The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-25
DIV wIIJIAM r ELLIS.

Moses ana AARON NuIiANCAS
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS: :,
Another case of swelled heao.
That is the co1loquial epltaph Wnic ,n
the world writes above many man :
failure Despite the experience u
&c Thousand wears of history, all OF
which chorus to us to be hunote anu s
to walk softly, we go strutunS oul
peacock way through life, as thouEh
we alone were great Inc iae ul q ~
wisdom. but much folly. Self-1nfla-
ton is the first step toward coiidpse.
The men who think more hlgnly OIL
themselves than they ougnt TO lnAn ~
often are thought less highly OF ny
other men than they really deserve.
The great old 1awgiver, Moses, one
of the crowning figures OF time
missed the mark for this most human
of reasons This Sunday school les
son deals with the sin which shut the
leader from the Promised Land to
which he had led the people II
seems such a little sin. such a par
donable, natural weakness, such an
abundantly provoked offense, tnat at
first we are inclined to question
whether the punishment is not TOO
great for the crime. Shut out OF
Canaan because he got MAD, ana
shameIessly displayed his egotism-
that is the tragedy of the life OF
Moses
The setting of the event is dra-
matte. The children of Israel had
finished the greater part or tneir
journey from Egypt to, Palestlne,
For thirty-eight years they han peen
camped at Kadesh-Barnea waiting
for the faint-hearted and unbelieving
TO pass away. All the old leaders were
gone, except Moses, Aaron, joshua
and Caleb. At last the waiting Pc
Rod had drawn to a close Moses was
l,f= orr
hungry for the Land of Promise:
Then, an outbreak of Impotence
on the part of the people, because
the water supply was short, LED the
leader of the host into a display OF
temper and pride paralleling that or
the neople-and. 10! of an instant. the
hopes of a lifetime went shattering to
the ground. The word OF JehoVah
went forth that Moses should not en-
ter the Promised Land up to which
he had guided the people: ne lau
lost the race on the home stretch.
Such things are possible That is
WHY a canny world objects to b1og-
raphies of living men; they may IN
the end of their lives, null1fy ana ols-
honor all their shining past There
fore the Christian is hidden TO
watch and pray" lest he be led in to
temptation. Even the stalwart Apos-
tie Paul feared lest he himself should
be a castaway. There is no room ior
est saints life; we have too many IL
Illustrations of the grim possibility or a
holy life slipping into unholy deeds in
its sunset hour. The best of US never
get beyond the need for dependence
11pon the grace of God, or the hourly
support of his Spirit. The message of
Moses is one of humility and reverent
trust
When "Vox Populi'' Grows Noisy.
Popular clamor is often the voice
of God; and sometimes it is only a
taste for free bread and circuses.
At times the call of the people is to
be obeyed, and at other times it is to
be disregarded. Always the really
great leader will look upon popular
outbursts with the indulgence of
father toward children. knowing
that these are their way
The bringing together of all the peo-
pie at one spot, preparatory to the
march into Canaan, and the coinci-
dence of a dry season, caused short
age of water. There is nothing very
remarkable about this. During the
Spanish-American war the American
military concentra ton camp suffered
such a drouth. and the murmurins
filed the land. The children of Israel
were chronic grumblers. They had not
learned self-restraint. Even this sec
ond and better crop were prone to for
get what God had done for them.
So they blamed Moses for their trou-
BILE. And it was his business to take
the blame. however unjust it might be.
That goes with the position of leader
ship. Moses was quick to claim credit
for himself therefore he should not
shirk responsibility. He and his broth
er very sensibly took their trouble to
Jehovah-the very best place to take
trouble. There he learned the way
out: he should speak to the rock and
it would give forth water.
A Good Deed in a Bad Way.
What a person says in temper is
often a revelation of his innermost
character which in calmer moments
he has prudentially disguised. There
is no need to analyze the mood OF
Moses; enough to know that when,
after his interview with Jehovah, he
confronted the multitude, he was i'm
patient and angry. Perhaps this was
one expression of spiritual pride. Per-
haps he felt himself too big for his
task Certainly his words show that
he was thinking more of himself than
OF peoples need or of Gods honor. Il
was a return to the immaturity Of
self-consciousneSs
The command was for him to speak
to the rock, that it might give forth
water He obeyed, but in the wrong
fashion; just as a child may fulfill a
parents command, yet in such a sui
len manner as to be essentially dis
obedient. Instead of making the oc-
casion one for increasing the peoples
reverence, and enhancing the glory of
Jehovah. Moses and his brother came
strutting forth, in prideful pomposity.
crying contemptuously to the crowd,
with never thought of their happi-
ness, but only of his own dignity:
Hear now, We rebels; shall we bring
YOU forth water out of this rock? and
Moses lifted up his hand, and smote
the rock with his rod twice, and water
came forth abundantly.''
All. Moses. how could you? Knew
you not that deeds of grace should be
done graciously? The manner of Civ