Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-17
7TIHIE SUNDAY SCHIOOL LESSON
by BEN NEWSOME

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the hating backwardness Of Barak
bn Gideen's attitude, but the leglti-
mate caution of humble man un-
expectedly called to a task of great
responsibility, a desire to do as Davy
Crockett succintly expressed: First
be sure you are right then go ahead. 4"
That 1t was caution, rather than
cowardice, is evident from the later
conduct of the man who, after re-
curing a number Of miracu signs
to start with, was ready to dare and
do anything In the name OF the Lord.
There could be no taint Of cowardice
In the man who defled the popular
sentiment of his home community by
demolishing their pagan affairs, or
who unfalteringly went forth TO chas-
tise the invading host with an insig-
nificant force of three hundred men.
And we must say a good word for
Joash, the father, who stood by his
son against the angry mob Of his
neighbors who thirsted for the blood
of the man who had violated the
sanctuary Of Baal. lie is typical of
the present-day citizen who, though
never known to originate a crusade
against evil, is always prompt to aid
and support the courageous man who
Is not afraid to take the lead. Cid
cons caution is again evident in that
he took no risks of interruption in his
destructive work, but demolished the
pagan sanctuary in the night and
erected an altar to Jehovah while his
neighbors slept. But the important
feature of Gldeon's career was not so
much his caution or his courage, but
his obedience. What the Lord values
most in his children Is not ability,
wisdom or zeal. but to obey his COM
mands.
The brotherhood of Sects.
1t comes to US from view of Is
reals early history as nation that
the Lord was not partial to the
tribes, but gave each one a share of
glory In carrying out his purposes
1t was not alone Naphtali, or Zebu-
lon, or Manasseh that were chosen
vessels and not until the time of
David and the insidious growth OF
Jealousy among the central and
northern tribes that the sceptre was
assigned to Judah, being the line of
descent through which Messiah was
to come. 1t seems to us that the
various tribes were all given an equal
show in Gods grace and favor, and
all equally had a dlgnified part to
play in Gods purposes, until such n
time as their own baseness and self
ish instincts led them by their own
act to separate themselves from the
lineage of the promised Savior. Fol-
lowing up the idea, IL seems to us
that our sectarian, denomlnational
and racial prejudices are all out OF
harmony with the Lords intent and
purpose 1t is part of our human
nature that we cannot all belong TO
the same religious sect, yet the Lord
loves us all and doubtless has a
peculiar work for each church to do
that no other church could do as
well. While Naphtali and Zebulon can
overcome Canaan, yet Manasseh must
be called on to destroy the power Of
INDIAN. Let us not presume 10 think
that our particular sect is the only
one entitled to divine recognition, for
the Lord may have valuable work laid
out for all of them. The ceremon-
tally inclined may be best comforted
in the Roman and English churches.
the emotional In the Methodist, the
sedate and reverent in the Presby-
terian, the intensely conscientious in
the Baptist, the broad-minded in the
Disciples, and the mystic-lovers in the
Adventlsts, Spiritualists and Christion
CtltHllSlS. ~ pOTllOn Oh
Gods truth in all. and we can only
ual welfare. God will sift the tares
from the wheat and perhaps will
reap a liberal harvest from each of
these many fields. There were
twelve tribes of Israel, and all the
twelve shared in Gods ropmises un-
I'll some of them voluntarily placed
themselves outside the pale.
National Conceit.
As with the churches, so with the
races of man and the nations of the
earth. It requires considerable pre-
sumption for any race or nation TO
lay claim to Gods especial favor as
the only chosen people. Egypt, AS
syria, Greece and Rome each at one
time in history dominated the world
and radiated culture and civilization
from their centers. and eash thought
themselves commissioned by gu
preme power to mould other nations
into higher IDEAS Of religion and
progress. Israel was divinely COM
missioned TO preserve the faith Of
Jehovah until the Messiah should
come. All these nations. of varying
races. had a part TO play In making
the world what II now Is. yet from
each of them in turn has the glory
departed and the sceptre transferred
into other hands There are nations
today, ignoring the lessons OF the
past. who set themselves up as d.
vinely-appolnted custodians and di-
rectors Of tho worlds progress and
welfare. Chief among the sinners is
our own United States OF America.
What more right have we TO believe
that we are Gods chosen people than
Nine~ah, Babylon. Rome or Jeru-