So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem, establishing" what in matters of religion should be with Israel law and right.' And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, as Moses at Sinai wrote all the words that Jehovah had spoken in a book, probably a papyrus roll (Ex. 24:4).

Joshua. . . took a great stone, and set it up. . . . This stone shall be a witness. A special reason for this, which we are apt to forget, is that few could have written copies of the law, even if they could read them. Some such method was absolutely necessary in order to keep the laws in the minds of the people, till they could settle down in peace, and have regular schools and Sabbath worship.

Illustration. Webster's words at Bunker Hill: "That motionless shaft will be the most powerful of speakers. Its speech will be of civil and religious liberty. It will speak of patriotism and courage. It will speak of the moral improvement and elevation of mankind. Decrepit age will lean against its base, and ingenuous youth

gather around it, speak to each other of the glorious events with which it is connected and exclaim, Thank God, I also am an American." "

And Israel served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of Jehovah that he had done for Israel.

VI. TEMPERANCE APPLICATIONS. The Israelites had many temptations in their history, especially from the heathen people with whom they came in contact; and they frequently yielded to them. The purpose of the covenant was to save them from these perils, and to give them the victory over them.

In our day what we need and are striving for is to give the people the victory over intemperance and its brood of evils that are ruining so many.

Temptations of the Saloon. The saloon tempts with warmth and cheery lights and jolly companionship. It tempts with exciting music and with alluring pictures on the walls and with the songs and dances of hired performers. It tempts with games and gambling. It tempts the boys with "soft drinks" dosed with alcohol to cultivate the deadly appetite, and with cigarettes to break down the will and poison the system. It tempts the community with the fallacy of license fees, omitting to point out that the crimes and disease and poverty it fosters cost the community many times over all that it pays for its licenses. It tempts the politician with "influence" and corrupt votes. It tempts the troubled with temporary oblivion, and the lonely with deceitful comradeship.

How Much? "I have made a thousand dollars during the last three months," said a saloon-keeper, boastfully, to a crowd of his fellow townsmen.

"You have made more than that," quietly remarked a listener. "What is that?"

<< You have made wretched homes -women and children poor and sick and weary of life. You have made my two sons drunkards," continued the speaker with trembling earnestness. "You made the younger of the two so drunk that he fell and injured himself for life. You have made their mother a broken-hearted woman. O yes, you have made much more than I can reckon up, but you'll get the full account some day; you'll get it some day.". Selected.

A True Advertisement. "If the saloons in a certain town should all agree to advertise facts, this is what they would say

"Wanted.

"One hundred boys for new customers. "Ten committed suicide last week.

--

Most of our old ones are rapidly dropping out.

"Twenty are in jail; eight are in the chain-gang.
"Fifteen were sent to the poorhouse; one was hanged.
"Three were sent to the insane asylum.

"Most of the balance are not worth fooling with- they have no money.
"We must have new customers fresh, young blood.
"Or we will have to shut up shop.

"Doesn't make any difference whose boys you are

Record of Christian Work.

We need you.

You will

be welcome." Selfishness and Intemperance. "Selfishness is a cause of intemperance. The man who drinks disregards the happiness and welfare of others. Even if he does not become a drunkard, he helps to foster the business which makes drunkards. An unselfish man who feels certain that he can drink without harm to himself will be willing to prohibit the business for the sake of the evil it evidently causes to others. He is mistaken about his own security, for physicians are now agreed that even moderate drinking is injurious. But men who drink, are, as a rule, selfish. They think only of their own self-indulgence. The drunkard becomes what he is because he has ignored the happiness and well-being of father and mother, of wife and children. He has used for his own selfish appetite what should have been spent on the home, on food and clothing for those dependent on him.". Parris T. Farwell.

How One Woman Gained the Victory. A beautiful little town in the State of Washington had never been cursed with a saloon. At last an evil man opened one there, and the village was in despair. But while others sorrowed over it, a brave woman went right to the saloon-keeper and begged him to give up his business. He said: " Madam, this is an entirely innocent place. I shall observe the law strictly and keep perfect order." She went on to point out the many inevitable evils that would grow up around such a place, but he interrupted her impatiently: "I want to tell you that nothing will be allowed here that would shock any woman." Like a flash she answered: "Then I suppose you would not mind if I, or some other woman, came and sat in one of those chairs? The saloon-keeper could not well retreat. Certainly, madam," he said, come and sit in one of these chairs whenever you wish. You will see nothing wrong done here." That woman took him at his word, organized her woman friends, and kept two of them sitting in the saloon every hour it was open. Not a man would go there for liquor; but why not, if it was a proper thing to do? The whole town was laughing at the saloon-keeper, thus worsted by a woman, and before long he packed up and left town.

