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The Bow of Orange Rjbbon
A ROMANCE OF NEW YORK
By AMELIA E. BARR.
Author of 'Trlond Ollvto," "I, Thou and th«s Other Ono,w Cto.
Copyright, 1285, by Dodd, Head and Company.
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CHAPTER I.
The Van Heemskirks.
It was May in New York one hun
dred and twenty-one years ago, and yet
the May A. D. 1S86—the same clear
-air and wind, the same rarefied fresh
ness, full of laint, passing aroma3
from the wet earth and the salt sea
and the blossoming gardens.
In the city the business of the day
was over; but at the open doors of
many of the shops little groups of ap
prentices in leather aprons were talk
ing, and on the broad steps of the
City Hall a number of grave-looking
men were slowly separating after a
very satisfactory civic session. They
were all noticeable men. but Joris Van
lieemskirk specially so. His bulk was
so great that it seemed as if he must
have been built up; it was too much
to expect that he had ever been a
baby. He had a fair, ruddy face, and
large, firm eyes, and a mouth that
was at once strong and sweet. And
he was also very handsomely dressed.
The long, stiff skirts of his dark-blue
coat were Heed with satin, his
breeches were of black velvet, his rut
iles edged with Flemish lace, his
shoes claspeu with silver buckles, his
cocked hat made of the finest beaver.
With his head a little forward, and
his right arm across his back, he
walked slowly up Wal) street into
Broadway, and then took a northwest
erly direction towards the river bank.
His home was on the outskirts of the
city, but not far away; and hi3 face
lightened as he approached it.
Councillor Van Heemskirk’3 father
had built the house and planted the
garden, and he had the Dutch rever
ence for a good ancestry. Often he sent
his thoughts backward to remember
now ht- walked by his father’s side, or
leaned against his mother's chair, as
they told him the tragic tales of the
tld Barneveldt and the hapless I)e
Witts; or how his young heart glowed
to their memories of the dear father
land, and the proud march of the Ba
tavian republic.
"Good evening, Mr. Justice. Good
evening, neighbor,’’ and he stood a
minute, with his hands on his garden
gate, to bow to Justice Van Gnasbeeck
and to Peter Sluytc-r, who, with their
wives, were going to spend an hour
or two at Christopher Laer’s garden.
"Men can bear all things but good
days," said Peter Sluyter, when they
had gone a dozen yards in silence;
"since Van Heemskirk has a seat in
the council room, it is a long way to
his hat.
Come, now, lie was very civil,
Sluyter. He oows like a man not
used to make a low bow, that is all.”
"Well, well, with time, every one
gets into his right place. In the city
Hall, I may yet put my chair beside
his. Van Gaasbeeck.”
"So say 1. Sluyter. and for the pres
ent it is all well as it is.”
This little envious fret of his neigh
bar lost itself outside Juris Van Heem
skirk’s home. Within it, all was love
and content. Madam Van Hcfimskirk
was a little woman, with clear-cut
features, and brown hair drawn back
ward under a cap of lace very stilly
starched. Her tight-fitting dress of
blue taffeta was open in front, and
looped up behind in order to show an
elaborately quilted petticoat of light
blue camblet. Her white wrool stock
ings were clocked with blue, her nigh
heeled shoes cut very low, and clasped
with small silver buckles. From her
trim cap to lier trig shoes she was a
pleasant and comfortable picture of a
happy, domestic woman; smiling,
peaceful, and easy to live with.
When the last duty of the day was
finished, she let her bunch of keys
fall with a satisfactory "all done”
jingle, that mnde her Jorls look at
her with a smile. Then he asked:
“Where Is Joanna and the little one?
« And Bram should be home ere this.”
“I am not uneasy, Joris. They
were to drink a dish of tea with
Madam Semple, and Bram premised
\o go for them. And, see, they are
tomlng; hut Bram is not with them,
only the elder.”
Elder Alexander Semple wras a great
man in his sphere. He had a reputa
tion both for riches and godliness and
was scarcely more respected In the
market-place than he was in the Mid
dle Kirk. And there was an old tie
between the Semples and the Van
Heemskirks—a tie going back to the
flays when the Scotch Covenanters and
Jje N'etherland Confessors clasped
tlands as brothers in their “churches
tinder the cross.” Then one of the
Semples had fled for life from Scot
land to Holland, and been sheltered
in the house of a Van Heemskirk; and
from generation to generation the
friendship had been continued. So
there was much real kindness and
very little ceremony between the fami
lies, and the elder met his friend Jorls
with a pleasant "good evening,” and
sat down in front of the blazing logs.
