"THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON."

VOL. 76.

MIDDLETOWN, N. Y., JANUARY 1, 1908. NO. 1.

CORRESPONDENCE.

HOSEA II. 14, 15.

"THEREFORE, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope; and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt."

forth his honor and glory, was seen lusting after heathenish idols, forsaking the law of her Maker and all his holy ordinances as prescribed by Moses, to seek the satisfaction of her natural inclinations in bowing the knee unto the gods of the Gentile nations about her. She had forgotten God's wonderful deliverance of her from Egyptian darkness and bondage, of his parting the Red Sea waters that she should pass through dryshod, and had entirely lost sight of his

God never forgets his people, but it cannot be said that they never forget him. They are full of waywardness and rebellion, which call forth his fatherly chastisements to reprove and correct guidance of her through the forty-year them. It seems incredible that the peo- wilderness journey in the cloud by day ple especially blessed with the presence and fire by night. In the time of great of the Lord, and who had witnessed again thirst he caused the rock to be smitten, and again his omnipotent power and om- that it should pour forth a stream for her niscient oversight working in their be- sake; but it was forgotten, together with half, could ever forget him or grow cold that time of great hunger when he sent and indifferent toward him; not only so, manna from heaven for food. The servbut that they should give themselves ice of the holy temple, the intercession over repeatedly to the foolish vanities of the high priest and the offering for sin and idolatries which they had before were all forgotten. God brought her learned could bring them naught but safely through Jordan's swelling flood shame and sorrow, seems far more in- into the promised land (Canaan) flowing credible; but of all this was national Is- with milk and honey, gave her the vicrael guilty at the time of the prophecy tory over her enemies and established her quoted above. This nation so singularly in that country which he gave her for chosen of God from among all nations of her own. What more evidences could the earth, whereby it pleased him to show she require of his faithfulness? And,