Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-06-05

ion in any way to yield to its dictates:
Fagot and rack and halter in all ages
have been only the different ways in
Which tie tforld has demanded obeis
ance. 1t was once away up Oh tie top 81
the temple, that Satan commanded the
Holy One of Nazareth to kneel before
him. But it is not now so much on the
top of churches as down in the aisle and
the pew and pulpit that Satan temptS
the espUusers Of the Christian fsith &c
kfieel before him. Why was 1t that the
Platofiic philosophers of early times, as
Well as Toland, Spifoza and Eo1ihE'
broke Of latter days, were SO madly op-
posed to Christianity? Certainly not be-
cause it favored immoralities, OF arrest
ed civilization, or the dwarfed intellect
! The Genuine reason, whether admitted
Of not was because the religion of Christ
paid no respect to their intellectual van
it es.
Satan told our first parents that they
would become as gods if they would
only reach up and take a taste of the
fruit They tiled it and failed, but their
descendants are not yet satisfied with
the experiment. We have now many
desiring to be as gods, reaching up after
yet another apple. Human reason.
scOrnful Of Gods word, may foam and
strut with the protd wrath of a Hannah,
and attempt to compel the homage of
the good, but in the presence Of men
and angels it shall be COMPOUNDED. God
shall sfnite thee, thou whited wall"
When science began to make its brill
liant discoveries there were great facts
brOugt to light that seemed to overthrow
Ogist with his crowbar, and the geol-
Ogist with his hammer, and the chemist
with his batteries charged upon
the Bible. Moses account of the
creation seemed denied by the very
structure of the earth. The astronomer
wheeled round his telescope until the
heavenly bodies seemed to marshal
stars in their courses fought against
Sisera. Observatories and universities
rejoiced at what they considered past
victory, and pressed on their conquest
into the kingdom of nature until, alas
for theml they discovered too much.
Gods word had only been lying in am
bush that, in some unguarded moment
with sudden bound, it might tear in
fidelity to pieces.
1t was as when Joshua attacked the
city of All. He selected 80, 900 men, and
concealed most of them; then with a
few men he assaulted the city, which
poured out its numbers and strength up
on Joshua's little band. According to
previous plan, they fell back in seeming
defeat but, after all the proud inhabit-
ants of the city had been brought out of
their homes and had joined in the pur-
suit of Joshua, suddenly that brave man
halted in his flight, and with his spear
pointing toward the city, $4,000 men
bounded from the thickets as panthers
spring to their prey and the pursuers were
dashed to pieces, while the hosts of
Joshua pressed up to the city, and with
their lighted torches tossed it into the
flames. Thus it was that the discov-
cries of science seemed to give tempo
rary victory against God and the Bible,
and for a while the church acted as if
she were on retreat; but, when all the
Opposers of God and truth had Joined
in pursuit, and were sure of the field,
hrist gave the signal to His church,
and turning, they drove back their foes
in shame. There was found to be no
antag nism between nature and revela-
ton. The universe and the Bible were
found to be the work of the same hand,
two strokes of the same pen, their au-
thority the same God.
Again: Learn the lesson that pride
goes before fall. Was any man ever
so far up as Hannah, who tumbled so far
down? Yes, on a smaller scale every
day the world sees the same thing.
Against their very advantages men trip
into destruction. When God humbleS
proud men it is usually at the moment
of their greatest arrogancy. If there
be man in your community greatly
pulled up with worldly success, you
have but to stand little while and you
will see him come down. You say, /
wonder that God allows that man togo
on riding over others heads and making
great assumptions of power. There is
no wonder about it. Haman has not yet
got to the top. Pride is a commander,
we'll plumed and caparisoned, but it
leads forth dark and frowning host.
We have the best of authority for say
ing that pride goeth before destruc-
ton, and naughty spirit before fall"
The arrows from the Almighty's culver
are apt to strike a man when on the
wing.
Again: This oriental tale reminds us
of the fact that wrongs we prepare for
others return upon ourselves. The gal
lows that Haman built for Mordecai be-
came the Prime Minister'S strangula-
ton. Robespierre, who sent so many to
the guillotine, had his own head chopped
off by that horrid instrument The evil
you practice on others will recoil upon
your own pate. SANDERS come home.
Cruelties come home. You will yet be
a lackey walking beside the very charger
on which you expected to ride others
down. When Charles /, who had de-
stroyed STAFFORD, was about to be be-
headed, he said: Il basely ratified an
unjust sentence and the similar injus-
tice l am now to undergo is sensible
for the punishment inflicted
on an innocent man."
Furthermore, let the story of Haman
teach us how quickly turns the wheel of
fortune. One day, excepting the King,
Haman was the mightiest man in Per-
STA; but the next day. lackey. So we
go up and so we come down. You sell
dom find any man twenty years in the
same circumstances. OF those who, in
political life twenty years ago, were the
most prominent, how few remain in con-