The Madisonian., July 08, 1913, Image 2

About The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914

Image provided by: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

                
TOW
WIPED OUT
STURGIS, KY., REDUCED TO ASHES
MINING TOWN HAS QUAR
TER MILLION BLAZE.
Having No Water Works System, In
habitants , Fight Fire With
Bucket Brigades.
"Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Sturgis, .Ky. The town of Sturgis,
Ky., a mining center on the Illinois
Central railroad, a few miles below
this city, was practically wiped out ot
existence by . fire which originated in
the drug store of S. E, Graves, Sturgis
has.no water works system and . the
only way the citizens naa ot ngnting
the fire was with bucket) brigades. The
Illinois Central railroad dispatched an
engine well equipped . with " hose to
Sturgis from Princeton, Ky., to be
used in fighting the flames. The busi
ness section of the town on both sides
of Main street is in, ashes, including
the two large bank buildings. At least
SO dwelling houses have been destroy
ed and many persons will be rendered
homeless. iThe dispatcher for the Illi
nois Central railroad here received
"word that the fire was burning the
building next to the lepot and it was
expected the depot would go next.
It is a new structure. The operator
Eaid a strong wind was blowing, and
unless it. changed, the few remaining
buildings in the town would be de
stroyed. He said one or the heaviest
losers would be the West Kentucky
Coal Co., which has large coal mines
Sn Sturgis and owns many buildings:
The operator failed to state whether
fire had reached the coal shafts and
had got into the mines. The West
Kentucky Coal Co. is controlled large
ly by Eastern capitalists. The property
loss at Sturgis is estimated at from
$250,000 to $500,000. Many of those
"whose homes were destroyed carried
no insurance. Sturgis is a town of
about 2,000 population.
PLANNED A JAIL DELIVERY.
Lexington, Ky. Prancisco Delaney,
alias Mexican Pete, claiming to be
from El Paso, Texas, and under indict
ment for housebreaking here, has been
Bleeping each night for the last two
weeks in the county jail with a string
tied to his toes.
The string extended from one of the
jail windows until .the end was near
the'ground. Jailer Ballinger saw. the
string the first night it was put out
and be made an investigation. It de
veloped that Delaney was . in corre
spondence with pals and that he was
expecting them to bring saws, and then
he would pull them up by the string.
Balliner had the jail heavily guarded
each night since the discovery of the
plot for another delivery, but he went
to Delaney and told him that there will
be no more hanging out of the string.
i lit? jtmci udu uujjcu w ayiuic ucio-
ney's pals, but they were tipped off in
some manner and never showed up..
TH-REE NEGROES FOUND GUILTY,
Winchester, Ky. After deliberating
for about two hours and a half the
jury in the case of Dick George and
Tonney Smothers and Frank Williams,
negroes, charged with the murder of
Town Marshal A. C. Petit, of Clay
City, returned a verdict, finding all
four of the defendants guilty and fix
ing their punishment at life imprison
went.
PK EDICTS DATE OF DEATH.
' Harrodsburg, vKy. True to his pre
diction made, the first of February Dr.
John D. Lillard, 9 years old, one of
the best known men in Central Ken
tucky, died here as a result of .locomo
tor ataxia. At his own request his
body was taken to Cincinnati and cre
mated, and the ashes then scattered on
the Kentucky river from High Bridge.
SEPARATE BALLOT FOR WOMEN.
Somerset, Ky. County Judge R. C.
Tartar "has issued an order directing
County Clerk C M. Langdon to pre
pare a separate ballot for the women
of Pulaski county to vote for County
ISchool Superintendent in the August
primary election.
PETITION FOR DRY ELECTION.
Somerset, Ky. The temperatice ad-
vpcates cT Pulaski county are circu
lating petitions to secure the requisite
number . of names In each precinct to
have a lccal option election called Sep
tember 22.
GENERAL STORE IS BURNED.
Carlisle, . Ky. Fire destroyed '. the
general : store and adjoining dwelling
of .William F. Clark at Park's Ferry,
Loss about $6,000, with smalL insur
ance, v . ' .
INDICT MEMBERS FISCAL COURT.
, . Newport, Ky. The Campbell county
grand - jury reported ' reindictments
: against County Judge Harry Hawkins
and the seyen magistrates -comprising
the fiscal court of Campbell county.
