Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-07-21

may approve OF 1t, put my sincerity
VIII not save me from guilt since God
has said: Thou shalt not kill"
We need something more than what
we call conscience for a guide It
simply says, do right but does
not tell Inc what right is. l must
come to the word of God Here |
can learn what is right and what is
wrong; for here as nowhere else, is
the line of demarcation clearly drawn.
Oh what cruel horrible things have
been done by the conscientious, sin
cere and well-meaning; how awfully
out of accord with the teachings of
the holy scriptures and the great
eternal law of love.
God teaches US that ''we must not
do evil that good may come; but that
we should love Him with all our
hearts, soul, mind and strength, and
our neighbor as ourselves" 1t is
essential that there be more faithful
lifting up of the standard of righteous
ness and a revival of the old time
preaching of the "terrors of the
Lord" He'll must be spoken
with big H, and damnation with a
big D. There is nothing else that
will restrain the worst and lowest
element of society. The example of
mercy and goodness, an appeal to
their sense of the pure, the right. the
beautiful and the true, will make little
or no Impression; and in fact will
only be casting pearls before swine"
Y GU might as we'll try to charm a
blind man by putting a magnificent
painting before him. The only thing
that will avail is an appeal to his
selfshness and fears. This fact which
we are So slow to learn, God fully
recognizes. He says of such, "The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom" To them He cries in sol
omn warning, that upon the wicked
he will rain snares, fire and birthstone
and horrible tempest this shall be
the portion of their cups" that he is
''angry with the wicked every day.
and that sit is fearful thing to fall
into the hands Of the living God.
He instructs his servants to "sG0e
some NTH fear, pulling them out of
the fire"
It is want of due reverence for
government, human and divine, that
is the prolific, source Of lawlessness
and crime. The harangues of niger
soil, and those like him, should be
silenced by government, for they are
simply helping to fill our jails and
States prisons by creating and intensi-
flying contempt for all laws; while
wise reasonable fear of impending and
sure vengence from the governments
of earth and heaven could but have a
salutary effect. SO judges and minis
tiers should be faithful as representa-
tives of God. While Judges without
finching infict the full penalty Of
the law, let ministers Of the gospel,
as faithful to their high commission
and as true friends of this Republic,
cliff up their voices, in warning like
''a trumpet" so shall crime cease out
of our beloved land.
We need more faith in God, and in
the peculiar form of government un-
der which we live We should learn
more fully that no nation depends for
existence or prosperity upon any one
man, no matter how good or great.
We want the faith Mr.. Garfield him
self had when President Lincoln was
assassinated His words in that time
of distress were, "God reigns and the
government is safe" Paul was killed
but Christianity and the Church, the
truth and the kingdom of Christ. re-
manned and fourished. Abraham
Lincoln was assassinated, but the
nation lived on, and still lives, abound
ing in vitality as never before.
Oft times that which seems so dis
astrous. so threatening, filling all with
dismay, is under God the most
helpful thing that could possibly hap
pen. When Christ was erucifed how
sad and discouraged we're his follow
ers But without his death there
could be no success; the mission of
apostles must be a failure Only His
manifested dying love could make us
feel our danger, or melt our hearts of
stone; only his blood could wash
away our guilty stains. And so clear
ly did Paul apprehend this, that he
cried, II am determined to know
nothing else among men, save Jesus
Christ and Him crucifed. God for
bid that I should glory save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom the world is crucifed unto me
and [ unto the world" Men die
but ideas and principles live. Though
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated,
that grand underlying principle of
our government for which he. SO nobly
stood, equality before the law for all,
irrespective of race or color, still
remained and triumphed,
Had Mr.. Garfield died, the nation,
the government and the principles of
righteousness would no doubt have
survived; and it may be God would
have over-ruled this diabolic act of
Guiteau morefullY for the promotion
of the national veal; binding orr
hearts, if possible, closer together and
bringing us nearer to Himself. [
love to look on the bright side; and