The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-11-18

JOSHUA RENEWING THE
COVENANT.
Joshua 24:14-25. Read Chapters 1924.
Choose you this day whom We will
serve; but as for me and my
house, we will serve jehovah
Joshua 24:15.
THE CONQUEST OF THE
CONQUEROR.
Israel was in the back-wash Of war.
They had swept across Jordan, con-
quered Jericho, taken Al, made a
treaty with Gideon, rolled back the
kings of the South in disastrous rout,
put to flight the armies of the North
and had entered upon the peace of
conquest. These desert raiders, liv-
ing from hand to mouth, knowing
only the covering of tent, were scat
tered among the remnants of the con-
quered. Probably every man Of them
had dozen slaves taken from among
the overthrow. These fighting men
would be glad to plan for slave girl
or two to serve the wife as she came
to her new home. There was an I'M
eXampled flood of prosperity that
threatened to sweep many a man
completely off his feet in the sudden
riches that he had won by his sword.
Not only was he newly rich, but he
was living in towns and houses that
he had taken by force and in these
unaccustomed surroundings he needed
the guiding hand of some one who
knew the proper procedure. 1t was
out of such conditions that grave
peril arose. For as they faced more
advanced civilization than that of the
tent they were obliged to go to school
to the conquered. And if they accept
ed teaching in one field it was only
natural that they should get advice in
many fields and their religious life
was in danger of being merged into
that of the land. For gods were local
in their thinking and Jehovah was an
imported Deity that might need in
struction also. This is ever the path
of history. Rome conquered Greece
and was mastered by her culture. The
Barbarians took Rome only to be en-
shaved by her vices and enriched by
her civilization. The same thing hap
pens when ideas march across the
world. Christianity accepted the sur
rendered sceptre of the Caesars and
the dark ages spell the consequences.
Prohibition was written into the Con-
Stitution as a new adventure in gov
eminent and the vociferous wine and
beer advocate is making converts
among those who ran him completely
off the field. 1t was this situation
that Israel faced-a perennial prob
lem in both morals and civilization.
THE PROTEST OF THE PATRIOT.
Joshua was too astute not to per-
ceive the drift of sentiment and the
weakening of the convictions of the
people he had led into the land. 1t
speaks nightly of the ability of this
man contrasted so often with Moses
to his own disparagement that he di-
vined as swiftly as that leader might
have done the direction public opinion
was taking. His ear might not have
been to the ground as completely as
a modern politicians but it was keen
enough to catch the whisper of
events. He was no fool in the field
nor was he one in the council cham
Der. Overshadowed by his predeces-
sor as he certainly is the more he is
studied the larger he becomes. He
faced the situation with the same de-
cisiveness that had brought him
many victory on an uncertain bat
tie ground. He would let all the
leaders of Israel know whether they
were drifting. And it is the duty of
patriots to study the situation in
which the country finds itself with as
much care as they do their own bust
ness and know what is going on. He
who listens only to propaganda of in
terested parties seeking to serve their
own pockets is very far from measur-
ing up to the patriotism of this old
wiseacre. Nor can they be less eager
to combat the wrong than he and re-
tain their boast of loyalty to their
land. Joshua called a meeting of the
makers of public opinion and went
over the situation with them. They
probably went home saying, "The
Old Man is getting all fused up
over mighty small matter They
were possibly a bit irritated over it
and = certainly did NOT do ~ h
about it. But if they judged Joshua