. The indictments charge the members of
the- fiscal court with expending.moriey
in excess of amount levied and appro
priated. The original indictments re
ported against the same officers June
26 ; was Bet , aside 'under a section of
the statutes which it". was stated . ex
pted the officers.1 ; . 1
john s Lawrence
; v
Editor and publisher of the Cadiz, Ky.,
Record, who was : recently elected
President of the Kentucky Press As
sociation.' INSTITUTE DATES
RURAL SCHOOL TEACHERS TO
HEAR TALKS ON SUFFRAGE,
SANITATION, ETC.
Prof. T. R. Bryant, of State Univer
sity To Lecture on Agriculture
Dates, Places and Instructors.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Frankfort, Ky. Woman's. ..suffrage.
sanitation and typhoid fever and agri
culture will be the three new topics
discussed at the Kentucky institute
for rural school teachers this year.
Mrs. Desha Breckenridge, "of Lexing
ton, has made arrangements with Su
perintendent . of Public Instruction
Hamlet to . have lectures on woman
suffrage at the institute, and Dr. W.
L. Heiser, register of vital statistics,
will discuss sanitation and typhoid
fever. The lectures on agriculture
will be delivered by Prof. T. R. Bryant,
of the State university. The insti
tute, counties in which they are held,
dates, places and instructors, follow:
Adair county, September..!, Columbia,
M. A. Leiper; Allen county, July 14,
Scottsville, G. W. Chapman; Ander
son county, Jul 14, Lawrenceburg, J.
W. Ireland; Barren county, June 30,
Glasgow, -instructor not elected; Bath
county, August 25, Owingsvlile, J. W.
Ireland; Bell county, July 7, Pineville,
R. M. Shipp; Boone county, September
1, Burlington, C. E. McDougle; Bour
bon county, October 6, Paris, A. S. Mc
Kenzie; Boyd count', September 1,
Catlettsburg, E. C. McDougle; Boyle
county, September 15, Danville, M. A.
Cassidy; Breathitt county,. July 7,
Jackson, J. W. Ireland; Breckenridge
county, July 7, Hardinsburg. J. P. W.
Brouse; Butler county,- August 11,
Morgantown, J. T. C Noe;, Carroll
county, August 25, Carrollton, J. T. C.
Noe; Casey county, August 4, Liberty,
C. B. Lewis; Christian county, August
25, Hopkinsville, B. F. Brown aud
Mary Proudfoot; Clark county, ' Sep
tember 1, Winchester, E. F. Darnaby;
Clay county, September 8, Manchester,
J. C. Willis; Clinton. August 25. Al
bany, E. C. McDougle; .Crittenden, Au
gust 4, Marion, W. J. Craig; Cumber
land, June 30, Burksville, G. W. Chap
man; Daviess, August.;18, Owensboro,
M. A. Leiper; Edmonson, September
1, Brownsville,' W. J. Craig; Elliott,
July 28, Sandy Hook, George W. Chap
man; Estill, July 7, Irvine, R. S. Eu
bank; Falette, October 27, Lexington,
C. W., Stewart; Fleming, August 25,
Flemingsburg, Mrs. C. W. Stewart;
Floyd, August 18, Prestonburg, J." T.
Coates; Franklin, Frankfort, August
11, T. C. Cherry; Fulton, August 25,
Fulton, Charles : G. Lewis; Gallatin,
August 25, . Warsaw, : Charles - G. Bo
hannon; Garrard, September 15, Lan
caster, M. A. Cassidy; Graves, August
18, Mayfield, Mutchler and Kinneman;
Grayson, September .8, Leitchfleld,
Mrs. C. W. Stewart; Greenup, August
11, Greenup, E. C. McDougle; Han
cock, August 6,: Hawesville, R. E. Eu
bank; Hardin, September. 1, Elizabeth
town, .T. J. Coates; Harlan, June 30,
Harlan, Albert Evans;-Harrison, Au
gust 18, Cynthlana, E. C. McDougle;
Henderson, Aug. 18, R. P. Green; Hen
ry, Aug. 11, .Newcastle, j. W. Ireland;
Hickman, August . 25, . Clinton, . W. H.
Sugg; Jackson, Jnly V McKee, George
W. Chapman; Jefferson,! August T 18,
Louisville, Noe and Stewart; Jessa
mine, : August 1L Versailles, T. C.
