The Penn's Grove record., 1914-07-03
BY THE LONG ROAD
Gods Purpose in Not Leading
His People by the Short Cut
Is Plain to See.

The short cut is always attractive.
It saves time, it saves effort, it brings
US into the enjoyment of the thing
we seek much quicker. Fairy stories
have their attraction for children be-
cause this Is always the conspicuous
feature Of such stories. that the good
fairy opens up a short cut TO safety
or wealth or happiness. When we
grow older we do not cease to long
for some one who can serve US in that
way.
II God is considerable of the comfort
and happiness of his people we might
expect him to make frequent use Of
the short cut. He has sometimes used
1t. When the win9 ran short at Cana
there was a miracle which avoided
the long operations of nature. Water
is being turned into wine every year.
the rain and the dew being trans
formed into the juice OF the grape.
That was making use Of the short
cut. But it Is not Gods custom to re-
sort to the miracle, or even follow
bAC 6AOTISSL natural ways
When the Israelites marched out OF
Egypt 1t is recorded that God lei
them not through the way OF the Land
Of the Philistines, although that was
near" By that road Canaan might
have been reached In ten days, but
he kept them on the march for 40
years. The reason for the selection
of the longer road is plain there.
They would have been compelled to
meet the warlike Philistines, and God
knew they were not ready for the con
tict. 1t was a mercy to keep them out
Of the focus of forces that would have
distressed them, until the powers Of
resistance and endurance had been
developed. To have thrown them into
the conflict would have given no time
for the education so much needed
They must be led around by the Red
sea and Sinai and the wilderness that
they might learn their own weakness
and Gods strength. The customs and
ideals and methods of thought Of the
land Of their captivity, which had en-
tered into the very fiber of their be-
ing must be replaced by new customs
and ideals and methods Of thought
Some one has said that it required
only n night to take Israel out OF
Egypt. but it required 40 years to take
Egypt out of Israel.
BY the Long Road.
AS God chose the roundabout road
for Israel, so he usually chooses the
longer road for US. At any moment
in all the past ages he might have re-
vealed the hiding place of all mineral
treasures, the method of employing
the forces of nature. But he has led
US by a long road in which at long
intervals some treasures have been
discovered. and no one knows how
many are still hidden. It Is not likely
that human nature could have stood
the strain of having all the earth's
treasures and forces put into its pos
session at one time. Solomon was
given uncounted wealth, and his good
fortune was a moral disaster. Men less
wise than Solomon would be ruined
by unlimited prosperity. Because
God is careful he has not taken the
short cut which would put into our
power ct one time all the riches stored
up in the earth.
We have to follow the longer road
in gaining an education. II we could
choose between having a well trained
and richly endowed mind as an imme4
date gift, Or by a score Of years of
hard application. most Of US. perhaps
all of US, would choose the short cut.
No doubt God, who has given instincts
to birds and animals, could have given
US enlarged instincts which would
equal the most liberal education. But
for our good he compels US to go the
all ~desolation and tedium. Miriam had
her timbrel and chorus of women, and
there must have been many songs.
There must have been other instances
besides the one at Elm. And the long
road by which we travel to an educaa
ton is the hsppiest part of life's jour-
ney.
David's Example Well to Follow.
The noblest men are those who are
content to be led by the longer way.
David once had the sleeping Saul at
his mercy. One thrust OF the sword,
as his followers urged. and the only
obstacle to the throne promised to
him would have been removed. But
David would not take a short cut.
The Son Of God came into the world
to obtain a kingdom. and Satan prom
Used, "All this will 1 give thee II thou
wilt fall down and worship me-" But
our Lord refused the short cut. He
took the longer and harder road that
led by Gethsemane and Calvary. The
fact is that the short cut is usually
the device Of Satan. What makes sin
so ~ensnaring is that we are tempted
into 1t as a short cut to some things
that we much desire and may think
it our right to have. When two paths
open to US. one the short cut and the
other a longer road. it is generally
safe to that God prefers we
should travel by the longer road
TID9fad Dracbvfar4an