The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1913-11-27
THE DEATH OF MOSES.
(The StOrv)


(The Story)
The human life was eyer more
full of scenic incident than that Of
Moses From his wave rocked
cradle onward it was march of stir.
ring events, prolific of themes for the
artist. These circumstances come
to memory with the mere mention
of Moses name. The eli
max of this series is reached in
Moses death. No human demise
surpasses it IN certain quality of
weirdness. The story is that, on
one Of the many occasions on which
the Israelites "murmured' in the
wilderness, Moses was unusually
inccnsed against them, and cried.
Hear now, We rebels! Must we
fetch you water out of this rock?"
For some quality in this action which
is not clearly defined, Moses was
denied the privilege Of entrance to
Canaan. Aaron was already dead,
and Moses bad received his token.
He uttered his stately farewell,
chanted his song, and pronounced
his blessing, and then began his
solitary death journey to Nepo.
There is no word OF protest. He
had certainly gained in submissive
ness since he uttered that piteous
cry, l pray thee, let me 90 over
Josephus says he withdrew amist
the tears of the people, and that the
elders and Eliezer and Joshua fol-
lowed part way up the mountain.
At length he reached the peak nam
ed Nebo. A miraculous vision of
the entire land of promise is not
necessarily involved. What he saw
was a sample of the whole to the
remotest limit named. The
death of Moses has been idealized
until one is lost in a maze of curious
speculations. The rabhis say, for
example, that Moses died by a kiss
of the Lord. That in the act, Je-
hovah drew his life from him. This
is elaborated from the phrase that
Moses died by the mouth of the
Lord. The burial of Moses is made
a mystery also. The tradition is
that Jehovah himself buried him.
The Septuagint, however, has it,
they buried him." If those who |
attended to the burial Of Moses kept
their secret, and made no record of
If, after their death it could be truth !
fully affirmed that mo man know
eth the place of his sepulcher. Jude
makes reference to some Jewish ira
dItlon when he speaks of Michael
contend'ng about the body of Moses.
these are matters speculative. They
afford fertile field for the magma
tive, but tor the average person the
moral qualities OF the man are con-
tessedly more important than the
accidents OF his death and burial. >.
. Thus, for example, the death |
OF Moses was undoubtedly intended |
to be exemplary. He was law
glVer, but he was also himself law
breaker. He must Suffer in Sight of
all the people the penalty of the law
which he not only gave, but also
broke. Again, it was mani
testify unfit that the grave of one
whose habit was to efface himself
during life should become the Mecca
OF adulation. This selt-forgetfulness
has splendid Illustration IN Moses
very dying hour. He prays for
suitable successor, and cries, LET
Jehovah set man over the congre-
CATION This living for others has
still further exemplication in the fact
that while he led Israel up to the
threshold of Canaan, he did not en-
ter himself. He put them in the wav
OF good possession, in which he
was not to have any share, even to
he extent of pressing the soil with
his foot. Thus, in sacrifice of Der.
sonal aims and gains, he indicated
- advance the Growing grace of the
Prophet who was to be like him
though greater. What
Moses was and did, these are the>i
dynamic facts. What become of
MS body is matter of indifference
The latter is left uncertain, the form
er recorded with precision. Not
only is Moses name hewn ont IN
time as on a rock but ne stands on
tune as on PEDESTAL"