The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-08-12
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared Especially For The Repub-
LEANS Readers by Rev. U. s.
Wright, ID.
SUNDAY, ADJUST 10, IJZb.
IETHRO'S WISE COUNSEL.


JETHRO'S WISE COUNSEL.
Exodus IS; read II also.
To each one his work.-Mark 1884.
THE BATTLE FOR PEACE.
With bread assured there was bet
ter spirit as Israel plugged thru the
sand toward the hills that lifted them
selves more than mile into the
cloudless sky Climbing through the
rainbow-colored rocks that give gor-
geous tinting to the way, they saw
the luxuriant growth in the defiles,
but water had dipped into the sands.
1t lay ahead in the heart of Rephidim,
the largest oasis in the district, sew
eral miles in extent and Astounding
in palms and grass. But they found
their way barred. So attractive bit
of property could not be had without
a struggle and Amelek wanted it for
his own focks. Here came a horde
from the desert in desperate need of
its ministry but capable of using its
resources to the exclusion of all 9TH
ers. The desert warriors had already
(Deut. 25:17) swept about the march
ers and had cut off stragglers, now
they blocked the pass to the springs.
It was kill or be killed, and Israel
must conquer or die in the desert.
Moses quickly determined an advance,
picked Joshua as leader and the mass
of men hurled themselves forward.
They were largely weaponless, but
stones were everywhere and they
were desperate enough to have just
threatened to use them on Moses.
Some of the shepherds no doubt had
sings and knew we'll how to use them
but it was to be battle of bare fists
and rocks, and the nature of the
ground gave advantage to their
means of battle, for they could slip
from boulder to boulder, fling
stone and disappear, while the ad
vantage of Amelek in cavalry was
largely neutralized by the field over
WHICH CIlSy slug WCHt
high up where he could observe the
lay of the land and his lifted staff
served like the signals from an air
plane in modern fight. So long as it
said Forward" Israel crept from
rock to rock and advanced until the
day closed with the springs in their
possession. Their stay in the desert
was assured; they had won their right
to a place and could spend the months
ahead in peace. This is the story of
the souls march also. 1t has been
brought out by God through the flood
that threatened overthrow; has been
fed in its wilderness journey until
sure of its supplies from the hand of
kindly Lord and is led by Him into
some corner where it must struggle
desperately for its very life. Man
must be taught the victorious life is
his own; that the God who fought for
him must now be possessed within,
and the claim of the world, the flesh
and the devil to control his actions
must be overcome. Moses lifted moth
ing but a staff; God was the banner
of the fighters and always must be on
the field of the soul.
THE BEGINNING OF ORDER.
Victory brings its perils as well as
defeat There must be the consola-
ton of its gains and the settling of
the questions raised by its success.
Often the result of the fight is
snatched away in the peace that fol-
lows. Our war against war met its
worst defeat after the armistice Is
rael, with its individualism, had won
its victory by single combat-why
shouldn't the man keep for himself all
that he had taken instead of holding
it for the good Of all? Weapons were
sorely needed. Rich spoils from the
dead were to be distributed for the
cause, and Moses found himself sorely
swamped with the decisions made
necessary by the gains of Rephidim.
Crowds swept in to visit the victors-
not an unheard of thing today-and
the old priest of indian came bring
ing his wife and children that Moses
seems to have given little attention.
They had lived off her father long
enough-why shouldn't the successful
man share his success with them? SO
the judgship appeared in its beginn-
ings before the eyes of the visitors
as well as in the midst of the inter-
ested parties. Law was to become
the basis of their further advance in
stead of desire, massed or otherwise,
of interested parties. That is the be-
ginning of a stable society. When
the bullet is superseded by the ballot,
whether cast by court or crowd, a
long step forward has been taken.
And the soul that has set up stand
ard is becoming God-possessed. Shall
my own whims determine by action?
Shall it be the voice of an organiza-
ton, whether it be church, state or
any other? Shall it be book? What
shall be the deciding authority for
my life affairs? When the soul has
1oI bo{ ~l,n L.