The Sun Standing Still.

If he knew anything at all about the question, he knew that the chapter in the history of the Hebrews to which he referred, occurred long after Moses had ceased to lead the chosen people. Moreover, as proof that he had not consulted the book in which the alleged record of the strange phenomenon occurs, he states that it was to give Joshua "time to kill a few more Amalekites," thus confounding the event with a battle which was fought years before, during the lifetime and leadership of Moses. Whereas it was the combined armies of the five kings of the Amorites, against whom Joshua was marching, and with which he entered into conflict. Could any one believe that the brilliant Ingersoll could have committed so many mistakes?

But does the book of Joshua say that the sun stood still? I contend that it does not. My good orthodox friends, do not be startled. This is the logical position of several diligent Biblical students of our day. Examine the passage (Joshua x., 12), with the context, and you will find the words "Stand still," rendered in the margin "be silent": and it might with propriety be translated "cease." Now travelling is not the only operation of the Sun. Its chief relation to the earth is the dissipation of darkness, or rather the radiation of light and heat. Then what in that light will be the signification of the word "cease"? Withhold thy light. "Cease to cast thy beams of light and heat upon this scene;" or, "cease to perform thy usual functions, in dividing the light from the darkness." Now, carefully examine the preceding part of the chapter, and you will learn that the battle had not taken place in the afternoon, as the standing-still theory would suggest, but on the contrary, in the early watch of the morning, under cover of the darkness. It was in fact a night surprise, made by the cunning Joshua upon the sleeping camp of the unsuspecting Amorites.

Take a map of the country, and you will find that Gibeon was in the east; the sun was therefore just about to usher in the dawn of day. The valley of Ajalon was in the west; so that the moon was just retiring from view, after having acted as a light to Joshua's army as it marched about fifteen miles during the night from Gilgal to Beth-horon, where the Amorites were located. Having then, before daylight, reached the enemy, Joshua fell upon their unprepared armies and threw them into consternation and confusion; but many flying before his men to the hills, he feared that on daylight breaking upon them the enemy might be able to re-form in their great force, and even then present a formidable array against his exhausted and hungry troops. The wary general, therefore, fully alive to his position, saw that the eastern sky was growing light beyond Gibeon, and consequently knew that a few minutes' more would bring the day, and knowing the commission which had been given to the two great lights, he cried, "Sun, cease from over Gibeon; and thou, Moon, also from Ajalon." And observe how beautifully he was obeyed: immediately after a tremendous hailstorm broke over the scene, and as it rolled over the sky in the deep black clouds of early morning, an almost impenetrable darkness would shroud the earth as in a pall.

I do not think such a ceasing of the sun would cause so much "heat as the burning of a lump of coal eleven thousand million tons in weight!" It seems to have been rather colder than usual in that subtropical climate that day. I don't believe Ingersoll ever read that part of the Bible. If he did he was not solicitous about his own honour, or the elegance of his diction. He goes on to tell us that we read that "the sun was turned