The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-30

taken lhOse az-Qlu men that oflslnailg
belonged TO the army. and We would have
drilled them and marched them up ana
down by the day and, week, ana month";
and We would have had them EQUIPPED
with swords OF spears, according 20 the
way OF arming in those times; and then
We would have marched them down IN
solid column upon the foe. But mat IS
not the way. God depletes the army, ana
takes away all their weapons, ana gives
them a lamp. and pitcher. ana trum-
pet and tells them to 20 down and drive
OUT the Midianites. ] suppose some wise
acres We're there who SAID, THAT IS not
military tactics. The idea of 800 men, un-
armed, conquering such great most OF
Midianites. II was the best way nat
sword, spear OF cannon ever accom-
pHshcd such "A victory as the lamp,
pitcher and trumpet
but 10 is always best Take. for instance,
the composition Of the Bible. III we had
had the writing OF the Bible. We would
have said. Let one man write IL. ii
you have twenty or thirty men TO write
a poem, or make "a statute. or write a
history, or make an argument mere VIII
be flaws and contra dictiOns.' But God
says. Let not one man do il. but forty
men shall do it, And they did, diner
ing enough 70 show there had been no
collision between them, but not contra
dieting each other on any important
point. while they all wrote from tneir
own standpoint and temperament; 50 that
the matter-Of-faCt man has MS Moses
the romantic nature his Ezekiel; the cpl
gramatc his Solomon: the warrior his
Joshua: the sailor his Jonah; the loving
his John; the lOgician his Paul instead
of this Bible, which now I can lift in
my hand-instcad Of. the Bible the child
can carry TO SUNDAY .school-instead OF
the little Bible 'thc saiiorleYln put IN MS
jacket when he goes 10 sea-if IL had been
left TO men TO write 1t. 1t would nave
been a thousand volumes judging from
the amount Of ecclesiastical controversy
which has arisen Gods way is different
from mans, but 10 is best, Infinitely best.
So it Is in regard to the Christians life.
If we had had the planning OF a chris
tians life we would have said, Let MN
have eighty years of sunshine a fine
house TO live in; let his surroundings all
be agreeable; let him have sound health;
let no chill shiver through his limos, no
pain ache his brow, or trouble shadow his
SOUL" ! enjoy the prosperity of others
so much / would let every man have as
much money as he wants, and roses tor
his children's cheeks, and fountains OF
gladness glancing i'm their large round
eyes. But that Is not Gods way II
seems as IL man must be cut, and hit,
and pounded just in proportion as he Is
useful. His child falls from a third-sto-
~ 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 gravtation in taking him down; ms
life is a Bull Run defeat. Instead of
twenty-five thousand advantages, he has
only ten thOusand-ay, only three nun
dred-ay, none at all How many good
people there are at their wits end about
their livelihood, about their reputation
But they will find out it is the best way
after awhile; God will show them that
he depletes their advantages just for the
same reason he depleted the army OF
Gideon-that they may be induced to
throw themselves on his mercy.
: grapevine says in the early spring
How glad ! am to get through the win
ter! / shall have no more trouble nOw
Summer weather Will come and the gar
den will be very beautiful But the gar
dener comes and cuts the vine here and
there with his knife. The twigs begin to
fall. and the grapevine cries out: Muir
der, what are you cutting me fOr?' All
says the gardener, Il don't mean to XIII
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 gardener comes un-
der the trellis, where great clusters OF
grapes hang, and the grapevine 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 -four; no battle, no vic
tory; no cross, no crOwni
So 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 nave
had angels flying around the earth pro-
claiming the unsearchable riches of
Christ. Why is IT that the cause goes
on so slowy? Why is IL that the chains
stay on when God could knock them
on2 Why do thrones Of despotism stand,
1t is his way. in order that all generations
may cooperate, and that all men may
know they cannot do the work them
selves. Just in proportion as these pyra-
mids Of sin go up in hight will they come
down in ghastliness and ruin.
oh, thou father of all iniquity! If thou
canst hear my voice above the cracking
of the flames, drive on thy projects, dis
and forge thy chains; but know that thy
fall from heaven was not greater than
shalt be driven disarmed 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 vengeance of our God; and all heaven
shall shout at the overthrow, as from the
ransomed earth the song breaks through
the skies, "Hallelejahi for the Lord God
Omnipotent reigneth! Hallelujah for the
Kingdoms of this world have become the
kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christi
Gods way in the composition of the Bible,
Gods way in the Christians life, Gods
way in the redemption of the world, Gods
way in verything-differen from mans
way but the best.
l learn from this subject. that the over
throw 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 a host. The spears
and the shields of the Midanites CLEAN
in the moonlight, and glance on the eve
of the Israelites who hover like a battle
of eagles. ready to swoop from the cliff
Sleep on, oh army of the Midianitesi
With the night TO hide them, and the
mountain to guard Ghem and strong arms
to defend them, let no slumberng foe
man dream of disaster Peace to
the captains and the spearmenl
Crash go the pitchers up flare the
lamps! To the mountainsi 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 themi How
sudden the onset, how wild the conster-
nation, how utter the defeatl l do not
care so much what is against me, il God
IS not You want a better sword or car
bine than 1 have ever seen to go out and
fight against the Lord omnipotent. Give
me God for my ally, and you may have
all the battlements and battalions.
l 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 dia-
monds Of the wardrobe / saw the tears
of the widows whom he had robbed and
IN the snowy satin pallor of the white
checked orphans whom he had wronged
The blood of the oppressed glowed in the
deep crimson of the imported chair The
music trembled with the sorrow of I'M
requited 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 marble
step. No voice of prayer fiOated amidst
nuf 70 Va fof DON Nf asl.rv-