Cherry; Johnson, September 1, Paints
ville, W, L. Jayne; Knott, July 21,
Hindman, R. M. Shipp; ,KnoxF July 7,
Barbourville, Arkley , Wright, - Larue,
July 21, Hodgenville, A. S.jMcKenzie;
Laurel, July 14, London, J. A. Sharon;
Lawrence, September , S Louisa,. T. J.
Coates; Lee, no date; Beattyville, J.
C. Willis; Leslie, July 28, Hyden. E. C.
McDougle; Letcher, July -14, Whites-
MINER
BLOWN TO SHREDS.
Barbourville, Ky. At the mining
town, of Warren, near here, Jesse Vilar,
a- Hungarian miner, secured a box
containing-several, dozen sticks of
dynamite carried it into a field," and
after, attaching and lighting ' a fuse,
deliberately sat down on-the box. The
resultant explosionshook the country
for miles, damaging several buildings
and. tearing out windows. Only scattered-
fragments , of the miner's body
were' fGcad.i No reason- is known -for
his act: ; ' ;
burg, E. II, Crawford; Lewis, August
4, Vanceburg, E. C. McDougle; Liv
ingston, July 28, .Smithland, R. P.
Green; Logan, July 21, Russellville,
R. N. Shipp; Madison,:. August 25,
Richmond, E. W. Bridges; Marshal,
August. 25, Benton, Mi A. Leiper;. Mar
tin, no date, Inez; W. D. Ward, Mason,
September 1, Maysville, Stewart
Mutchler, Coates ; McCracken, August
11, Paducah, M. W. H. Sugg; Mc
Creary. July 7, Pine KnQtt, A. R. Ev
ans; McLean, August' 11, Calhoun, M.
A. Leiper; Menefee, July 21, French
burg, CB. Lewis; Mercer, September
15, Harrodsburg, M. A. Cassidy; Met
calfe, July 1, Edmonton, K. R. Moss;
Monroe, July 21, Tompkinsville, Geo.
W. Chapman; Montgomery, July 28,
ML Sterling, J. W. Ireland;' Morgan,
July, 21. West Liberty, R, H. Eubank;
Muhlenburg, July 28, Greenville, T. J.
Coates; Nelson, "August 4, Bardstown,
J. T. C. Noe; Nicholas, September 1,
Carlisle, R. S. Eubank; Oldham, July
14", La Grange, J. C. Sterrett; Owen,
Aug. 4, Owenton, J. W. Ireland; Pen
dleton, Aug. 11, Falmouth, J. A. Sharon;
Powell,' August 4, Stanton, R. S. Eu
bank; Rockcastle, July 28, Mt. Ver
non, C. B. Lewis; Rowan, July 21,
Morehead.'T. J. Coates; Russell, "Au
gust 11, Jamestown, C. B. Lewis, Scott,
August 11, Versailles, T. C. Cherry;
Shelbyville, September 1, Shelbyville,
J. T. Noe; Todd, August . 18, Elkton,
J. W. Ireland; Union, August 11, Mor
ganfield, R. P. Green; Warren, Sep
tember 1, Bowling Green, M. A. Lei
per; Wayne, August 25, Monticello,
R. N. Shipp; Webster, August 11, Dix
on, W. J. Craig; Whitley, July 21, T. J.
Coates; Wolfe, July 21, Campton, NJ
W. Ireland; Woodford, Versailles, Au
gust 11, T. C. Cherry. The dates and
instructors for the other counties have
not been named. ' -
JUDGE IGNORES MANDATE.
Dry Election To
County In
Be Held in
September.
Scott
Georgetown, Ky. Although Judge
Robert Stcut was in town no special
term of the Scott circuit court was
called to file the mandate of the court
of appeals In the case of Lancaster,
etc., vs. Hamon, etc., in regard to the
local option situation. Judge W. M
Keea, presiding as special judge in
circuit court in Bourbon county, in
the absence of Judge Stout, called the
Bpecial term of the Scott circuit, court
for Wednesday for the -. purpose of
filing the mandate. Judge Stuot noti
fied Gov. McCreary there was no need
to appoint a special judge here, as he
would return to the district from Bos
ton, Mass, where he was called by the
death of his brother-in-law, John
Offutt. and would be in Georgetown in
time. .Judge Stuot appeared at the
court house, shook hands with a num
ber of friends and returned to Lexing
ton. The mandate will be filed prob
ably at the October term of court. The
"drys" of the county have called for an
election for September 6, under the
county unit law. ,
AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN.
