Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-08-16
In The Religious World;
(REv1Ew OF SUNDAY SCHOOL LEssoN) VI

Y SCHOOL LESSON)
and many passages, is also the word
used for families" or "clans." This
whole subject Is illuminattngly treated
in DR.. Hoskins' book. From the Nile
to Nebo." This removes all difficulties
at stroke, The word "alaf," If TAX
en- to mean families, means that there
were six hundred families who made
the exodus. DR.. Hoskins' conclusion
is, 1.-THE numbers Of the children a OF
Israel were somewhere about 100000
souls, and these figures will BIO found
to fit In satisfactorily with the condi-
tions In Egypt before the exodus, with
the conditions and possibilities
through the exodus itself, and supply
all the requirements for the growth
and extension Of the kingdom after the
exodus"
The Place Of the Crossing.
The old figure OF speech that we
stand on the shoulders Of all who have
lived before us Ia especially applicable
to bible study. Fifty years have let
in a food Of light upon the history
of the bible from sources undreamed
by our fathers We now know q null
titude OF archaeological facts that
show the reasons for many OF the &C
tions reported in the bible history
without explanation. Thus the chill
dren of Israel might have chosen three
routes out OF Egypt-one up along the
Mediterranean shore, which is still
the directest route from Canaan, but
which would have led them into in
slant conflict with the Philistines; sec
ond, the central route through the
great Egyptian wall which was guard.
cd by Pharaoh's troops; or the third
route below the lower end Of the wall,
which, however, involved q crossing OF
the Red Sea. Be 1t remembered that
Moses was perfectly familiar with this
entire region. Even as the war de-
partments of all governments today
map out in advance the routes of their
armies in case of war, 80 Moses had
decided upon the best way of deliver
ing his hundred thousand compatriots.
It was necessary to get them of where
they might be disciplined, for at the
moment they were but a fleeing horde.
Another quotation from DR.. Hosk-
ins Is In order:
q
OF the exodus, am just as clear that
there was only one route possible for
such mass Of people, that 1t was set
tied absolutely by the water, and that,
contrary to the common conception, 1t
was along a we'll known route OF anti
guilty, an old road from Egypt to Edom.
Arabia and Mesopotamia. The route
fits the documents as the key Ats its
lock-
The Wind Of Delivery.
The ancient assurance that he hold
eth the winds in his fist" Is called to-
mind as we read that when the chill
dren of Israel found themselves in a
cul de sac, with Pharaoh at their heels
and the waters of the upper end Of
the Gulf of Suez in front of them a
great wind drove back the food to
make the pathway of safety for the
chosen people. 1t is sound philosophy
that a guidance which has continued
for long period will not fail at the
end Because God has opened paths
before our feet in the past, he will
not fail us in the present emergency.
When his guidance Is followed, it Is
his problem, not ours, to effect deliv-
erance. The miracle of the dividing
Of the Red Sea has bothered many
persons most of whom know nothing
Of the geography Of the situation. The
head waters OF the Red Sea, up in the
narrow arm Of the Gulf Of Suez, were
shallow. The miracle was no less a
miracle because effected by wholly
natural agencies. We must remember
that it was a great wind which des-
troyed the Spanish Armada and saved
England. Queen Elizabeth struck a
medal bearing the inscription, He
blew with his wind and they were
scattered" The men who have walk
ed dry-shod over the brink of Niagara,
an incident which has repeatedly hap
pened, owing to natural causes, were
having an experience analogous to that
OF the children of Israel.
The Great Guidance.
The story of the exodus is bound up
with the figure of the pillar Of cloud
and the pillar of fire that guided by
day and by night, and that interposed
as shield of confusion between the
Israelites and the Egyptians. Gods
guidance is none the less real today
to those who will follow it than it was
to these old Israelites. The great
truth of Christianity is tina. the Lord
cares for his children; that he is con-
cerned in their lives, and that he de-
signs for them the best things. There
is no more practical creed for lifes af-
fairs than that our times are In his