The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1919-03-20
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Especially Prepared For Readers Of
The Republican.
SUNDAY MARCH 2s


Evil companions corrupt good morals.
Cor. 1888.
U. S. WRIGHT.
THE VALEDICToRY.
The highest levels of the Scripture
are found in these farewell addresses
which from Jacob to Jesus crowded the
closing hours of life with the thought
of others need. They could see more
clearly than ever the direction of the
tendencies about them and out of full
hearts and experiences they spoke
words that will abide times testing.
Deuteronomy and Johns Gospel pour
the vintage of age into sthe cup of
youth. Joshua was true to his past for
Moses was even his model and he had
gathered all Israel for a parting mes
sage so there could be no other fashion
of closing his own record. He knew
that perilous days were ahead for the
movement the people represented more
than for themselves for they carried the
religious hope of the world. And he
saw them beset by a subtle danger.
These nomads of the desert had crossed
into a land of cities and farms whose
richness had come thru the obedience to
the Gods of the land-at least that was
credited as the cause The house is
higher level of lite than the tent and
the tendency would be to adopt the be-
lief's of the higher stage to which they
had come. But il this was done Jehov-
all would disappear in a needy of deities.
1t was this that Joshua feared and it
was against this acceptance of the
Canaanitish agricultural Gods on level
with their own that he protested. 1t
was against this easy solution of their
situation that he called for endless war
For they could intermarrY land many
of them did, but for them to be absorb
ed by the older settlers or for them to
take the others into their own life would
be to lose their distinctive relation to a
righteous God. Mixed life meant ming
led rights and lost religion. So clear
was his vision and so potent his in
fiuence that the singular thing in his.
tory happened; they preserved their
religious passion in their conquest of a
higher civilization. They adopted the
customs of the city jewellers they de.
posed but rejected their faith. Joshua
never achieved greater conquest than
this.
THE APPEAL To EXPERIENCE.
There may be two addresses given
here but it is more probably the report
of the same meeting by different indi-
viduals. A thoroughly representative
group of men came in response to their
leaders request and at Shechem under
the shadow of the mountain where they
had gathered IN the early days of their
occupancy to hear the blessings and
curses recorded in Deuteronomy they
again heard the solemn warning of the
man they loved. His appeal vas based
upon their experience of Jehovah's
goodness. mot one thing hath failed
of all the good things which Jehovoh
your God spake concerning you; alF are
come to pass unto you, not one thing
hath failed thereof" So he pointed to
their own past lives and memory leap
ed from hour to hour along the Travelled
way illuminlng event after event until
1t would haye seemed the blacklist in
gratitude to fail to give back to such
God fullest fealty. Hearts warmed,
eyes grew misty, for this old plesder
had touched responding chord.
THE APPEAL To HISTORY.
The God of today Is ruler of both yes
terday and tomorrow. He who is my
experience is the God of history as well.
Joshua shifted the telescope that these
men might have wider view. Their
stir hearts declared their knowledge
of the Presence; they should see Him
In that history of which they were so
justly proud. They saw Abraham pass
out of heathenism into the faith that
made him the friend of God. Isaac and
Jacob passed in review. TIE years in
Egypt in which Joseph and the other
children shared joined those great fig
ures that this old soldier made to march
across the centuries before their eyes.
Moses followed and they saw the sea
divide and heard the shout of the sing
ers upon the shore as the waves be-
came the grave of their oppressors
What pageant! And what an appeal
All their pride of race joined in streng-
thening the impression already made
and they would have seemed renegades
from the very blood of their fathers if
they should dream of deserving the God
who had wrought in their lives and had
chosen them for His own people, The
old soldier could swing more than a
sword.
THE APPEAL OF EXAMPLE.
Once more that appeal changed.
Joshua reviewed his own service to the
people giving all credit to Jehovah for
all that was accomplished in the cam
paigns in which these men had shared.
And now he is ready to bring to them
the appeals that would register their
decision. Would they go back to the
Gods their fathers had rejected? Would
they worship the Gods of the land they
had conquered? Or would they bow only
to Jehovah? For himself the decision
was made and they could choose as they
willed: it was Jeoovah for him and his.
So he stepped out alone on Gods side
challenging them by all their associa-
ton in the fierce fires of battle, by all
their knowledge of his devotion to their
welfare. by all their affection for him.
self to JON with him in their decision.
There could be but one answer They
shouted their assent They leaped to
stand beside him and the Jehovah he
represented.
THE APPEAL OF A RECORD.
Emotion, action. record, these are the
three steps that they took to that 10y
atty that persisted thru all the days of
the elders who outlived joshua" The
oath of allegiance was cut into the stone
that may have served as altar or as
rostrum that day. 1t was lifted into a
new position that its mute witness
might utter voiceless but vital testi-
mony thru all the years to be. 1t would