Morehead, Ky. A great educational
campaign began in Rowan county this
week, preliminary to the opening of
the rural schools. Eight demonstra
tion schools were held. . They were ob
served by all teachers before the other
schools begin. Eight rallies will . be
held in these districts next Saturday
evening, with B. S." Wilson, Judge J.
W. Riley, D. B. Caudill, J. W. Black,
Prof. D. M. Holbrook, J. V. Harris,
Thomas F. Hogge and Mrs. Cora Wil
son Stewart as speakers. On Satur
day, July 12, there will be a rally held
in each district in the county, and 53
speakers. , have been engaged - to impress-
the people with , the importance
of education. Great interest is being
manifested, and the v prospect is that
Rowan cdunty7 will have 1 "a banner
school year. .
MERCHANTS' CONVENTION.
Versailles, Ky. The second annual
convention of the Central ' Kentucky
Retail association will be held in
Versailles next jTuesday, July 8. The
address of welcome will be delivered
by H. A.. Schoberth.- Among those
who will take jpart in the program are
R. W., Keenon, of Harrodsburg; J. H
Scales, of Belknap Hardware Co.,
Louisville; Ben J. Durham, of Dan
ville, A. A. Bowmar, of Versailles; j,
C. Helburn, of Eminence; John A. Her
ring, - of Georgetown ; B. L. Cox, ; of
Lawrenceburg. j The .object of this as
sociation Is .to improve the general
condition of the local retail trade! in
Central Kentucky, to raise the stand
ard- of - commercial integrity and to
protect its members from dishonest
practices, improper business methods
and unfair and ruinous competition
INFANT MORTALITY HIGH.
Winchester, Ky. Maggie Elizabeth,
Gravitt, infant daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Joel Gravitt, died of pneumonia
and whooping cough. -The body was
taken to Clay City for burial. This is
the, 12th death in Clark county within
a week, eight of which were of infants
and due ind irectly to the extreme heat.
MAYOR ORDERS PHONES OUT.:
, Paducah, Ky, Mayor T. N. Hazelip
has ordered all of the East Tennessee
ACiepaone uo. s pnones in the city
departments taken out at once, owjng
co tne litigation between the company
ana f the city of Paducah over a fmn-
vuu auu xai.es. pnones were
taken out ;of ; the city departments
about two years ago, but during- i he
nood they- were reinstated for the ebn
venience of the public. City Solicitor
Arthur Y, Martin has been instructed
10 orait an ordinance fixing the ra :ea
CAPITAL STIRRED
BY mm STORY
New York Broker Admits Having
Posed as Various Con-
- gressmen. - :- .
INQUIRY PLAHHED BY HOUSE
Lamar Tells Amazing Story of His
Activities In Lobby Work J?82,
0C0.000 Fraud in . Union Pa- '
cific Is Charged.
WaJJhington, July 5. Extraordinary
developments occurred in the ; lobby
situation in the house of representa
tives and before the senate ' lobby
committee. They' were: I-,:
A brazen confession by one David
Lamar, who admitted this name to be
an alias, and who described himself
as a New York operator in stocks,
that he had - impersonated members
of congress in behalf of the employ
ment of Edward Lauterbach, a New
York lawyer, to prevent national
legislation hostile to big financial In
terests. A detailed charge . by Lamar that
the Union ' Pacific company's books
had been forged in 1901 on an item
covering $82,000,000, one of the re
sults of which', he alleged, was that
Kuhn, Loeb & Co. and the late E. H.
Harriman amassed enormous fortunes.
rDenials" by Congressmen Sherley of
Kentucky, Calder of New York, Webb
of North Carolina, and Bartholdt of
Missouri on the floor of the house of
representatives that they had had any
connection whatsoever with or that
.they had been controlled or influenced
in the slightest degree by the National
Association of Manufacturers or - its
agents.
Demands by these congressmen and
others for an immediate investigation
of the Mulhall revelations by li spe
cial committee to be created by the
house.
, Reference of these several resolu
tions to the committee on rules, with
instructions to report ' a comprehen
sive resolution on Saturday next call
ing for a thorough Investigation of
all lobbying operations directed on
members of the house.
