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RUSE OF THE GIBEONITES A STORY OF THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN By the "Highway and Byway" Preacher (Copyright, 1907, by the Au1h . W. S. .Edon.) Scripture Authority:-Joshua chap ar 9. fN@f+f+++++ ++++f ++ + SERMONETTE. "And they asked not counsel at thb mouth of the Lord."- + These words explain why Israel + failed to keep herself free from unholy alliances, and it is the + explanation of every misstep of the Christian to-day. The world is able to bam boozie the children of God be cause they look on the evidence which the world submits, rather - than looking to God who giveth wisdom to all men for the ask- s ing. + To Israel the case seemed so + plain, I suppose, that it seemed 4 Spositively silly to ask God about + it. Like the little boy who + prayed for the protection of God only at night, because dur ing the day he could take care + of himself, so the Israelites + thought that in the present situ- + ation they needed naught but their own judgment in deciding + their course of action. And it was just when they felt the wisest and most able to take care of themselves that the enemy turned the trick upon Sthem. + Life is full of mistakes and tragedies because everybody + else and everything else is con- + suited rather than the source + of all light and all wisdom. + But how is God to be consult ed about everything? By subordination of the per sonal inclination and the con scious recognition of a higher will and higher purpose than our + own. By diligent use of our God- - given powers, while at the same time there is an appreciation of + the limitations of human wis dom and judgment. By the exercise of patience. Take time to decide a point at + - Issue. A misstep is taken + through haste which prevents a clear reading of the sign-post at - the intersection of the ways. By the spirit of prayer per vading the life. Pray without ceasing is the Scriptural admo nition. How? Surely not stay ing on bended knee in the se cret chamber and audible repe tition of words and phrases. Surely not by going about with closed eyes and mind absorbed in spiritual contemplations. Sure- + ly not by any outward cloak of sanctimoniousness. No. What then? Prayer is communion with God. And that communion con sists in the conscious and un conscious domination of God In the life. It marks the perpet ual attitude of the soul, so, that whether immersed in business for the time being, or what not, God's spirit is operative in the life. This is prayer without ceasing. +++++++ ÷+++++++++++++++ S'"": " " THE STORY. T HERE seemed no way but for the Gibeonites to Joint forces with the federated kings in the proposed war upon Joshua and the armies of Israel. Never before had the entire country between Jordan and the great sea been so aroused as at the present time. Tidings of the coming of the hosts of Israel had reached the land while yet the Israelites were in the wilderness far to the south and west, but since the miraculous crossing of the Jordan ~d the destruction of Jer icho and Al the vague fears which had filled the minds of the inhabit ants had taken delfnlte form in the ldesperate resolve to unite and give battle to Israel. That very day a deputation from the kings of the Hittites, the Amor ites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and others of the less er tribes of the country urged them to make alliance in the common cause against Israel. "It is plain," the messengers said, "that these Hebrews seek war. They arrogate unto themselves great im. portance, and have openly declared contempt for our gods. They have destroyed Jericho and Al with the in habitants thereof, and they would do so to us. And because of this, oh, men of Gibeon, the kings of all the country to the north and south and along the coast of the great sea are raising a great army to give battle to Israel, and have sent us to urge that your fighting men join them in this war." This speech of the messengers was received with evident favor by the chifef men of Gibeon who had been called together in council, and they would at once have given assent to the plan, had not old Second-Thought, as he was called-because of his in variable habit of saying: "Don't be in haste! Think it over! Think it over!" --counseled delay! "We will be better able to give answRer in the morning, after we have considered w1ll the matter," he urged, and to this the rest had finally reluct antly agreed, and later, when they lad come together to talk the matter over, old Second-Thought said: "We all know the mighty tthinga . ' "-.':': . ; ,' which the people of Israel have done right before our eyes. Surely their God is a mighty God that he could make a pathway through the Jordan and lead his people dry shod right in our very midst. We have seen the smoke of Jericho and Ai ascending into heaven, and we know that the strong armies of