The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-11-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared Especially For The Repub-
Leans Readers by Rev. U. S.
Wright, ID.
SUNDA1, NUV ENbEh 20, IJAU
GIDEON AND THE THREE
HUNDRED.

SONDA NON EMbER 20, IJLo
GIDEON AND THE THREE
HUNDRED.
Judges 1925. Read Chapters 6-S
Be strong in the Lord, and in the
strength of his might.-Ephesians
6:10.
COLONIAL ISRAEL.
Americas history is well known,
and the difficulties they faced as Col
onists upon unfriendly shores form
one of its heroic pages. There were
thirteen isolated units, unrelated eX-
cept in sympathy, fringing the east
ern border and gradually extending
their sway over more and more terri
tory. They were faced by new condl-
tions as we'll as by fighting Indians
whose forays decimated many VII
lage and spread terror over large
regions of territory. Individual lead
ers like Boone led in the defense that
was sometimes at one point of peril
and sometimes in an entirely different
section or territory. He who would
understand the period of the Judges
where every man did what was right
in his own eyes must read our own
Colonial days. For Israel planted Is
colonies in new quarters beginning
upon the East, had no central govern
ment. but the tribes were linked IN
the same way that the Colonies unit
ed, through sympathy and under pres
sure of need. individuals rose here
and there to meet some particular
crisis and fought with what follow
ers they could gain in the desperate
forays that ultimately determined the
ownership of the land They were
the Judges, Ehud, Deborah, Barek
and the rest, who were all individual
lists and each touched only a small
portion OF the whole territory, but
gained his notoriety by shrewdness
and resourcefulness in the face Of
danger. 1t was pioneer situation
easily understood in the light Of our
own experience.
Gideon was in Ephriam, a farm boy
who had become a small landowner
and head of a family, for he had
boy, Jether, perhaps Is years of age,
The Midanites had been finding it
much easier to steal barley than to
plant and cultivate it so that each re-
turning harvest found them covering
the land through the rich plain of
Aesdralon and extending their raids
up farther within the adjacent dis
trict each season. Gideon was thresh-
ing where the chaff would not lift its
tell-tale dust as beacon to guide the
raiders when some messenger of God
brought him his call to the leadership
of Israel for the driving out of the in
vaders. He accepted the call as Gods
will and set about his task.
THE ROAD TO SUCCESS.
If he would lead the people in Gods
path there must be no divided allie
glance at home What he did not dare
to do himself he could not ask others
to do. Slowly the purpose formed
within his mind and after all were
asleep ne slipped about softly enough
and woke ten of his servants, gave
them axes and led them up the hill to
the High Place outside the town. Very
swiftly they worked, for death lurked
in the discovery, but at dawn the old
altar, had been demolished, the chips
of the pillar arranged for firing upon
a new stone structure, the sacrifice
was ready for the flame. AS the men
came out of their houses with the sun
and turned their eXpectant faces to-
ward the summit for their morning
alteration, blank amazement stilled
them and then startled them into an
angry shout as they rushed the hill
side. Soon they marched to the house
of Joash and demanded his boy. But
the stalwart old farmer barred the
door. eff your god could not defend
himself why should you bother to do
it?" was his query. And as Gideon,
Jether and the aXemen stood ready
for any challenge. There was swift
cooling of desire to vindicate Baal.
and the invitation of Joash to wor-
ship Jehovah fell upon willing ears.
And as it was his OK there were ready
stomachs to take the festal, sacrif-
cial feast, so the work was done and
the converts accepted the new leader
ship that was ready to fight or feed
and pay the price in both cases. 1t
had been daring thing to do, but it
had been the only possible way for
real advance. Charity as well as re-
ligion must begin at home though
woe betide it if it stop there.
PREPARING FOR BATTLE.
There must be immediate action,
for indian was at the door with a
great host of raiders that scattered
in all directions from their central
camp. Gideon called together those
who would volunteer, but put the
searching test of fearful heart. Of
course no one was afraid, but ones
crop was out, another's wife wasn't