Witness Enjoys Own Tale.
Lamar, ot whatever his. real name
may be (and the committee proposes
to force him to reveal it before he is
finally excused)," deserves study by
psychological experts. As if he were
telling a joke the whole country would
relish he smilingly related his tele
phone conversations with presidents
of and counsel for the Union Pacific
Railroad company, the Standard Oil
company, the United Cigars company,
and others, all designed to bring about
the employment of Lauterbach as
their legislative agent' -
At one time he said he was Con
gressman Palmer, at another Con
gressman Riordaa. Again he j was
Chairman McCombs of the national
Democratic committee endeavoring to
make an arrangement with Chairman
Hilles of the Republican party to
benefit through pressure on senators
and congressmen the interests with
which Hilles now is associated..
He impersonated so many congress
men that he coujd not remember them
all. :
Claims He Aided Public.
His sole motive, he claimed, was to
Impress the big financiers with the
ability of his friend Lauterbach. Nor
was Mr. Lauterbach the sole benefi
ciary of his philanthropic conduct
The American people, he 'declared,
were heavily in his debt, for ho had
saved them the tidy little sum of $30,
000,000 in connection with the reorgan
ization of the Union Pacific in 1897.
For this patriotic act he said that he
and the late Russell Sage, with whom
he co-operated, were denounced as
a "pair of conscienceless blackmail
ers." ; - ; :
But this was not all of Mr. Lamar's
disinterested service for others. He
told how James R. Keene and his son-in-law
and some friends acquired $42,
OOO.'OOO of the stock of the Union Pa
cific, how he took measures to save'
themV
He told how "the golden moment"'
for which he was working arrived, and
how Mr. Keene (ailed to grasp it
vhen he told him to do so, with the
result that Keene lost the greater
part of his fortune, and the firm of
which Keene's son-in-law was thehead
was forced to suspend.
Tells of "War" on Lauterbach.
"And then, touchingly, he described
hbw J. ; Pierpont Morgan, Kuhn; Loeb
& Co., and E. H. Harriman, forced into
consolidation" of their interests by the
panic of 1907 determined to starve
Mr. Lauterbach out in the practice of
his profession 3nd bring about his os
tracism from the business and profes
sional world. '
The price of the withdrawal of their
opposition was that Lauterbach t hould
have nothing further to do with the
witness, Lamar . Magnanimously La
inar offered to release Lauterbach, but
the latter magnanimously refused.
"But, Mr. Chairman," contlnuisd La
mar, in the most convincing tone, "it
was most distressing to me to see
the mental condition of my friend, to
see the low estate into which he was
falling in the practice cf his profes
sion, and the curtailment ot his in
come. I would have done anything in
my. power to change "that any to ame
liorate thoseconditions. ' )-."
"I realize perfectly that . I could not
talk with . these men directly.. 1 Their
hatred , and dislike of me waa iio bitr
ter that they would not eren confe
with me on any subject.
And it is perfectly true, therefore.
that for the purpose of endeavoring to
restore the condition of former friend
ship and harmony. that had existed be
tween Mr. Lauterbach and the firm of
Kuhn, Loeb "& Co., and Mr. Schiff.
I did. using .the names of other per
sons .have a number1 of .conversations
over the teleobone with men . con
nected with . the . Union Pacific com- i
pany." ' . '
Testimony Given by Lamar.
Lamar, when he first took the stand
this morning, admitted he. was the
man . mentioned In the testimony of
Robert S. Lovett as having called wan
street financiers on the telephone and
impersonated congressmen. -He
then gave a history of his al
leged deallngB with financiers and rail
road magnates. In 1897, he said, the
late Russell iSae authorized -him to
proceed -to compel the Union Pacific
to pay the. government $58,000,000 In
bonds owing it. Lamar, with benator
Foraker, came to Washington and con
ferred. with President McKInley.
"We were charged with being a pair
of conscienceless . blackmailers,".'. La
mar said, "but that had no effect on
us."
When Sage retired from business
in 1901, on Sage's recommendation,
Lamar said, he became associated
with James R. Keene. Lamar said he
warned Keene, when the latter was
buying Union Pacific Btock, that the
railroad would ruin him to get re
venge for Lamar's previous activity.
