Evening star., 1915-01-09

freed them from the yoke of bondage.
| Deborah, one of the most prominent
| personalities in Jewish history, is the
heroine of our lesson that records the
deliverance of northern Palestine. Il
| is one of the most interesting episodes
of the book of Judges. When manhood
seemed to have been completely de-
stroyed this remarkable woman war
rior appeared upon the scene of
Israelitish history to become the leader
In their struggles for religious and
civil freedom. When victory crowned
the efforts of Israel she celebrated the
the most ancient specimens of Hebrew
literature in existence.
Woman Warriors Wisdom.
Deborah was one of those rare wom-
en- whose souls burn with enthusiasm
and holy purpose in the hours of dark
ness. The oppression of the Canaanite
ruler destroyed the possibility of the
nations development because the
kings methods of unjust taxation and
oppression removed all desire for In
dustrial progress. Possessing only d
limited education, Deborah was en-
dowed with spiritual insight that
enabled her to grasp not only the
crucial situation of her countrymen,
but also to sound in her religious in
struction that deep religious note
which aroused the nation to it's duty.
Confident that the hour had arrived
for Israel to make a stand for her
freedom Deborah summoned Barak to
lead the forces of the nation in their
battle for freedom. He recognized that
in the conflict that was primarily a
religious controversy the presence or
Deborah, the mother IN Israel, whose
messages had awakened the national
religious life, was necessary to the
success of the campaign she nad out,
lined, so he accepted the can oI Soa
to lead the national FORCES proviueu
the prophecies and teacher shareu ehe
leadership with him.
Mobilization, Neutrality, Deliverance
Suffering from oppression and divided
hv tribal jealousy. Israel under the
teaching of Deborah came to under
stand that "the tie that bin was
s,;r;+ual one. The only hope for
united action was their common faith
i, Iehovah the God of their fathers,
whose worship they had neglected in
their desire for home in the promised
,.,d and for A share in the benefits of
,ba Canaanitish civilization. culture
and commerce They gained in those
lines only to lose in moral purity. When
they neglected Jehovah they not only
became the servile subjects OF the
Canaanite king. but they lost their
national spirit through their selfish
des;res so that when the hour came to
strike the blow for civil and religious
freedom Israel was without an army
and funds to equip a fighting force.
The faith of Deborah called for the
mobilization of Israel at Mount Tabor.
She ordered their asemblying In small
groups. so as not to attract attention
of the Canaanites, upon the strategic
site which commanded the plain OF
Esdraelon and which from that day to
the present has been the battlefield or
the nations. Ten thousand men re-
sponded to the call to arms. The six
nearest tribes-Zebulon. Issachar and
Manasseh. from the north, and Ephraim.
BENJAMIN and Manasseh. from the
south, rallied with wild enthusiasm to
join in the battle for freedom. Reuben.
Cad, Dan and Asher remained neutral
for selfish reasons. Their neutrality
called down upon them a singing re-
proach, Because they came not to the
help Of the Lord. to the help Of the
Lord against the mighty
Although their religious ideals were
primitive, yet the fact that they identi-
fed their cause with that of Jehovah
is full of significance. 1t points to the