Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-10
7TJHIIE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
RY BEN NEWsOME

are content to retire him to what
Mr. Cleveland was pleased to call
"innocuous desuetude." The story Of
Deborah emphasizes the importance
to the people OF having leader who
looks to the Lord for guidance and
whose leadership is eXerted in har-
mony with Gods purposes, rather
than for selfish glory or gain,
Borrowed Courage.
We would call the hesitation Of
Barak cowardice, yet the story shows
that he was a brave man ON the
strength Of borrowed courage, De-
borah he knew to be righteous
woman who lived close to God, and
while his own faith in Jehovah was
deficient, yet he was not afraid TO
undertake anything while he was
supported and encouraged by the
presence of this godly woman, IT was
very much to Baraks credit that he
obcyed the Lords command, even
conditionally; but how much better
1t would have been If he had re
sponded bravely to the call of his
God and his nation without any ques-
ton or shadow of doubt rs not the
Lord gone out before thee? ~ said
Deborah No greater support can
man have than for the Lord to be
leading him. Yet how many of us,
when face to face with recognized
duty will try to argue and cavil with
our conscience before we can muster
up the courage to obey the Lord :
call; how many Of us try to lean
on some braver soul and say "lt thou
wilt go with me, | Will go. Ana
how many of us, by our lack OF falth
and delay in obedience, find at last
hn rH "a 1 q
courage has been given to some
other soul who obeyed without ques-
ton, and the success which was of
fered us is lost because of our heSlta-
ton 1t is a good thing that there
are Deborahs in this world to urge
faltering men on to the perform
ance of duty: it is good that there
are Jaels to finish u9 the work that
unstable men have begun.
A Big Majority.
It has been truly said that II all
the world be on the opposing side,
one man, with God, is majority.
Sisera had nine hundred chariots OF
iron and host of soldlery gathered
from a wide scope of country. Barak
opposed him with only ten thousand
men on foot, but the Lord went out
before him. The superior force OF
Canaan with all their enginery OF
war could not stand up before these
men OF Naphtali and Iebulon, but
scattered like leaves before the
autumn blast. Their weakness and
Israers strength lay in the fact that
Barak and his men were Obeying the
command of God and had divine in
dorsement and support. Time ana
again in history has small force,
fighting in a righteous cause, been
able to rout a formidable enemy. The
sentiment has recently gained much
notice that God fights on the side
with the biggest guns" but that Is
not true We have no right TO bring
the name of God into our selfish dis
putes and quarrels. Most of our fight
Ing is done with view to aggrandiEe'
ment Of some sort. Very few wars
can be cited that We're not fought
for territorial conquest, for CONNER
cial expansion, for personal ambi-
ton of some great leader, or for re-
venge, or some other form Of ma
tional selfishness-th desire to climb
by pulling others down. 1t saVors
of sacrilege to call on God to give
us victory when we have only the
basest motives for making war. There
have been wars where the questions
of righteousness and justice have
we might reasonably infer that God
smiled on those who did his will,
We have not heard lately that any of
the nations had a divinely appointed
mission to wipe out any other ma
tion, SO we are inclined to believe
that those people who are now slay-
ing each other have no right TO dra6
the name of Jehovah into their bloody
work. That Gods glory and mans s
betterment will be the ultimate re-
suit of even the most hideous wick
edness of mlsled humanity we have
not the slightest doubt, but that does
not detract from the awfulness of the
judgment that awaits those who are
responsible for this frightful carnage.
War is terrible, but II you are COM
PEELED to fight, be sure that God has
gone out before you. Beware of CON
tention with your neighbors, Of dis
putes. of lawsuits, of contests either
Of mind or body-but If these are
forced upon you, be sure you have
God on your side before you begin
don't wait until you are involved In
n doubtful cause and then call on the