The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1895-10-04


Gin to fall and the grape vine cries out.
Murder! what are you cutting me for"
All" says the gardener, 81 don't mean
10 kill you. II did not do this you
would be tho laughing stock OF all the
other vines before the season is over.
Months go on, and one day the gardener
comes under the trellis and the grape
vine says: Thank 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 flour; no battle. no victory; no cross.
no crown!
Sc Gods way, in the redemption OF
the world, Is different from ours. If 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
proclaiming the unsearchable riches OF
Christ. Why is it that the cause goes on
so slowly? Why Is II that the chains
stay on. when God could knock them
off? Why do thrones of despotism stand
when God could so easily demollsh
them? 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 as these
pyramids OF sin go up in height will
they come down in ghastliness OF ruin.
Oh. thou father of all inlquity! II
thou canst hear my voice above the
cracking OF the flames. drive on thy
projects, dispatch thy emissaries, build
thy temples. and forge thy chains; but
know that thy fall from heaven was
not greater than thy final overthrow
shall be when thou shalt be driven dis
armed into thy fiery den, and for every
lie thou hast framed upon earth thou
shalt have an additional hell of fury
poured into thine anguish by the ven
geance OF our God, and all heaven shall
shout at the overthrow, as from the ran
somed earth the song breaks through
the skies, "Hallelujahi for the Lord God
Omnipotent reigneth! Hailelujah! for
the kingdoms Of this world have be-
come the kingdoms of our Lord Jesus
Christi" Gods way in the composition
of the Bible, Gods way in the Chris
tlan's life. Gods way In the redemption
of the world, Gods way in everything
different from mans way, but the best.
I learn from this subject that the
overthrow of Gods enemies will be sud-
den and terrific. There is the army of
the Midianites down in the valley OF
Jezreel. | suppose their mighty men are
dreaming OF victory. Mount Gllboa
never stood sentinel for so large host.
The spears and the shields of the Midi
antics 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, oh army
of the Midianites! With the night to
hide them and the mountain to guard
them and strong arms to defend them
let no slumbering foeman dream Of dis
aster! Peace to the captains and the
spearmen,
Crash go the pitchers! up fare 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 Almighty after
theml How sudden the onset. how wild
the CONSERVATION. how utter the de-
feat! | do not care so much what ia
against me If God Is not. You want q
better sword or carbine than ] have
ever seen to go out and fight against
the Lord omnipotent. Give me Cod for
my ally, and you may have all the bat
Elements and battallons.
| saw the defrauder In his splendid
house. 1t seemed as IL he had conquered
God, as he stood amidst the blaze OF
chandeliers and pier mirrors. In the
diamonds of the wardrobe / saw the
tears OF the widows whom he had
robbed. and in the snowy satin the pal
Tor Of the whlte-cheeked orphans whom
ne had wronged. The blood OF the op-
pressed glowed in the deep crimson OF
the imported chair. The music trem-
bled with the sorrow of unrequited
toll. But the wave OF mirth dashed
higher on reefs OF coral and pearl. The
days and the nights went merrily. No
sick child dared pull that silver door
bell. No beggar dared sit on that mar
bic step. No voice of prayer foated
amidst that tapestry. No shadow Of q
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 Milianites In the VAL
ley of Jezreel. But God came. Cafamity
smote the money market. The part
ridge left its eggs unmatched. Crash
went all the porcelain pitchers! Ruin.
rout. dismay. and woe in the valley of
Jezreel!
Alas for those who fight against God!
Only two sides. Man immortal, which
side are you on? Woman immortal.
which side are you on? Do you belong
to the three hundred that are going TO
win the day, or to the great host OF Mid
ianites asleep in the valley, only to be
reused up In CONSERVATION and ruin?
Suddenly the golden bowl of life will be
broken and the trumpet blown that will
startle our soul into eternity. The day
OF the Lord cometh as a thief In the
night and % tho n1.i