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!’ BELIEF OF THE PEOPLE.
'LESSON XI, THIRD QUARTER, INTER¬
NATIONAL SERIES, SEPT. 9.
Text of the Lesson, Xurn. xiv, 1-10.
Commit Verses 2-4—Golden Text, Ileb.
ill, 19—Commentary by Rev. D. M.
Stearns.
[Condensed from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission of II. S. Hoffman, Philadelphia,
publisher.]
This is the continuation of our last lesson,
and shows the sad results of unbelief. Jeho¬
vah had delivered them from tho power and
bondage of Pharaoh; had made a way for
them through tho Red sea; had fed them
with food from heaven day by day; had
brought them water out of tho rock; had
given them flesh to eat in abundance; bad
fought for them against Amalek find con¬
quered; had spoken t:> them from tho burn¬
ing mountain; had shown them his great
love and power in so many ways and had
come t 6 dwell visibly among them in tho tab¬
ernacle erected for Him in their midst; tho
pillar of cloud and of fire, symbol of His
presence, was visible to all the millions of
Israel, and yet these ten unbelieving rulers
in Israel speak of the strength of the sons of
Anak as an obstacle too formidable to bo
overcome. Was there ever such unbelief and
such utter forgetfulness of a present
almighty God? Let us seo. Somo ono
who reads this has been told of
a Saviour who will givo victory over
'every besetting sin and causo tho weakest
and most unworthy to live even hero a lifo of
rest and peace and joy; and not only so, but
you have seen it proved in some measuro in
tho lives of somo who are known to you. It
is a good land they havo f^und, and you
know it. Cut to your eyes the^ aro there, great
difficulties iu tho way of your getting
and you say: “I am not able, it is not for
mo.” Now, what is that but just tho
language of those tea faithless rulers?
1. “All the congregation cried,” but it was
neither a cry of victory nor a cry for help;
it was a ery of despair, because they saw no
helper, had no faith in God. Contrast the
cry of Abijah, and Asa, and Jehoshaphat. and
the speedy answers granted to them (II Chon,
xiii, 14; xiv, 11; xviii, 81), and bo of good
courage.
2. “And all murmured.” In ch. xii, it
was Miriam and Aaron speaking against
Moses: now it is all Israel murmuring rfgaiir.t
Moseii and Aaron. “They despised tho plea¬
sant land; they believed not His word; but
murmured in their tents, and hearkened not
unto tho voico of the Lord.” (Ps. evi, 24-25.)
They had murmured nt Mazah and in the
wilderness of sin (Ex. xv, 24; xvi, 1-10), mid
all theso murmurings were against (lie Lord
(Ex. xvi, 8 ), for all that is dono to or for a
servant of tho Lord IIo counts as dono to *
himself. (Luko x, 10.) Tho lovo of God
which brought them out of Egypt was bring¬
ing thorn, in tho best and kindest way, to a
glorious inheritance, but they despised it and
Him, and murmured and complained.
3, 4. “Return into Egypt.” Tho wish for
death was twice repeated in v. 2 ; tho return
to Egypt is twieo suggested in theso verses.
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped
it instead of God; now they want a human
captain instead of “God Himself, who was
with them as their captain.” (II Chron. xiii,
12.) Nehemiah says that “in their rebellion
they appointed a captain to return to their
bondive.” (Neb. ix, 17.) Oh, what sin and
rebellion on tho part of man, what long suf¬
fering and love and patience on tho part of
God. This God is our God; we aro like
Israel, and all these things are written for
our learning. Paul sa\’s: “I count all things
but loss for the excellency of tho knowledge
of Christ Jesus my I»rd . . . forgetting
those things which aro behind, and reaching
-forth unto thoso things which are before,
I pres?toward tho mark for tho prize of tho
high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.
iii, 8 , 13, 14). How few there are like Paul,
bow many like Lot’s wife, who though es¬
caped from Sodom left her heart there, and
looked back. “Jesus said no man, having
put his hand to the plow, and looking back,
As fit for the kingdom of God (Isa. ix, C2); so
theso murmurais could not enter in because
of unbelief, but their carcases fell in the
ui uuucuci. rt- „<-20) nn\
wilderness.” (Heb. 111 , 19; Num. nv,
& “Moses and Aaron fell on their faces.”
geo also xvi, 4, 22, 45; xx, 6 . This was
the only thing to do in such a <»se; cry unto
God and leave them to Him. How wonder*
1 ‘ul that God will let us plead with Him mid
be moved by our pleading. Seo Abraham
pleading for Sodom and the Lord promising
to sparo the city if ten righteous ]>ersons
could be found in it (Gon. xviii, 23-02.) Seo*
Moses on this occasion, hear his prayer in
vs. 18-10, and note tho answer in v. ‘JO
Moses pleads not for himself, nor for his
glory, but lie is jealous for tho Lord and for
the glory of Ilis name. Tho Lord heard and
pardoned, yet in alter dajs there camo a
time when neither tho prayers of a Moses nor
a *Samuel could havo prevailed for them
(Jer. xv, 1 ), nor tho righteousness of Noah,
Daniel and Job havo saved them (Ezek. xiv,
14-*J0). “lie that being often reproved, bard
enetli his neck, shall suddenly bo destroyed,
and that without remedy” (Prov. six, 1).
