The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1895-10-09


But that is not the way. God deplotes the
army, md takes away all their wehpona, and
! gives them u lamp. and " pitcher, and q
ot tSe sf then to go down and
I. wiseacres were there who said: t"that Is not
military tactics. Tho idea OF 800 men ul,-
/ armed conqucring. such great host OF Midi
! 5anites! It was tho best way, What sword.
/, spear or cannon evor accomplished such u
| victory MS the lamp. pitcher and trumpet?
GODS way Is different from mans way,
but 1t is always best. Take, for instance.
the composition ftho, Blblo. # wo had la,i
"I.ot one man write il. II you have twenty
orthirty men to write q poem or mako q
statute. or writo u history, or make nm argu-,
ment.. there will be flaws and contra lie
tions." But God says: nIInt not onn man do
f but forty mon shall do it." And thoy
did. differing enough to show there hr1 bean
no collusion between them, but not contu.-
dieting each other on any important point,
while they a'l wroto from their own stand
point and temperament, SO TINT tho matter
OF fnct man has his Moses. tho romantic ma
tnro his Ezekiel. tho epigrammntlo his Solo
mon. tho warrior his Joshua. tho sailor his
Jonah, tho loving his John, the logican his
Paul. Instead OF this Bible which now
can lift in my hand instead Of tho
Bible tho child can carry to Sunday-schoo!,
instead Of tho little Blblo tho sailor can put
in his inckct when ho goes to sea--if 1t hnd
been loft to mon to write it would have bcan
u thousand volumes. Judging from tho
amount Of ecclesiastical controversy which
hus arisen. Gods way Is different from
mans. but it iB best, Infinitely best.
So It is in regard to tho Christians life.
II We had had tho planning Of Christians
life. wo would hnye said: "Let him hnvo
eighty years OF sunshine, IL flno house to 1.-Two
In. Lot his surroundings all be agreeable.
lot him have sound health. Lot no chilli
brow or trouble shadow his soul"
enjoy. tho prosperity OF othors so much I
would lot every man have as much
money MS he wants md rosos for his
glanoing IN thcir largo round oyes. But
that Is not Gods way. 1t seems rs IL man
must be cut, hit md pounded Just in propor-
ton rs he Is useful His child falls from
third story window and has It's lifo dashed
out Ills most confident investment
tumblcs him into Bankruptcy. His friends,
on whom no depended, MD tho natural
force OF grayltation in taking him down.
$4,000 advantages he has only 10000. Aye,
only 30if-ayc, none Mt nll. How many good
people there are ut their wits end about
thcr livelihood, about their reputation? BIZ.
thcy will find out 1t Is tho best way aitcr
awhile. God will show thcm that He de-
plctcs thoir advantages just for the snme
reason Ho depleted tho army Of Gideon
that they may be induced to throw them-
selves on His mercy.
A grapevine says in tho early spring:
-
I shall have no moro trouble now. Summer
weather will come, and tho garden will bs
ve:y beautiful" But tho gardener comes
aud cuts tho vine here and there with his
knife. The twlgs begin to fall. and tho
grapevine cries out: Murder! What uro
YOU cutting me for?" "Ab." snys tho gardcn-
er, 81 don't mean TO kill you. IF I did
not do this, you would bo tho laughing
stock OF all the other vines before tho season
is oyer." Months 20 on. aud ono day tho
gardener comes under the trellis, where great
clusters OF grapes linng, md tho grape vino
says: "Thank you, sir, You could not have
done anything 50 @ kind rs to have cut mo
He chnsteneth." No pruning. no grapes; no
| grinding mill, no flour; no battle, no VIC
tory; no GROSS, no crown.
SO Gods way, in tho redemption OF the
world is differant from ours r five hnd our
| 0hOr Of helfvhn ard haespu tho Nations lp
| toiiphtuptWe w3uii hnve Ind ARGOS hyin;
| 'toiWh tNs ra1t's pr9alniMing tta HnseNrth.
abtc NchcS OF Ohrist. .@Nhy j. sc tlMt the cn,isS
I stay ~ Waen t}o' 0Hll SnOrk thCM
I on2 May do fht3nNs 0t dos, oiSlu slntd
whom trod uouiti So easily uenosh theml
| 1t Is His way in order that all generations
may corporate md that all mon may know
| they cannot do the work themselves. just
in proportion rs these pyramids OF sin 20
! up in height Will they come down in ghast-
| Illness Of ruin.
] learn from thissnbject that the overthrow
| OF Gods enemies will be sudden and terrific.
| There Is the army OF tho AIidnnites down in
| the valley OF Jezreel. I suppose their
| mighty mon nrc dreaming OF victory. Mount
Gilboa mover stood sentinel for SO largo ~
! host. Tho spears md the shields Of the
Midianltcs CLEAN in tho moonlight and
| glance on the eye OF tho Israelites. who
hover like II bnttle Of eagles, ready to swoop
from tho elm. Sleep on, 0 army OF tho
| Mldinnitcs! With tho night TO hide them
20.
arms TO defend thom. LOT no sl,mbering foe.
| man dream Of disaster. Peace to tho cap
| tains and the spearmon.
| Crash go tho pitchers! Uo faro tho la,nn1!
against troop, thousands trampling upon
thousands. Hnrk to the scronm and groan
| OF the routed foo, with tho lord God Al
mighty nftor thom! How sudden the onset
| How wild tho consternation! How utter tho
| defeat! do not caro- so much what is
against mo il God is not You want Il bettor
| sword or carbine than have eyer seen to so
out and fight against tho Lord Omnpotont.
| Give mo God for my ally. and you may huYo
all tho bnttlements AMI battalions.
| I snw tho cefrauder in his splendid house.
It seemed ns If he had conquered God as he
| stood nmid the blaze Of chandeliers and pior
mirrors In tho diamonds Of tho wardrobe
snw the toars of tho widows whom hn had
tho white checked orphans whom he had
| wrongad. Tho blood OF tho oppressed
glowod in the doop crimson OF tho i'm
ported chair. Tho music tremblod with
tho sorrow. OF nnrequltted toll. But tho
wave OF mirth dashed higher on reefs OF
coral aud pearl. Tho days and tho nights
went morrily. No sick child dnrod pun tina:
! silver doorbel. No beggar dared sit on that
| marble step. No yoicu OF prayer foated
| amid that tapestry. No shadow OF IL Judgment
/, day darxenei that fresco. No tear oshuman
sympathy dropped upon that upholstery.
Pomp strutted the hall, and dissipation