The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-25

Wheeling boy, now located at Fair
viow in tho Pittsburgh prcsbytery,
rTcochcd yesterday forenoon in the
First Presbyterian church, and there
. rns a very good congregation in spite
Of the really oppressive heat. His
theme was Faith" and he took for his
text Hebrews Il, S0:
"By faith the walls Of jericho fell
down, after they were cpmpasaed about
seyen days"
He said: Faith is a plant OF divine
Wanting and Of divine growth, It Is,
however, planted in q strange, uneon.
Genial soil, and sometimes suffers not d
ftlc from it's environment.
sometimes IL seOms to wlthcr away
will il almost disappears from above
" u@', at othor times 1t revives and
5,ings forth tia wonderful fruits to
Gods glory and praise. Now, on this
orcnsion, faith in God was in splendid
condition, in lively and vigorous exer:;
ri.e Therefore was this mighty deed
OF TcnOWu uCSOlhPioHSN. 80,
For lack OF strong, Simple faith in
God, this deed took so long to be ac-
comp!ishcd.
this same point, to this very opportun-
;,v hit iaith In Him was at such low
cbb tia: this deed could not be done.
God had to lead them up and down
.Lrough thc Wilderness till they fell,
and from their sons raised up a moro
faithful generation to serve Him and to
do His work i,
Jericho we perceive the working Of
faith, tho activity itproduces, tho hope
that springs from 1t, and victory that
attendsit.
J. Faith leads to action. 1t was the
greatness OF his faith that led Joshua
10 issue the command TO tho army OF
Israel: pass on; compass the city,"
Hebelieyed the Lords assurance, II
will not fail thee nor forsako thee"
He believed the promise, "As was
with Moses, SO l will be with thee"
Grounded in the faith OF God, he went
about the business entrusted to him.
FAITH IS TIE MOST ACTIVE PRINCIPLE.
known to the human mind. Give o
man the eye of faith and he will bend
every nerve ,stroin every muscle, to OBJ
tain the object OF his search. He
knows nothing OF fear, is scrupulously
obedent unto the laws governing his
success. It is faith that moves the ma
chinery OF life.
Faith drives the iron horse, places
the merchant vessel on our seas and
bids tho busy world move on, in conf
dence OF ultimate success.
The most inactive thing in the world
is the lack Of faith.
Faith in religion is thesame principle
as faith in worldly things, diiFeringonly
in its object. Faith in God is as sublime
as tits simple; as potent as II splain.
It's the connecting link between i'm
potence and omnipotence: between
necessity and all sufficiency. He that
byiaith layeth hold on God has accom-
plished tho simplest and yet the grand
est act of the mind. He has connected
himself with that power which moves
him to constant action. He awaits the
commands OF tho Great Captain Of his
salvation, constantly inauiring, "What
wilt thou have me to do?"
We believe we are saved by faith
alone, but not by a faith which Is alone.
ltisnot faith that saves merely. We
are saved by faith without works, but
not BY faith which is without works.
II. Faith dispels fear. This under
taking of Joshua's was no small matter.
Without an assault, without an attempt
at violence, the proud city. was to be
lsraeps. To an unbeliever this mode Of
warfare would seem too ridiculous to
merit attention. But it is the way in
which tho Almighty God is accomplish
ing his purposes. Silently the forces
OF faith are at work; men ridicule, the
world laughs at such folly, but 1t shall
sec tho wisdom OF iaith's folly.
ltmay not have been Joshua's way,
but it was Gods way and he displays
Nhat
CIEILD-ILKE TRUST
by obedience. Around tho city he
marched, fearing nothing save disobc.
diencc TO orders. At Rome there is a
prisoner, his end Is near at hand. He
sits down to pen his last recorded letter.
Prison bars, cruel stripes have not caus-
cd ono pNng OF regret for his confidence
in the Son OF God, and with OVERLOOKING
love he tells Timothy: ~ know whom
have believed, and am persuaded that
he isable to keep that which l have
committed unto him against that day."
That is faith III vigorous exercise. That
IS faith that know no such thing us rest,
but pressed constantly and unswery-
lngly toward the high calling of God,
which is in Christ Jesus. Faith in God
leads to organized activity. God does
MS work by plan. by system. The host
that surrounded Jericho was not a mob,
not band OF mon without method,
without intelligent direction.
The ark OF the Lord occupied the CEN
traI position. Everything that was
done had special reference to it; indi-
Mdua preferences were subscryient to
H. How grandly they marched TO vic
tory with tho ark in the center. They
Know what TO do with the Lord They
knew not how to do without Him.
Whom tho individual is thoroughly
organized with the ark in tho center
OF his heart the church OF God will
march triumphantly to victory. Many
make light OF tho church, but God Is
W!LoFkin,E through her agency. When
me Ark OF the Covenant is In the cen.
Tor, and the march around tho walled
IeHchg Of sin in is made. Jericho will
be siraightly shut up"
The field will DO clear, tho issue def.
nnttie-all Jericho there, Israel here.
Inc greatest charge against us to-day is
!na' You cannot distinguish ono from
tne other, and it Is extremely difficult
ut times TO detect IN IsrncIitc. You
cannot tell Jericho from Israel, for tho
central tiHuro in tho march is aelf. mud