The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-07-30
sCRIPTURAL TIMES.
How Gods People Should Profit By Hard
Experiences Ohautauqua Lessons
and Retrospect.
NJ. e CHURCH.

ASAGS AA0NO latin ia 0Odp S5bs MARA
xi:22. In these times OF unrest and dis-
couragement brought about by social
slrifes, the ''hard times" and greatly
aggravated hereabonts by an almost
total failure of crops, the question is
seriously propounded by many, "what is
to become OF uRf"
IL is not altogether strange that such
q question is raised by people who
have been so universally and perpetually
blessed and favored. But faith is the
antidote for fear. David SAID, therefore
will We lot fear, though the earth be re-
moved, and though the mountains be
carried into the midst OF the sea-" and
Habakkuk; 'although the fig tree shall
not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the
vines; the labor Of the olive shall fail,
and the fields shall yield no meat; the
hock shall he cut off from the fold, and
there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet
will l rejoice in the Lord, / will JOY in
the God of my salvation"
1. Believe In God, as operating In
nature. God was in the food OF the
edituvians, the drouths and famines
OF Palestine, Egypt and lthe world. He
vas 10 the swollen Jordan, the stormy
Galllee and the angry Mediterranean.
In the thunders Of Mt. Sinai and the
earthquakes OF the wilderness. Our con
text reveals him in Christ, as yet WORK.
ing in nature. He curses the tig tree.
He does it to teach his disciples to shave
faith in God" A disciple il of more
value than tiR tree. Curse the tree
and save the man. Take away a tenn
porai ~ more effectualiy bestow .
spiritual, that is divine economy.
Whether it be a single tree, on the entire
acreage Of common wealth, IL Is equally
true that he does it in love and for goed
purpose, aud tile lesson will follow the
calamity II We will learn it.
2. God overrules In social effairs. He
oyerrules for good, in much OF which lie
does not approve. 1t was not he, or by
his oraer, OR approval that the recent
strike came on, but he. does not forsake
the country or clsy that becomes the
stage for such tragedies. 1t is easy to
SEE God in the changing events in the
history OF Israel, as recorded IN the
bible, but do we see and trust him
through these times? What the Judean
country the Jewish people and the
Hebrew and Greek languages were in
the beginnings of Gods dealings with
men; America, the Anglo-Saxon race
and the English language are TO be in
his conclusions. Hence we must expect
20 face and solve great problems and not
always without unpleasant experiences.
II we trust God and do our duty, we will
surely gain the final summit.
3. Believe he is s'the God OF all
grace" Our lives are to be lives of faith
We are to have saving faith. The "peace
on earth and. good will to men" that
Jesus brings, comes by the way OF the
individual human heart Our work is u
work of faith. 1t is by the ''sword of
the Lord and of Gideon that we shall
triumph. Our trials are trials OF faith,
which james says are more precious
than gold that perisheth.' Our triumph
wi be the triumph of faith, and to God
will be given all the glory.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
Prelude: The minister, who speaks to
the same people from 100 to 200 times
each year, realizes as doubtless do his
hearers, that be needs filing up again;
besides, the pastor experiences sense
OF isolation from his own craft, the pub
lie speaker, being cut off by his pro-
fession from hearing other speakers.
Chautauqua comes to the s. ID. pastor
as great blessing bringing him in touch
with the literati and the rostrum and
affording him opportunity to study
methods and to I'LL up. {.
With many " Us it wae o question
whether this year. we could afford the
expense. This parson felt he owed it as
(a) duty to his people (b) TO himself. (c)
TO the Chautauqua association, 10 60, and
he did. believe every one who can
should attend the Assembly. It's OPP
portunities and privileges are OF inesti-
mable value to Us in this frontier re-
gion, and the expense is trifiing 10 com
parison with the value TO be received.
Several impressions are left promin-
emily on my mind. First, that the
charge the church is not interested in
and does not concern herself about the,
great questions Of interest TO the masses,
is without foundation. No other ques-
tions received so much attention both
from the platform and from the teachers
Of Glasses. Second, these Christian men
while they recognize the evils OF our
present conditions propose practicable
end possible remedies. They don't turn
pessimist and howl calamity and leave
one stranded, hopeless, helpless. Third,
.M