The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 170

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-6.-7'7,e moral uses of memory. 'l'he memory of man exerts a mighty influence over his history and his destiny. Minus memory, man wonld be altogethe1 another being. Remembrance of the past is a guide-post, or a beacon, for the future. The key-word of this passage is "all : " "nil the way ; " " every word; " "all the commandments." L TnE scoPE OF MEMORY. "All the way which the Lord thy God bath led thee." 1. Remember thy 11erds-how many, how various, how urgent. Our hourly dependence upon material substance for food, and upon a Power beyond and above ourselves, ought to make us profoundly humble. Is there an occupant of this globe so foll of need of many sorts as nrnn ? 2. Remember thy special perils. Every man has his particular ,i~np:ers, as the Hebrews had in the desert-perils arising from outward circumstance, n,oral temptations, evil powers, p<"rsonal defects and infirmities, distinctive vocation, ;;, Bemembcr God's suitable supplies. Their needs in the desert were unique and w,precedented; yet God was prepared for every emergency, It was open to him either to <liminish the need, or else to institute new methods of supply. What if the sandy ~uil refused to yield a harvest! He can distil a harvest from the dewy air. What if fiax be wanting as a material from which to fabricate raiment! lie can stay, by !L ,,u]ition, the progress of decay and "'ear. What though the journeys tend to injure an<l blister the feet! He can make the skin durable as iron and brass. '!'here shall be bpecial blessing for special need. Every man's history is more or less special. Every i,r,iut of our past liistory teems with footprints of God. Placed under the microscope of 1fous memory, en·ry atom yields surprising lessons, sparkling truths. I I. THE 11101:AL USES OF MEMORY. 'l'hey may be summed up under one head, viz. 10 J>(.:rceive tLat God was in every event-that every word of God is a force for giving life. L A calm review of the past discovers the moral purpose God has kept in view. As when a man slands in the midst of complicated machinery, he is deafened by tho ruar, and bewildered by the manifold moYements, that he cannot detect tho definite u,d wl:ich that machine serves, 'l'o gain that knowlodge, he must move away, and rrr. vm. 1-20.] TUI~ DOOK OF rmun:RONOMY. lG!l