lowing Scripture passages in the light of this
chapter:

Judges 16. 13; Deuteronomy 24. 6; Matthew 24. 41.

2. Read Proverbs 31. 10-31 for another picture of daily life in an
ancient Hebrew home. What is said in this chapter about the making of
beautiful as well as necessary things, and about the doing of kindly
deeds?

CHAPTER X

MORAL VICTORIES IN CANAAN

On the whole, Canaan was a good school for the Hebrew shepherds. New
arts to learn, new crops to raise, new kinds of cloth to spin and
weave, new kinds of food to cook--all this helped to make life more
interesting and worth while. But there were other lessons which
newcomers might learn which were not so wholesome.

Wine drinking, for example, was a habit which the wisest of the
Hebrews always feared. The wine which they made in those foaming
wine-presses was, of course, mild and harmless as compared with the
distilled liquors of modern times. But even Canaanitish wine could
deaden men's consciences and make them more like beasts than men.
"Wine is a mocker," said one of the sages who wrote the book of
Proverbs, "strong drink is raging, and he that is deceived thereby is
not wise."

IDOLATRY IN CANAAN

Canaanite religion was to a large extent an unwholesome influence. The
Canaanites worshiped many gods. Each village had its Baal, or lord,
who had to be bribed with burnt offerings of fat beasts, or (as they
thought) the soil would lose its fertility and the crops would fail.

=Dangerous examples.=--These sacrificial rites were carried on in the
shrines or "high places," one of which stood outside almost every
village and town. They often were accompanied by dances and other
performances which were licentious and degrading. The Hebrews, of
course, were pledged to worship only Jehovah. Moreover, during these
first centuries in Canaan they were very poor, and had little time for
the carousals which went on at the "high places" in the name of
religion. Corruption usually comes with wealth and luxury. Poverty and
hardship are often useful safeguards. But from the beginning these
heathen rites were a temptation and a snare in the lives of the
Hebrews.

CANAANITE BELIEFS ABOUT THE WORLD

There are certain questions which awaken the curiosity of everyone.
How did this wonderful world come into existence? How is it that you
and I happen to be here? How did things in general come to be as they
are? Some of these difficult questions are to-day being