Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-10-24
Caleb's F~aithfulness
Rewarded
Sunday School Lesson Tor Oct. ~. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Paper
LESSON TExT.-Joshua 14;6-i5. Mem

thee ruler over = many things."-Matt
25 .2s.
TIME.-The verses OF the lesson belong
about six years after the last lesson, to-
ward the close OF the first conquest OF
Canaan. and during Its distribution
among the tribes.
pLACE.-Joshua's capital was at Gil
gal. Caleb's inheritance at Hebron. 70
miles south Of Jerusalem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Caleb.-Famlly Origln.-"Caleb
the Kenezite," the descendant OF
Kenas, the son of Esau. THE proba-
bilities are that Caleb, or his father,
became members of the tribe Of Judah
by adoption" (Prof. Beecher), like
Hobab. Ruth and Heber. THE faith
Of this family was prominently the
fruit of conviction, and not the &C.
cident of heredity. 1t had a firmer
basis than that of rnost lsraelites. 1t
was woven more closely into the tex
ture Of their being. and swayed their
lives more powerfully. 1t is pleasing
to think that there may have been
many such proselytes; that the prom
Use of Abraham may have attracted
ooblS ilolI llit Gust Nv lN "'nNs NV
the north, and the south" Ia f~oretaste
of the glorious fulfllment yet to
GOMEZ .-Blaikie in Expositor's Bible.
He was born while the Israelites
were still in slavery in Egypt, for he
vas 40 years old when Moses
. send him from Kadesh.barnea to
espy out the land" ". y.
His Character.-1. Caleb was a great
and marked man, but what Is often
called "a self.made man." rather. a
God-made man. Coming from without
the nation, he became a prince. and a
power in the nation because of his
faith in God and utilization Of all thai
God had given him.
2. Mr.. Tuck in his Revelation by
Character represents Caleb as quite
an ordinary man . . no genius. M
the message of his life was that "he
did commonplace things in an uncom
mon spirit. The uncommon thing
about Caleb was precisely this-his
religion was thorough he wholly
followed the LORD" ". 81"
3. On the other hand. Matheson In
Representative Men, calls Caleb a
leader and explorer, capable of Pts
gah glimpses," his life pitched upon a
hill; he could see things afar off; he
was the real hero of the exploring ex-
petition. was faith to drop her
wings at the very gate Of Paradise!
4. BY faith and falthfulness were
the living heart of Caleb's character.
He was sincere to the core. His faith
endured As years without fading or
faitering. Caleb Is one of those men
whom we meet with seldom in Bible
history, but whenever we do meet
them we are the better for the meet.
ing. Bright and brave, strong. mod
est and cheerful, there Is honesty in
his face, courage and decision in the
very pose of his body, and the calm
confidence Of faith in his very look
and attitude.
s. Caleb met opposition with cour.
6 and faith, when my brethren that
went up with me made the heart of
the people melt ". 81. They could
stone him, but, like the prophets Of
old, he never wavered.
g.. Caleb was of a thankful disposi.
tion and full of cheer. He did not
dwell on his desert trials, or the As
years delay, or the opposition Of his
brethren, or his failure to change their
minds; but on what God had done for
him on his promises, on his long and
healthy life Of usefulness, so that even
at So he could say with Xavier in his
dream realized in his life, And yet
more, o Lord, yet more."
10. 1.-THE Lord hath kept me alive"
As he promised. One promise full.
filled gave the assurance that the
other would be. But Caleb's clean.
active life was one of the means to
this healthful old age. Maclaren in
the Sunday School Times warns the
young thus:
THE old man Of SIS Is vigorous and
hale as when he tramped through the
land nearly half a century ago. The
life that is dictated by Christian prin.
ciple directly contributes to physical
health and longevity. Insurance Off ces
find that clergymen live longer than
the average. In England some Of
fees have separate tables for total alb
%stainers, whom they insure at a low
er rate than others. 1t Is true still
that sinners do mot live out half their
days" In our great cities every year
numbers of lads from the country.
who have been going the pace" have
to drop out Of the race.
IL. yet l am as strong this day as
l was" Spoken to give assurance
that he could take possession Of the
land.
This old veteran, whose services
would have entitled him to almost any
reward he might ask, did not seek for
a soft place for his declining years,
but authority to do yet more hard
fighting Prof. Beecher.
Practical Points.
The world is to be converted for
Christ. Not an enemy is to be left.
But it is to be conquered by spiritual,
not carnal weapons, and by the won.
derful power of the Holy Spirit. The
victory does not destroy men,
Many of the best promises are real
lied only in the course of time. Some
/ things cannot be done in a moment.
But with continued faithfulness the
fulhllment is sure to come.
The Effect Of the Anakim on Some.
There are those who hesitate on this
account TO take possession of their
promised land.