Every young person has some vision of his life, what he would like to be and to do. He stands at the foot of Jacob's dream ladder on the earth, and looks forward to some ideal.

Beecher urged young men to "set the ladder of their life plans firmly on the ground, well based in the workaday world, but be sure also that it reaches to heaven." Each one in youth is standing on the ground of daily life, of bodily needs, of home and school, and the questions for him are: Where am I going? Where do I wish to go? Am I starting in the right direction ?

The one safeguard is to take God's covenant of obedience, and stand by it.

"It is a noble thing to be able to stand up in the face of all the world and dare to do right, though all the world go wrong. This is a courage that every person needs these days. No matter what the crowd does, I will do my duty. All the others go to evil places, but I am not going. All the others swear, but I will keep my speech reverent. The crowd is running after sin, but I am going to cleave to Christ even though I am the only follower Christ has.'

"It requires unusual moral courage to be true when others are false; to be honest when all others are dishonest; to keep one's life pure and clean, when everybody else is drifting away into impurity, to be alone in our faithfulness." - Dr. J. R. Miller.

"If my body come from brutes, tho' somewhat finer than their own,
I am heir and this my kingdom. Shall the royal voice be mute?
No, but if the rebel subject seek to drag me from the throne,
Hold the sceptre, Human Soul, and rule thy Province of the brute."

With Uncle Sam's Boys. "I was in the Marine Corps factory in Philadelphia. While I stood with Riley, the superintendent, by a machine which was stamping out mess-plates, a man approached and said, 'I want to see Oley.' 'There he is,' said Riley, pointing to a man operating a press. As they went away together Riley explained, That's the Civil Service man, and Oley is to be promoted. Let me tell you about that fellow,' continued Riley. 'He came here from the ranks about two years ago. On Mondays he would come in with watery eyes and shaking paws. I got tired of it, and made up my mind I would have to recommend him for dismissal. I first laid him off for a week. He came to my house, and I talked temperance to him straight from the shoulder like a Dutch uncle. "Just give me one more chance," he begged. "I'll cut the gang and all the booze for good." And the fellow did. He has turned out fine and to-day is being called up higher.' It is the same old story. Any good fellow is bound to go up when he cuts the gang' and follows the good." S. S. Times.

The United States has prohibited the manufacture of whiskey as a war measure, because of the waste of food materials it causes. Is the waste not there in peace times? Is it not worth while to avoid waste at all times? If it can be prohibited as a war measure in an earthly contest, cannot the temperance forces secure its permanent prohibition as a war measure in the contest for the souls of men? Would it be wise? The United States army and navy are doing all they can to keep liquor away from their boys. They feel that to win they must keep them away from this and all the evils it brings in its train. Is it any more incumbent upon them to be free from the evil than for all the rest of the citizens of the country?

LESSON XIII (26).

March 30.

REVIEW: GOD'S HAND IN A NATION'S LIFE.

SELECTION FOR READING: Joshua 24:14-28.

GOLDEN TEXT. — Righteousness exalteth a nation;

But sin is a reproach to any people. - PROV. 14:34.

Primary Topic: How GOD LED HIS PEOPLE.

Memory Verse. Thou leddest thy people like a flock.-Ps. 77: 20. Junior Topic: RECOGNIZING GOD'S LEADING.

Memory Verse: Ps. 78: 52.

Intermediate Topic: EVIDENCES OF GOD'S GUIDANCE.

Senior and Adult Topic: OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPTIONS OF PROVIDENCE.

A Good Review is essential if the facts would be remembered, and the teachings be put into practice.

The first essential is to gain a general view of the whole period, its purpose and meaning.

Trace on the map the places, the routes, and the movements, where the chief events and adventures took place.

The Place of starting was in Goshen, the eastern region of Egypt bordering on the Desert.

