Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-08-22
Israel J%ourneying
TO Canaan
Sunday School Lessonior AuG. IS. 1907
Specially Prepared for This Payer
Specially Prepared for This Payer

cloud, ~ lead them the way: and by
night in n pillar of are, TO give them
1921.
TIME.-B. c. 1870 according to the
chronology. Scholars are d.
between this date and 200 years
The second stage OF the wilder
ness Journey. the new start from Sinai,
began on the goth of the second
month OF the second year after leaving
Egypt May. They had spent about q
year at Sinai tthe 10Th day OF the sec.
ond month was May "a In 1902, and Will
May 4 In 1879.
PLACE.-Thoy started from Sinai near
the southern point OF the peninsula Do
tween the tive northern arms OF thu
Red sea. They moved In a northerly d.
rection into the wilderness of Paran, or
the Tib CTec). the great barren region
between Sinai md the southern bordas
OF Palestine.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Israelites had now remained
nearly a year at Sinai, where they
were safe from attack from Egypt on
the scattered population of the desert.
All this time they had been In Gods
school preparatory to their longer
training and discipline in the wilder
ness.
The people left Egypt a mere crowd
Of fugitive slaves, with only the rudl.
ments of national organization, and
the dimmest religious ideas. But the
interval had effected IN immense
change. They had now become an OF.
ganized people, with laws, a constitu'
ton or covenant, a priesthood, a relig'
ious ritual, and house Of worship; and
with q political and military organiza'
tom under judges and officers placed
over thousands, hundreds, fifties aud
tens lex. 1875; Duet. 1:15), and a
general council Of 70 elders lex. 24:1;
Mum. 11:16, 24.26) which the rabbis
believe was the origin OF the San
hedrim.
Make a record Of their experiences
during this year, and show how each
one was a preparation for their com
ing life.
According to the census Of Numbers
1 and 2, there were 603 $50 men, 20
years old and upwards, besides the 49,
273 Levites. This would naturally i'm
ply about 1000, 900 In all. But Prof.
Willis J. Beecher. of Auburn Theolog.
ical seminary, In a 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 1t a regiment:
SOC, 900 may be equivalent to 600 reg.
iments, "the thousands" containing
but a few hundreds, 30 that there may
not have NGen more than $780, 900 men
or 1 1000, 900 persons In all.
This schooling was like a 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 II 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 fed their fiocks,
and followed aiar off the marvellous
signal Of the divine presence. A great
most marching through a country with
out roads or other marks Of civiliza'
ton, must be provided with some con
spicuous object to serve as a signal
to the main body, and to all struggling
parties connected with 1t.
Hence, the round crate, full OF kin
died fuel, elevated on a pole, which
was carried before caravans and
armies In the east. The ancient Per
slams carried q sacred fire in silver
affairs before their armies, and Other
ancient nations observed a similar Gus
tom. For fuller description see Mum
S:15-23.
A Strange ouldanoe.-The Lord was
guiding the people to the promised
land. We can imagine them saying
Now that the Lord guides us we will
be led only In pleasant ways, In greer
pastures, and besides still waters
away from dangers and enemies, away
from serpents, and drought, and hun
ger, and we will reach the promised
lahu ny ,he Survives, 'ou b"
fact, the Lord had led them into th,
ts"np,e ny ,ho Neu so", Il ' u vi!
ahu THIRSTY ANU waeie NJ Mapei wae
e'",ns .ne .h'is
uah snouiu oe apio " e''1 Jus, euo'
ah ih'i,a'ion DO ms. no hno"'
WINNER IN ID so'hs' II "la' Joy
inc power OF the ihsita'ioh iies IN gu
own appreciation OF the dressings o