The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1892-10-01

don't want you to think OF the church
of Jesus Christ as defeated institu.
ton, as the victim of infidel sarcasm
something to be kicked and cuffed and
trampled on through all ages OF
the world. 1t is IAN army with
banners. It has an inscription
and colors such as never stirred
the hearts of any soldiery. We have
our banner of recruit, and on it is in.
scribed: "Who is on the Lords side?"
Our banner of defiance, and on it is in.
scribed: 1.-THE gate of hell shall not
prevail against u.s." Our banner OF
triumph, and on it is inscribed: ''vic.
tory through our Lord Jesus Christi
and we mean to plant that banner on
every hilltop and wave it at the gate
of Heaven.
With Christ to lead us we need not
fear. will not underrate the enemy.
They are a tremendous host. They
come on with acutest strategy. Their
weapons by all the inhabitants of dark
ness have been forged in furnaces OF
everlasting fire. We contend not with
flesh and blood, but with prin-
cipalities and powers and spiritual
wickedness in high places; but il
God be for us, who can be against
us? Come on, We troops of the Lord!
Fall into line! Close up the ranks! On
through burning sands and over frozen
mountain tops, until the whole earth
surrenders to God. He made it; He re.
deemed it; He shall haveit. They shall
not be trampled with hoofs; they shall
not be cut with sabers; they shall not
be crushed with wheels; they shall not
be cloven with battle-axes, but the
marching and the onset and the vic
tory will be none the less decisive for
that.
With Christ to lead us, and Heaven to
look down upon us, and angels to
guard us, and martyr spirits to bend
from their thrones, and the voice Of
God to bid us forward into the combat,
our enemies shall fly like chaff in the
whirlwind, and all the towers of
Heaven ring because the day is ours.
] divide this army with banners into
two wings-the American wing and
the European wing. The American
wing will march on across the wilds OF
the west, over the tablelands, and come
to the ocean, no more stopped by the
Pacific than the Israelites were stopped
by the Red sea, marching on until the
remaining walls of China will fall be-
fore this army with banners, and cold
Siberia will be turned to the warm
heart of Christ, and over lofty Himalay-
an peaks shall go this army with BAN
ners until it halts at Palestine.
The European wing will march out
to meet it, and Spanish superstition
shall be overcome, and French infidelity
shall be conquered; and over the Alps,
with more than HannibaPs courage,
shall march that army with banners,
and up through the SHOWS of Russia,
vaster in multitude than the hosts that
followed Napolean into the conflict And
Hungary and Poland, by the blood of
their patriots and by the blood of
Christ, shall at last be free. And cross
ing into Asia, the law shall again be
proclaimed on Sinai, and Christ in the
person of His ministers, will again
preach on Olivet, and pray in Geth-
semane. and exhibit His love on CAL
vary. And then the army will halt in
front of the other wing, the twain hav-
ing conquered all the earth for God.
History tells us that one day the
armies of Xerxes shouted all at once,
and the vociferation was so mighty
that the birds flying through the air
dropped as though they were dead.
Oh, what shout of triumph when all
the armies of earth and all the armies of
Heaven shall celebrate the victory of
our King-an at once and all together:
''Hallelujahi for the Lord God omnipo-
tent reigneth. Hallelujah! for the king
doms of this world have become the
kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ
When the Prussian army came back
from their war they were received in
1866 at the gates of Berlin, and a choir
stood above the gates, and as the first
regiment advanced and came to the
gates the choir, in music, asked them
what right they had to enter there.
And then the first regiment, in song,
replied, telling over the stories of their
conflicts and their victories Then they
marched in, and all the city was full of
gladness and triumph. But, oh. the
greater joy when the army with BAN
ners shall come up to the gates of our
King!
1t will be choir to choir, music TO
music, hosanna to hosanna, hallelujah
to hallelujah. Lift up your heads, ye
everlasting gates, and let them come
in. Then will be spread the banquets
of eternal victory, and the unfailen
ones of Heaven will sit at it,
and all the ransoned of earth will
come in and celebrate the jubilee with
unfading garlands on their brow telling
of earthly conquests. All the walls of
that celestial mansion will be a-glitter
with shields won in victorious battle,
and adorned with the banners of God
that were carried in front of the host.
Harp shall tell to harp the heroism in
which the conquerors won their palm,
and the church that day will sit
queen at the banquet. Her wan
behring's over, her victories gained,
Christ shall rise up to in
troduce her to all the nations of
Heaven, and as she pulls aside her veil
and looks up into the face of her Lord
the King, Christ shall exclaim: This
is she that lookett forth as the morn
ing, fair as the moon, clear as the sun
and terrible as q n armv with banners !"