The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-11-30


ders the gospel in fact was first proclaimed, a |
world wide audience thronged the streets of
and rushed to see and hear. 1t hap
pened that when the first Christian martyr was |
stoned to death. the executioners laid down |
their garments at the feet of a young man |
named Saul; later on this Jealous young man, |
in pursuit of his favorite pastime of persecu |
tion, happened to be approaching Damascus on
a certain day and arrived just in time to see
heavenly vision and hear q divine call that |
changed the whole current of his life. 1t SO
happened that he had been thoroughly edu-
Gated in the Greek and Hebrew languages w as
deeply versed in the Old Testament scriptures
and was splendldly endowed by nature and ed
ucation for preaching the gospel; that he was
born a Roman citizen which gave preroga lives
and opened avenues that were denied every
other Christian preacher of his day; happening
to be brought by Barnabas to Antioch at time
when the flame of religious zeal burned most
brightly, he was, by accident chosen as mis-
sionary; by certain chain of fortuitous cir
cumstances he was thrown into contact with a
good many people of his day.even king or two
and one emperor, at least; it happened that
not few people owed their conversion to him
he also wrote quite number of letters. some of
which happen to be preserved and happily for
us, form large part of the New Testament
scriptures OF course in an unhappy world
like ours we are sure that this was all uufore
seen and it was only by alucky guess that this
man with his unexampled zeal, courage, energy
and splendid dialectic powers was put into the
field as the great apostle to the Gentiles.
Moses happened to be born at such a time
that the close of his forty years of schooling in
the desert Tailed exactly with the close of the
predicted four hundred years of bondage Da-
vid happened to be on hand to don the robes of
royalty when they fell from the shoulders of
the apostate Saul. The gen srous. broad mind
ed, reverential Cyrus was accommodating
enough to appear on the scene just at the juno
ture when captive Israel was ready to return
and rebuild the city and temple of God.
When the American colonsts concluded that
they would blaze out track for liberty through
this western wilderness one George Washing
ton was ON hand with his little hatchet
Yes, things do happen to men. Paul tells us
SO. He says that certain things happened to
Israel for types; it is a very curious problem
how men came. in after ages. to blunder upon
the very things that fulfilled these types and
that type and antitypeseparated by thousand
years. should exactly correspond with each
other-when it all happenedso. Certain thin gs
happened to Paul himself; but curiously
enough a
somehow they fell out unto the furtherance OF
the gospel
Oh friends. let US get above this poor faith
less practice of attributing everything to
| chance If Gods providence can sustain the
sparrow and clothe the grass of the field. shall
it not reach us for whom these things were
made2 We cannot always see and know the
reasons for things. but we can always trust;
and there is one whom nothing surprises or
finds unprepared. Somewhere there is an
eye that looks on all this strange bewilderment
of human affairs and feels no wonder because
| it looks it through and through and sees its
| first principles and final causes clear as day
light" " Whatever we may say of men God is
never taken by surprise. The word happen
| or any of its synonyms is not in his vocabulary
Every contingency is foreseen. every emer-
gency is provided for. If the fields are lying
white for the harvest he has his reapers ready
There is man for every field and a field fol
every man. The assurance that nerved the
heart of Queen Esther to plead for the redemp
tion of her people is every Christian workers
guarantee today; assuredly "Thou are come Il
the kingdom for such time as this.' In oul
blindness Gods allotments may sometimes
seem very unwise; but he never makes mis-
take Happily for us if we implicitly trust him
those who have well learned the great lessor
that In whatsoever state they are. therein t.
be content -
What if to the fiery evangelist comes the an
gelic summons to leave populous Samaria ant
the field of success aud seek a desert road an
single traveller; unpromising as the roa
seems it leads straight to the heart of Africs
For reasons known at the time to the Master
alone, Paul and his companions are forbidden
to preach the word in Asia.'' Mysia must b,
passed by, the way into Billy MIA is blocked VI
and the only thing left to the perplexed disci
Piles is to trudge on till stopped by the sea
but beyond that sea, unseen and unapprecia te
by men. but measured by the eye Of omnipo
tence Jie the glorious harvests of Phillippi
Thessalonica, Berea and CorInth; yea, indeed
in the dim prospective of future ages of moder
Europe and free America.
Is cur way hard2 Let US remember that 10
seph's way to Pharaoh's throne lay through tn
pit of Dothan. Ishmaelitish bondage and Poti
phar's dungeonI That Paul's way to Rom
was through the maddened crowd at Jerusalem
the prison of Claudius Lysias and the forum O
Felix and Festus; yea, more. that the blesse
Son of God climbed to seat at Gods righ
hand through the sharp temptations of the will
derness the unspeakable SORROWS of Gethsem
| 7
the gravel
Goods plans. like lilies, pure and white unfold
We must not tear the close shut leaves apart
Time will reveal the calyxes of gold;
| And if through patient toll we reach the Ian
, Where tiled feet with sandals loosed may res
Where we shall clearly know and understan
1 think that we shall say, God knows the best
1t is very fitting, as we are assembled il
|
keep this national holyday and give expires
sions to our appreciation of the blessings
vouchsafed to us as people, that we shall seel
, for the fundamental causes of our unexample
growth and prosperity as a nation. What
the greatest moral force in the world today
From what source did the principles come tina
are most potent in modern society2 In wha
school were the statesmen trained who formu
lated for us our American constitution and lai
broad and deep the foundations of our FIRE
government? Where did the world get its ney
watchwords of liberty. equality, fraternity
What institution is there in the world tina
forms an essential element in our highest civi
E lization and leaven the nobest thought of tn
age, that shows no signs Of decay though hoar
with age but gathers new strength with eac
revolution in human affairs and is bringing n a
, tions under its benifcent sway Is it not tn
stone cut out of the mountain without hands
that shall become a great mountain and fl
, the whole earth'' and "stand forever" Behol
the harvest field of souls. tae millions who owl
the sway of Christ in this our day. The frui
thereof shakes like Lebanonl 1t was once bu
, a handful of corn in the earth upon the tops o
the mountains % Hear the decree of the AL
mighty: I'm the days of those kings shall tn
God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall
| 10 r. hall y
pieces and consume all those Kingdoms and
shall stand forever.''
.'City of God, grown old. with silent faces,
/ Lying beneath the shadow of the clay
Thine are the towers built up in barren places
Thine the great bastions waiting for the day
Dim through the night stone after stone arises
Bold through the down step forth the peak
of flame
Touched with the splendor of those glad sur
prises.
By which the blessing of the Spirit came"
Shall we be told that the glorious achieve
ments of the church of God are not the outcom,
of divine plan and purpose? That the dram
of human life is magnificent game of chanc
in which the prophetic purposes of God happel
to come to fulfllmentS Is the church of God
|