Christian herald., July 20, 1883, Page 5, Image 5

CHRISTIAN HERALD.
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BIBLE TALKS.
BY M. B..LEMKBT.
NUMBER XV.
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Did
fes
be
ot ?
pie
ion,
one
the
her
do­
ing
hall
lgle
ring
ired
ease
bey
God. Man is prone to forget; so
God in mercy gives reminders that
he need not forget unless he wills
to do so. To save Israel from
sion of the heavenly Canaan.
Have we learned from the failure
of Israel to appreciate this priceless
institution and to observe it as oft
as the memorial day returns ? and
do we take special pains to explain
to our children, and tell them all
about our bondage, and the story
of redemption, and impress upon
their minds the fear of the Lord,
and of the necessity of obtaining
releasefrm«--4»T.-AM4~.iU-fearful.
consequences ? If so, happy are
we ; if not, wake up—trim your-
lamps—put in a fresh supply of
oil, that you may be ready when
ihe ^¡.{jegroonï'comêCa^^
admittance,
r .
-
■
'■
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nt —*
or by epidemics or storms or any
of the various providences of God.
But no one should make the mis­
take of calling the arrest a conver­
sion. It sometimes leads to con-
Moses, the man of God,<, was the
Hmeekest ol men ; Ïmnîblé;“ï‘ëvêliën=!
in the promised land, the waters of
tial, feared God, and was faithfu
escapes before the execution. When
the Red Sea were divided, letting
in all things. On one occasion he
Paul came face to face with the
them pass on dry land, then also,
failed to give God the glory due
word of the Lord he felt condemn­
the waters of the Jordan. Both of
him ; for which failure, after lead-
ed,
for all who believe not are con­
these were superhuman, exhibiting
ling the children of Israel from
demned already. Jno. 3 : 18.
almighty power, demonstrating that
LEgypt.to-the borders of the., prom
-Jflor three days he was scourging
~ the fivrng God interfered in their
psed land, he was not permitted to
his
sins as they rose up in fearful
behalf—was with them, exhibiting
.cross the Jordan with them, bu;
guilt before him. The “ old man ’*
power perfectly irresistible; strong
signed them into the hands of
was then crucified or killed, Rom.
to rely upon, but fearful to encoun­
oshua, to whom he imparted his
G : 6, which the apostle says is the
ter. These stones, exciting curios­
spirit, by thé laying on of liis
w ttesh and theuficctions-a^
ity, and prompting the chJUPeñ"to"
hands ; gave Israel bis last advice,
Gal. 5 : 24. At this stage of Paul’s
ask questions, would induce the
his parting—his dying charge—to
crucifixion he seems to imagine
parents to tell the children the
fear God and keep all his command-
that he is a condemned criminal
wonderful story of their eruel bon­
PAUL’S CRUCIFIXION.
îents ; together with many solemn
chained to a dead body, as was cus­
dage, their miraculous delivery,
amings and entreaties; then went
E. J. C. BENNETT.
tomary in some cases, and he says
■
their protracted journey in that
upon Mount Pisgah, viewed ' the
great and terrible wilderness, and*
It is generally believed that the “ who shall separate me from this
and, died there, and was buried by
finally their triumphant entrance apostle Paul was beheaded in Rome body of death ?”—Christ by exam­
im whose voice once shook the
into Canaan after the waters of the by the order of Nero, and I have ple and command taught him the
rth, but will ere long shake
Jordon in obedience to the God of no authority nor disposition to way of escape by hurrying the
‘dieaven also ; when Moses will come
.all the garth, stood still, above the doubt the statement.... The apostle dead body of sin. The. only way to
Ibrth m gl6^"cTôtKëTîmmortaIîtÿ,
ford, while those below rolleT on, himself, however, testifies that he W this-was--by hurrying himsetf^
elirered from all the weakness of
with the dead body of sin and to
thus leaving a passage till all had was crucified. Gal. 2 : 20.
he flesh, to enjoy the heavenly
passed over. Telling this story
Now both these statements can rise to walk in newness of life.
