Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-05-30

| therefore,, nave slnneu against MS religion
had he made any obeisanco or dropped his
| chin half an inch bsfore Haman.
When, therefore, proud Haman attempt
cd TO compel an homage which was not felt
| he only did what the world ever since has
tried to do, when it would force our holy
religion in any way to yield TO its dictates
| Daniel, II he had been man OF religious
compromises. would never have been
thrown into the den OF lions. He might
have made some arrangement with King
Darius whereby he could have retained
part of his form Of religion without making
himself so completely obnoxious to the
idolaters. Paul might have retained the
favor OF his rulers and escaped martyrdo m
IL he had only boon willing to mix up his
Christian faith with few errors. His
unbending Christian character was taken
as an insult.
F'agot and rack and halter in all ages
have been only the different ways in watch
the world has demanded obesance. 1t was
once, away up on the top of the temple,
that Satan comm inded the Holy Ono 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 espousers of the
Christian faith TO kneel before him Why
was it that the Platonic phil osophers of
early times, as we'll as Toland, SpinoZa and
Bolingbroke of latter days, were so m ably
opposed to Christianity Certainly not
because it favored immoralities. or arrested
civilization, or dwarfed the intellect. The
genuine reason, whether admitted or not,
was because the relig on OF Christ paid no
respect TO their intellectual vauties.
Blount, and Boyle, and the host of In fides
Matched out by the vile reign OF Charles
the Second, as reptiles crawl out OF u marsh
OF slime, could not keep their patience
because, as they passed along, there wore
sitting IN the gate OF the church such men
as Matthew, and Mark, and Luke, and
John VINO would not bend an inch in respect
TO their philosophers.
Satan told our first parents that they
would become as gods IL they would only
reach up and take u taste OF the fruit They
tried 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 vet another apple. HUI
man reason, scornful OF Gods word, may
foam and strut with the proud wrath OF a
Hannah, and attempt TO compel the homage
of the good, but in the presence of men ana
angels il shall be confoundeI. "Goi shall
smito thee, thou whitel wall" When
science began to make its brilliant discov-
cries there we're great facts brought 10
light that seemed to overthrow the truth OF
the Bible. The archeologist with his crow
bar, and the geolo yist with his hammer, AMI
the chemist with his batteries charged
upon the Bible. Moses account OF the
creation seemed denied by the very struc.
ture OF the earth. Tho astronomer wheel
ed round his telescope until tn, heavenly
bodies seemed TO marshal themselves
against the Bible as the stars in their
courses fought AGAINST SiserL ObservI-
tories and universities rejoicei at VIII
they considered the extraction of Christ
ianity. They gathered new colrlge at
what they considered past victory, and
pressed on their conquest into tho kingd )m
OF nature until, alas for the n! they dis
covered too much Coils word h I'd only
been lying in ambush that. in some un-
guarded moment, with SUDDEN bound, it
might tear infidelity to pieces.
1t was as when Joshua attacked the city
of Al. He selected thirty thousand men,
and concealed most OF them; then with n
few men he assdiled the city, which poured
out its numbers and strength upon Joshua's
little band. According 10 previous plan,
they fell back in seeming defeat but,
after all the proud inhabitants OF the city
had been brought out OF their homes, AMI
JoihOu AZ VI JOohNu,
denly that brave man halted in his flight,
and with his spear pointing toward the
city, thirty thousand men boun led from
the thickets as panthers spring to their
prey and the pursusrs were dashed to
pieces, while the hosts of Joshua pressed
up to the city, and with their lighted
torches tossed IL into flames. Thus IL was
that the discoveries OF science seemed to
give temporary victory against God and the
Bible, and for a while the church acted as
IL she were on q retreat; but when all the
opposers OF God and truth had Joined in the
pursuit, and were sure OF the field, Christ
gave the signal to His church, and turning,
they drove back their foes in shame.
There was found TO be no antagonism
between nature and revelation. The I'M
iverse and the Bible were found TO be the
work Of the same hand, two strokes of the
same pen, their authorship the same God
Again: Learn tho lesson that pride
so far up as Haman. who tumbled so
far downi Yes, on smaller scale every
day the world sees the same thing. Against
their very advantages men trip into de-
struction. When God humbles proud men,
1t is usually at the moment OF their great
est arrogancy. II there be a man in your
community greatly pulled up with worldly
sue ess, you have but to stand little while
and you will see him come down. You
say, wonder that Col allows thai man to
go on riding over others heads and making
great ass Imptions OF power. There is no
wonder about ii. Haman has not yet got
to the TOP. Pride Is u commander, we'll
plumed and capar soned but IL leads forth
dark and frowning host. We have the best
of authoritj for saying that "Pr.de goeth
before destruction, aud hiughty spirit
before fall" The arrows from the AL
mighty's culver are apt to strike a man
when on the wing. Goliath shakes his
great spear In defiance, but the small stones
from the brook Elah make him stagger and
fall like an OK under the butchers blu igeor.
Ee who is down cannot fall. Vessels scud-
ding under bIrs poles do not feel the force
of the storm but those with all sails set
capsize at the sudden descent of tho tenn.
pest
Again: This Oriental tale reminds us
OF the fact that wrongs we prepare for
others return upon ourselves The gallows
that Hannah bull; for Mordecai became the
prime minister's stran yulatioA. Robs-
Sphere, who sent so many 10 the gillotine,
had his own head chopped OFF by that
horrid instrument The evil you practice
on others will rscoil upon your own pate
SANDERS come home Expressions come
home. Cruelties come home You will