Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-10-16
THE CLOSING BATTLE
1T WILL BE THE GREATEST OF ALI
THE CONFLICTS.
The Rev. DIR. Taimage's Eloquent Sermon
on Armageddon The Regiments and
Their Commanders-On the Wrong Side.
Swords OF Truth.

shadows az the climax Of the worlds
struggles-Armageddon. His text was
Revelation xvi. 10, And he gathered
them together in place called in the
Hebrew tongue Armsgeddon."
Megiddo is the name Of a mountain
that looks down upon Esdrelon, the
greatest battlefield that the world has
ever seen. There Barak fought the Ca
naanites; thGe Gideon fought the Mid
ianites; there Josiah fought the inYad-
ing Egyptians. The whole region stands
for battle, and the Armageddon Of my
text borrows its name from it and is
here used not geographically, but fig
uratively, while setting forth the idea
that there is to be a worlds closing
battle, the greatest Of all battles. COM
pared with which the conflicts Of this
century and all other centuries were in
significant, because of the greater num-
Der of combatants engaged, the greater
victory and the greater defeat. The ex-
act date Of that battle we do not know,
and the exact locality is uncertain. 1t
may be in Asia, Europe, Africa or
America, but the fact that such a battle
will take place is as certain as God 8
eternal truth. When l use the superla-
tive degree in regard to that coming
conflict, I do not forget that there have
been wars all along on stupendous scale
-
As when at Marathon. Miltiades
brought on his men, not in ordinary
march, but in full run, upon the horse
men Of Persia and the black archers Of
Ethiopia and scattered them and, cry
ing, Bring frel Bring fireP' set into
fame the ships Of the invaders. AS
when Pizarro overcame Peru. As when
Philip II triumphed over Portugal. AS
when the Huns met the Goths. As when
800 Spartans sacrificed themselves at
Thermopyle. AS when the Carthagln-
ians took Agrigentum. As when Alex
ander headed the Macedonian phalanx
AS when Hannibal invaded Italy. Bat
tie of Hastingsl Battle Of Valmyl Bat
tie Of Pultowal Battle Of Arbelal Bat
tie of Toursl Battle Of Borodinol Bat
tie OF Lucknow Battle Of Solferinol
Battle Of Fontenoy, where 100, 600 were
slainI Battle Of Chalons. where 800, 600
were massacredl Battle Of Herat, where
GenQhis Khan destroyed 1, 900, 900 lives
Battle of Neishar, where 1,747,O 900
went down 10 DEATH One million eight
hundred and sixteen thousand slain at
Troyl And American battles, too near
us now to allow US to appreciate their
awful grandeur and significance, except
YOU who were there, facing the north
or facing the south. But all the battles
have named put together will not equal
in numbers enlisted, or fierceness, OF
grandeur, or triumph, or rout, the COM
ing Armageddon contest Whether II
shall be fought with printers ink OF
keen steel, whether by brain or muscle,
whether by pen or carbine, whether by
booming cannon or thunders OF Chris
tian eloquence, l do not know, and you
may take what l say as fgurative ol
literal, but take as certain what st
John, in his vision on the rocks OF the
Grecian archipelago, is pleased to cal
Armageddon.
The Rival Commanders.
Nv sermon will first mention th'
regiments that will be engaged in the
conflict, then will say something OF thu
commanders on both sides, and thei
speak of the battle itself and the tre
mendous Issues. Beginning with thos'
who will fight on the wrong side, firs
mention the regiments diabolic. IL
this very chapter from which my tex
is taken we are told that the spirits o
devils will be there. How many mil
lions Of them no one can tell, for tn
statistics Of the satanic dominions hay
never been reported, and the roll OF tina
host has never on earth been called, bu
from the direful and continental ant
planetary work they have already don
and the fact that every man and WON
an and child ON earth has a temple
there must be at least 1000, 600, 600 0
evil spirits familiar with our world
Perhaps as many more are engaged o.
especial enterprises Of abominatio
among the nations and empires OF tn
earth. Besides that there must be an In
conceivable number Of inhabitants 4
realms pandemoniac. staying there I
keep the great capitals Of sin goin
from ago to age. Many Of them ono
lived in heaven; but, engaging in COZ
spiracy TO put satan on the throne, the
were hurled out and down, and the
are now among the worst thugs OF u
universe. Having been in three worlc
heaven, earth and hell-they have a
the advantages Of great experience
Their power, their speed, their cunning
their hostility, wonderful beyond IA
statement. In the Armageddon the
will, doubt not, be present in full array
They will have no reserve corps, but a
will be at the front. There will not oi
ly be soldiers in that battle who can
seen and aimed at, but troops intang
BILE and without corporeity, and weal
ons may strike clear through the
without giving them hurt With whi
shout Of defiance will they climb up Il
ladders of fire and leap from the battl
! ments of asbestus into the last campaie
D of hell. Paul, the bravest OF men, WI
. impressed with their might for eV
3 when he said, "We wrestle not again
4 flesh and blood, but against principal
, ties and against powers and against q
4 rulers of the darkness in this wori
= against spiritual wickedness in hit
: places" Oh. what an agitating m
: ment, when the ranks diabolio move
: and take their places for conflict In q
d Armageddon.
Tho Regiments Alcoholic.
n Other regiments who will march in
a the fight will be the regiments ale
+ holic. They will be made up OF g
d brewers companies, distillery owne
a and liquor dealers associations ana =
n hundreds Of millions Of their patroI
h They will move into the ranks WI
! what the Bible calls the "song OF
It drunkmd." And what a bloated q
, soaked and bleared and blasted a
r hiccouehing and nauseating host
y now. according TO a scientist in HI
% land. there are 80, 900 deaths annua
l.