Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-08-20
For Sunday Reading
M Sorts Of Obinion.
Much Yet to Be Possessed.
George D. Perkins in Sioux City

George D. Perkins in Sioux City
Journal.]
Nov Joshua was old and stricken
in years; and the Lord said unto him.
Thou art old and stricken in years,
and there remaineth yet very much
land to be possessed"
Joshua was reminded that his lead
|ership was nearing Its close, and that
it was important to his reputation to
waste no time.
1t may be important to say here-as
not all readers are we'll Informed -
that Joshua was the successor OF Moses
as leader Of the Israelites. Moses led
the way to the Promised Land, and
was ended. 1t was the office OF
Joshua to possess the land-to lead
in the fight for it. He was by nature
lawglver. The wars under Joshua re-
suited in the peaceful occupation Of the
land by the Israelites, and thus the
Lords promise to them was fulfilled.
To some it may seem peculiar that
the land was given to the children OF
Israel by the Lord, that they strug-
gled long to reach it, and then had to
fight for every inch Of it. But that
was the way Of the world then, and
that is the way of the world now; and
1t often comes to pass that it is a
bother among men to tell which side
the Lord Is on.
After the land had been possessed
and the Israelites were held we'll to-
gether while they were fighting for
it-there was real trouble over the
division of the spoil. They had to
keep on fighting, and all accounts go
to show they put in a good deal of
time fighting the Lord.
In time they had great need of an
other military genius. and David APP
peared. He gathered up the ends of
things, and he bound together a nation.
But the time came when king David
was old and stricken in years; and
they covered him with clothes, hut he
gat no heat" Who should follow
him? 1t was a great question: dis
turbing question. The leadership fell
to his son Solomon; and then came a
time of pomp and splendor, and the
doing of many things that should not
have been done. At the end of his
reign, with all the splendor and sin
of it in review, all appeared to him as
vanity. The rivalry for leadership
after Solomon resulted In a divided
people: and the end was Babylon.
It may be said by some that the
Lord took back 1.-The land which he
sware to Abraham. to Isaac. and to
Jacob" 1t is not to be forgotten.
however, that the Lord held a mort
gage. The children Of Israel did not
ven keep up the interest, and to
preserve his law he was compelled to
oreclose.
The patriarchs of Israel. with all
the Lords favor. were compelled to
fight for every good thing they pos
sesed. They looked forward to the
end Of struggle, to a time when h
should be supreme and when they
should be no more concerned over the
devices Of enemies: but in turn they
came to the time when they were old
and stricken far into the future. They
lived long, but the days OF their years
were not many.
The children of Israel prospered in
the measure that they kept faith with
the Lord, and in the measure they
broke faith with him they suffered.
What was true then was always true
and always will be true.
There are certain principles OF COM
mon right and common justice that
must rule as a condition of prosperity
and happiness. The act may be ac-
cepted-and experience has left small
opportunity for denial-and yet men
do not cease to climb up some other
way. In their zeal to be rich, in their
desire for power, they disregard the
fundamental principles Of right living;
and they gain many things. The force
of their example is given increasing
power, and the struggle for advantage
becomes general. People IA they
must do as others do. Theq find ex-
cuse for their wrong doing in business
and in social life. They come to doubt
that it Is possible to succeed In bust
ness and be honest, to secure position
in public life and be honest. to be "a
good fellow and be true to what is
best in ones self. Therefore men let
down. They say they are taking the
way that is open to them. They talk
Of reform at the top, but they shirk
the responsibility Of taking leadership
in reform at the bottom Or in the
place where they are.
Sometimes It is q bother to men to
q.