immense
change. They had now become an or
gained people with laws. a constitu-
ton or covenant a priesthood. O relie.
ious ritual. and house Of worship, and
with a political and military organiza'
ton, under judges and officers placed
ovor thousands. hundreds, fifties and
tens lex. 1925. Duet l.i0. and a
general council OF 20 elders (Ex 2i.l;
Mum. il.l6. 24-26) which the rabbis
believe was the origin Of the San.
hedrim.
Make record of their experiences
during this year. and show how each
one was a preparation for their com
ing life.
According 70 the census Of Numbers
and O. there were 00s.550 men. 20
years old and upwards. besides the o.
273 Lovites. This would naturally I'm.
ply about 100000 in al But Prof.
Willis J. Deecher. OF Auburn Thoolog-
ioal seminary. In lecture not long
ago suggested that the enumeration
may have been technical. just as we
count an army A regiment consists
Of 1000 men. while often In various
ways not more than 400 or 500 are
present, and yet we call It regiment,
100000 may be equivalent 70 600 reg
iments. the thousands" containing
but a few hundreds. 70 that there may
not have been more than 800 900 men
or 100000 persons IN all
This schooling was like prepare
tory school education for young peo-
pie
The Pillar Of Cloud and Of Fire
TWO symbols OF God always went be
fore the people on their march. The
ark of God. containing the two tables
Of the Law. the covenant OF the peo-
pie with God, and over it the guiding
pillar Of cloud by day and Of FIRE by
night. rising high above the host. a
conspicuous object that could be seen
not only by the marshaled host but
by the scattered companies Of women
and children. as they led their hocks.
and followed ofar OFF the marvellous
signal Of the divine presence. A great
host marching through a country with
out roads or othoT marks Of civiliza.
ton, must be provided with some con
spicuous object To serve as a signal
to the main body. and 20 all struggling
parties connected with IL
Hence. the round CRATE. full oi kin.
died fuel elevated On pole. which
was carried before caravans and
armies In the east The ancient Per
SLAMS carried a sacred fire In silver
affairs before their armies. end other
ancient nations observed a similar Gus
tom For fuller description see Nun.
@ 1923
A Strange ouidance.-Tho Lord was
guiding the people % the promised
land. We can imagine thom saying
Now that the Lord guides as we will
be led only In pleasant ways. In green
pastures. and besides stiil waters,
away from dangers and enemies. away
from serpents. and drought. and hun
ger. and We viii reach the promised
land by the shortest route. IN the
quickest time. But. as matter Of
fact the Lord had led them into the
trouble by the Red sea. into the dry
and thirsty land whore no water was
Giving the lnvltatlon.-Every Chris
tian should be ablo 70 give just such
an invitation as this. He knows
whittier he Is going. and what joys
are sure at the end OF the journey.
The power OF the invitation lies 10 our
own appreciation OF the blessings OF
tho Christian life
God wants you 20 BE- o Christian
not only because II Re best for you. but
because there Is work for you 20 DO In
his kingdom; there arc multitudes 20
help. battles 10 fight Victories to gain.
the kingdom Of God TO come. the world
TO be redeemed
Practical Points.
Ruskin says that no good work Is
done for hire
Like Bunyans Pilgrim we are on
our way 70 our promised land-the
heavenly character. the heavenly life.
the heavenly conditions described In
Revelation 81. %.
The wise person always seeks the
otd - tho fuoro oynprfonrnd "a Mrcpe