"Nothing to Fear for the Future Except..."

Twelve men were sent to spy out the land of Canaan for Israel. As these men entered the Promised Land they noticed its amazing fertility and its luscious fruit, but they also noted its large cities sur­rounded with apparently impregnable walls. They looked at the inhabitants of these cities and realized that they them­selves were as grasshoppers in their sight.

On their return to the camp of Israel all of them reported the fertility and the luscious fruit of Canaan and its mighty cities. But ten of them still had their eyes riveted on the impregnable walls and the tall people that inhabited that land, and they said: "It is impossible for us to cap­ture it." But two of the spies, who had like­wise seen the country and the seemingly insurmountable difficulties, had their eyes focused on God. And the report of Caleb and Joshua was: "We are well able."

The conviction of Caleb and Joshua had its roots in divinely inspired faith, because their judgment rested on the promises of God. They were personally acquainted with God and His leadership. Their confidence in Israel's ability under God's guidance was anchored in His miraculous deliverance in taking them safely through the Red Sea and providing them with food and water in the wilderness.

On the memorable event of their deliver­ance from Egypt, Israel under the leader­ship of Moses had retired into a defile be­tween the mountains on the shore of the Red Sea. As Moses observed the spot to which God led him and his people, it did not appear to be the most advantageous camping site for a people fleeing from their oppressors. Trained in military strategy in the schools of Egypt, it seemed to Moses a possible trap. Here they were hemmed in by unscalable mountains on both the north and south and with the foam-capped waves of the Red Sea blocking the exit to the east. But in compliance with God's word, Moses led the children of Israel into the place of God's own choosing.

As evening wore on and darkness fell over the camp of Israel the weary people re­tired for needed rest after an eventful day. Soon they began to hear rumblings from the west. Suddenly they realized that these sounds betokened the approach of the Egyptian army. Terror filled the camp; they were sure they were trapped. They saw their true plight as a motley array of slaves without hope of escape. Behind them into the opening between the mountains the vanguards of the Egyptian army were streaming. Amid the distraught and fearful multitude Moses stood serene. He knew God had directed him in leading his people to this place. He did not know what was go­ing to happen, but he knew they were there in compliance with God's command and he was confident that God had a way of escape for them. Moses trusted in God for deliver­ance from their apparent impasse.

Then came God's command, "Go for­ward." Through the turbulent waters of the Red Sea a way of escape opened up to be­wildered Israel. That night God delivered His people. When the sun rose the next morning, the Egyptian army was gone. The soldiers had been drowned in the Red Sea. But on the shore of the Sinai Peninsula the children of Israel stood singing the song of deliverance and praise to God for His miraculous salvation.

On May 24, 1894, Mrs. White went with the committee to examine the suggested property. After doing so, Mrs. White wrote in a letter to her son, J. E. White: "There was perfect unity in making the decision to purchase the fifteen hundred acres of land at the price of four thousand five hundred dollars."—E. G. White letter 82, 1894.

Soil experts were then consulted regard­ing the suitability of this tract of land for agricultural and horticultural purposes. Their reports were discouraging. Under date of June 10, 1894, W. C. White wrote to the secretary of the Foreign Mission Board: "Nearly all of the men of influence with whom we have come in contact, shake their heads when we speak of the district. The Department of Agriculture after ex­amining samples of the soil, said it was sour, and would require a ton and a half of lime to the acre. Then the Government fruit expert was sent up to examine it, and his report I will enclose with this. True, it was a rainy day, and we were short of time, and he did not see the best of the place, and yet, it sometimes makes me feel blue, to hear all of these men who know a great deal, condemn the place."

It was the consensus of all the consulted experts that our brethren should relin­quish their hold on the land by forfeiting the down payment that had already been made. In that crisis hour the faith of the brethren who in counsel with Mrs. White had initially decided to purchase this tract wavered. Elders Daniells and W. C. White were delegated to inform Mrs. White about the unfavorable reports, which the com­mittee had received from the Government personnel. After listening to their report Mrs. White calmly said to Elder Daniells and her son: "'Is there no God in Israel, that ye have gone to the god of Ekron for counsel?'" Her original advice was re­newed; namely, that they abide by their in­tention of going through with the purchase of the land. She further said: "They have borne false witness against the land."

With this reaffirmation of the divine counsel through the servant of the Lord, the brethren in Australia proceeded with the purchase of the site for the erection of our school. Time abundantly vindicated their allegiance to the instruction given through the Spirit of Prophecy. God's bless­ing has copiously rested on both field and orchard.

"In 1909, twelve years after the opening of the school, Professor Irwin, who had been principal eight years, wrote as follows:

"'As time has gone on, and we have had an opportunity to watch the work develop, we can say most assuredly, from our ex­perience, that God led in the selection of this place. Everything that has been said about the location of the school in this place has been fulfilled—everything. . . . I believe the working out of this has proved that God's instruction was true.' "

As we face the future we as Israel of old will repeatedly face perplexing problems. If we rivet our eyes on these it will be easy for us to grow discouraged. The ten spies were not prevaricating when they informed the children of Israel of the walled cities of Canaan. Humanly speaking, they had reason to be discouraged, for it appeared to be sheer foolishness for a tribe of slaves to attack and capture well-fortified cities! Moses too might have had good reason to despair when the Egyptians overtook his people. He might even have made bold and told God that it was impossible for Is­rael to go forward into the Red Sea as He commanded them to do. But Moses did not consult his fears, nor his human reason. Be­ing a military leader, Moses might have re­lied on human reasoning—he might have suggested other ways of extricating his peo­ple from the trap in which they were ap­parently caught. But Moses did not; rather, he made God both his strength and his wisdom and obeyed His counsel to go for­ward into the Red Sea.

Later, when the children of Israel were under the leadership of Joshua, the Gib­eonites came to them in the land of Canaan and requested that they be allowed to make an alliance with them. Joshua and the eld­ers of Israel looked at their suppliants' molded bread, their rent wine bottles, their worn garments, and shoes which were old, "and the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord" (Joshua 9:14). Joshua and his ad­visers made an alliance with the Gibeonites according to their own human reasoning and later regretted it.