The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-02-21
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY "a.
THE PERIODOF THEJUDGES
Judges 2:16.

HE FkRiUDOF iii ) UDG ES
Judges 2:16.
l will heal their bac5slidings, l viii
love them freely.-Iio-aa 14:i.
THE TINES AND THE 1IEN
The Hebrew colonists were from
250 to 500 years in establishing a
strong government under David, Just
about the same time that it took the
+ Colonists in America to place Wash
ington in power. Exact years are
largely guess work in Palestinian
history until one reaches later times,
so that absolute dates are out of the
question. They entered the land and
crushed opposition from the inhabi-
tants but faced the continuous battle
waged by groups as we did. They were
confronted by the pressure of hordes
like themselves whose maraud!ng
forays swept the colony bare of sup
plies and left a bloody trail behind.
With us the French in the Ohio and
St. Lawrence valleys waged desperate
battle with the English for final own
ership and with them the invading
Phiistines from the west disputed
with the Hebrews the possession Of
the territory. Separated colonies in
both cases held mutual jealousies and
failed in cooperation. lndividualistic
democracy was the passion Of both
and personal proves was the basis
of commanding leaders who rose in
one or another place to direct affairs
The story Of American colonization is
an illumination Of Hebrew advance.
Thirteen tribcs-Joseph had two
portions - were roughly in four
groups: GaiIee, Gilead, Central and
South Judea. The government was
tribal ard local, under pressure of
need uniting one group or another to
resist some peril Strong characters
called Judges were the standards
around which they aligned themselves
and followed to victory. Amidst all
the differences that marked them
here was always one common Gle
ment in the conviction that Jehovah
had commissioned them to save an
oppressed people, they felt that it
was a religious crusade as we'll as a
military defense and each victory lift
ed the tribes into renewed loyalty to
God. Each armed uprising was in eff
feet a revival Of religion and it is chat
characteristic that appeals to the VII
ter of these gripping stories. But
each was LEGAL instead Of national, for
"eycry man did that which was right
in his own eyes which marks the
period as one Of lawlessness and
crowno1 force. Might was master.
Twc7-- figures a.c named as sayiours
in the long years Of struggle, not all
out Of one tribe nor out Of one sec
ton, a0d it may be that sometimes
one would rise in the north while an
other was in the south-there is no
means Of knowing. Not all was mere
Drawn. Deborah was q gentle-heart-
ed mother in Israel, fired with mother
passion for the defense Of childhood
that in the day when force was king
stole the crown and took the ermine
from the judge. The idyllic picture
of Ruth iniects the Priscilla and Ev-
angeline touch without which no true
estimate can be made of the times
and the men.
A TYPICAL JUDGE.
Gideon is one of the finest of the
figures that adorn these pages and is
taken as a representative leader for
this Colonial period as we would name
William Penn or Lord Baltimore He
was farmer Of Manassah who must
have been nearing forty, for his son
was able to join the fighting force
(S;29l. In one Of the incursions his
brothers had been killed (8:19) so
that he was urged on by the claims
of blood-revenge which was then the
law of Israel. Hiding in the wine
nress that the flying chatf might not
reveal their store of grain to prying
eyes his whole soul revolted against
the injustice of such oppression. What
had become of Jehovah if His people
were reduced to such sore straits?
Prayer leaped to his lips and stirred
his heart until there came the clear
conviction of his call to deliver his
land Religion and patriotism were
welded in the impulse and while he
deplored his inability as other lips
than his own pressed the duty, there
was the final acceptance of the task
and his achievement was begun.
Pledging his life in the blood of a kid
and catching the surety of Gods ac-
ceptance in the answering fire, he
went forth with the word: "Surely,
l will be with thee and thou shalt
smite the Mideanites as one man."
But if Jehovah was to reign abroad
Baal could not rule at home. His own
house must be set in order first so
that he had stumbled OF been led to
e he g,OJov,o,,+.1c Of ,,o1iu;o,,