The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-05-13

angels TO Smlte the nOSC OF tne enemy
The faint-hearted is ready to say
with the servant of Elisha, as he ros'
early in the morning and saw the cit!
of Dothan encompassed with a host
calais, my mas.er, what shall we do?'
The prophet seized the weapon O.
prayer and at once the mans eye
we're opened, and behold the noun
tain was full of horses and chariots Of
fire round about Elisha.
3. This is a good fight because o:
the character Of those who participate
in it. A good cause may have bac
men in it, and a bad cause may have
good men in it., but as a rule we car
safely infer the character of any cause
from the character of those who fight
for it. What dignity, what imperish.
able glory gathers about our late strug
gle from the virtue, the piety and in
telligence Of the Southern soldier. NJ
disaster ever clouded his faith in the
righteousness of the struggle or the
justice of Heaven.
But when the Apostle with the eye
of a seer looked upon the goodly host
that fight this good fight of faith, he
sees no where in all the world any vir
tue to match theirs. They are those
of whom this world vas not worthy
They "dared to the utmost and endured
to the DEATH" and out of their crushed
lives there comes a bruised sweetness
that perfumes the whole moral atmos,
phere. Surely there is some inspi
ration even to the most sluggish il
taking a place in the ranks of such a
host. The thought of it moved the
heart of the great Apostle and with a
holy feryor he says "Wherefore see
ing we also are comprised with SC
great a cloud of witnesses let us lay
aside every weight and the sin which
doth SO easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that.,is set be-
fore u.s." The Christian of to-day in
making this fight has around him the
General Assembly and the Church of
the frst-born, and the sacramento
host of Gods elect. There pours down
upon him the benedicticn Of consecra.
ted and heroic lives from all the ages
of the past. But we need not gather
our company from the past. The Chris
tian host of to-day counts it's hun.
dreds of millions and belts the globe.
It's camp-fres light up every continent.
The noblest and best are in it's ranks.
Verify, it is a good fight.
Now, let us say that this spirit Of
conflict is inseparable from the Church
in its present state. The imagery,
the exhortations, the promises of the
Word of God are full Of it. The very
close of it's revelations repeats with
significant emphasis the battle-cry
$40 him that overcometh!" "To him
that overcometh!' Such a view in
vests the life of the Christian with
the utmost seriousness. There are
not terms in our language which ex-
press with more force the idea of blood
earnestness than those of deadly con.
fict. 1t is an idea which needs con-
slant emphasis. One Of the manifest
tendencies of our time is to regard
life as a huge joke. Thing the most
sacred, services the. most solemn and
events the most affecting are consid-
cred fit subjects for the humorist.
There is a great deal in our popular
literature which fosters this spirit.
Believe me, the noblest qualities Of
our nature cannot thrive in such an
atmosphere. Cromwell's Ironsides
may have been solemn and severe to
an extreme. They may have robed
everything too much in a sombre aus.
terity, but who does not know that
they made short work of the gay,
dashing, frivolous Prince Rupert?
Let us get back to the apostolic
idea that sin is a dreadful evil and
that this world is under it's awful
curse. Even now the groans and cries
of the oppressed, the prosecuted and
the perishing ones come up into our
ears. Shall those who answered ev-
cry call of patriotism and braved the
peril and death of the battlefield de,
cline this highest and noblest servicef
Shall they shrink now from the fierce
onset? Oh, in this day when the fight
between good and evil beginst to thick
en- so visibly, and when the opposing
lines of truth and error stand in such
sharp antagonism what a complete
victory would be won for truth and
righteousness if we would follow
Christ as they followed Lee and Jack
son! No, the war is not over. Wher'
ever we stand VIC re'on battle ground.
Let us hold fast our profession. Let
us put on the whole armor of God, and
the Great Captain of our salvation
will lead US to victory.
And now, as a final word to the he
roic remnant who linger with us still,
may the God of all grace abide with
you, and may that Presence sustain
you amid all tie remaining trials ap'
pointed to you, and when the last en-.
envy is met may you be able to say in
the triumphant faith of the Gospel
20, grave, where is thy victory?'