Evening star., 1924-03-29

Our studies in the Old Testament
for the last quarter have covered
about 1000 years of history. The his
torical development of the Hebrew
people has been traced from it's COM
mencement with one man, selected Of
God to be the progenitor of a chosen
people, living a migratory life, dwell
settled nation, controlling all the
territory between the Mediterranean
sea and the Euphrates river.
We have considered great epochs of
history. They have centered about
the lives of great men. These famous
men whose lives we have studied
during the past quarter have all
found a place in the illustrious record
of fame recorded in the eleventh
chapter of Hebrews. with one no.
omitted. In this fact we have the
key to the history of the Jewish peo-
pie. who in all ages have been men
and women Of faith. Ewaid has point
is this, that he not only steadfastly
maintained the knowledge of the true
God in his own practice and life, but
he knew how to make 1t lasting to
tions were obliged to confess that
God was with him.
Several centuries was no time to
the slow-moving orient. There ap-
pears to have been definite and far
reaching purpose of God worked out
during those centuries even amidst
the failures of men. The literature
of the periods We have studied grips
us by It's humaneness. The lessons
gathered about remarkable charac-
ters. While looking upon the records
OF these famous personalities were
soma marks of failure, yet the true
view of the history reveals the fact
that history is His story, for. 1t has
4 ~ Ia a - ~
men. In every crisis the Lord selected
men fitted for their times to work
out His program. His providential
leadership provided the nation with
recognized as among the worlds most
representative men.
Abraham was chosen in an age
, marked by idolatry and separated,
because he had come to know God, to
Joseph recognized that he had been
sold into Egypt as a slave for the
purpose of saving his fathers family
| in the period of famine. Moses ap-
peared when the nation needed to be
delivered, and then organized the mob
of freedmen into a nation, through
laws that would regulate their civil,
religious and social life. Joshua had
been developed for the hour when the
During the pioneer period of the
judges, God brought forth Gideon and
other leaders for the people when
they were defeated and filled with
distress. Samuel, who was the last OF
| the judges and the first of the proph-
cts, came into public service at an
hour when the people were corrupt
and on the verge OF idolatry. He gave
them q constitution for their king
dom. The judges believed that they
were fighting for Jehovah when lead
| ing men to war.
Three kings were the last repre-
| sentative men whose careers we con-
| sidered. Saul came before the people
| in an hour when they were clamor-
| ing for a king. His magnificent phys
| tcal appearance and daring courage
| met the demands of the moment. He
| mastered the nations foes, but could
| not master his own soul. David fol-
| lowed him with his lovableness and a
| life torn and tried by many expert
| ences. He excelled in many lines. He
left his mark upon all ages by his
religious reformation and especially
l the collection Of the psalms, many OF