Joanna tied on her white apron, and.
at a word from her mother, began to
take from the cupboards various Dutch
dainties, and East Indian jars of fruits
and sweetmeats, and a case of crystal
bottles, and some fine lemons. She
wa3 a fair, rosy girl, with a kind,
cheerful face, a pleasant voice, and a
smile that was at once innocent and
bright. Her fine light hair was rolled
high and backward; and no one could
have imagined a dress more suitable
to her than the trig dark bodice, the
quilted skirt, and the white apron she
wore.
Her father and mother watched her
with a loving satisfaction, and Elder
Semple was quite sensible of Joan
na's prescaeo, and of wbat she was
doing.
At this point Katherine Van Hcents
kirk came into the room, and the elder
slightly moved his chair and said.
"Come awa’, my bonnie lassie, and Tel
us hae a look at you." And Katherine
laughingly pushed a stool towards the
fire, and sat down between the two
men on the hearthstone. She was the
daintiest little Dutch maiden that
ever latched a shoe—very diminutive,
with a complexion like a sea-shell,
great blue eyes, and such a quantity
of pale yellow hair that it made light
of its ribbon snood, and rippled over
her brow and slender white neck in
bewildering curls.
Long before supper was over,
Madam Van Heemskirk had discov
ered that this night Elder Semple had
a special reason for his call, and when
the meal was finished, and the girls
gone to their room, she was not aston
ished to hear him say, "Juris, let us
light another pipe. 1 hae something
to speak anent—Sit still, guidewife,
we shall want your word on the mat
ter.’’
vjn w.'iai matter, finer:
“Anent a marriage between my son
Neil and your daughter Katherine.”
The words fell with a sharp dis
tinctness, not unkindly, but as if they
were more than common words. They
were followed by a marked silence, a
silence which in no way disturbed
Semple. He knew' his friends well,
and therefore he expected it.
Juris at last said slowly, "For Kath
erine the marriage would be good, and
Lysbet and I would like it. However,
we will think a little about it; there
is time, and to spare. One should not
run on a now road. Say what you
think, Lysbet."
“Neil is to my mind, when the time
comes. But yet the child knows not
perfectly her Heidelberg. And there
Is more; she must learn to manage a
house of her own. So in time, I say,
it would be a good thing. We have
been long good friends.”
“We hae been friends for four gen
erations, and we may safely tie the
knot tighter row. The land between
this place and my place, on the river
side.-, is your land, Joris. Give it to
Kathmine, and I will build the young
things a house; and the furnishing
and plenishing ffCj ll share between
us.”
“There is more to a wedding than
hotifco and land, elder. A young girl
should be wcoed before she is mar
ried. You know how it is; and Kath
erine, the little one, she thinks not of
such a thing as love and marriage.”
“Wha kens what thoughts are under
curly locks at seventeen? You’ll hae
noticed, madam, that Katherine has
come moir often than ordinar’ to Sem
ple House lately?”
“That is so. It was because of Col.
Gordon's wife, who likes Katherine.
She is teaching her a new stitch in
her crewel-work.”
“Hum—m—m! Mistress Gordon
has likewise a nephew, a vera hand
some lad. I hae seen that he takes a
deal o' interest in the crewel-stitch
likewise. And Nell has seen it too—
for Neil has set his heart on Kather
ine—and this afternoon there was a
look passed between the young men 1
dlnna like. We’ll bo haeing a chal
lenge, and twa fools playing at mur
der, next.”
“I am glad you spoke, elder. Thank
you. I’ll turn your words over in my
heart.” But Van Heemskirk was un
der a certain constraint; he was be
ginning to understand the situation,
to see In what danger his darling
might be. He was apparently calm;
but an angry fire was gathering In his
eyes, and stern lines settling about the
lower part of his face.
“My Lysbet is the finest lady In the
whole land. Let her daughters walk
in her steps. That Is what I want.
Now, there la enough, and also there
is some one coming.”
“It will be Neil and Bram”; and, as
the words were spoken, the young
men entered.
