The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-02-18
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson vIII.-FirSt Quarter, For
Feb. Il, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

As we read this chapter and the
two following and vii, l. ,, we cannot
but notice the frequent mention of the
ark Of the Lord, or the ark Of God. or
some of its other titles. and when we
recall that it WAS the principal vessel
in the tabernacle and the only one
of all the tabernacle vessels that con
tinued TO be used in the temple Of
Solomon, that it was made specially to
be a receptacle for the two tables of
the law. that over its blood stained
lid or mercy seat and between the
| cherubim the glory of the Lord was
revealed, and that from above the mer-
cy seat the Lcrd communcd with
Moses. we must be persuaded that this
vessel had a wonderful significance
And when we rcad in Rev. Vi. 10. of
the temple Of God in heaven being
opened and there being seen in it the
ark of His Testament we stand in still
greater awe before this holy vessel
1t is mentioned forty times in the
books of Moses and twenty eight times
in Joshua, chiefly in connection with
the crossing of the Jordan In our
/ lesson chapter and those following it
is mentioned thirty times, so that
We can easily see that the interest cen
| ters upon it.
/ Lesson verse . shows us Israel smit-
/ ten before the PhilistineS. and we
| think that we hear again the words OF
/ Joshua. 20 Lord. what shall I say
when Israel tureth their backs before
/ their enemiPs?' tJosh. vii, 81 But. rs
/ then, 50 now. it was because of sin in
| the camp. AS the elders considered
| the present defeat they did not seem
/ to think that the difficulty might be
with Israel. nor did they turn to the
! Lord, but said. Let us fetch the ark
of the covenant of the Lord that it
/ may save us verse 81. The presence
of the ark caused Israel to shout with
great shout, and when the Philistines
| understood that it was because the
! ark was come into the camp they said
| that God was come into the camp. the
gods that smote the Egyptians. On
/ the part of both Israel and the PhiliS
| tines it seemed like pure suDcrstftioD
| The latter knew no better but for Is
/ rael to put confidence in the ark rather
than in the Lord reminds us of theiy
worship of Aaron's golden calf and.
away beyond the time of this lesson
/ their worship of the serpent of brass
/ III Kings xviii. A.
Is it not the same today with those
who think there is any benefit in the
mere reading of a chapter in the Bible.
or saying Il prayer. or taking the com
munion. or in any religious Formally?
| Anything that is not real heart deal
| ing with the Living God is only a form
of SUPERSTITION. The Philistiucs We're
stirred to great feryor by the cry of
their leaders. BE strong; quit YOUR.
selves like men and tioht' tverse o..
and the Lord delivered Israel into their
hands so that 10000 were slain. in
Guiding EMS two sons. and the ark OF
I God was taken oversees 10. IL. Poor
old Eli waited with fear and trembling
for tidings from the BATTLE. and when
he heard the sad news and that the
ark of God had been taken he fell
off his seat backward and broke his
neck and died. He was ninetv-eight
years old and had Judged Israel forty
wears oversees 1919. | think that while
outwardly it was broken neck it NAV
have been inwardly n broken heart.
In the same dav il seems ms if phine-
has wife was also taken AWAY oversees
| 1922. so that a GREAT calamity came
TO the house of Eli in one day iii "a
Thus suddenly have great events trans.
pired again and AGAIN and so shall If
be at the end time.
The story of the ark in the hands of
the Philistines tchapters and vii
makes us think of Jerusalem. n bur
densome stone for all DeoDle and that
all that burden themselves with If shall
be cut in pieces ,Zech xii. 81 The
Philistines found the ark a very griev-
Gus thing to have in their midst, and
after few months wi. u they were
glad TO send it back to Israel The
story Of the new cart ana the two milk
COWS tied to il. with their calves shut
I'M at homo and Tho COWS tolinc +ho
STRAIGHT VIZ 70 Roth Shoroosh I',,.in,,
nc tbev won't h,,+ NOT t,rpirc, osido 70
tba r;gbt bond or to tho ,oft 5ri 30,
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