Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-14
SUNDAY School Lesson

Hebrews, that fought under the lead
ership of Joshua.
The friendly family interview filled
Jethro with great joy. When he
kheard of how God had given to Moses
! and the children of Israel victory and
triumph, he blessed Jehovah, testify
ing that he was certain that the
Lord is greater than all gods" He
officiated as q priest at a religious
sacrifice for God; and Aaron came
and all the elders of Israel, to eat
fore God" Here in the opening Of
Israels history was a recognition of
a Gentle priesthood. Our lesson
shows us how Jethro observed the
mistakes of Moses.
Mistakes of Moses.
The keen-eyed priest Of the desert
watched his son-in-law trying to settle
all the trivial and important cases
that were being brought to him con-
tinuously. He saw that it interfered
with the duty that Moses owed to his
family and that he was breaking be-
meath the task of hearing the COM
plants and trying to settle all the diff
ferenceS that arose among the great
host, who were revealing their weak
ness, as a nation, in the very hour of
their triumph. The passion, follies
and selfishness Of the young nation,
that was just emerging from the fear
of being returned to bondage, were re-
vealed in the large number of petty
controversies. They were commencing
to realize their prestige and power.
but they did not detect the weakness
within. Jethro saw that Moses was
breaking down physically by his
heroic efforts to train people to mas
ter themselves and live in accordance
with Gods law.
He saw that the method used by
Moses of personally settling every
question meant delay in the enforce
ment of justice. He was certain to
become in time the center of criticism.
Under the burden of complaints he
would find it difficult to unity the ma
ton and lead them in the way they
should go. The delays in the admin
istration of justice would of them
selves prove to be detrimental to the
nation. The people would not be able
to endure it. They could not stand
and wait day after day for their case
to be heard. The number of COM
plants that went unheard was con-
stantly increasing, for Moses had not
the time to hear more than half of the
cases presented to him.
Jethro's Advice.
Jethro revealed his diplomatic skill
and craftsmanship in pointing out to
Moses his mistakes and showing him
the way to organize his work. He
adopted as a guide the principle
which every great executive uses to-
day, of decentralization by delegating
responsibilities to others. There is
the possibility that beneath it's old
fashioned and simple .phraSeology that
we may not recognize the elevation
and comprehensiveneSS of the ideal
that Jethro set forth centuries ago,
that is essential in this day Of sys-
tenn. We can find the key to use
in our own land for the restoration
of the confidence in our courts and
the maintenance. of law and order
among us.
He suggested that the nation be
divided into groups of tens, fifties,
hundreds and thousands. The sue
cess of assigning to others the re-
sponSibility for the care of these vari-
GUS groups of families would depend
upon the character of the man Sc
lected Jethro emphasized that the
proper administration Of justice de-
manded that those appointed should
ton of Moses concerning the law of
God. He placed this qualification
first because it was essential to Sc
cure unity Of national life, the men
selected had to be fitted for the places
assigned by their mental ability.
Not all who were naturally quail