The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-03
SPECIAL SERVICES.
FIRST OF A SERIES OF MISSION
SERMONS

| gfegatiOn that filled the church by rev.
DIR. J. Il. Newton, rector OF Monumental
Church.
The music, led by trained choir, was very
good.
DIR. Newton opened BY saying that II was
q very pheasant thing when men in churches
came 10 the front and went forward 10 work
for God and when no trouble, inconvenience,
or sacr flee could keep them back ffOin such
a cause.
He announced that his subject was to be
found in Judges eth chapter and 18th verse:
"The sword Of the Lord and OF Gideon"
Many interesting incidents anu achieve
ments and noble character are re-
corded ia the Book on Judges. said
the speaker, but Of all OF them none
shine With a brighter lustre than Gideon.
Gideon was a young man who fhresbed
wheat by the wine-press Of his father TO
hide il from the Midiantes, aud who was
engaged in that occupation when the
angel Of the Lord appeared unto him and
said, 1.-The Lord is with thee, thou mighty
man OF yalour." Gideon remembered tue
poverty, misery and wretchedness in which
the people were by their slavery To the
/ Midianites, and could not understand how
the Lord was with him. The angel
told him to 90 sahead, and the
Lord would with GIdeon's hands deliver the
land from the oppressor. Gideon remem-
bered the poverty OF his father. and also
said, Il am the least in my fathers house."
The reply comes that the Lord will be with
him, aud he becomes encouraged. lie asks
for signs and they are granted. His dscov-
| ers that he has entertained an angel uh-
awares. He blows the trumpet and sends
messengers among all the tribes.
lie collects after hard work an army Of
thirty-twO thousand men. with which TO OPP
pose an army Of which IL is said that they
were like the grasshOppers for multitude.
| The Lord declares cideOn's army too large.
II the battle is won, Israel will say they did
IT, and not the Lord. All the timid were
told TO leave. This reduced the army TO ten
thousand. II was still too large, and the
Lord reduced it 10 three thousand But
Gideon was not afraid. lie knew the Lord
was with him. He COOS TO battle with
trumpets. The Lord gives the battle cry
'The sword of the Lord and Of Gideon"
At the sound Of the trumpets and the battle
cry, Mdean fees. and each man stabs his
comrade, and tie victory is csmpletc.
From the above sketch DR.. Newton drew
several lessons. Every Christian to day is
engaged in the same struggle, fighting a
larger and more powerful enemy. Every
day we see around the multitude OF tempta-
tons leading young and old hef, young and
old women 10 theif late. We see sorrow
tiO NtflibE dllOu- tic many Nlios mus Nft
their loved ones going to destruction. There
stands the Church Of God under the banner
of the Crucified Lamb. 1t is small like
Gideon's army. Like Gideon, we ask how
can we do all this, but back comes 1.-THE cry,
the sword Of the Lord and of Gideon"
Gideon felt his own insufliciency. His
first reply was humble, and showed he felt
his weakness, but there was power III IT,
His replies also showed that he was looking
.fe.r 4. o.. sl,A
This demonstrates that Gideon was on the
alert. lie was ready to take advice. and
there was strength IN the very fact that he
felt bis weakness. st. Paul learned all hui
man wisdom and philosophy sitting at the
feet Of Gamalie. 81. Paul was a man Of
wonderful vlgUr OF mind. learned and pos
sessns powerful will, yet he tells us.
"When | am weak, then am strong"
When man feels his weakness. feels that
he is nothing in the presence of God, then
has he the power TO fight because the Lord
will be with him.
There is another feature to be looked at.
Guilds. brotherboods, societies, &c. are all
good things In the churches, but there ia a
danger which many overlook. The ma
chinery Of society or brotherhood is
nothing. 1t must have power 10 run it.
and that is what SO many forget. The
power to run the machinery must have the |
great power from above, the Holy Spirit, |
which alone can cause il to operate.
Ia large mandatory may he found |
many handsome, polished. costly machines
and an immense Corllss engine. That ma
chnery wOuld rust 80 pieces unless the |
power was generated in the engine. You
may have all your machinery, all your hui
man wisdom. but without the application
of the Holy Spirit YOU might as we'll close
up shop. Many men die In sin; spend their
time in places Of temptation. and sink |
lower and lower because they cannot |
recognize their own weakness. Gideon |
could, and therein laid his strength.
This commission TO Gideon taught him TO |
look to God. What were thirty-two thou
sand men to the innumerabe host opposed |
to hImr Yet he was told TO reduce 1t TO
hundred. He did so. And with that little |
band he is ready TO fight. Whyy lie be-
lieVed in God Not God somewhere i'm |
the universe. A fool believes in that kind. |
When YOU camG ~ church this night and
saw the glorious heavens, you knew there |
was a God. But Gideon believed in God
the living God. When he said go forward, |
will he with YOU" Gideon went because |
he believed in living God, the great God |
and Father Of us all.
Has God ever proved unfaithful to us |
Has mans confidence in Him been mis-
placed Has He ever failed to keep a |
promise We see the promised Redeemer
hanging on the cross. From that cross J
came a triumph never dreamed of by man.
God with his power was there. II we trust
in that power we will carry a sword stronger |
than any ever possessed by man.
The preacher drew another lesson. He |
said the entire three hundred held their
places. 1t was not Gideon alone, hut all of |
the little army, that blew the trumpets and |
shouted "rhe sword Of the Lord and of
Gideon" Each man discharged his duty |
as faithfully as Gideon. At the present /
time so many people in the Church think |
that Gideon should do it all. The minister
alone must blow the trumpet and shout the |
battle cry. How many are there in the |
Church who do nothing; say they have no |
money 10 give, no time TO spend looking |
after the souls welfare OF their neighbour |
They are not like Gideon's men. who, every /
man of them, kept his place and acted like |
Gideon.
This grand army Of neutrals is around us. |
They see the blind going in darkness: they |
see the pitfalls Of temptation surrounding |
the young and old. They do nothing. They |
are neutral. They have made no promises |
We have no place in this fight for neutrality
You must be with me or against me. There
was neutral mentioned in Judges. A
against Israel. A small army opposed |
them. Israel had small show Of success.
But God fought with Israel The stars In
their courses fought against Sisera. When
the victory was won 1t was found that one
little town had been neutral. Ii felt itself
safe. Whichever side Won II could say we
took no part against you. But the word of
the Lord went forth, ''Curse We, Meroz, curse
We bitterly, the inhabitants of the land
thereof, because they came not to the help of
the Lord against the mighty"
That curse rests on each neutral TODAY
who does not put on the armour Of Christ
and fight under his banner, welding the
sword of Gideon, which is the word Of God.
If YOU 20 forward united with one object in
view, inspired with the power Of the most
high. carrying that sword. which is the
spirit, you also will be nvincble. and the
prophecy of Isaiah as told in the 35th chap
ter. All will be glad at the great conquest
in the cause of Christ. Those YOU will bring
into the fold will sing with you the old
songs Of Zion, and the knowledge Of the
Lord snail cover the earth as the waters
cover the sea.
May we not take the example of Gideon
AWAY with maphiuarv unH f,.t H..