He detailed how, when Keene and his
associates had $43,000,000 in Union Pa
cific, he took steps to enjoin the voting
of certain stock so that E. H. Harri
man would be compelled to buy Keene's
stock at a high figure. With Keene's
approval he retained Lauterbach's law
firm and paid $25,000. Lauterbach and
Lamar came to Washington, paid
Foraker a fee, and engaged him.
When the Injunction was finally de
cided against Keene Union Pacific
went down and Keene and his friends
lost most of their fortunes.
, Tells of Phone Talks.
"As the result of the panic of 1907,"
said Lamar, "Harriman, Kuhn, Loeb
& Co., the National City bank, and
Morgan & Co. became bound together
as with an iron band."
"For the purpose of doing my friend,
Lauterbach, a service," he said, "and
to restore him to his former friendly
relation with Kuhn, Loeb & Co., Jacob
Schiff and the Union Pacific officials,
and others, did have conversations
with Union Pacific officials, and in
those conversations I did use the
names of other persons. But there was
no suggestion of a fee to Mr. Lauter
bach. On the strength of these tele
phone messages Mr. Lovett came here
and charged that Edward Lauterbach
had tred to blackmail him."
The - Lauterbach incident, added,
"paled into insignificance," compared
with an $82,000,000 forgery which he
alleged r was- committed on the Union
Pacific books in 1901. . " ,
"I don't know who did it," said La
mar, "the chairman or the board or
the office boy, but I do know this $82,
000,000 was the fulcrum .which enabled
Harriman and Kuhn, Loeb & Co. to
gain control of these corporations."
Tells Story of "Forgery."
He described a double entry, of $82.
000,000 representing securities the
Union Pacific assumed in taking over
the Oregon Short Line and the Ore
gon Railway and Navigation company.
The items, . he said, were carried in
the "consolidated balance sheet" of
the Union Pacific June 30, 1900, but
between that time and June 30, 1901,
he alleged, some one had. erased the
$82,000,000 Item from one side of the
ledger, leaving it as a credit balance
onthe other side.
"They took all the securities of the
Oregon Short Line and the Oregon
Railway and Navigation," he eaid,
"and used them as security for an is
sue r onds. They got that money
and Ufc.l it to finance the deal for the
Northern Pacific and Great Northern
transactions and the flotation of Great
Northern Ore properties, which they
sold out at an enormous profit."
' Later, Lamar alleged, the principals
in the transaction went to Kuhn, Loeb
& Co. and secretly got nearly $200,
000,000, which he believed was for
their own use. .
Denial Made by Cravath.
Immediately after Lamar -. had fin
ished this phase of the story, Paul D.
Cravath of counsel for the Union Pa
cific railroad put in this reply:
"In view of the statement regard
ing the account of the Union Pacific
Railroad company which David Lamar
has gone out of nis way to make be-'
fore this committee, and, inasmuch as
persons not familiar With David La
mar's character, who rnay read this
statement in the newspapers, may be
misled thereby, I deem it my duty to
make the following statement for the
records' of the committee:
"For several days - persons con
nected with the Union, Pacific Rail
road - company nave beet: - in-.
formed that an effort was being made
to circulate and secure publication of
a prepared story about an - alleged
falsification of "the accounts of the
union -Pacific company involving
$70,000,000 or 180,000,000 of its sur-
PIub. . . i;
.We were informed, . in substance,
tnat this, story was so palpably false
and scandalous and so plainly offered
ior an improper purpose, that the
newspapers would not publish it In
formation then came that the.6torv
would soon be made public in such a
way that the newspapers would have
to publish it.
(lt now appears that the medium
for the publication -of this story wa9
to be this man Dayid Lamar, who has
conressed himself to be the most un
wuBcionaoie or -. liars of modern
times." , - - ------ -
teRMlONAL
(By E. O. SELLERS, Director of Evening
Department, The Moody Bible Institute
Chicago.)
LESSON FOR JULY 13
MOSES PREPARES FOR HIS WORK.
LESSON TEXT Ex. 2:11-25.
GOLDEN TEXT "Blessed are th
meek; for tLey shall inherit the earth."
Matt 5:5
Meekness does not imply any lack
of aggressiveness; it does not imply a
mildness of temper. Moses, we judge
from a study of this chapter," was not
as yet "meeK above all men."
