The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-10-21
WHEN THE ct, GETS TOO BIG.
The International Sunday School Les
son for October %. Is THE Sin of
Moses and ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2O:-
liz.
fBy WILLIAM r. ELLIS.)

Lis.
fBy WILLIAM r. ELLIS)
Another case Of swelled head
That is the colloquial epitaph which
the world writes above many a mans
failure. Despite the experience OF five
thousand years of history, all Of which
chorus to us to be humble n to
ak softly. we go strutting u pea
cock way through life. as though we
alone were great. The incurable
egotism OF mankind has in it some
wisdom, but much folly. Self-in1a-
ton is the first step toward collapse:
The men who think more hlghly OF
themselves than they ought to think,
often are thought less highly or py
other men than they really deserve.
The great old lawGiver, Moses. one
al the browning figures OF time, mlsSeo
the mark for this most human or rea-
sons. This Sunday School lesson deals
with the sin which shut the leader
from the Promise Land to which he
had led the people. 1t seems such a
little sin, such a pardonable, natural
weakness, such an pro-
voked offence, that at first we are in
Clined to question whether the pun
ishment is not too great for the crime.
Shut out Of Canaan he got
mad" and shalnelessly displayed his
egotism-that is the tragedy OF the
life OF Moses.
Failing oil the Home Stretch.
The setting IF the event is dra-
matte. The children OF Israel a
finished the greater part of their
journey from Egypt to Palestine. Fol
thirty-eight years they had been
camped AT Kadesh-Barnea, waiting
for the faint-hearted and unbeliev-
ing TO pass away. All h old leaders
were gone. except Moses, Aaron,
Joshua and Caleb. At last the wait
ing period had drawn to a close. Moses
was an old, old man, and his eyes
were hungry for the and Of Prom
use.
Then, IN outbreak OF impatlence on
the part Of the people. because the
water supply was short, led the leade
of the host into a display Of temper
and pride parallelling that OF n peo-
ple--and, 10! OF an instant, the hopes
of a life time wen SCATTERING to the
ground. The word Of Jehovah went
forth that Moses should not enter the
Promised Land up to which he had
guided the people. He had lost the
race on the homestretch.
Such things are possible. That l:
why n canny world objects to bicgra'
pixies of living men; they may, IN tn
end of their lives. nullify and dis
honor all their shining past. There
fore the Christian is hidden to "watcl
and pray" lest he be led in to temp
tation. Even the stalwart Apostl'
Paul feared lest he himself should b
q castaway. There is no room TO
pride or ~pharasaism in even the ripes
saints life: We have too many illus
trations Of the grim possibility OF
holy life slipping into unholy deed
in it's sunset hour. The best of u
never get beyond the need for de
pendence upon the grace of God. 9
the hourly support Of his Spirit. Th
message Of Moses is one OF hum1lit
n reverent trust. 3.
When "VOx POpulf" Grows Noisy.
Popular clamor is often the voic
Of God: and sometimes it Is only
taste for free bread and circuses
At times the call OF the people is
be obeyed. and at other times it is
be disregarded. Always the real
great leader will ook upon populs
outbursts with the indulgence of
father TOWARD children, knowing tn
these are their way"
The bringing together Of all II
people at one spot, preparatory to II
march into Canaan, and the cOine
dence OF a dry season, caused a shor
age of water. There is nothing We
remarkable about this. During Il
Spanish-American war h A,nerfcs
military concentration camp suffer
such a drought, and the murmuril
filled the land. The children Of Isra
were chronic Grumblers. They n
no learned self-restraint. Even II
second and better crop were pro
TO forget what God had done I
them.
SO they blamed Nose for tn
trouble. And it was his business
take the blame. however unjust
might be. That goes with the po
ton Of leadership. Moses was Qui
70 claim credit for himself thereto
he should not shirk responsibility.
and his brother very sensibly to
their trouble to Jehovah-the W
best place TO take u There
learned the way out; he should spe
10 the rock and 1t would give FOL
water.
4 Good Decd in q BAD Way.
What a person says in temper
often a revelation Of his inRerm
character which in calmer nome
he has INCIDENTALLY disguised. Tn