human
Let us take parts of the 13th and 14th chapters of Numbers for our lesson to-day, he said, reading the passages aloud, then asked,
gpt
Can you tell me, Cousin Elsie, where the children of Israel were encamped just at that time?
human
At Kadesh, in what was called the wilderness of Paran. It was at a little distance to the southwest of the southern end of the Dead Sea.
gpt
They went and searched the land, as Moses directed, and cut down and brought back with them a cluster of grapes, a very large one, it must have been, for they bare it between two upon a staff; also they brought pomegranates and figs. Do you know, Neddie, what Eshcol means?
human
No, sir; papa hasn't taught me that yet,
gpt
It means a bunch of grapes, said Cousin Ronald, smiling kindly on the little fellow.
human
Grace, do you think the spies were truthful?
gpt
They seem to have been, so far as the facts about the country they had just visited were concerned, Grace answered, then read,
human
And they told him, and said, 'We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless, the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great; and, moreover, we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.'
gpt
Truly, a very discouraging report, said Mr. Lilburn;
human
And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, 'The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.' And what effect had their report upon the people, Cousin Violet?
gpt
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, 'Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt?' And they said, one to another, 'Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.'
human
And Joshua, the son of Nun; and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, 'The land, which we passed through to search it, is exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.'
gpt
But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, 'How long will this people provoke me? And how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have showed among them? I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.'
human
How very childish they were, remarked Violet.
gpt
Why should they wish they had died in the land of Egypt, or in the wilderness? That would have been no better than dying where they were. And it does seem strange they could not trust in God when he had given them such wonderful deliverances.
human
And they said, one to another, 'Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt,' read Harold, adding,
gpt
It does seem as though they felt that Moses would not do anything so wicked and foolish as going back into Egypt.
human
And they might well feel so, said the Captain.
gpt
Moses was not the man to be discouraged by such difficulties after all the wonders God had shown him and them in Egypt and the wilderness.
human
That is true, said Mr. Lilburn.
gpt
But let us go on to the end of the story. We have read that the Lord threatened to smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and make of Moses a greater nation and mightier than they. Chester, what did Moses say in reply?
human
And Moses said unto the Lord, 'Then the Egyptians shall hear it (for Thou broughtest up this people in Thy might from among them); and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land; for they have heard that Thou, Lord, art among this people, that Thou, Lord, art seen face to face, and that Thy cloud standeth over them, and that Thou goest before them, by daytime in the pillar of cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if Thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of Thee will speak, saying, Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which He sware unto them, therefore He hath slain them in the wilderness. And now, I beseech Thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as Thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Pardon, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of Thy mercy, and as Thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.'
gpt
And the Lord said, 'I have pardoned according to thy word: but as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Because all those men which have seen My glory and My miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice. Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it: But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley). To-morrow, turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the Red Sea.'
human
Papa, did all those people lose their souls?
gpt
I hope not, he replied.
human
If they repented and turned to the Lord, they were forgiven and reached Heaven at last. Jesus says, 'Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.'
gpt
Are we going to stop at any of these South American countries, papa?
human
I hardly think so, he replied.
gpt
It is rather too nearly time to go home.
human
Oh, papa, I'd like ever so much to see our other home, Viamede--grandma lets me call it one of my homes--if there is time, and it isn't too far away.
gpt
Well, daughter, her father said, with a smile,
human
I think there is time, and the place not too far away--the 'Dolphin' being a good-natured yacht that never complains of her long journeys.
gpt
Oh, papa, are we really going there? cried the little girl, fairly dancing with delight.
human
I'll be so glad to see the Keith cousins at the cottage, and those at Magnolia Hall, and the others at Torriswood. And I'll show Tiny to them, and they'll be sure to be pleased to see him,
gpt
Probably they will, said her father.
human
Do you think of giving him to any one of them?
gpt
Give my little pet Tiny away? Why, papa! no indeed! I couldn't think of such a thing! she cried, hugging her pet still closer.
human
I'm fond of him, papa, and I'm pretty sure he's fond of me; he seems to want to snuggle up close to me all the time.
gpt
Yes; I think he is fond of you and won't want to leave you, except for a little while now and then to run up and down the trees and round the grounds. That will be his play; and when he gets hungry he will go back to you for something to eat.
human
Are you talking about Elsie's Tiny, papa?
gpt
Yes, my son, and what I said will apply to your Tee-tee just as well. I think if my children are good and kind to the little fellows they will not want to run away.
human
I have been good to him so far, said Ned, patting and stroking his pet as he spoke,
gpt
Would you like to be?
human
Yes, papa; or to go somewhere else first; just as pleases you.
gpt
What would you say as to visiting Viamede?
human
Oh, papa, that I'd like it ever so much!
gpt
Well, your grandma has given us all an invitation to go there, and we are very likely to accept it. It will make us a little later in getting home than I had intended, but it will be so great a pleasure that I think we will all feel paid.
human
Yes, indeed! cried Ned, dancing up and down in delight,
gpt
I think it's just splendid that we can go there. I don't know any lovelier or more delightful place to go to; do you, papa?
human
And I'm as glad as you are, Ned, said Elsie.
gpt
Let's go and thank grandma. Yonder she is in her usual seat under the awning.
human
Yes, said their father,