(>. “Joshua and Caleb rent tlioir clothes.”
Caleb had spoken before (xiii, 80), but
now Joshua joins him in faithful testimony,
and these are tho only two of all tho thou¬
sands in Israel who were over twenty years
of age when they left Egypt who entered tho
good la. (vs. 80, 88). God docs always
honor those who have faith in him.
7, 8 . “An exceeding good land.” Even tho
unbelievers had to confess that (xiii, 27);
but hear further those two faithful ones: “If
the Lord delight in us, Ho will bring us into
this land and give it us.” They do not boast
of any power or wisdom above tho other ten,
but testify to tho power of the Lord, “I
labored more abundantly than they nil,”
says Paul, “yet not I, but tho grace of God
which was with me.* “Ho that glorieth, let
him glory in the Lord.” (I Cor. xv, 10; i,
81.) If any ask, How can the Lord take de¬
light in such as wo are? the answer is, “Tho
Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him,
i u thoso that hope in Ilis mercy.” (Ps.
cxlvii, 11 .) “Tho Lord taketh pleasure in
Jlis people; lie will beautify the meek with
salvati n.” (Ps cxlix, 4 .) And as to victory
over all enemies, “This is tho victory that
ovorcometh the world, even our faith.” (I
John v, 4.) “Tho battle is not ours, but
God’s.” (II Chron. xx, 15.)
p. “Rebel not against tho Lord.” “Fsar
not tho people,” “the Lord 4s with us.” Con
fideuco in and obedienoo to God, seeing no
one but Jesus only; this would victory. give perfect
rest riftd peach and constant To
Moses and Joshua and Gideon, to Jeremiah
and the prophets, and tho last word of Jesus
to tho apostles was simply “I am with 3 * 011 .”
10. “Stone them with stones.” So they
would have done to Moses (Ex. xvii, 4); so
they were ready to do to Christ (John viii,
50; x, 81); so they did to Stephen and Paul
(Acts vii, 50; xiv, 10 ). Truth is never pop
ular: “I hato bun,” said Ahab of Micuiuh,
tho prophet; “put him in prison, and feed
him with bread of afllietion and with water
of affliction” (11 Chron. xviii, 7,20). 80
thoso who stand for the truth will find hatred
even in our clay from those v ho aro of th i
world,
Reducing The Surplus.
The UiNpohttien of lUc Su<p us to the
TreahurJi tughge* tho attention of ottr
State-men, tut a more vital question has
onr attention, and that is the reduction
of the Surplus Consumptives. Since the
discovery and introduction of Dr. K’.ng's
jp w Discovery for Consumption,! ibme
has bt-eu a marked decrease in tee mortal
i,y of this dreaded disease, aid it ispossi
to s ill further lednee the umnber of
Consumptives. How? By keeping con¬
stantly uj h«nd a bottle of Dr. King’s
New D.&eovfe y uad using according to
directions upon the appearance of the
first symptoms, such as a Cocgb, a Cold
a »»r« Throat, a Chest or bide Pain.
1 aken teus early a cure is guaranteed.
Trial bjitle-* free nt Cook Bros.
_
•r.
mz&k
if
* p-g ^ (hens Fsmale College
at Ala- . ca G .ft N.
t).-aiiir A thorough, a*steattgra^hya‘“Ll’iSthacilf cj^cap College: full IJtCTary course.
Artacic.
' Jttr m. U. WILL*. t ms, Athcni, H**.
.
HARVEY A OH WEE V.
7
—Manufacturers cf and. Coalers la
Sash, Doors and Blinds, Builders’
Material, &c •I
Opposite Passenger Depot, Dudley’s Corner,
MERCER STREET, COLUMBUS, GA.
Harris County Trade Solicited.
SATISFACTION tfUAHANTElil).
PRICES REASONABLE.
All we nsk is a trial.
,
A. 0. CHANCELLOR. 0 T. J. PEARCE.
CHANCELLOR & PEARCE 7
Successors to
W: A. C. €11 ANCELLOJ
A,
/ V. COLUMBUS, GA.
l\
A MERCHANT TAILORS,
3 T* N \ WHOLESALE AND RETIAL
jo I CL01HIERS AND HATTERS
[r
e
Our buyer is in New York
( purchasing the largest and
most complete stock ever car*
sied by the house.
Mr. J. W. Ferris, (late of
j » New York), who and is acknowl¬
$ | edged the finest most suc¬
f cessful cuiter in the South, is
> in charge of our
"fa 3
|p?| <r“ TAILORING DEPARTM ENT.
r %
|~ '*** / W solicit call. Price
YJJ c a
guaranteed the lowest.
C, SCHOMBURG
WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER 'ji
DEALER X*
DIAMONDS, FINE JEWELRY,
WATCHES, CLOCKS aid SILVERWARE,
1ST Repairing Watches, Clocks and Jewelry a Speoialty.
No. 1115 Broad St, Columbus, Ga.
FURNITURE
cheapen than any house in the City, on Installments of easy
terms, or for Cash.
Come and buy at the “Up*Town Furniture Store,’' the
first and oldest Installment house in the City.
H. A.. GIBSOIT,
1228, 1306, M 1308 ft & K 1310 Broad St.,
Columbus, Georgia