In last week's lesson we considered
the birth, salvation, nursing and train
inn of Moses as child. After Jochebed
had nursed Moses (v. 9) he was re
turned to Pharaoh's daughter and "be
came her son," thereby obtaining all
the rights, privileges and training of
the Egyptian court.
I. His Qualifications. (1) He had a
godly parentage and an early godly
training.- Do we appreciate the tre
mendous advantage of the child who is
well born and well trained? True, en
vironment Is not all-sufficient, but it Itr
a great asset. The psalmist empha
sizes this when he exclaims "thou hast
given me the heritage of them that
fear thy name." Ps. 61:5.
(2) Moses had a knowledge of the
conditions. Born and nursed in - a
slave's home he knew of the oppreB-:
sion f Israel. Reared in Pharaoh's
court, he knew how the Egyptians
feared these same Israelites (Ch. 1:9.
10). Moses saw (v. 11) the burdens
borne by those of his own race.
Heart of Sympathy.
(3) Moses had a heart of sympathy
(r. 11). Seeing an Egyptian task
master evilly entreating a kinsman
Moses heart rebelled and at once be
flew to his support and defence. Our
Lord was "moved with compassion."
A like righteous indignation impelled
the Master to drfve the money
changers from the tenxple and to de
nounce the hypocritical Pharisees.
Moses had not, however, learned self
restraint, and that he should express
his sympathy at the proper time and
in the most effective manner.
(4) Moses was brave and zealous,
. 12. But he acted before God told
him to act. He "looked this way and
that," but he did not look upward.
(5) Moses was educated. We have
already seen how he was taught by hi
own mother and that he received the
training of the Egyptians, Acts 7:22.
Being brave and mighty in deeds waa
not enough; he was "mighty in words
and deeds.". Thus he was prepared to
stand before Phamoh (not the father
of his deliverer, but another Pharaoh,
r. 24), meet him on an equal footing,
and intelligently combat his religion
with, that of Jehovah.
(6) Moses had assurance. True, he
had not as yet received God's call (see
Ch. 3) for particular work and his re
liance upon force, his tit-for-tat policy
was not God's method of working de
liverance. But Moses was obedient,
and as he obeyed, God honored each
step of his faith.
Moses' Mistake.'
(7) Moses was meek, e. g., teach
able. To us this was his greatest as
set A man may be well born, well;
trained and know the needs and the
resources at his command, but if he
lack a teachable spirit he is doomed
to failure Moses ' made a mistake
when he slew the Egyptian. At a later
date when he had learned of God he.
undertook the same task and no di-.
Acuities daunted him. The change-
from a prince's position at the court
to one of an humble shepherd, a des-j
pised calling, was as essential as had!
been those 40 years at the Egyptian!
schools. -.
II. His error. Moses endeavored to
work relief by the strength of his owni
arm, a mistake many Christian work-j
ers are constantly making. Our wars
fare Is not . with carnal weapons.
Moses had no warrant for killing thej
Egyptian. He was ' not obeying any
command other than that of impulse.!
The life of -Moses, had been miracu-;
lously spared, nor had he been sub-i
Ject to slavery. Yet he did not know'
God's method nor was it God's oppor-j
tuna time to strike the blow for dellv-i
erance. It is true that the sufferings
of the Israelites Increased and that no'
one seemed to heed their cry. But God:
remembered. '
III. Hi pilgrimage. Some one has
suggested that Moses entered another;
Bchool of patience which would cause
him. to exercise all of his meekness;
when he married Zipporah, Ch. 4:20-26.-It
Is true that his - father-in-law waa,
more " generous and proved a better
friend than his : daughter, Ch. 18:l-i
2T.: Moses gave evidence that he rec-'
ognized Mb pilgrim character in the
names he gave to his sons, v. 22 and
Ch. 18:3, 4: The Christian needs con
stantly to be reminded that he is but
pilgrim and a stranger here below.
IV. A summary.'. Again we have
brpught before us God's wonderful
method of breparing his chosen, instru
ment for the carrying out of his prom-n
Ises. Not all, of course, is recorded. A
life Is saved and preserved. It receives
i brief period of instruction at its
most critical stage from the hands of
Its own mother. He becomes proficient
In all of the learning of a rich and;
opulent court Then comes a tlme.
when a definite crisis of responsibility,'
i sense ot persons relation to the poor
md oppressed of his own' blood, forcea
aim to nake a choice. ; He is conn
rinced o? hi own Incompetence.