those cities could not stand before Joshua and his men. Then why should we hope to be more successful than they? And even though the armies of the allies should be victorious, our country would be devastated, for it is here that the bat tle would be waged. Let us make league with Israel and thus save our lives and our city. "But," quickly interposed several voices, "have you not heard that Is rael will make no league with any of the inhabitants of the land, saying that their God has forbidden it?" "True," assented the old sage, un perturbed by the seemingly insur mountable difficulty., "but let us dis guise ourselves and come to them as from a far country. We shall put old sacks upon our asses, and old shoes and old garments upon us, and we shall take old and rent wine bot tles and dry and moldy bread, and we will come to them, and tell them that we have heard in the far coun try the fame of their God and how mightily he has wrought and we have come to pay homage to him and to worship him. Peradventure they will hear us and will make league with us." This plan at once rnce the approval of the chief men of Gibeon, and the next morning when they had sent the messengers of the kings away they at once began preparations to carry out the plan. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal. Their arrival created no little stir, and quickly Joshua and the chief men assembled, and the strangers were admuitttd to their pres ence, and to the statement that they had come from a far country, Joshua made answer: "Our God has commanded us saying that we should not niake league with any of the inhabitants of the land. Peradventure ye dwell among us." "Nay, but from a far country are thy servants come," they replied. "Be cause of the name of the Lord thy God are we come. We have heard the fame of him and all that he did in Egypt, and all that he (lid to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Hesbon, and Og king of Blashan, which was at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants spake to us, saying: 'Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them: We are your servants. Therefore now make a league with us. " "Nay," interrupted Joshua, "but how do we know that ye have come from a far country?" Dramatically they turned, and lift ing the covers from their provision baskets, they said: "Behold the evidence of our long journey. See this our bread we took hot out of the ovens on the day we came forth to come hither, and behold now it is dry 10 moldy. See these bottles of wine. When they were filled as we started they were new, and behold, now they be rent. And behold our garments and our shoes, for they have become old and ragged by reason of the very long journey." Such seemingly indisputable evi dence quickly swept away all doubt from the minds of the men who stood with Joshua, and they persuaded him that it would be well at once to make league with these people. Joshua therefore made peace with 1 them, and made a league with them to let them live. And the men gathered with him, the princes of the congrega tion, ratified the league. During all this time the people of Israel were talking one with another concerning the coming of these strangers, and as they saw them depart and learned that a league had been made with them, they selected some of their number to follow these men, a thing which had not occurred to Joshua or to the princes with him to do. As a result on the third day when these men returned they reported that the strangers had dealt with them de ceitfully and had not come from a far country, but were really their neighbors living only a short distance from Gilgal. And they were wroth with Joshua and the pirinces for mak Ing the league and were for going at once against the Gibeonltes, for, said they: "There is rich spoil in their cities which should be ours." But Joshua and the princes because of their oath which had been given, would not permit them so to do, but made the Gibeonites servants, that they would work for them continually. Makes Great Gains. Cheering news comes to hand of the progress in Japan. IHishop Har ris, who has charge of the American Methodist Missions in Korea and Japan, says that during the recent war the churches made great gains in membership, and that they are now unusually active in evangelistic efforts. As regards audiences, minis ters of churches, baptisms, and the circulation of the Scriptures, things have not been so bright for a long time; and the gospel is receiving a better hearing than at any period since its introduction a generation ago. Another very healthy feature of Japanese Christianity reported by the Record of Christian Work, is the steady progress towards independ. ence of foreign aid. In a short time it is hoped that the Japan !se churches will be self-sustaining, and even become missionaries, sending out native teachers to China and Korm, ::-Z IFIOME