The free press., 1895-10-17
them souinned with swords or spears accord

gives them lamp, and o pitcher, and q
trumpet, and tells them to go down and
drive odt the 1Iidianites. suppose some
Wiseaeres were there who said: "That is moi
military tactics. The idea OF 8oo men un'
armed tohquerinS such great host of Mid
ianitesih 1t was the best way. What swords
spear or cannon ever accomplished such d
victory as the lamp, pitcher and trumpet?
Gods way Is different from mans way,
but it is always best. Take, for instance,
the composition of the Bible. If we had had
the writing of the Bible, we would have said
"Let one man write it. If you have twenty
| or thirty men to write poem, or make
statute, or write a history, or make an argu-
ment, there will be flaws and contradic-
tions" But God says: "Let not one man dc
1t but forty men shall do it." And they
| did, differing enough to show there had been
nc collusion between them, but not contra
dieting each other on any important point,
while they all wrote from their own stand
point and temperament; SO that the matter
| Of fact man has his Moses, the romantic ma
| ture his Ezekiel, the epigrammatic his Solo,
mon, the warrior his Joshua. the sailor his
| Jonah, the loving his John, the logician his
| Paul. Instead Of this Bible, which now
l can lift In my hand instead OF tho
Bible the child can carry to Sunday-school,
instead of the little Bible the sailor can put
in his Jacket when he goes to sea.-if 1t had
been left to men to write 1t would have been
thousand volumes. judging from the
amount of ecclesiastical controversy which
has arisen. Gods way is different from
mans. but it is best, infinitely best
So it is in regard to the Christians life.
If we had had the planning of a Christians
life. we would have said: 'Let him have
eighty years Of sunshine, fine house to live
III. Let his surroundings all be agreeable.
Let him have sound health Let no chill
shiver through his limbs, no pain ache his
brow or trouble shadow his soul"
enjoy the prosperity of others SO much 1
would let every man have as much
money as he wants and roses for his
chtldren's cheeks and fountains of gladness
glancing In their large round eyes. But
that is not Gods way. 1t seems as If man
must be cut, hit and pounded just IN propor-
tion as he Is useful. His child falls from
third story window and has its life dashed
out. His most confident investment
tumbles him into bankruptcy. His friends,
on whom he depended, aid the natural
force of gravitation in taking him down.
His life is q Bull Run defeat, Instead OF
81. 900 advantages he has only 10000. Aye,
only 3O6-aye, none at all. How many good
people there are at their wits end about
their livelihood, about their reputation? But
they will find out 1t is the best way after
awhile. God will show them that He de-
pletes their advantages just for the same
that they may be induced to throw them
selves on His mercy.
A grapevine says in the early spring.
"How glad l am to get through the winter!
I shall have no more trouble now. Summer
weather will come, and the garden will be
very beautiful" But the gardener comes
and cuts the vine here and there with his
knife. The twigs begin to fall. and the
grapevine cries 'out "Murder What are
YOU cutting me for?" "Ah." says the garden
er. 'I don't mean to kill you. If l did
not do this you would be the laughing
stock of all the other vines before the season
is over" Months go on, and one day the
gard en'r Z comes under the trelis where great
cluster, rs,S, sS grapes hang. and the grape vine
say1sis s,rlIlank you, sir. You could not have
done anything so kind as to have cut me
with that knife" "Whom the Lord loveth
He chasteneth." No pruning, no grapes; no
grinding mill, no -four; no battle, no VIC
tory; no cross, no crown.
So Gods way, in the redemption of the
world, is different from ours. II we had our
way. we would have had Jesus stand in the
door OF heaven and beckon the Nations up
to light. or we would have had angels flying
around the earth proclaimipg the unsearch-
able riches of Christ. Why is it that the cause
goes on so slowly? Why is 1t that the chains
stay on when God could knock them
Off Why do thrones of despotism stand
when God could so easily demolish them2
1t is His way in order that all generations
may cooperate and that all men may know
they cannot do the work themselves. just
In proportion rs these pyramids OF sin 90
up in height will they come down In ghast-
illness of ruin.
learn from ths,subject that the overthrow
of Gods enemies will be sudden and terrific.
There is the army of the Midianites down In
the valley of Jezreel. L suppose their
mighty men are dreaming OF victory. Mount
Gilboa never stood sentinel for so large
host The spears and the shields OF the
Midianites CLEAN in the moonlight and
glance on the eye of the Israelites. who
hover like battle of eagles, ready to swoop
from the cliff. Sleep on, o army OF the
Midiantes! With the night to hide them
and the mountain to guard them ana strong
arms to defend them. let no Numbering Toe
man dream of disaster. Peace to the cap
tains and the spearmen.
Crash go the pitchers! Up flare the lamps!
To the mountains Fly, fly! Troop running
against troop, thousands trampling upon
thousands. Hark to the scream and groan
of the routed foe. with the Lord God Al
mighty after them! How sudden the onset!
How wild the CONSERVATION! How utter the
defeat! l do not care 50 much what ls
against me IL God is not. You want better
sword or carbine than have ever seen to go
Give me God for my ally, and you may have
oil the battlements and battalions.
saw the cefrauder in his splendid house.
1t seemed as If he had conquered God as he
stood amid the blaze of chandeliers and pier
mirrors. In the diamonds of the wardrobe
saw the tears of tho widows whom he had
robbed and In the snowy satins the pallor OF
the white checked orphans whom he had
| wronged. The blood of the oppressed
| glowed in the deep crimson OF the i'm
| ported chair. The music trembled with
| the sorrow Of unrequitted toll But the
wave of mirth dashed higher on reefs OF
| coral aud pearl. The days and the nights
went merrily. No sick child dared pull that
| silver doorbell. No beggar dared sit on that
marble step. No voice of prayer fioated
amid that tapestry. No shadow of judgment
! day darkened that fresco. No tear OF human
sympathy dropped upon that upholstery
Pomp strutted the hall, and dissipation
filed her cup. and all seemed safe as the
Midianites In the valley of Jezreel. But Goo
came. Calamity smote the money market
The partridge left its eggs unmatched. Crasl
went all the porcelain pitchers! Ruin. rout
dismay and woe In the valley of Jezreel!
Alas for those who fight against God! Onl.
two sides. Man immortal. which side ar
you on? Woman immortal. which side ar
you on? Do you belong to tho 800 that ar
going to win the day or to the great host O
Midianites asleep in the valley, only to b.