Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-09-28
"THE BATTLE OURS. "
paw. DR.. Talmage breaches a Ser
mon of Gladness.
The Word of God Becoming More and
More Popular Infidelity Not Half
So Bold as Formerly-Rapid
Growth of the Chris
tian Church.

y
was ''Tke Battle is Ours the text be-
ING I. Kings-xx., u: "And the chill
dren of Israel pitched before them like
two little hocks of kids"
With thirty-three kings drunk in one
tent, this chapter opens. They were
allies plotting for the overthrow of
the Lords Israel. You know that if a
lion roar, flock of kids will SILVER
and huddle together. One lion could
conquer thousand kids The battle
opens. There are great army of Syr-
ians under Gen. Ben-hadad, strong as
lions. The Israelites are few and weak,
like two little fiocks of kids. VINO
beat? The lions, of course. o, no;
the kids. For it all depends whether
God is on the side of the lions or the
kids. After the battle one hundred
thousand Syrians lay dead on the field,
and twenty-seven thousand attempting
to fly. came along by great wall,
which toppled and crushed them to
death.
Which was the stronger weapon
great Goliaths sword or little David's
sling? David had five smooth stones
from the brook. He only used one in
striking down Goliath. He had a sur
plus of ammunition; he had enough to
take down four mere giants if they APP
peared in the way. 1t all depends upon
whether God is on the side of the shep-
herd boy or on the side of the giant.
There have been many in our day
who have ventured the opinion that
Christianity is falling back, and that
in fifty years it will be extinct They
found their opinion on the assumed
fact that the Bible is not as much of a
book as it used TO be. and that portions
of it are repulsive to the people. | re-
plv by asking, which one of the pub
fishing houses of New York. Philadel-
phia. Boston, or Chicago is publishing
the Bible to-day with the omission OF a
single verse or chapter? Are not our
publishers intelligent menu And would
they, contrary to their financial inter
ests. continue to publish the Bible
without the omission of single
chapter or a single verse If 1t were
becoming an unpopular book, and
the people did not want it. If Harpers,
or Appleton, or Scribner, or Lippincott
should publish Bible with the omis-
sion of one chapter they would not
sell ten copies in ten years. The fact
that throughout Christendom there are
hundreds of printing presses printing
the Word of God without the omission
of chapter or verse proves that the
Bible is popular; and the fact that there
are more being printed in this decade
than any other decade proves that the
Bible is increasing in popularity.
go through the court rooms OF the
country. Wherever l find judge
bench or clerks desk find the Bible
By what other book would they take
solemn oath? What is very apt to bt
among the brides presents? The
Bible. What is very apt to be put II
the trunk of the young man when h'
starts for city life? The Bible. Vol
taire predicted that the Bible during
the nineteenth century would become
an obsolete book. Well, we are pretty
nearly through the nineteenth cen
turv: the Bible is not obsolete yet
there is not much prospect OF It's oe
coming obsolete. but | have to tell yo'
that that room-the very room II
which Voltaire wrote that prediction
some time ago was crowded from moo
to ceiling with Bibles for Switzerland
Suppose the congress of the Unite'
States should pass law that NJ
Bibles should be printed in the Unlte'
States. If there are thirty millioi
grown men and women in the country
then there would be thirty million PEG
ME armed against such a law. Bu
sunpose the congress of the Unlte'
States should pass a law that Macau
Lewis history or Charles Reeds novel
should not be read-could you get nal
as large an army, or the iourth
LARGE an army? In other words, ther
are. as YOU know and | know, thou
sand men who would die for thei
Bibles. where there are hfty men WI
would die for any other book
fact that there are now more bipie
being nrinted than ever before, tina
a nnhlishers find il a financial interes
' for them to continue the publication {
the Bible, proves that this book Is SUI
the most popular book on the planet
"Rut." saw those who are antagonli
tic, Christianity is falling back froi
the fact that the church is not as niue
respected as it used to be. and is not
influential" reply to that with Tn
statistic that one denommation--th
Methodist church-according to SUI
tistic given me by one of their bishop
dad;.atas IN an average a new churc
every day Of the year. Three hundre
and sixty-five new churches in one d
nomination in year. and over a tho
sand new churches built every year
this country. Does that look as thong
the church were failing in its powe
and were becoming a worn out lnsti'
ton? Around which institution IN o.
communities gather the most arael
affections? The post Office, the ho.s
the court house, the city hall or =
churches? Why. when our old laoe
nacle was burning there were huhure'
of ruap standing in the streets WI