The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-11-20
REV. DR.. 1A[MAGE.
THE NOTED DIVINE'S SUNDAY
SERMON.

TEXr AMI when no saw that hn prevailed
not against him he touched the hollow OF his
thigh. and the hollow of jacobs thigh WAS
out OF Joint as he wrestlei with him. Aud
he said, Let mo 40. for tho day brcnkcth.
And he said. will not let thee go except
thou lies me-. Genesis SxNii., 70, %.
Their" is Il cloud OF dust from n travein;
hcrt ot cattle ani sheep and goats aud
canrlS They ar the present that Jacob
sends to gain the good viii of his offended
brother That night Jacob hat5 by the
brook Jabbok. But there is 10 rest for the
weary man, no shining ladder to let tho
ange.s Iown into his dream, but "A severe
struggle that lasts until morning with an un.
known visitor. They each try to throw tho
other. The unknown visitor. to reveal his
superior power, 10y u touch wrenchcS Jacobs
thigh bone from its socket, perhaps manning
him for life. As on the morning sky the
clusters OF purpl" cloud begin to rpcn
jacob sees ii is an angel with whom he has
been rontrndinr and not one OF his brothers
coaiJWorS. Let IN" CO." cr.c Us the angel
lifting himself up into increasing light; "tro
day hrcaketh.
You see, i'll tn" ilrst place. that God allows
good p"np" sometimes To get into u terrible
struggle. Jacob was Il good man but here
hn l. lett atone in the midnight to wrcstln
with - tremendous influence by tho brook
Jabb0i. For Joseph, pit: for Daniel. u
wild beast t'S,icn; for David .h-thron"mcnt anu
exile, FOR John the Baptist. II Wilderness ti"t
ana thc cNrruti"u"rS ny; for Peter, Il prison
mos; for Christ. tho cross. For whom th
racks, III" SibbctS. the prisons. the thumb
scrowst For the sons and daughters of the
Lord Almighty. Some one said to II Christian
rci"r'U"r, "Th" world is against you"
"Thrn.' h" replied. 81 am against tho
world
| will - further and say that every Chris
tan las his struggle. With inanc,ai mis-
fortune som" of YOU have had tho midn yht
wrcst!" E"dhot disasters have dropped into
. rDI loft tn rrll,r bnt
bought yon could not sell. Whom YOU
trusted fled. The help you expected would
not come. som" giant panic. with long
arms ana grip like death. took hold of vou
IN ;tl hW. III wrcHtic, from which you have not
yet escaped, and II Is uncertain whether
1t Will throw YOU you will
throw it. Here is another soul
in struggle with some bad appetite. He
know not how stcaIthily it was growing
upon him. One hour he woke up. He said,
For the sake of my soul. Of my f;,nilv, of
my children and Of my God 1 must stop
this And behold he found himself alone
by tho brook of Jabbok, AMI it was mid
night. That evil appetite seized upon him,
and h seized upon il. and. oil. tho horror OF
the conflict! When once bad habit hath
reused itself up to destroy Il man, and the
man has sworn that by the help Of the ctcr-
nal God he will destroy it, all heaven draws
itself out in long line OF light to look from
above, and all hell stretches itself in
myrmidons oi spite to look up from beneath
L have seen meE rally themselves for Il
struggle, and they have bitten their lip, and
chnched their fist, and cried with II blood
rcd carnestness and u rain a scaldinS tears,
God help me!'
From a wrestlc with habit have seen men
faii bncS defeated. Calling for no help but
reiyInC On their own resolutions, they have
oome into tho struggle, and for n time it
seemed rs IL they were getting the upper
hand OF their habit. But thar habit rallied
nSn,n its Internal power and lifted the soul
from its standing, and with u force borrowed
from the pit hurled it into darkness.
But, thank God. have often seen better
termination than this. have seen men
prepare themselves for such q wrcstlinv
Ihey laid hold OF Gods help ~ they went
into combat. The giant habit, RECALLED by
the cup OF many dissipations, came out
strong and defiant. They cinchcd There
wcr" tho writings and distortions OF n fear
iui struggle. But tho old giant began to
waver, AM at last, in tho midnight alone
with non" but GOu to witness, by the brook
Ja'hnE, the giant fell. and the triumphant
wrestler broke the darkness with tn. cry
"fhanhS hc unto God. who giveth us tho
victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ"
Tier" is II widows heart tnat first was
dc>niat"i 10y bereavement ami since by the
anNirti"S and trials that came in the support
OF family. Ii is u sal thing to see u man
crntcndinS fora livelihood under disadvan-
tagr~, hut to see n delicate woman with
helpless iitti" ones ut her back. fighting tho
giants OF loverty and sorrow is more
"''cctlhS. IL was u humhlo home. ana
paII"tN"E knew not that within thoS" four
wits were diSpilyS oil courage more admir-
abi" Than that of Hannibal crossing
thr Alps. "r i'll tn" pass Of Thermopylu, or
"' D''ah"Nh, Wilrr" INT tn" jaws Ot death
i""' ,''' 7'N Huh"r"'. These heroes had
'h' WN".' world To cheer them on, hat thrr.
wa "a" IH' |" "nlIA"l IN" ~tru":l" in that
hnmI" home. Shr fought fur hrcaI for
clothing. tor lire. for shelter. with a,hin.
t','' "1' N'"N ~i"" HnL 'Anul-''i strength.
,n'"I~. 80 '''tE hl|"i 10y III" brook J..H"l.
nn'I'' ''' 'A'l non" would SIN' IA" I".W'
'''t ,''.' 10y : .,'" 10 i" %ra''"n~: :. on
'N'''' '.'' III h'''InIHt AIR l. .UN %.
"ii.- 'HHli,, = tn" rr-,.'.r. SIN, L".r. i.