The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-05-01
GODS KINGDOM.
It Comes in IN Unique, Aggressive and
Universal Way-Men Laugh and
God Laughs The Chris
tian's Goal.
BAPTIST U n
he coming kingdo m"

BAPTIST CHURCH.
.'The coming kingdo m"
Mat. 6:1O. SHY kingdom come
The christian world in swelling anthem
Of prayer cries, ssThy kingdom come-p
Denominational lines do not limit this
petition. It il . simple. faith-flled
expression Of de sire for the oncoming
OF the kingdom Of peace and good will,
Every sick, troubled, doubling, sim
burdsned, guilty, dying groan voices
this prayer. ssThe whole creation
groaneth, waiting" for it's coming, and
triumphs.
In answer to this SPIRIT indicted, God
taught prayer, the kingdom come. but
/. st cometh not By observation"
It's plans, methods, means are unique,
mysterious uno~stentatious.
Men have argued therefore that il
was not the coming Of the Kingdom.
They refused to recognize the king. be-
cause he came not with parade and hosts
and banners. But men we're mistaken.
It was He. The kingdom was coming
then, IL coming nov. Il occupies and
sets His throne in human hearts, then
q church is formed, becomes o ~propagat-
ing agency-presto; . nation becomes
| christian.
III. It's coming 10 aggressive. It 10
not defensive only. II moves on the
evenings work ks, subdues hearts; makes
aliens citizens; enemies friends; breaks
down theories; subverts prejudices;
convinces doubtsrs; compels wickedness
to hide it's deformed head. 1t is to 60
on conquering, till earth ~rejoices in sal
walton; until sins black curse is obliter-
ated, and the world filed with the
knowledge of gospel salvation.
III. Thus the coming kingdoms sway
is universal. AS it subdued Parthlans,
Modes, etc. at P~entecost, &C it sweeps
onward, prejudices, dark superstition,
kingly ~prohlbitory edicts, mighty seas
and Chinese walls cannot debar it.
Philosophy and science falsely so called,
defient scepticisn, and blatant unbelief
are powerless, as witness Periphery,
Julian, Rousseau, Payne, Ingersoll. 1t ia
time christianity's foes recognized their
impotency to hinder its oncoming. Its
reign now extends to nearly every nation
and homage is paid to King Jesus; and
they are feeling the electric thrill OF
His reign Of grace and love. AS it comes
earth is being lifted up to beauty, glory,
heaven; and heaven is brought nearer to
SHINING, suffering needy earth.
N. e. CHURCH.
Evening subject: "Man laughing at
God and God laughing at man." Text:
Luke 6-25.
Laughter is not always an expression
Of innocent merriment, but sometimes
indicative Of sarcasm, contempt, ridicule
and even scornful and naughty triumph.
Strangely, men laugh at God, and even
more strange, God laughs at man.
l. Man laughs at God. There are
6cF0Edl ouCu kuot0uOCo Ia cCfhpbuEO Uua
from two general causes. (a) Unbelief.
Abram and Sarah each laughed when
God promised them q son in their old
age. aIs anything too hard for the
Lord2" the angel asked by way of re.
buke. After all, are miracles more won
derful than natural occurrencesf Only
because not AZ common. God ID 81;
mighty, be doeth Whatsoever he will.
Natural laws are supernatural. re q
miracle is something that only God can
do" then all nature ID q miracle. An ur-
believer, to be consistent, should believe
nothing. Men are yet laughing at the
notion OF q God; at the plan and need Of
salvation; at the duty OF immediate ac-
ton; at the danger Of delay; at future
rewards and punishments. But these
are truths. They are not ephemeral;
cannot be laughed away. What il some
do not believe, shall it make the truth Of
God Of no effect? Then there is The
laugh (b) Of scorn, OF contempt, bitter
disgust, hatred, unbslief gone mad. In
the chamber OF the dead maiden when
Jesus told the mourners that she was
not dead but sleepeth, they laughed him
toscorn. To-day We find bible haters,
christian haters, Sabbath haters, God
haters.
2. God laughs at man. An anthro-
pomorphous term, several times used in
the bible. (a) Derision. "He that sit
teth 10 the hesvens shall laugh, the Lord
shall hold them in derision.r Who?
The class above referred to. Infidels
have boastsd that they should live to
see christianity rum out. Paine boastsd
that with his simple Ratchet he had cut
down Zone after another Of tho trees Of
the christian Garden Of Eden, till scarce
" . sapling Ii left" But on his death
bed he cried, II would give worlds il /
had them, that the Age Of Reason had
never been published Yoltaire boasted