you read the terrible destruction of the whole
nation of the Midianites, and among it this one short and terrible
hint: 'Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword.'
But what may we learn from this ugly story?
Recollect what I said at first, that we should find Balaam too like
many people now-a-days; perhaps too like ourselves.
Too like indeed. For never were men more tempted to sin as Balaam
did than in these days, when religion is all the fashion, and pays a
man, and helps him on in life; when, indeed, a man cannot expect to
succeed without professing some sort of religion or other.
Thereby comes a terrible temptation to many men. I do not mean to
hypocrites, but to really well-meaning men. They like religion.
They wish to be good; they have the feeling of devotion. They pray,
they read their Bibles, they are attentive to services and to
sermons, and are more or less pious people. But soon--too soon--
they find that their piety is profitable. Their business increases.
Their credit increases. They are trusted and respected; their
advice is asked and taken. They gain power over their fellow-men.
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