“He Left None Remaining”
By P. T. Magan
THERE is no record in the life of Joshua of his ever being censured by the Lord. To be sure, he made mistakes. Every leader of men, except the Master, has made mistakes. Joshua possessed many noble traits of character. There was one, however, which he possessed in a remarkable degree—thoroughness. Of many men it is written that they “followed the Lord,” but of Joshua, that he “wholly followed the Lord.” To Joshua was allotted the task of conquering Canaan. It was a stiff fight from the beginning: “There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.” Nevertheless “Joshua took the whole land.” Joshua’s life was spent on the firing line. He lived “in the camp.” When a quick move was necessary to save Gibeon, Joshua and his men marched “all night,” and fought every hour of the following day. Joshua saw that it would be dark before they could kill all the Amorites. If the Amorites were to be destroyed, it was—now or never. Rather than quit before his work was finished, he prayed for a day of double length: “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.” God answered that prayer, because of the spirit which prompted it—a spirit which refused to quit until the work was done. When Joshua went into battle, he never regarded the day won as long as a single foeman breathed: “Till they were consumed;” “he let none remain;” “he let none remain in it;” “until he had left him none remaining;” “he left none remaining;” “he left none remaining, but destroyed all that breathed;” “left them none remaining;” “neither left they any to breathe;” “he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire;” “none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.” This is the manner in which the inspired record closes the story of each of the victories of Joshua. Was there ever a more thorough leader and fighter than Joshua? And now shall we continue to fight for the freedom of our schools until it can be said of us concerning these debts that we “left not one remaining”? Below we print the coupon. It may take more than one gift before the day is won. But we believe the day should be won—it must be won. Let us stand by it, then; let us stick to it until of all the debts there are left none remaining.