Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1896-02-08
EXAMPLES POWER,
DRIVEN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
DR.. Talmage Says 'In God is Thy
Refugee

$3.50 - "a F-It lIc wv IL HAST dEl
90 as l have done And al tho peoule ike
wise cut down every man his Dough-
Judges *, zs.
Abimelech is a name maloi0r5us in Hih,a
history and yet full Of profitable suggestion.
BuoEs are black and uncoire:y. but they tell
where the rocks arr. The snakes rattle i.
hldeous. but it gives timely warning. From
the piazza Of my summer home night BY
night l saw a lighthouse fifteen miles away.
not placed there for adornment, but TO tel'
mariners 70 stand off from that dangerous
point. So all the irOn-b0und coast or moral
danger is marked with Saul and Heroi and
Rehoboarn and Jczebel and Abitnelerll.
lheSe bad people are mentioned in the bile
not only as warnings, bat be al-s there were
sometimes flashes Of goCi conduct in their
lives worthy CT imitation. God sometimes
drives a very straight nail with q very poor
hammer.
The city Of Scheclem ha to be taken. and
AblneIech AMI his men were to DO il. So
the dust rolling mp from their excited march.
l near the shouting Of the captains aud the
yell OF the beaiegers. The swords c'ack
sharply on the parrying shiel3e. and the vo-
clieration OF two armies III death grappla Is
horrible-to hear. The battle .nes Oh all DAY.
army cry Surrender 20 tho beaten foe.
and, unable longer to resist. the CITY Of
ohechem falls. ant there are pools e tlcol
and discovered limbs al | glazei ewes look
ing rp begGingly for mercy that war never
shows, and dying soldiers with their heai on
the lap Of mother or wife or sister. who hay.
com" out for the last Offices ~ Kindness ald
affection, AMI a groar rui,. across the citv.
Stopping not, because there is 10 spot for il
to rest, SO full Is the place Of other crGanS.
Aclty wounded! A city dying, Acity dea.,
Wall for Snechen. all We who know tho hor-
rOrS Of a sacked town.
As look over the city | nni only one
building standing. AMI that is the temple Of
the god Berth. Some soldiers outside Of
the city in tower. finding tha. they can no
longer defend Shechem, how begin to look
out for their own personal safety. and they
fly 10 this temple Of Berth. They 70 witiir
the door, shut it, and they say: 'Nov W.,
are safe, Abimeicch has taken the whole
city, but he cannct take this TEMPE Of
Berth. Here we shall be under the prote.-
ton of the gods" O Berth, the god. 10
your best now for these refugees. II vou
have eyes. pity them. II You have hands.
help them. If you have thunderhoit-. strike
for them. But how shall Abimrlerh ana his
army take this Temple Of Berth and the men
who are there fortified? Will they do itwitl
the sword? Nay. VIII they do it with tho
spear! Nay. With tn bat criny ran role!
up by hundred arnecl s@trcnet'1 crashing
against tho walls? Nay. Abiueiech marches
his men To a Wood IN Zalinnn. With his ;y
he h"ws off a limb Of u tree ana puts that
limb upon his shoulder, anil thyD Il" says to
lis men. '1Ou DO the same.
They are obedicilt to Their commander.
There is g struggle as 10 whu5ha,lhavc axes.
The WhO'e wood is fun OF bending bru.G3.
an the cracking and the hacking, and the
cutting. until every one Of the host has a
limb OF q tree cut down. and not only that.
but has put it on his shoulder lust as Abs
mciech bowed him how. Are these men all
armed with the tree branch? The reply
comes, "All armed" And ,hoy march on.
On, what aAtrange army. with that s.ran -
equipment, They come up to tho foot .!
tho temple at Berth, and Abimelech takes
his limb OF n tree and throws it down.. and
the first platoon Of soldiers come up. AM
they throw down their branches. and The
second platoon; and the third, until all
round about the temple Of Rarith there is q
pile OF tree branches. The Shcchemites look
out from the window of the temple upon
what seems to them childish play on the
parts OF their enemies. But soon the fints are
struck, and the spark begins to kindle tho
brush, and the flame comes up all through
the pile, and the red elements leap to tn,
easement, and the WOO iwork begins to blaze
and ono arm OF flame is thrown up on thu
right side OF the temple. and another arm O.
lame Il thrown up on the left side Of the
temple, until they CLASP their luril palm
under the wild night sky. and the cry o
Fire within and'FIre' without Announce:
the terror, AMI The stranSulation. and The
doom Of the S~hcc'emites. ana the conpiet,
oNeTtHTo" ca l1e zen PIE OF tue pCl ifrrif II
Then there went up u shout, long and louI
from the stout lungs aud sWartilv chests .
Abimelech and his men as they stool ami
tn" ashes and the dust crying. "Nictory
victory"
Oh. my friends. the gospel is not Il ,v!io
Sl-In: II Is not casuistry; it is not lolelnics. o
the science Of s4uabbies. 1t is blood red fact
1t Is warm hearted invitation; it is :capinC
houn ling, flying good news; it is Unforeseen
with all hight: it is rub9seent with al sum
merry glow; it is arborescent with All swee
shade. | have seen, the sun rise on Noun
WASHINGTON. and from the Tipiop House. hu
there was no beauty in that compared witt
the daysfring from on high when Chris
gives liSht to Il soul. | have heard Parep;
sing. but there was no music in that con-
pared with I'll" voice of Christ when He sal
Thy sins are forgiven thee: go in peace.
Good news. Let every on" cutdown ii hrln2i
Of this tree Of lie AMI wave it. Let hin
throw itdown and klnlie il. Let all the Wa
from Mount Lai1On to Shechen te file
with thetossinc JOY. Goodnews' This bon
fire OF the gospel shall consume the last ten
pie Of sin. aud Will iiiuminn III, sky wit
apocaiyrtic JOY. that. Jesus Christ came int
; the world T. save sinners. Auv new pa
that makes 4 nan quit hissin. aud that pres
trat"5 4 WroG-, AN as mu h in favor of i
though all the doctors. and the bishops. an
the archhisncpS. and the synois. and III
academical Eownsinen Of th-i-tianitv san,
TONED II. l1o temple OF Berth must com
down. ana | d not care how il CONE.
Still further ! learn fre u ta:s subject til
power q eN*2!"!". l. Ablmeleea had "a
down on tae Gras. and 10 4 his men to
set the hcach~ and go ont TO tn battle. 5ht.
!. wou't r~vsr ha gone 1T az. or ltthev Ia
II would t,t. teen Wi;hpGE aDv SPIRIT q
+, cfectlk" r"-uit. bat when Aai.nr!"cit -.
With hi- own ax aud hey.. DOM 4 BRAN
1 ani VAN \ eir.reh's arm puts II On Aim,
a iesh - -" and marches On. tne1. III