“Again you are late, Bram”; and
the father looked curiously In his
son’s face. It was like looking back
upon his own youth; for Bram Van
Heemskirk had all the physical traits
f his father—his great size. his eotn
.landing presence and winning ad
;ress, his large eyes, his deep, sonor
us voice and slow speech.
With the advent of Bram and Neil,
he consultation ended. The elder,
grumbling at the chill and mist,
.vrapped himself in his plaid, and
leaning on his aon’s arm, cautiously
dcked his way home by the light of a
lantern. Van Heemskirk put aside his
pipe, nodded gravely to his son, and
vent thoughtfully upstairs.
In his own room he sat dawn on a
big oak chest; and, as ho thought, hie
wrath slowly gathered. Semple knew
that gay young English officers were
coming and going about his house,
and he had not told him until he
feared they would interfere with his
own plans for keeping Neil near to
him. He remembered that Semple
had spoken with touching emphasis of
his longing to keep his last son near
home; but must he give up his darling
Katherine to further this plan?
"I like not it,” he muttered. "God
for the Dutchman made the Dutch
woman. That is the right way; but I
will not make angry myself for so
much of passion, so much of nothing
at all to the purpose. That is the
truth. Always 1 have found It so.”
Then Lysbet, having finished her
second locking up, entered the room.
She came In as one wearied and trou
bled, and said with a sigh, as she un
tied her apron:
“Joris, the elder’s words have made
trouble in my heart. What did the
man moan?”
\\ no can leur wnat. a man says,
we know; but only God understands
what lie means. But i will say this,
I.ysbet, and it is ws»at I mean; If
Semple has led my daughter into the
way of temptation, then, for all that
is past and gone, we shall be un
friends.”
“Give yourself no kommer on that
matter, Joris. Hove not some of our
best maidens married into the Eng
lish set? There is no harm, I think,
in a girl taking a few steps up when
she puts on the wedding ring.”
Mean you that our little daughter
should marry some English good-for
nothing? Look, then, I would rather
see her white and cold in the dead
chamber. I will have no Englishman
among the Van Heemskirks. There,
let us sleep. To-night I will sjsak no
more.”
But madam could not sleep. She
was quite sensible that she had tacitly
encouraged Katherine’s visits to Sem
ple House, even after she understood
that Capt. Hyde and other fashion
able and notable persons were fre
quent visitors there. Lysbet Van
Heemsklrk saw no reason why her
younger children should not move
with the current, when it might set
them among the growing aristocracy
of the New World.
She tried to recall Katherine’s de
meanor and words during the past
day, and she could find no cause for
alarm in them. She could not remem
ber anything at all which ought to
make her uneasy; and what Lysbet
did not see or hear, she could not
imagine.
Yet the past ten hours had really
been full of danger to the young girl.
Early in the afternoon, some hours
before Joanna was ready to go, Kath
erine was dressed for her visit to
Semple House. It stood, like Van
Heemskirk s, at the head of a garden
sloping to the river; and there was a
good deal of pleasant rivalry about
these gardens, both proprietors hav
ing impressed their own individuality
upon their pleasure grounds.
The space between the two houses
was an enclosed meadow; and this af
ternoon, tho grass being warm and
dry and full of wild flowers, Kather
ine followed the narrow footpath
through it, and entered the Semple
garden by the small side gate. Near
this gate was a stone dairy, sunk be
low the level of the ground—a deli
ciously cool, clean spot even in the
hottest weather. Passing it, she saw
that the door was open, and Madam
Semple was busy among Its large,
shallow, pewter, cream-dishes. She
was beating some rich curd with eggs
and currants and spices; and Kather
ine, with a sympathetic smile, asked
delightedly:
u/iiccowancs, uiauaui ;
“Just cheesecakes, dearie.”
"Oh, I am glad! Let me fill some of
these pretty little patty pans.”
“I’ll do naethlng o’ the kind, Kath
erine. You'd be spoiling the bonnie
silk dress you hae put on. Go to the
house and sit wi’ Mistress Gordon.
She was asking for you no’ an hour
ago. And, Katherine, my bonnie las
sie, dinna gie a thought to one word
that black-eyed nephew o’ hers may
say to you. He’s here the day and
gane to-morrow, and the lasses that
heed him will get sair hearts to them
ed's.”
TV# bright young face shadowed,
a sudden fear came into Madam
Semple’s heart as she watched the
girl turn thoughtfully and slowly
away into the house.