The Goal they reached was the Promised Land of Palestine; promised several centuries before to Abraham.

The Time covered by these lessons was about 127 years from the birth of Moses, about 1578 B.C., to the death of Joshua, 1451 B.C. (Others have the dates two or three hundred years later.)

The Review will be valuable to us as aiding our own character and growth morally and spiritually if in each event or crisis we see God's hand guiding the Israelites toward their true life; and if we watch the various ways of God's Providence in fitting them for their Palestine home. For the one essential to the Israelites, as to us, was whether they obeyed the laws of God, and kept their covenant promises, or yielded to the temptations of their heathen neighbors.

Palestine was the best place in the world for the Israelites. There was, and still is, no other country so well adapted for the home of the Jews throughout their history up to to-day; for the training of a nation in true religion, the worship of the true God, and the morals, righteousness, and character, which are the essentials of the development of mankind into the true kingdom of God. It was a small, secluded country, defended by the Mediterranean on the west, mountains on the north, deserts and the Jordan ravine on the east, and the vast Arabian desert on the south.

An Interesting Competitive Review. After the Plan of the Old Time
Spelling Match.

One of the schools near me arranged a competitive review not long ago with good success. A list of fifty questions was selected from the lessons, and printed. Two weeks before Review Sunday these questions were distributed one to each scholar in the Junior and Intermediate departments, to take and study as college boys and girls study up for examinations. On Review Sunday two teachers for leaders chose sides by classes. The scholars sat in two rows facing each other. The questions were given out to each side alternately, and the exercise proceeded as in the oldfashioned spelling match.

The classes can use these questions separately, without any competition, but the papers should be given out two weeks before, and not brought into the class. Or the answers can be written out at home, and reported in the school.

In many places it may be well to give out the questions from the desk, to be answered directly from the floor.

In all cases where the answers are not familiar it is a good plan for the scholars to take the papers home and learn the facts by heart.

The Following Questions and Topics May Aid in Preparing for This Review:

1. Where were the children of Israel living at the time of the first lesson ?

2. Tell the story of Moses in the bulrushes; and Pharaoh's daughter.

3. In what land was he born?

4. By what river ?

5. Where did he spend the first forty years?

6. What was he learning all this time that would prepare him for his life-work?

7. Tell the story of his first attempt to help the Hebrews.

8. Where did he spend the next forty years?

9. What was he learning there that would help him to lead the people through the desert?

10. Tell the story of Moses and the Burning Bush.

II. Bricks without straw.

12. Moses and Aaron ask Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go.

13. Name the ten plagues sent upon the Egyptians.

14. What was their object?

Note, that in all the plagues there was a natural basis in God's laws of nature, greatly multiplied. They are given in the order of nature. (1) Nile into blood, June. (2) Frogs, Sept., at the rising of the Nile. (3) Lice, Sept., Oct. (4) Flies (mosquitoes) in swarms, Oct. (5) Cattle plague, Nov. (6) Boils, Nov., Dec.

(7) Hail and flaming fire, Jan. (8) Locusts, early March. (9) Darkness, March, April. (10) The Pestilence, April, on the night of the Passover.

a period of eight or nine months."

15. The Passover. The Israelites starting.

16. Gifts to the departing Israelites.

17. Crossing the Red Sea on dry ground.

18. Elim, place of palm trees and springs.

19. The manna, and how it was used.

Bread from heaven.

20. The Pillar of cloud and fire, for guidance.

21. Israel encamps for nearly a year at Mt. Sinai.

22. The Ten Commandments. Name them.

23. The story of Aaron's golden calf.

They covered

24. The long march to Kadesh-barnea on the southern border of Palestine. 25. The twelve spies exploring the Promised Land. The grapes of Eshcol.

26. The two reports and the results.

27. Water from the rock at Meribah.

28. The fiery serpents; used as an illustration by Jesus in John 3 : 14, 15.

29. Moses' last appeals to the Israelites to obey God.

30. Death of Moses. His vision of the Promised Land.

31. Joshua the new leader.

32. The story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan on dry land.

33. The settlement of Palestine by the Israelites.

34. The last appeal of Joshua to the Israelites to keep their covenant with God.

35. The character of Moses.

36. The character of Joshua.