Evening star., 1915-03-27

sons Of the past quarter
Couaueriug the land, but disobeyfng
the commands of God that called Tor
the prevention of their contamination
by expeIling the former inhabitants
from Palestine, they fell a prey TO the
influences of heather civilization. Their
sin in declining to do Go6s will re-
suited not only in their departure from
the close fellowship of God that would
have been a source of protection. but
In q spiritual decline. The trans1ofma-
tion from pastoral or nomadic lie as
shepherds to a settled life In commune
ties was attended by the same dangers
that threaten the change today from
rural to city life. Their rise In civil
ization was hindered by the debasins
influence of their heather neighoors'
due to a demoralizing effect OF an or
zanized and immoral religious life.
IL Israel had remained united there
was no force that could have overcome
them. The only basis for unity In tine
days of the theocracy was spiritual. but
with the destruction Of their foundation
for union the tribes became Jealous OF one
another, no that soon we saw In our
study a spirit Of anarchy in their NE.
for In those days there was no King IN
Israel. but every man did that which
was right in his own eyes. The organi-
zation that today attempts to shut God
out from dominating its analrs VIII
follow the same path that Israel travelled
because they neglected to do what God
desired for their own good. 1t will only
he question OF time before the Iron
Age" IL reproduced among them In dis
order, strife. shame and crime.
Over all the pages that were dark with
the records Of ruin. folly and failure Of
Israel We have seen the patience of God
slowly surely and steadily working out
His purpose to develop Israel. SO that all
the nations OF the earth might be blessed
through them. Through every disaster
which brought Israel into a state Of re-
pentance we have seen the Divine
Helper patiently providing for the pro-
gress of the nation In every crisis He
summoned some dominant personality
TO guide the nation in its development.
sagacious Leadership.
Israers survival and gradual growth
as IL found itself, through suffering
sorrow and strife OF the days of the
Judges. was due in no small measure
TO the men and women who emerged
in the hour of disaster to turn defeat
into a triumph. We cannot recall the
history OF the period without several
men standing out as leaders in the
struggle for their homes and a national
life They would have been dominant
personalities in any age, yet each mar
was especially equipped for the service
TO which he was called. Among the
heroes Of that period are nve whose
names are recorded on the roll OF fame
wherein are inscribed the names Of tho
faithful, who. through faith. had theli
weakness turned into strength. so thai
they turned into flight the armies Of
the aliens and made possible the estab-
Iishment OF Israel. Barak, Gideon
samson, Saul and Samuel were all fac
tors Ia molding the tribes into
strong, progressive and permanent ma
tional life that revealed itself better
under the rulers whose work we vii
consider the coming quarter. II thes'
men had not laid the foundation, israe
would have failed as nation
Women played no small part IN thu
unfolding life of Israel One OF TIT
dominating personalities that IN tn
days even Of warfare played an I'm
portant part was Deborah. whose pow
er was due to her piety and patriotism
Mothers influence was seen az w
studied the boyhood of Samuel, GOD;
SON." 30 called because his mother "ha'
asked him OF the LORD" and in the pre-
natal vows assumed by the mother o
Samson. The love story OF Ruth. tina
other pictures Of the homo life OF tn
people. a conception OF how amid tn
Warfare Of 'Tsrael's iron age" Co
Eas raising in the homes Of the natiol
some who, in spite Of the shadows o
Bin. the struggle for existence and tn
wars for civil and religious freedom
that the nation was called upon T.
He was watching above His own. pre-
pairing for the CRISIS both the man an
the nation. In the home life the mora
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