(To be continued.)
Then He Saw it.
Von Biumer (roaring)—Who told
you to put this paper on the wall?
Decorator—Your wife, sir.
Von Biumer—Pretty, isn’t it?—Har>
per's Bazaar
Calcareous Woman.
A woman has just died in a Phil
adelphia hospital who has been for
some time an object of interest to
medical men. The disease of which
she finally died changed her bones
to a chalky substance, and several
times she fractured her arms and legs
by slight movements of her body. So
brittle did her frame become that the
doctors feared her neck might be dis
located, and she was placed in her
bed in such a position that she could
only move her head a few inches.
i ne manner oi accni.
A medical practitioner calls atten
tion to the danger of scent-drinking.
He says he has known a number of
cases, chiefly among ladies, where the
eau-de-Cologne habit has produced
shattered health and mental disor
ders. It is curious that the most ar
dent abstainers from ordinary alco
holic drink have been known to fall
victims to this unnatural craze. In
one case of delirium tremens a ward
K.be was found stocked with empty
I tau-de Cologne bottle.
iNoisy risn.
Many nsh can produce musical
sounds. The red gurnard has earned
the name of sea-cock from the crow
ing noise which it makes, while an
other species is cailod the piper.
Others, notably two species of ophi
dium, have sound-producing apparatus,
consisting of small, movable bones,
which can be made to produce a sharp
rattle. The curious ‘'drumming1*
made by the Mediterranean flsh
known as the maigre can be heard
from a depth of thirty fathoms.
WOItbS OK WARNING
SOME FALLACIES OF LOPSIDED
PROTECTIONISM POINTED OUT.
Protection Is a Policy Designed for
the Benefit of the Country as a
Whole and Not for the Advantage of
Special Interests.
The Boston Herald of a rercnt date
iontained an editorial on “Haw Ma
terials” In which the writer remarked:
‘The reason why there is an outspok
en desire for free raw materials to the
obviously logical one that when a duty
a Imposed on raw material which
greatly increases its price it greatly
burdens the processes of manufacture
from the very first, and when under
such circumstances we attempt to
compete in manufactured products
with nations which do not have their
industries thus handicapped we are
placed at a terrible disadvantage.”
The outspoken desire to which the
Herald refers is only heard in New
England, and it speedily becomeb
hushed when the manufacturers of
that section are reminded, as they
have been at times, that the parts of
the country which produce raw mate
rials will not waive the protection on
their products and permit the New
Englanders to retain the tariff on man
ufactured articles. Once before the
West gave New England a sharp re
minder on this point, and it will be
apt to repeat its warning if the “Pro
tectionists” of that section do not
thoroughly learn the lesson that the
policy is designed for the benefit of
the whole country and not alone for
the New England states.
But it is not true that the demand
for free raw materials is inspired by
the desire spoken of by the Herald.
Eugene N. Pass, a candidate for Con
gress in a Massachusetts district, gave
the real reason a few days ago in a
speech made by him at Jamaica Plain,
when he said:
i ueueve mat unless mere is a re
adjustment of the tariff on the lines of
freer raw material the next ten years
will see our great shoe manufacturing
establishments, our cotton and woolen
mills, our iron and steel plants march
out of New England to the West,
where they will get their wool and
hides at their door; to the South,
where they will pick the cotton from
the fields; to Pennsylvania and Ohio,
where they will dig the Iron and coal
from the mountain side and transform
them on the Bpot to the manufactured
article."
Here we have the true motive. Fear
that the manufacturers of the West
may enjoy an advantage of those of
New England is at the bottom of the
movement, and not any well grounded
belief that free raw materials would
mean cheaper products for the Ameri
can consumer. But does Mr. Foss
imagine for a single moment that the
West, having plain notice served upon
it that the protection for its peculiar
products will be struck at, will not
strike at Massachusetts in return? He
must be afflicted with brain softening
if he thinks wool can be attacked anJ
woolen manufactures go unscathed.
But it is not to call attention to the
lopsided ideas of the alleged Massa
chusetts protectionists that Mr. Foss’
remarks are quoted. They are simply
cited to emphasize an assertion which
the Chronicle has frequently made,
that the symmetrical application of
the protective dostrine is sure to
prove economical in the long run. Mr.
