Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-01-07
HAS LIVING MESSAGE
Story OF the Wandering of the
lsraelites Conveys Meaning
to Us Today.

II Is the abiding charm OF the old
4 Testament that SO many of it's mos,
beautiful incidents contain an eternal
principle. This is the reason why,
through all phases OF religious opin-
Ion. 1t still brings TO us a message
spiritually true, and that a message
comes fresh, as with the dew of the
earlier day, yet vivid with the un-
changing reality OF its constant appeal
10 the heart and conscience OF man
KIND. Undoubtedly you will admit
that this is the case with the great
typical narratives. as IL is with many
OF the minor events, recorded in the
Hebrew Scriptures. Whatever our
varying human theology may make of
IL, they bear within them that seed
OF Immortality which has preserved
and will preserve God-given infiu-
ences, as primal sources for the
higher life of man
Such points We surely fnd in the
memorable story OF the wandering OF
me lsraelites after they escaped from
Egypt till at last they reached the
Aahu or Canaan. IL is story not
only picturesque and beautiful in
itself, but with a great meaning for
ialth and living message today.
a more human story we can hardly
ma, nor one that more steadily sug-
gests its parallel in our ordinary ex-
perlence OF life. How like ourselves
those faron people were, Forget
lhelr strange speech. their curious
dress their unfamiliar ways; forget
the desert setting, the over-arching
eastern sky-they remind us OF our
common ancestry: they compel us to
reflect how little time and place af-
rect our common human experience.
because in the tumult OF their
thoughts is the same contradiction of
trust and OF fear, OF patience and of
hurry, of faith and OF unbelief. which
sui VeXes us all No doubt their
experience was specially trying, but
II served. as ii was intended to bring
out their weaknesses, that through
their weaknesses they might be made
strong. Touching it is TO read I'm the
narrative OF the childlike swaying OF
lhelr feelings from the strong SIMPLE
lty or strong confidence in God to a
faithless repining against mis- dealings
with them. Yet through all this con
hlct OF human emotion, there came a
steadying influence, a consciousness
which was long after expressed in
sacred song, that they were committed
TO him who would surely lead his
people through the Wilderness. for
MS mercy eudureth forever.
Best of All Guidance.
Yet this leading of which we read
was not exactly such as we in our
narrow human way would look for
and expect. For instance, il was not
that kind OF thing which we SO often
long for. il was no immediate, I'M
wavering direction toward a definite
goal 1t was rather we in our Ian
guage would call, moral and spiritual
guidance from God; yet 1t was none
the less real and none the less con-
slant. Every day brought the assur-
ance, every night confirmed II that
the Lord was their guide. He took
not away the pillar of cloud by day,
nor the pillar of fire by night from
before the people. AS sure as the sun
rose over the mountain crest. with it's
promise Of new life and beauty, so
surely seemed that presence OF God,
yelled as in cloud, to permeate the
ranks OF that wondering, wandering
company. AS sure also as night de-
scended and thousand stars looked
down on their silent tents, so surely
did that presence seem to blaze forth.
Illuminating through the surrounding
darkness the path by which they
must go.-Rev. A. w Wallace, d. d.