Evening star., 1913-12-27

Israel this fact appears more prominent
than in the annals Of any other people
One cannot grasp the significance of the
history of the Hebrew people until they
come TO see that the religious ideas.
flowed through but nodded their history.
has been due to the fact that God has
selected Israel as the nation through
which He would reveal His will to the
world. This revelation eliminated in the
coming of the Christ, whose advent was
the theme of last weeks lesson. and
whose ministry will be the theme of our
study during the coming year.
No nation or individual exists for
themselves alone. The unique mission or
Israel involved the necessity of its
passing through peculiar experiences that
would fit ii to dominate the world by
its religious message. Joshua's fare
well address would furnish an excellent
basis for a compete review of all the
history of the Hebrews. but it extends
over too long a space of time because it
covers more than the period of the quar-
ters lessons and does not cover the
studies for the past year.
The chosen nations forty years wan
derings in the desert was covered by the
quarters lessons. During that period the
various units of the nation had been
trained into unity, and the foundation
VI the IldtlOH lldu Ue6ll ldtu- 4aIIGf the
forty years training in the wilderness
wandering, the generation of slaves over
twenty-one that fled from Egypt in search
of liberty had passed away, and under
the leadership Of Moses the people We're
being transformed and fitted for their
coming Palestine home. Their civil, re-
ligious and social life took on new mean
ing.
Omtting the special lessons, the period
OF our quarters lesson covered about
fxr f.1-A
characters in Hebrew history-Moses.
Aaron, Miriam, Joshua and Caleb-fur-
nish us with studies that have taught us
We can make our lives sublime and de-
parting leave behind US for the inspira-
ton of others something that will en-
courage them in spiritual and social serv-
ice by pointing out how God uses the
weak and wandering men for the bui. ding
up of His kingdom. In Balaam, the
strangest of all characters in history and
Achan, the typical troubler. we are taught
what We ought not to be In our life and
laburS, or character tests.
Character Tests.
Four of the five leading characters of
Israefs history failed at some point in
our lessons. Man at his best is i'm
perfect, ought not to be surprised
at the way Moses failed at the critical
hour. The unreasonable complaints and
carping criticism of the people filled
Moses with disbursement that amount
ed to despair. SO that he cried for help.
God, by giving what they wanted. showed
to both Moses and the people the folly
OF their willfulness and the wickedness
of their lack of trust.
The hideousness of jealousy and envy
appeared in the spirit of Miriam and
Aaron, who ought to have been proud of
the achievements of their brother, Moses,
whose soul was tried by their sinful atti-
tude toward him. He was compelled to
pass through one of the most severe
trials that man Is ever called upon to
face Gods displeasure and the punish
ment of their iniquity proves that envy
develops in a soul leprosy that is more to
be dreaded than the disease that putri-
fies the skin.
The folly and cowardice of the majority
of the spies sent into the promised land
to make military survey of the land
was sustained by a people who were hard
~ far enough advanced from slavery to
be spiritual minded, so that they might
understand the position of the two men
of faith who held the key to most OF
life's problems presented in the golden