SWN.A.IiADFORD a, EDITOR Mr. William A. ltadford will answer quexstionlis and give advivce l'RtE OF1 ('(T ' on all llbjiets peirtaining to the subject of building for the retaders of this paper. On account of his wide expe rience as Editor, Aluthor ;ind fManilf:ac turer, he is, without diulbt, the hiighest authority on all thrse subjlcts. Address all inquiries to William A. Htadford, No. 191 Fifth Ave.. Chlicago, IIl., and only enclose, two-cent statIIup for reply. It is sometimes desirable to build a cheap house with a view of improving It in a few years' timne. It is not nec essary that a house should be unsight ly because it is cheap. It may have a good appearance, the rooms may be of a fair size and conveien tly arranged and the whole work, as far as it goes, may be just as well done as though planned for a more expensive strue ture. The size of the windows and doors, the placing of partitions, as well as the roof design, the Ilacing of chimneys, bathrooms, and other modern requirements may be arrantged in the plans inm(ch better than to have the hIio;s tornll to pieces years after ward to rectify orisiilual mistakes. It is in just such work as this that plans and spcificatlions ;ie especially valu able. .\ stud(i of thlie elevation andl floor plan before com miencing to biuild will suggest many dit ails that will in all prolibaility be nlecessary at somllei illme. All liihouse: shouild he arrangred for soiime kind of lihaliing plalit in the col lar. It is generally adlvisable to illt gas tpipes and electric wiires in the walls. Inventions for heating and li ghling are cfninig so thiic(k and fast that now prlo,.'.itinls coile Illp every year. piarilers oflten make the re mark that if theyl ha:d a building to do o(vetr iain. they w\(i·id pilt in lilpes wit h a Vicw of pillliing in an acietylene gas ceinotlor. 1!i.t rie door leil!s cost little more thain any other kind an!d it costs bht a few cents to buy enough wire to conect the bell with the battery at the time of building. If pipes and wires are put in the par titions when the house is being built i .". . . l. ,ti, ..ý:iý ` i" ý x4;4^4 they may stay there for years until wanted for use. If they are not put in it means that the plaster must be broken, the floors cut to pieces and the good wife put to considerable ex tra work and annoyance or that the house never gets modern conveni ences. In building a cheap house it is nec essary to cut off expense somewhere. I4'V WaS' FIRST FLOOR PLAN. In this case the cellar is left for some future time and the house is set on cedar posts firmly planted in the ground and the house is neatly cased around with boards. The bathroom and kitchen sink are so placed that the water pipe from the cistern in the attic over the kitchen will supply run ning water to both at very little az f iJ . , penso. 'The planhs Irovide for a wood on drain under ground and head pipes from the bath and sink with S traps constructed in such a manner as to prevent gases from the drain enter ing the house. ltemnuinber that lead pipes are all right for waste water but ALCtve T'6"' 8'o' :c /1'6's /Wo' 66 7'G' J3'O'x/3'0' Si.. ýNIP tli.(nl I 1'I.N. it shloul nlever h, Iused for potable water. In building cheap houscs the hath and kitchen sink are seldom thought of. Usually these are con sidered extravagances, but the fact! is the kitchen sink is one of the I greatest labor savers a woman can have and a bath is no longer consid- I ered a luxury but it is an absolute t necessity, if good health is taken into t consideration. Good health is neces sary for most persons but a good i many seem to get along through the c greater part of their lives in a sick- I ly, half discouraged manner and these ! are the very ones who consider bath ing unnecessary. A round woodea c tank placed over the kitchen costs I but a trifle of what it is really worth. Rain water from the upper roof will keep it supplied and a charcoal filter I will fit the water for drinking pur poses if so desired. The water should pass through the filter before enter ing the tank and the tank should be cleansed at least once a year. Another saving in expense in this house is starting the chimneys from brackets six feet above the floor. This makes a short chimney and a light one that may be supported without heavy timbers. There is but little brick and mortar and the job of build ing the chimneys is a short one. It < will be noticed that this plan offers plenty of light and ventilation for every room in the house and it pro vides for a good big convenient kitchen. The size of this house is 22 feet wide by 42 feet exclusive of the porch. The main part of the house is only 22 by 30 feet. The 12 by 14'extension being small and only one story high adds but little to the cost and the convenience of having the kitchen ar ranged in this way is worth a great deal. It will be noticed that while there are only two bedrooms the two