Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-06-06


kiss little child on the pulpit stairs.
II God BE In the Work.
Again, my subject springs upon us the
thought that in calculating the prospects
Of religious attempt we must take omnip-
otence and omniscience and omnipres-
ence, and all the other attributes of God
into the calculation. Whom do. you see
ON that plowed field Of my textS One
hearer says, 81 see Shamgar." Another
hearer says 81 see 600 Philistines" My
hearer, you have missed the chief person
age on that battlefield of plOwed ground. I
also see Shsmgar and 900 Philistines, but
more than all, and mightier than all, and
more overwhelming than all see God.
Shamgar, with his unaided arm, however
muscular, and with that humble instru-
ment made for agricultural purposes and
never constructed for combat could not
have wrought such victory. 1t was om-
Impotence above, and beneath, and back
Of and at the point of the, oxgoad. Be-
fore that battle was over the plowman re-
allied this, and all the 900 Philistines re-
allied 1t, and all who visited the battle
field afterward appreciated 1t. want in
heaven to hear the story, for 1t can never
be fully told on earth-perhaps some day
may be set apart for the rehearsal, while
all heaven listens-the story Of how God
blessed awkward and humble instrumen-
talities Many an evangelist has come
into town given up TO worldliness. The
pastors say to the evangelist: 'We are
glad you have come, but 1t is hard field,
and we feel sorry for you. The members
Of our churches play progressive euchre,
and go to the theater, and bet at the horse
races and gayety and fashion have taken
| possession of the town We have advertised
| your meetings, but are not very hopeful
God bless you" This evangelist takes his
place on platform or pulpit. He never
graduated at college, and there are before
| him 90 graduates Of the best universities.
He never took one lesson in elocution, and
there are before him 90 trained orators.
Many of the ladies' present are graduates
of the highest female seminaries and one
slip in grammar or one INSTRUMENTATION
will result in suppressed giggle. Amid
the general chill that pervades the house
the unpretending evangelist opens his BIZ
BILE and takes for his text, Lord, that my
eyes may be opened" Opera glasses in the
gallery curiously scrutinize the speaker
He tells in plain way the story of the
blind man, tells two or three touching an
ecdotes, and the general chill gives way
before a strange warmth.
A classical hearer who took the first
honor at Yale and who is prince of pro-
prieties finds his spectacles becoming dim
with q moisture suggestive of tears. A
worldly mother who has been bringing up
her sons and daughters in utter goddess
ness puts her handkerchief to her eyes and
begins to weep. Highly educated men who
came to criticise and pick to pieces and
find fault bow on their gold headed canes.
What is that sound from under the galleryf
1t is a sob and sobs arc catching, and all
along the wall and all up and down the
audience there is deep emotion, SO that
when at the close of the service anxious
souls are invited to especial seats, or the
inquiry room, they come up by scores and
kneel and repent and rise up pardoned;
the whole town is shaken, and places OF
evil amusement are sparsely attended and
rum holes lose their patrons, and the
churches are thronged, and the whole com.
munity is clcansed and elevated and re-
joiccd. What power did the evangelist
bring to bear to capture that town fol
righteousnessP Not one brilliant epigran
did he utter. Not one graceful gesture die
he make Not one rhetorical climax die
he pile up. But there was something
about him that people had not taken in tht
estimate when they prophesied the failure
Of that work. They had not taken into thC
calculation the omnipotence Of the Holy
Ghost. 1t was not the flash of Damascus
blade. 1t was God, before and behind
and all around the oxgoad. When peopl,
say that crime win triumph, and the worlt
will never be converted because of tn
seeming insufficiency Of the means en-
ployed, they count the 900 armed Philis
tines on one sidc and Shamgar, the farm
er, awkwardly equipped, on the othe
side; not realizing that the chariots of Coz
are 90, 600, and that all heaven, cherubic
seraphic archangelic, deifc, is on wha
otherwise would be the weak side. Napo
leon, the author of the saying, "God is OIL
the side of the heaviest artillery" lived t.
find out his mistake; for at Waterloo, tn
100 guns of the English overcame the 25
guns of the French. God is on the side o
the right, and one man in the right will
eventually be found stronger than 900 mel
in the wrong. In all estimates of any kim
of Christian work, do not make the mis-
take every day made Of leaving out tn
mead OF the universe.
The Choice of Weapons.
Again, my subject springs upon us tn
thought that in Gods service it is best t
use weapons that are particularly suite
to us. Shamgar had, like many of us, bee
brought up on farm. He knew nothin
about javelins and bucklers and helmet
and breastplates and greaves of brass an
catapults and ballistae and iron scythes fas
tened to the axles of chariots. But he wa
familiar with the fail of the thrashin
floor and knew how to pound with that
and tho ak of the woods and knew how t
hew with that, and the oxgoad of the plow
man and knew how to thrust with that
!, and you and will do best to use thos
means that we can best handle, those weaI
ons with which we can make the most ez
ecution. Some in Gods service will
best with the pen, some with the voiot
, some by extemporaneous speech, for the
have the whole vocabulary of the Englis
language half way between their brain an
tongue, and others will do best with mar
uscript spread out before them. Some wi
serve God BY the plow, raising wheat an
corn and gi, ng literally of what they Sc
, to churches and missions; some as me-
chants, and out Of their profits will dee
icate tenth to the Lord; some as phys
CLANS, prescribing for the worlds ailments
, and some as attorneys, defending inn'
! cence and obtaining rights that otherwis
, would not be recognized, and some as sal
, ors, helping bridge the seas, and some &
teachers and pastors. The kingdom of Go
. is dreadfully retarded by SO many Of us a
tempting to % that which we cannot do
! reaching up for broadsword or falchion {
: bayonet OF scimiter or enfield rifle or pal,
, hans gun-while we ought to be confer
!; with an oxgoad. I thank God that thel
are tens Of thousands of Christians whol
you never heard of and never will hear
until you see them in the high places