The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-01

The Preacher. the Donkey, the Prob
The International Sunday School Les
son for Nov. 2, is "Balak and Bal
aam." Numbers 22:1-23:10.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
This story is a room with many
windows. One looks out upon the
preacher and his message. Another
sweeps the mysterious field Of eastern
magic. Still another faces Mesopo-
tamia and the possible traces which
Abraham's monotheistic faith LETT IN
his old home in Haran. The biggest
window Of all confronts the foollsh
spectacle of a proud. rich king trying
to thwart Jehovah and His purposes.
A very small window portrays the
prophet, true to his message, yet
STOPPING in the end to suggest vile
and heather stratagem to the enemies
of Israel; and, afar off, Balaam dying
in battle on the side Of the Midianites
Like many another preacher. he did
not live up to the truth he taught;
but his message was true, none the
less.
The Man OF Mystery and Magic.
A man of mystery was this Balaam.
He had great fame as a wise man OF
the East, a seer, necromancer. his
home was in a Hittite city, far across
the desert, on the other side of the
Euphrates. One is tempted to dtgress
here concerning magic in the East,
which persists to this present day. In
the same region, I recently watched
a Enthusiastically clad witch-doctor with
q wand making the rounds of an Arab
village, and with mutterings. incanta-
lions and songs, conjuring away the
evil spirits. From Mesopotamia l
brought home several Jewish "incan-
tations bowls of great antiquity,
which had been translated and writ
ten about by Prof. Montgomery OF the
University Of Pennsylvania museum
BALKAN belonged to an old and hon
ored profession.
A startling fact about this celebrat-
ed Balaam was that he had knowl-
edge of the one Supreme God, Jeho-
yah. Now the Israelites had been IN
a hard school down in Egypt learn
ing this lesson. How came Balaam,
far away in upper Mesopotamia, to
possess this supreme truth? The an
swer is romantic, and fraught with
manv lessons Balaam lived near
Haran. the home Of Abraham, who
had gone thither in obedience to the
bidding OF the one true God. Ina!
region is still filled with apochryphai
traditions Of Abraham; what is like
ness to the great truth of which ne
was custodian had continued until
Balaam's day? We know the I'M
canny persistences of stories and GUS
toms in the East. If BALKAN had not
come to his knowledge of Jehovah
through the agency OF Apranana' no"
else did he get it?
When King Needs Prophet.
Forever and everywhere it is hlgn-
err office to be man OF COO tnan "
he a great man among men. 1t IS a
loftier function to speak, without rear
or constraint, the truth learned from
God, than to stand before kings, load
ed with royal favors. In all 1lnai Is
sues, the earthly potentate must seer
Balak, king of Moab. sending IN ms
extremity for Balaam, the prophet OF
the unseen world, is a type true TO az
times Observant persons nave not
lost the significance of the 1act tna az
in the present crises in the history OF
the United States. the people called TO
their highest office man VINO, by
lifelong habit and essential cnaracLer'
is a preacher of Righteousness. Inc
need of this hour is not for greater
arrav of "practical'' politicians, but
for leaders who see deeply into the
spiritual springs of life.
The plight of Balak was simple. Inc
Israelites, now near the end OF tneir
Thev were victorious for the present
and their further power portended III
for the Moabites in the future. Amid
the fertile foothills and valleys ana
perhaps on the uplands, and on the
great rich plain just east OF the Jor-
dan. the host were encamped. have
personal cause to remember well TINS
turbulent region, for three years age
I was attacked by highwaymar
while camping there. The JORDAN II
ovroI1 dtCta v1t
mountain doomed above them. the
height from which Moses was to ge
his one view Of Canaan. The Jew:
were in an exultant mood. Balak was
correspondingly depressed. The arm
of yalor having failed him, he had re
course to spiritual power; and so hi
sent q deputation of prominent mel
on the long journey to Pethor. on tht
Euphrates, to purchase, at any price
the aid of Balaam the seer. Come
now therefore, I pray thee, curse mi
this people; for they are too might!
for me. for 1 know that he whom
thou blessest is blessed, and he whom
thou cursest is cursed"
Was BALKAN Good or Bad?
So far all is plain sailing. Whel
we get into the heart Of the lesson W.
find ourselves enmeshed In difficulties
r. the international Lesson committee
had taken counsel with Balaam's ass
A. never would have selected this per
niexing passage from the history o
fsraeTs wanderings for the study o
the Sunday schools of the world. Tn
tale is one for theologians to cudge
their brains over: the average membe
Of the Sunday school will scarcely ge
bevond the talking donkey, and tn
tremendous contradictions which Ii
upon the face Of the story.
The fashion is to rail at BALKAN
as a false prophet and a hireling. AL
Iusions in subsequent scriptures, es
pecially in the letters of Peter ant
Jude. are the warrant for this. T.
read the narrative in the book of Mum
hers is to admire Balaam. CHOW shall
wc curse him whom Jehovah has NJ
cursed?'') A sheer. open discrepancy Il
the record Is encountered in the matte
Of the ass and the angel. Balaam ha'
been instructed of Jehovah to go t
D.,or ond sneak his unWelcOme mes