alcoves will furnish sleeping quar ters for the children and the arrange ment is a good one for a young cou ple while the children are small. This plan offers an inducement to own a home when starting out in married life instead of waiting until sufficient funds are saved to build a more ex pensive habitation. It is difficult to estimate the cost of building because materials vary so much in price in different parts oL the country, but under ordinary cir cumstances this house should be built, as shown in the plans, for about $1,000. It certainly is a good look. ing house for that amount of maone. IN THE RUSSIAN STYLI. Curious National Customs Observed at a South Dakota Marriage. A doldle wedding in the Russian' cl'(" l . :: ~i,'r daln. S. D., south of Alixandria. Iastd through an entire day andi ilt. he v inIn. The names of th' li 'ri"i l,.. owgre .loseph Mandel and Kaherir,, ltfor:', and Michael W\Valioer and KNathi ine GroCss. The e'roinllMy wv as boegn in the mrorning in t!,e little stone church, in \i hich the ohl cu:stmni o the men and womenn sit in' on opposite sides still pIrevails. Thei' Russian priest deliv ered a lone sernmon, and at 11:20 I clock h1 called the principals to the front of the edifice. the women going first. and 1,euig followed by the young men. The eretnll:: proper was spok en in Russian, and lasted but a short time. It was followed by a prayer and a song and then brides and bride grooms returned to their separate seats. The bridal costiumes of the couples were very simple, the maidens wear ing flanneletto gowns with a hand kerchief tied over their heads. The bridegrooms, however, were dressed a little more fastidiously, in that they wore regular wedding suits, chief of which was a long coat. A peculiarity about the coat is that it is worn by every bridegroom in the settlement, two coats tilng kept in the settlement in case of a double wedding, and whether the brid, aroom be tall or short, large or small, the coat must do its duty. With the cerenmony over, the guests and the briulal (lnud(ls went to the eating hourse. wvhl(r,, a h!z dinner com posed of noodle sllup. bread, beef, sauerkraut, hisk,: and wine was nerved. The w\lli;n occupied( one long table and tl, men annc,' r., but the bridal c'uillcs w(re aliowdt to sit together. With thle dinner (oi% r came the interesti ig part f~ th!e Cf r'enony, and that is hite (love sc.'me which fol lows a Rus:sia : wedding. The com pany went to what is called the love room in one of the houses, where be fore the asenmhlhlid (c:',ed the brides and bride-rcomns sa:t ith arms around each other. billin:g and cooing, oblivious to the c,r,aents and watch ful eyes of the otlhrs. As a sort of break in the monotony for the brides one of the young ladies filled the aprons of the brides with peanuts and candy, which they mnlhched with com placency as the joyous festivities pro ceeded. At nine o'clock the love scene broke up and the day of the wedding came to an end. Queer Things Made From Milk. You could build a house of milk, if you liked, and it would be as strong I and lasting as thlouzh made of Aber- I deen granite, says M. Glen Fling in Technical Worl:! Magazine. More over, all the fittings could be made of the same substance, and they would outlive the finest ordinary ma terial that was ever constructed. Billiard balls, combs, fancy boxes and many other things are made from the new substance, galalith, which is made from milk. There is really no limit to the articles which can be made from gal allth. It takes dyes readily and in ferior grades are colored. The best remain white, however, for whitegal alith brings the highest price because of its similairity to ivory. The first grade of white galalith is made up in to knife handles, and it brings al most as high a figure as would so 4 much ivory. Galalith is the best substitute for ivory ever discovered, for it is smooth to the touch, retains its soft, creamy tinting ior years. Is not marred by soap and water and, unlike celluloid, 4 is proof against fire. It does not chip or crack like bone. and (can be cut 4 into the most delicate shapes, being tough and not easily broken. In Auttria somethling like 100,000 qiarts of shkimmed milk are used daily for the purpose of making galalith. I and the industry is largely on the in crease. The article describes the process of malking this queer sub. 1 stance. Didn't Come in Blue. A woman who wanted soap of a certain make asked for a blue cake. "It doesn't come in blue." said the clerk. "It is made in yellow, white and green." The woman seemed disappointed, 4 and finally hought another brand of soap in the desired tint. "That is a queer fad," said the clerk, when she had gone out. "Many women are carrying the color scheme to such extremes nowadays that they use soap that matches the furnishings of the room. In order to meet this de mand manufacturers are turning out soaps that almost every