The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-10-25
International Sunday School Lesson
Fourth Quarter. Lessoa
Numbers 20: 1-13. October 26,
1913.
The Sin Of Moses and Aaron
The Story.

1t is a mistaken notion, wide of
the mark, which pictures the pill
grim nation as a cOmpacjed army,
marching in serried column. That
would have been impossible. They
scattered out widely, in groups CT
clans, i'll quest Of pasture and water.
Thus for a Whole generation they
had adjusted themselves, like bed
ouins- or shepherds, to the topog
raphy of the district. But now the
long drawn process-the prepa! alton
lof Israel for Canaan-nears its
end. The wilderness had been one
great schoolhouse, where they have
suffered the discipline and learned
The lessons which have fitted them
to be pre-eminently the torch-bear
ing nation for the others which
Istif1 sat I'M daal<nasS-Sna rendez-
vous is named and an assembly of
the whole congregation is called pre-
paratory to an immediate passage
into the land of promise. But an
accident spoils it all. That is a
laconic but fateful remark, There
was no water Millions of peo-
pie and a water famine. Could any
thing be more untimely? Why this
massing of the hosts in the dry
season of midsummer? What bet
ter was this Promised Land than a
mirage? 1t was even now fading
from view, like mystic oasis. Were
not the people justified in criticism
and complaint? Yes-if God had
not paved the whole wilderness with
his deliverances. They ought to
have been able to anticipate the
devout logic of David's psalm, ''The
Lord hath been mindful of us-he
will bless u.s. Quiet communion
with God and their own souls would
have restored their self-possession.
But instead they talked and fused
among themselves. Distrust, bitter
ness, criticism, as usual, was the
result. The worst of it all was
that Moses himself had caught the
subtle infection and had fallen into
the very sin of the people. He lost
poise and temper. He was to have
performed holy function, as a
representative of God, before all
the people. The act called for de-
liberate calmness, dignified car
riage, well-modulated voice. But
instead, with the petulance of a
spoiled child, he did the direct OPP
posite of what he was commanded.
Instead of addressing the rock, he
took opportunity to upbraid the peo-
Pile. He was not told to strike the
rock at all, but in his temper he
struck it twice. However, though
the spirit and method were so evil,
God did not count it against the
suffering hosts The water gushed
out in abundance for man and
beast Moses public offense could
not be condoned without lowering
the moral tone of the whole people.
The punishment was exemplary. The
very form of it was significant. He
failed to reach the supreme object
of his whole career-entrance with
the people into the land of prom
Use. Thus, in singular and speak
ing way, God proved his deadly hat
red of sin. He could not and
would mott overlook it even in the
man who was dearer to him than
any other who walked the earth.
He can not look upon the least de-
of allowance.
The Teachers Lanteru
The facility for the supply of wa
tier is in any instance a pretty ex-
act gauge of the progress of civili-
cation. There are silent tokens of
the height reached by ancient
Rome in the aqueducts that look
like colossal caterpillars crawling
across THE Campagna. The paren-
thetical statement that Miriam
died there throws some light up
on Moses shameful lapse. He was
naturally deeply affected by his
sisters death. She was a remark
able woman. He felt the loss of
her moral support. Moses and Aar-