Foss unconsciously points out the
method when he says that the effect
will be to build up great manufactur
ing industries in the West. That is
what it all tends to, and very properly.
The center of population has moved
westward steadily, and the center of
the manufacturing industry is pursu
ing it closely. This accomplishes the
highly desirable result of eliminating
waste. It must be obvious if the West
as Mr. Foss implies has iron ore and
wool and accessible supplies of raw
cotton, and works them up in mills
near the fields of production, an un
necessary double carriage will be
avoided, and that means an Immense
saving to the vast body of consumers
living in the central sections of our
Union.
Ann uiaL is me proieaseu purpose oi
protection. Its object is to bring the
workshop and consumer close together
whenever it can be done profitably.
That it can be in the central section of
the Union Mr. Foss makes quite clear
when he dwells on the fact that the
West has cheap raw materials, plenty
of fuel and foodstuffs and a big popu
lation, capable of supplying skillful
workers in abundance and able to con
sume a vast quantity of what they
produce.—San Francisco Chronicle.
TARIFF COMMISSION.
Would It Prove More a Benefit Than
a Nuisance to Business Interests?
While greatly admiring the skill
and energy with which the New York
commercial Is conducting Its tariff
commission propaganda among the
business men of the country, we
could wish that its zeal might bo
expended in a bette* cause, not to say
a cause that is more i'.kely to prevail.
There is, we feel sure, small proba
bility that the tarlfT Is going to be
divorced from politics either tnrough
the creation of a bi-partisan board, a
non-partisan board, or any other sort
of board. The tariff will stay In poli
tics as long as its enemies stay in
polities, and that promises to be a
long while. The Commercial, how
ever, is very much in earnest in its
crusade, and to this end is circulat
ing blank petitions for the signatures
cf business men. The petition reads
as follows:
“A Petition for a Permanent Tariff
Commission.
“To the President of the United
States, and Members of the Fifty
Seventh Congress:
“We, the undersigned, citizens,
taxpayers and business men of the
United States, believe that any whole
tule revision of our tarilT schedules
is inadvisable, as such action is sure
to seriously disturb business condi
tions and cripple many business en
terprises. But realizing, as we do,
tbat it is only a question of time when
some changes must be made in these
schedules, to provide for such
changes we respectfully and most
earnestly petition you to enact, with
out unnecessary delay, such legisla
tion as may be necessary for a bi
partisan and permanent tariff com
mission, whose duty It will be to In
telligently assist congress to make
such changes in our tariff and reci
procity laws, from time to time, as
may be found necessary.”
Busy men are apt to sign and re
turn this petition without stopping to
think that it contemplates the crea
tion of something which we already
have and do not need. The country is
now provided with a tarifT commission
tbat is both permanent and bi-parti
san. As a matter of fact, we have
two tariff commissions of this bi
partisan character. First, the House
Committee on Ways and Means and
the Senate Committee on Finance,
acting separately at first and after
ward concurrently, and having full
charge of all tariff matters. Second,
and auxiliary to this, we have the
Board of United States General Ap
praisers, a permanent body or bi
partisan (supposed) tariff experts,
composed of live Republicans and
four Democrats—that is to say, five
protectionists and four free traders—
holding office for life, or during good
behavior, and subject to removal only
‘■for cause” and by death.
The two committees of Congress
are made up for the most part of men
who have made the tariff a special
study and hence are familiar with its
relations to the industries and the
trade of the country taken as a whole
and also taken in all its parts. They
are men who know, for example, that
a protective tariff must be uniform
and fair in its operations; that you
must not deprive one interest of pro
tection for the benefit of another in
terest which retains its protection.
Along these and parallel lines these
men have framed all our tariff laws,
and just as the committees have had
protection or free trade majorities, so
have they framed protective or free
trade tariffs. In short, a permanent
bi-partisan commission taking its
I owers and its instructions direct
from the people, and from no other
source.
Not a bad sort of tariff commission,
one would think. One of its very best
features is to be noted in the fact
that this permanent bi-partisan tariff
commission lets the tariff alone for
years together and never touches it
at all save when ordered so to do by
the votes of the people. In this way
business and industry and trade go
along with certainty and safety. They
know “where they are at” all the time,
so far as the tariff is concerned.
Should wo improve on this if we had
an additional body of bi-partisan Irre
rponsibles who, as Andrew Carnegie
expresses it, "would havo to be doing
something with the tariff” all the
time?
