Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-03-20
THE CHURCH AND TEN.
PERANCE.

LORD, curse ye bitterly the lnnaoltantS |
thereof, because they came not up to the |
help of the Lord-to the help of the Lord |
against the mighty"
Israel was at war. For twenty |
long years Jabin, king of Canaan,
had nightly oppressed the children
of Israel. They "cried unto the
Lord" because of their bondage:
and, out of His ''holy hill'' He list
ened and heard, and prepared a way
for their escape. He gave command
ment to marshal their forces. Barak
was to lead them out against the
hosts of the Canaanites; Deborah,
the 8 prophecies in those days" was
to bow herself in prayer, asking
counsel of the Lord.
But the inhabitants of Meroz did
not come out to this general warfare.
Perhaps they said among themselves
whats the use of our going out
against the great King Jabin, with
his nine hundred iron chariots and
his hundred thousand men of war,
with an army of only ten thousand,
all told"
No doubt these people had "cried
unto the Lord to deliver them just
as nightly as had the rest of the
children of Israel; but evidently
they did not expect Him to answer
this prayer, for they did not come out
in response to His call.
More powerful by far than the ty-
rant Jabin, in the days of the judges,
sits on his>throne the tyrant Alcohol
to-day. For many times Jabin's
twenty years has he held sway with
powerful hand. And we, Gods
chosen, have 'cried unto the Lord"
and our cries have pierced the Heav-
ems, and found acceptance in the ear
of the Great Infinite. He stretches
out His arm to save. He bids us
marshal our forces, and 90 out to
meet this foe, more than ten times
our number.
But there be some who will not
out to the battle. Perhaps they have
said: 'tWhat's the use? We can't
do anything The liquor traffic will
never be suppressed, there's no use
fighting against it! We never will
have prohibitory statue, there's no
use working for it p
Now, these people, 80 Lord, bless
the Temperance cause. Remove the
evils of intemperance from our land. "
But like the inhabitants of Meroz,
they do not believe He will do it
Our foe has gathered about him an
army wonderful in size and strength
and capability. His captains-li-
quor dealers-are chosen men, and
number many thousands. His tried
warriors -habitual drinkers-are pro-
portionate in number. But this is
not all. When the army is marshal
ed in battle array, stretching away
beyond these hundreds of thousands,
we see as many more just as faith
full, just as capable of service, and
who will erelong be promoted-moder-
ate drinkers are these, and after them
come the host, who are the servants
of all the rest, men who do not drink
but who will uphold the traffic.
This is the army against which We
have come out to do battle. Its re.
sources are numerous, the skill of its
f men of valor is wonderful, and at its
, head is one who understands military
tactics-for once he instigated rebel
lion in Heaven.
And whom have we on the Otne
f side? Here and there one marks thu
leaders of the forces, many of then
women, who Deborah-like, use tn
weapon of prayer, and we find, too
: several brigades of tender little child
rem.
Not very formidable array, truly
But, oh! s'They that be for us ar
r more than they that be against us.
3 They that be for us are more thai
= they that be for them y for we hav
r the Lord God of Hosts for our lead
If er, and over US waves the banner o
5. King Emmanuel, on which is inscribed
i. in letters of light, Thy Kingdom
Come" And woe to them in Zion
who come not to join in the ARRAY
come not to help of their Great Lead
Al