The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-29

Tho Crisis and the CROSSING.
The International Sunday Schooi Lee
son for November 80 Is crossing 80,
Jordan" Joshua 3:1-17: Fsain
nY WILLIAM T. ,ELLIS9
Rivers ever have been the great Seo
graphical dividers: none moie ee,,r,
the Jordan. In fact. as Wen as Nv
of speech. the Jordan Is the erea. A ..
of crisis and crossing. II 10 go n
It has been for millenniums; tne erorr
that separates the land OF law .IU.
the wilderness. So long as one Ien Ia. -.
on this side of the Jordan. wneh tras
cling in the Holy Land, ne Is 'e~"'"'
ably safe. -. Jordan
On my first night east OF the '1l Ia
Twas attacked by highwaymen.
romemher the panic of our cnlei nuIe
teer at being left alone for snoFt .,ns
IN the other side of Jordan. As ny
partv drew near to the JoIuan -.
various lone travellers attacnTu a..
selves to US, that they mignt haSS 80. !,
PROTECTION of 1.-The man with naL
I'll, the law of the gun runs east OF
the Jordan. A Circassian settiemen.
cantIv este blished there found the ou.-
1swrv So great that they had TO servS
notice upon the Arab sneiAs
about that thereafter, for every C ,l.,,s
sian killed, two Arabs wouio ue ~
Irrespective Oh IAo
About where the Israelites crossed
+ha Jordan there Is now a smaA -ox
cred bridge, to pass over winch 80
a toll. Loud and long are the
ales of the poor Arabs VINO want 70 81
one way or an lot; n,o.S " with the toll
Leener. until a foreigner redeemed IL
The Old Testament story is true u
The facts of all history, and OF presoe
dav life when it makes the CROSSING %
the Jordan a crisis in the a1ialrs % W. -
children of Israel. The seriousness o,
:. ia implied in the figure Of speech
which makes the River OF Deatn me
river Jordan, separating the phel"'
from the Promised Land.
zone More River to Cross
Vague notions of Eastern geography
will prevent many persons run u;
inc the significance of this wnoIs p
BILE story The Jordan representeu III. IN
end Of Israers wanderlngs' A 1rnn,,se'
tawny flood lay the Land OF [rolnlsS'
,rhe israelites had come down the stCSp
descent from the uplands OF MOAB. &c.
fore their desert tired eyes spread ths
stately palms and luxuriant greens Oh
the Jordan Valley. Only the river
tervened between them ana lop..ad1
luxuriance equal TO anytAi"e 'Ae'
seen along the Nile. s.;o.
The situation was dramatic. oplss
had crossed the river and had protsn.
back good report. They iou.u -
the fame of Jehovah had PRECEDED IN.
neople of Jehovah. The mlgratorS
nrovidences Of the pilgrimage throug n 2
+ha wilderness had run as udlngs "a
warning ahead Of the hosts OF Israei.
Tn the fortified city of Jericho. the nrst
noint of attack to be faced by me
Jews. the hearts of the people hao De.
come as water. They had heard tnaI
these strangers were the sPeclai ~,
them and fed them and brought them
thitherto. had gone before them. mag
these same spies had received hos
nitality from Rahab. and by ner oeen
protected in her house on the CT.
wall. so that the- pledged ner' ina
when they should come IN CONQUEST
as she, In common with the rest u ~.
citv believed would be the case-ner
farn;,v would be spared from punish
ment All this news was heartenlng
70 the waiting children of Israel. Iney
knew that they had but to go up
and possess the land as they mad 50
often been assured.
Every Mans Jordan.
This is a good story to read IN tlnieS
~ crisis for the individual and for the
nation. AS Towel says
.,Once to every man and nation, comes
a moment to decide,
In the strife of Truth with Falsenooo
for the good or evil side;
Some great cause. Gods new Messiah,
offering each the bloom or blight
Parts the goats upon the left hano'
and the sheep upon the right,
And that choice goes by forever, 'twixt
that darkness and that light"
The plight of the Israelites Is
v,icture of the state OF mind OF many
persons who will read these lines They
are perturbed over the future. The
prevalence of success literature in
dfcates the widespread concern of what
the changing days are to bring forth.
Family councils are meeting every
where to consider the ominOus tomor-
row Statesmen and captains of indus
try show the same note Of anxiety. The
odore Roosevelt spoke a present word
when he said, 1.-The one plain duty OF
every man is to face the future as he
faces the present, regardless Of what IT
may have in store for him. and turn
ing toward the right, as he sees the
among men, All Of which is but to
say, Trust in God and do the right. "
The Ark Going Before.
The procession was preceded by the
priests. They bore before them the
visible symbol of Jenovah's presence
the Ark of the Covenant. The act
visualized the greatest thought in Is
rael's history; namely, that they were
in the care Of God. Their times were
in His hand. Following Him. they
could not go wrong.
Every Christians personal plight re-
eembles Israels wanderings. The 9TH
er day a man perplexed by strange
providences confessed his faith thus:
II am in the mills of God. He IL
guiding my life; and 1 am sure He
means to use the flour for bread.
cannot understand the trials through
which I am passing: but 1 am certain
that God is doing something with my
life. shall await his time for the
outcome"
Every reverent historian Of the at