As to the second bi-partisan tariff
commission, which we already have,
the United States Board of General
Appraisers, these functionaries, some
cf them protectionists and some free
traders, afford a splendid example of
the idea of bi-partisan irresponsibility
as worked out In tariff matters. They
often reverse themselves, and are
still oftener reversed by the courts.
You never know where to find them.
Their rulings havo been so varied, so
confusing, in many cases so ridicu
lous, so essentially and so character
istically "bi-partisan” that Congress
has for some time past had under
serious consideration the passage of
a bill legislating them out of office.
Originally constituted to serve as an
intervening qpasl-judicial body which
should lighten the labors of the regu
lar courts, this bi-partisan tariff com
mission has bo muddled and messed
matters as to add materially to busi
ness uncertainties and the labors of
the regular courts.
we wuuiu Bugge»i uim uuaiuess
men, before signing the New York
Commercial’s petition, should ask
themselves:
‘‘What is to be gained by the crea
tion of a third bi-partisan tariff com
mission that shall have no final Juris
diction or authority, and whose func
tions shall consist in part in volun
teering to Congress advice which
Congress does not need and will not
heed, together with the continual
stirring up of things which had bet
ter be left alone until Congress gets
ready to stir them up?"
‘‘Would not the proposed perma
i ent bi-partisan tariff commission be
more likely to prove itself a nuisance
than a benefit?"
What Do They Want?
The tariff reformers should at anee
designate what duties should be low
ered and how much. If congress is
expected to agree within thirty days
after convening, these tariff reformer
editors should be able to agree within
a number of days. If the reformers
want to hit high prices they will have
to hit farm produce. The understand
ing is that if the prices of everything
had been low there would have been
no tariff discussion. Therefore the
reformers must want lower prices. If
this be true they should tell us what
prices should come down. Prices are
always high in good times and low in
poverty-stricken times. Do they v/ant
1 poverty again?—Des Moines Capital.
Like the dumb waiter, some people
keep silent about their ups and downs.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON IX, NOV. 30; JUDGES 7:1-8
—THE THREE HUNDRED.
Golden Text—“It Is Better to Trust in
the Lord Than to Put Confidence in
Man”—Psalma 118:8—God’s Won
derful Deliverance.
Israel's Life for Two Centuries. In
Lesson VII. we had a general view of
the two centuries before Gideon,—the suc
cess, the moral defections and decadence
following a religious decline, then out
ward troubles and disasters which led
the people to see the evil of their ways,
and to repent. Judges were raised up
who delivered them. After God, through
Deborah and Barak, had saved the people
from the oppression of the Lowlander
Canaanltes, they had a peaceful time of
prosperity for forty years, at the close
of which period nnother enemy overran
the country, the deliverance from whom
Is the subject of to-day’s lesson.
As the former deliverance from the
punishment for their sins faded In the
passing years, the Israelites began again
to decline, first In their religious life. Re
ligious decline was easily followed by "a
condition of lassitude, sensuality, and Im
potence.”
II. The Ravages of the Bedouins from
beyond Jordan.—The wandering hordes
of the desert coveted the riches of this
favored region which seemed the very
gates of paradise; and to the number of
at least one hundred and thirty-live thou
sand (Judg. 8:10) "streamed over the
fords of the Jordan year by year, migrat
ing thither, with their households and
herds. In such numbers as could only be
compared, by those whom they Invaded,
to a flight of locusts; which, indeed, they
rivaled In destructiveness.”—Golkle.
III. Gideon called to be the Deliverer
of his People.—One day Gideon wns
threshing wheat. An angel messenger
from Jehovah came to him thus em
ployed, and bade him deliver Israel.
iv. uiaeon s ocnoois ana oi'iiuummu
ters.—All Gideon's previous faithfulness
In daily life, Ills unselfishness, his piety,
had been preparing him unconsciously
for the great work of his life, By dally
duties done from worthy motives we aro
prepared for our life's work.
