Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-10
Sunday Morning Talk
THE WALLS OF JERICHO.

ACer years or patent tO4l InS archeologists have dug up the found ations of the walls of ancient Jericho. the very walls that fell flat after be- ing encoInpassed seven days as DOT trayed in the vivid narrative of the book of Joshua We may we'll agree the discovery lends the last touch of reality to the Old Testament scene. We can almost see the stern warriors of Joshua sighting the fortress rising in the dry air of Canaan like threaten ing mirage, the trepidation of the feebler folk at its towering peaks and overhanging basttons, the solemn pro- ccssion of the ark of the covenant the seven fearful days of waiting. the repeated marches around the walls, the sounding of the truu1pets proclaintng Jericho's last day, the great cry of the expectant soldiers and the sud- den trembling and overflow of the unsca1able waIis."
 By faith the walls Of Jericho fell down. after they were compassed about seven days" That is the explanation of the New Testament writer. Some may smile at 1t and talk glibiy of more material causes. They may say that an earthquake undermined these walls. They may say that the truIn- pets found the keynote of these bas- tons of sun-baked mud brick and that # was vibration that shook them down. A variety of interesting opin- ions are extant. But the explanation of the unknown Bihle writer centu- T5as after the event satisfies me best. 1t was because that marching host of Israelites obeyed the command of Je- hovah that success came to their cause. They simply did the thing the Almighty had told them to do.
 Theirs not to make reply.
 Theirs not to reason why.
 By faith many great walls beside those of Jericho have fallen down. Instead Of smiling at faith as a feeble, poetic sentiment. let us admire it as one of the mightiest forces in the world. When obstacles loom up high and immovable, when walls of circum stance appear unSurmountable it is world is always writing new editions of the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews.
 By faith all sorts of walls are tum- bling every day before men and wo- men of energy, of enthusiasm. and of Columbus sailed across unknown Western seas in a cookie shell. By faith our forefathers left the settled life of the old country to take up their Eeode in the wilderness. By faith Washington, charged with the task of defeating the trained armies of Eng land. drew his sword over his own struggling companies of ill-clad, ill., disciplined, and nearly weaponless troops. By faith Cyrus Field laid his telegraph cable beneath the cavernous depths of the ocean. By faith Edison and Marconi and the Wright brothers kept on with their tremendous prob tems till the walls of Jericho fell be- for them.
 Faith that clothed all the apostles, prophets and martyrs with might has given strength to their successors. s'The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth which exercise loving kindness. judg- ment, and righteousness in the earth"
 There is no stronger motive than that which rests in @ consciousness of divine fellowship and assistance. That is why devout men of faith often sue ceed where merely clever men of fact fail. The religious man is essentially modern age does not always appre- ciate. As grim old Tolstoi reminded us: "The evil from which men of our times are suffering is produced by the fact that the majority live without that which alone affords rational guidance for human activity-without religion" Nothing else so strengthens nen, so gives coherence and tenacity to their endeavors, and lends a touch of feroism to their daily lives.
 THE PARSON.