ountry, of which Canaan, flowing
frequently would not only keep not be true literally. It is evident Rom. G: 4. Thus he found life
with milk and honey, was but a
these things fresh in the minds of from Paul’s words in the above and death, union with Christ in
type-
T ,
freedom from sin. This spiritual
After Joshua received the' com- the parents, but would teach the passage and elsewhere that his cru­
quickening in being buried with
hand, the first thing was to cross children the knowledge of the cifixion was a spiritual process cor­
the Lord seems to have been dimly
he river Jordan, which at that Lord and deeply impress his fear responding with the steps in literal
foreshadowed in the case of the
ason overflowed all its banks, upon them. Nor was the influence crucifixion which the Galatians
man who was buried in Elisha's
e bade the priests go forward, of telling this story to be confined were familiar with. In this pas
grave, and was restored to life by
ing the ark ; as soon as their to that nation, but widen and sage the word embraces all the
contact with the bones of the
et touched the brim of the water, extend till all the people of the steps leading to, and necessarily
prophet. 2 King 13: 21. Paul
ceased to run and stood—rose up earth were brought to a knowledge connected with, the act of crucifix­
says,
“ Be ye followers of me even
pon a heap, enabling the people to of the mighty hand of the Lord ion. As Paul was “ crucified with
as I also am of Christ.” By thus
ss through upon dry land. The and feared his great name. The Christ,” and all “ they that are
doing we shall reach the full meas­
iests, bearing the ark, then went end of all miracles, all monuments, Christ’s ” have been crucified, (Gal.
ure of our joy and be “ forever
into the middle of the river, and and monumental institutions, is to 5: 24,) we must take Christ’s
with the Lord.”
Mood there, till all Israel passed perpetuate and extend the knowl­ crucifixion as a model. The first Salo, Victoria, Australia, June 12,1883.
aver. At the command of the edge and fear of the Lord in order definite action was the arrest by
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to
obedience
;
that
God
might
show
the
officers
of
the
law,
which
was
•ord, twelve men, one of each tribe,
Language and Religion.
mercy,
and
that
man
might
live.
followed
by
a
condemnation
or
in
look each a stone from the midst of
There is a very intimate relation
Bie stream, where the feet of the But Israelitish parents became passing judgment. Then he was
■riests stood, who bore the ark, remiss in telling this story—they afterward scouraged publicly for between language and religion.
■louldered them, took them to the would rather talk to their children the purpose evidently of intensify­ Comparative philology and com­
Mace where they lodged that night, about something else, than the ing the feeling of guilt and humili parative theology are indeed sister
¿id pitched them there for a mon- works of the great God ; so they ation. After this he was crucified sciences. There is no Protestant
■nent. Joshua said: “ Israel, when failed to impress the knowledge or killed and buried according to nation which does not speak some
K>ur children shall ask their fathers and fear of the living God upon the custom of the Jews who believ­ branch of the Teutonic family of
in time to come, saying, What mean their children; in consequence of ed that “ cursed is every one that languages. All Catholic countries
iie.se stones ? then ye shall let your which their children, in the blind­ hangeth on a tree. Now Paul’s speak some language derived from
iiildren know, saying, Israel came ness of their minds, were soon crucifixion corresponds fully with ancient Rome. Men are known by
Mor this Jordan on dry land. For running after and worshiping the the steps already noticed. The their speech. The true Christian
■e Lord your God dried up the ^ods of the nations around them to mode of his arrest was-supernatur­ will speak the language of Canaan,
al, and unlike the manner of and avoid that of Ashdod.
Maters of Jordan from before us, their own destruction.
J as . W. L owber .
We, under Christ, have a memo­ Christ’s arrest, and hence has no
■til we were gone over ; that all
gfe people of the earth might know ria? institution, of weekly recur­ value to us as an example, for we
To know how to say what other
K hand of the Lord that it is rence, of far greater significance are to follow Paul only as "he fol­
aflghty ; that ye might fear the bhan those twelve stones; remind­ lowed Christ. 1 Cor. 11:1. Our people think, is what makes men
wd your God forever,” (Josh. 4 ; ing us of our bitter bondage under arrest from a sinful life cannot be poets and sages; and to dare to say
sin ; of Christ’s death and resurrec­ according to any pattern, but may what others think, makes men mar­
K24 ) '
■Thus
hub these
vuuse twelve
vwciv^ stones became
oecame t tion for our release; and of his be accomplished in different ways, tyrs or reformers, or both.— Mrs.
minder of the mighty works of | coming again to nut us in posses- by dreams, strange sights or sounds Charles.
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