The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1888-12-07
SUBSCRIPTION: Sl.OO Per Year.

truth and believing error is the differ
ence between paradise aud perditiOn,
beg you, in the light Of the Bible, and on
your knees before God, to form your re-
ligious opinion and then stick to it.
though business coulranions sooh, and
wits caricature, aud the air crackles with
the fires of martyrdom. Surely truths in
behalf of which Christ died, and angels
OF God trooped forth, and the whole unt-
verse is marshaled, are worth living for
and worth dying for. Amidst the most
unclean things is this ever changing
chameleon of religious theory. Away
with the reptilel God abhors it with an
all-consuming abhorrence.
Once more: Take the suggestion Of the
text and drive out the snail from your
soul God has declared 1t unclean. It is
an animal to be found everywhere be-
tween the coldest north and the hottest
south. There are fifteen hundred species
of the snail. They have no backbone,
and they are So slow that their move
ment is almost imperceptible. You see
a snail in one place to-day; 60 to- NOR
row and you will find il has advanced
only a few inches. 1t becomes an em-
blem Of the large class of Christian peo-
pie who go to work with slowness and
sluggishness that is wonderful. They are
stopped by every little obstacle, because,
like the snail, they have no backbone.
Others mount upon eagles wings, but
they go at a snai's pace.
O child OF God, arousel We have
apotheosized Prudence and Caution long
enough. Prudence is a beautiful grace,
but of all the family Of Christian graces
like her the least for she has been
married so often to Laziness, Sloth and
Stupidity. We have million idlers Ia
the Lords vineyard, who pride them
selves on their prudence. "Be prudent"
says the disciples to Christ, "and stay
away from Jerusalem;" but He went
''Be prudent" said PauPs friends, "and
look out for what you say to Felix" but
he Numbered away until the rulers
knees Knocked together. Ia the eyes of
the world the most imprudent men that
ever lived were Martin Luther and John
Odcastle and Wesley, and Knox.
My opinion IS that the most impru-
dent and reckless thing is to stand
still. 1t is we'll to hear our
Commanders voice when He says
''Halt!" but quite as important to hear It
whom He says "ForwardW This Gospel
ship made to plow tire sea at fifteen knots
an hour, is not making three. Sometimes
1t Is most prudent to ride your horse
slowly and pick out the way for his feet,
and not strike him with the spurs; but
when a band Of Shoshone Indians are
after you in full tilt, the most prudent
thing Tor you to do Is to plunge In the
rowels and put your horse to a full run,
shouting: 'Go 'longl" until the Rocky
mountains echo it. The foes Of God are
pursuing us. The world, the flesh and
the devil are after us; and our wisest
course is to go ahead at swiftest speed
When the Church OF God gets to ad-
vancing too fast it will be time enough TO
use caution. No need Of putting on the
brakes while going up hill. Do not let us
sit down waiting for something ITO turn
up" but go ahead in the name OF God
and turn it up. The great danger to the
Church now is not sensation, but stagna-
tion. Oh that the Lord God would send a
host of aroused and consecrated men TO
set the Church on fire and to turn the
world upside down. Let US 60 to work
and catch the last snail in our souls.
With Divine vehemence let US stamp its
life out for my text declares: "These
also shall be unclean to you among
the creeping things that creep upon
the earth; the chameleon and the snail"
/ have thus tried to prejudi ce these
Christian men and women against gloom
mess, and slander, and half and half ex-
periences, and sloth. Our opportunities
for getting better are being rapidly avail
lowed up in the remorseless past This
golden Sabbath is about TO drop out OF
the calendar. This moment may we
drive out all the unclean things from our
souls-the vulture and the bat, and the
owl, and the chameleon, and the snail;
and in place thereof bring in the Lamb OF
God and the Dove of the Spiriti The
case is urgent Arouse before tt be
eternalIy too latel "Whatsoever thy
hand fildefh TO do. do IL ~