Gideon had a work to do In his own
village and In his father's house. That
very night he bravely threw down the
altar of Baal. And not only cut down
the pillar of Ashtaroth. hut split It up
for fuel: and, having laid It on the altar
of Jehovah, used It to consume, In sacri
fice to him, a bullock which his father
had apparently consecrated to Baal. The
citizens were angry when they discovered
what Gideon had done, anil would have
put him to death, but Ills father's clever
Irony saved him. This test was both for
himself, to give him confidence, and as
a proof to the Israelites that he had the
qualities of a leader In God's service
V. The Assembling of Gideon's Army.
—V. 1. Gideon blew hts trumpet and first
gathered his own clan Into the nucleus
of an army. Then he sent messengers
through his own tribe of Manasseh, In
the region of Samaria, and omitting
Issachar who dwelt in Ksdraelon, then
held by the Mtdlanltea, summoned the
three northern tribes of Zebulon, Asher
and Nnphtall who occupied what later
was called northern Galilee. Thirty-two
thousand were assembled to meet the
one hundred and thirty-five thousand
Mldlunites, not quite one to four.
The Situation. 1. “Jerubbaal, who is
Gideon." Jerubbaal means “Let Baal
plead" his own cause, "the antagonist of
Baal,” and was given to Gideon because
he destroyed the altar of Baal in his own
town of Ophrah. "Pitched" their camp
"beside the well" (or “spring”) “of Ha
rod," at the eastern end of the plain of
Esdraelun.
| VI. Thp Famous Three Hundred.—Vs.
2-7. 2 "And the Lord said unto Gideon"
(In what way we do not know) “The peo
ple . . . are too many.” etc. Since the
object of tills deliverance was not chiefly
to save the people’s farms and crops
from the Mldlanlfes, but to save them
from their sins, and to teach them to
trust and obey God, the method of gain
ing the victory must be such as to pro
duce this efTect.
The first test. 3. "Proclaim . . . Who
soever Is fearful let him . . . depart."
Therefore Gideon thinned out his army,
and everybody afraid or half-hearted had
to retire from the critical scene.”- -Elms
lie.
Second Test. 4. "The people are yet too
many. 'lo produce the desired moral ef
fect. “I will try them.” The ten thou
sand were brought down to the stream
flowing between the armies, to drink.
5. "Every one that lappeth of the wat
er with his tongue, as a dog lappeth
. . . putting their hand to their mouth"
(v. 6), using their hands as a dog uses
his tongue. Three hundred "did not break
rank or stop In their march, but dipped
their hollowed palm Into the stream,
and tossed a little In their mouth as they
ran,’’—Murcus Dods.
6. “All the rest of the people bowVd
down upon their knees to drink.”
7. “By the three hundred men . . .
will I save you.” God did it, through
these fitting instruments thus selected.
VII. The Great Victory—V. 8. Then
the three hundred In the night divided
Into three bands, and silently surrounded
the Mldlanltes. Each soldier had a lamp
or torch, a pitcher In which he placed it
while marching, and a trumpet. Sudden
ly, at a signal from Gideon, each one took
out his lamp, smashed the pitchers vrlth
a crashing noise, shouted, "The o-rord
of the Lord and of Gideon,” and blew
the trumpets. It seemed to the Mldlanltes
that there were three hundred leaders
each with a company behind him; and
they began to destroy one another, think
ing they were enemies. All the Israelites
had to do was to hold their lamps and
keep blowing their trumpets, and shout
ing. as If an army were behind them.
The result was a complete rout of the
enemy, and deliverance from their raids
for a long time, while Gideon became the
judge of Israel for forty years.
VIII. Some Practical Lessons.—So God's
church during the ages has been exposed
to many assaults from the world; some
times the worldly spirit has overrun It;
sometimes the hordes of false doctrines,
of dead forms, of ungodly ease, have
■ought to plunder Its treasures.
2. The value and power of God's people
are to be found not so much in numbers
us In quality.
3. "Many who have real faith and grace
are unfit for special services, and unable
to boar peculiar trials .from which, there
fore, the Lord will exempt them, and to
which he will appoint those to whom he
has given superior hardiness, boldness,
and firmness of spirit.’’—Scott.
The True Estimate.
Our world Is not made for geniuses,
nor managed by them. Its beat work
Is done by people of moderate ability
and more than mode.Yite faithfulness.
Their loyalty to duty in home,
churches, business, and public life is
the salt which keeps the world sweet
and clean. They are not much known
to the newspapers, but their names
are written in heaven as its agents
and correspondents in the busy life of
earth. When the final verdict comes,
they will be the astonished people at
hearing of their worth.
