St. Landry democrat., 1888-08-04

Christian entreaty may accomplish. Oh,
for more Christians in ambuscade; not
lying in idleness, but waiting for quick
spring, waiting until just the right time
comes. Do not talk to man of the vanity
Of this world on the day when he has
bought something at twelve" and is go.
ing to sell it at ''ffteen." But talk to
him about the vanity of this world on the
day when he has bought something at
Fifteen" and is compelled to sell it al
'stwelve." Do not rub a mans DISPOSE.
ton the wrong way. Do not take the ims
perative mood when the subjunctive mood
| will do just as we'll. Do not talk in per.
| fervid style to phlegmatic nor try to
tickle torrid temperament with an
| icicle. You can take any man for Christ
| if you know how to get at him. Do not
send word to him that tomorrow at ten
| O'Clock you propose to open your bat
teries upon him, but come upon him by q
skillful, persevering, God-directed am
| buscade.
| Lesson the fourth: The Importance Of
taking good aim. There is Joshua, but
how are those people in ambush up
yonder to know when they are to drop
on the city? and how are these men
around Joshua to know when they are to
| stop their fight and advance? There
must be some signal-a signal to stop the
| one division and to start the other.
| Joshua, with spear on which were or
dinarily hung the colors of battle, points
| toward the city. He stands in such
conspicuous position, and there is SO
| much of the morning light dripping from
| that spear-tip that all around the horizon
they see. 1t was much as to say: ''There
is the city. Take it. Take it now. Roll
down from the west. Surge up from the
; north. 1t is ours, the City of Al" God
, knows and we know that great deal OF
!: Christian attack amounts to nothing,
! simply because we do not take good aim.
/, Nobody knows, and we do not know our
'se.Ves, which point we want to take, when
we ought to make up our minds what God
will have us to do, and point our spear in
that direction, cnd then hurl our body,
mind, soul, time, eternity at that one tar
get In our pulpit and pews, and Sunday
schools and prayer meetings, we want to
get reputation for saying pretty things,
and SO we point our spear toward the
flowers; or we want reputation for say
ing sublime things, and we point our
spear toward the stars; or we want to get
reputation tor historical knowledge,
and we point our spear toward the past;
Or we want to get reputation for liber-
atty, so we swing our spear all around;
and it strikes all points of the horizon,
and you can make out of it whatever you
please; while there is the old world, proud,
rebelious and armed against all right
eousness; and instead of running any
further away from its pursuit, we ought
to turn around, plant out foot in tho
strength of the eternal God lift the old
cross and point it in the direction of tie
worlds conquest till the redeemed OF
earth, marching up from one side and the
glorified Of Heaven marching down from
the other side, the last battlement of sin
is compelled to swing out the streamers OF
Emanuel Oh, Church Of God, take aim
and conquer.
Ihave heard it said: sLook out for
man who has only one idea; he is irresist-
ible." I say: Look out for the man who
has one idea, and that discrimination
for soul-saving. believe God would
strike me dead if dared to point the
spear in any other direction. Oh, for
some Of the courage and enthusiasm Of
Joshua! He flung two armies from the
tip Of that spear. 1t is sinful for us to
rest, unless it is to get stronger muscle
and fresher brain and purer heart for
Gods work. 1 feel on my head the hands
of Christ in new ordination. Do you
feel the same omnipotent presHres There
is a work for all Of US. Oh, thai we might
stand up side by side and point the spear
toward the city 1t ought to be taken.
1t will be taken. Our cities are drifting
off toward loose religion, or what is
1oI IA
liberal that it gives up all tn rdinal
doctrines of the Bible. SO lioS 4 that it
surrenders the rectitude of tbs i,hrone of
the Almighty. That is libers sitJ with
q vengeance. Let US decide upon the
work which we, as Christian MD have to
do, aud, in the strength of ID, go to
work and do it. III
I believe that the next tweTh months
will be the most stupenAchs year
that Heaven ever saw. Tie nations
are quaking now with the coming
IF God. 1t will be year of suc-
cesses for the men of Joshua, but of
loom for the meen Of Al. You rut your
sar to the rail-track and you u aear the
rain coming miles away. SoeI put my
sar to the ground and hear TIM thunder
ng on Of the lightning traih&of Gods
nercies and judgments. Thu mercy of
Sod is first to be tried upon Mis- nation. |
It will be preached in the pulnSss, in thea
;ers, on the streets, everywhe:IV People |
will be invited to accept the mercy Of the |
Gospel, and the story, and the song, and |
he prayer, will be ''mercy." But sup
pose they do not accept the offer of mercy |
what then? Then God will come with |
Ills judgments, and the grasshoppers will |
,at the crops, and the freshet will de- |
7astate the valleys, and the defaications |
will swallow the money markets, and the
Tres will burn the cities, and the earth
will quake from pole TO pole. Year Of mer-
lies and Of judgments. Year of invita-
ion and Of warning. Year Of jubilee
Ind Of woe. Which side are you going to
20 on? With the men of All or the men
If Joshua? Pass over this Sabbath into
he ranks of Israel. would clap my |
lands at the joy Of your coming. You
will have poor chance for this world !
md the world to come without Jesus. You /
IAN not stand what is to come upon you
md upon the world unless you have the
pardon and the comfort and the help Of
christ. Come over. On this side is your
happiness and safety, on the other side is
Iisquietude and despair. Eternal defeat
o the men of All Eternal victory to the
nen Of Joshua!