known tint The color they are most deficient i1 is blue." The Divine Collapsed. A certain eminent preacher i a lit tie New England town was asked by one of his flock who was more noted for his wit than his religious tenden cles, if he had heard the latest defnlat tion of Intemperance and Eternity. He replied that he had not, and re ceived the following definition: "That Intemperance was a wile of the devil, and eternity was a devil of a while!" The divine collapsed. Kaiser's Appointment Startles, Emperor William has startled Ger many by appointing Bruno Paul, the caricaturist of Simnplicissimus to be director of the Berlin Industrial Art school. Herr Paul's appointment is a triumph for secessionist art and may Signity the death blow to many old sahioned Ideas. A SIMPLE FO PRESCRIPTION OF AN E SPECIALIST IS GIVgyI. Necessary Ingredients Coat and Can Be Secured at Any Drug Store-Will Break Cold Quickly. Mix half ounce of the fpre Oil of Pine with two ounces of ine and half a pint of good shake well and use in doses. A noted authority on of the throat and lungs wb lished a camp for consumptives pine woods of Maine, declares the above formula will heal the and cure any couch that is It will break up a (old in twent hours. The ingr.,lienrs can cured from any cod pr druggist at small cost. Virgin Oil of 'in, i Pure) is only in half-ounce vials for sing; each vial is s,cur,.'v sealed - round wooden caso with e -gr wrapper, showing the name Oil of Pine (Pure) Prepared only Leach ('hemical ('Co. Cincinnaj, I -plainly prinºr i 1her:on. There many rank imita;iun:s of Virhgin of Pine (Pure). v hich are put under various name:s. such as co trated Oil of Pi:,,. Pine Balsam, Never acceit thies, as a snhstitute the Pure Virgin Oil of Pine, as will invariably pr(oduce nausea never effect the d( sir,'l result. Virgin Oil of Pine (Pure) is said to be a perfect ne utralizing for uric acid. Can You Answer? If you have a fri, l,d who think knows it all ask him to explain difference between an Alexan and a woman of A\xan-lria: a and a mashie; aden.ids and aner six of one and a half dozen of other; ncoilatentull and p friendship; , acaroti,. maacaroni: Marconi; a r-fcrendmn and a refer irreligion and bir;:eligion: the J and Port Sunriir rt; Arminlans Armenians; a c., het iuirht and t headed kern.-Chicago Tribune. Always to Ce Depended Upon., When a person gets up in the ing with a dull headache and a stretchy feeling, it's an almost indication that the liver, or or both, are decidedly out of o At such times Nature, the and best of doctors, takes this to give warning that she needs help and gentle assistance wfii best be obtained from that old ily remedy, Brandreth's Pills, w has been in use for over a cen They are the same fine tonic pill your grandparents when doctors were few and fir tween, and when people had to a remedy that could absolutely lb pended upon. Brandreth's Pills can be upon, and are sold in every drtug medicine store, plain or sugar MEN STILL LIVE IN CAVEL.. Troglodytic Villages Are Feued Northern Africa. Grottoes and caverns are seed or less as shelters by primitive0 ples and thus inhabited cave as course most frequent in Africa. A siderable number of natives their homes in caves along the ern shore of the Stralt of and in some of those caves are the polished stones and arrow of the stone age. Troglodyte are frequent in the Tebesm - of Algeria, one of which, at 250 feet above the gorge of tbhe Hallal, is reached by steps et I rock. The ibnhabitants of the Island of Galite are cave their habitations being grotte S they have dug out of the liahut-s ancient burial caverns that they enlarged. The subterranean villgAM Matmata and of Medennle, bews of the rock, are in southern Tmd* A Christian monastery built ground in the twelfth centary d6i1 Ists at Goba, Abyssinia. The mous cavern discovered sevenr l ago within two hours' walk eof the of Tanga, in German East Africa, tains rooms the roofs of whichl from 120 to 250 feet above the Only a few of these vast have yet been explored, for the cavern seems to be inhabited !i lions of bats. One of these with a stick measured nearly OW acrous its extended wings, COSTLY PRESSURE. Heart and Nerves Fall on Cse88 A resident of a great wester - puts the case regarding stIR _ with a comprehensive brevity thit admirable. He , '" "I am 56 yearu ' ad have had siderable exper', - b sttm They are all all' ( rtgage served energy a 1i:. s intereLl the whip stin s out does strengthen the do stiR act upon the h.. . ten. this way, I gave .ffe a other stimulants and I .a the s Postum Food coffee yr e 1ath The beneficial result" a1e beS parent from the first, f e.r that I used to suffer fro": has l I sleep sounder, my ~; es ase 'er and my brain clearr. And I testimony also to the food v3l Postum-sometbing that is le coffee."' Name giv1 1 t~ o Battle Creek, MWch. There's a Read "Th'e p 4 t Welltv quaint littsle b : !.- i- ·'