The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-10-23
"ARMAGEDDON." "
DIR. TALMAGE's SUNDAY THEME.
He Talks About Battles that Have
Been, But Says the Greatest VIII be
the Worlds Closing Battle.

'Anu ne Gatner6u Cu6m VOSotucf
place called In the Hebrew tongue, Arma-
ge'.don.'-Itev. xvi. IL.
Megiddo is the name of a mountain that
looks down upon EsdrBlon. the greatest
battlefield that the world has ever seen.
There Barak fought the Canaanttes; there
Gideon fought the Midanites; there Josiah
fought the invading Egyptians. The whole
region stands for battle, and the Armaged-
don OF my text borrows is name from II,
and is here used, not geographically, but
fgurativey, while setting forth the idea
that there Ia to be worlds closing battle,
the greatest OF all battles. compared with
which the conflicts Of this century and all
other centuries were insignificant, because
OF the greater number OF combatants en-
gagged, tho greater victory and the greater
defeat. The exact date OF that battle we do
not know, ani tho exact locality ts uncer-
tain. may bs in Asia, Europe, Africa. or
America; but the fact that such q battle will
take place is rs certain rs Gods eternal
truth. When use the superlative degree in
regard TO that coming conflict, do not forget
that there havo bpen WARS all along on
stupendous scale. As when ut Marathon Mil
tiades brought on his men, not in ordinary
march, but in full run, upon the horse
men OF Persia and the black archcrs OF
| Ethiopia. and scattered Them and crying,
| Bring fret Bring fret set into fame the
SHIPS of tho invaders As when Pizarro over
| came Peru. As when Philip tn" Second
| triumphed over Portugal. As when the Huns
| met tho Goths. Az when three hundred
pyiae. As when the Carthay"nians took Az
! rigentuu. As when Alexander headed the
| Macedonian pha!anx. As when Hannibal in
| vailed Italy. Battle Of Hastings! Battle OF
! Nalmy, Battle OF Arbrlai Baltic OF Tours!
Battle of Borodino. Battle Of Lucknow! B 1T
tie OF Solferino Battle OF Fontcnoy where
| 100000 wore slain! Battle OF Chalons where
| 10000 were massGcred. Battle of Herat
| where Grnghis Khan destroyed goo. 900
lives! Battle of Neishar where l.T47. 900
went down to death, 1,SlG, ,0C0 slain at Troy!
| Aud American battles. too near us now to
| allow us to appreciate their awful grandeur
| facing the North or facing the South! But
| all tho BATTLES have named put together
| will not equal In numbers enlisted, or fierce
| ness. or grandeur, or triumph. or rout. the
coming Armagcddon contest. Whether 1t
| shall be fought with printers typo or keen
, steel. whether by brain or muscle, whether
| by pen or curbinr, whether by booming can.
| non or thunders OF Christian eloquence, do
| not know, and you may take what say as
! ngurative or literal, but take as certain what
| 81. John. in his vision on the rocks OF the
Grecian archipelago is pleased to call CAR
| magcddon."
| My sermon will first mention the regiments
| that will be engaged In the conflict; then
| will say something Of the commanders on
both sides: and then speak Of the battle
| itself and the tremendous issues. Begin
| ming with those who will fig ( on the wrong
| side, 1 first mention the Regiments Din-
| boic. In this very chapter from winch my
rcNt Is taken we arc told that the spirits OF
! devils will be- there. How many millions
| OF them no one can tell. for the statistics OF
| tho satanic iominions have never been re-
/ ported and tho roll OF that host has never
| on earth been called but from the direful
ana continental, and p an"tary work they
have already done, and the fact that every
man and woman and child on earth has Il
| iemper. there must bn ut least sixteen hum
drct millions of evil spirits familiar with
| our world. Perhaps us many more are en-
gagged on especial enterprises OF nbominu-
ton among tho Nations and empires OF the
earth. Beside that there must be an incOn-
cevablc. number OF inhabitants in realms
| pandemon:ac. staying therc 10 keep the
great capitals OF sin going from age 10 age.
| Many of them once lived in heaven, but
engaging in conspiracy TO put Satan on tho
throne. they wers hurled out ami down, anu
hoy are now nmonS the worst thugs Of tho
universe. Having heen IL thyco worlds, -
Heaven. earth and hell. they have all the
advantages of great experience Their power,
their speed. their cunning, their hoSti ity
wonderful hay0nh all statement In the Ar
mageddon they wiil doubt not. hr present
in full array. they will have no reserve
corps. but All will bn ut tho front. There will
not only b" soldiers in that battle who can
be seen aud aimed at. but troc ps intangible
AMI without corporeity, and weapons may
strike clear through th"m without giving them
hurt. With what shout OF defiance will they
| climb mp the ladders OF ilro and leap from
the bat,Iemen.s Of asbestos into the last cam
paign o. he'll! Paul. the braveSt of al men
was impressed with their ght for evil when
he said, "We wrrstle not against flesh and
blood. but against princ paiitieS and against
powers, and against the rulers OF the dark
ness i'll this world, against spiritual wicked
ness i'll nigh places" Oh. what IN aSitating
moment. when the ranks diabolic move up
and take their PAGES for conflicts in tho Ar
mag-ddon!
O;hor regiments who will march into tho
fight will be the Regiment Alcoholic They
will he maize OF the brewers companies dis
liliery owners and liquor dealers assoca-
tioDs and the hundreds Of millions OF their
patrons These millions OF victims OF nlco-
hol joined 10y tho million OF the victims of
arrack, tho spirituons liquor of China and
India, and Arabia, anu Egypt. and Ceylon,
and am.
Other regiments on that wrong side will
be made up OF offenders Of all sorts the de-
frauders, the iibert nes. this dynam tsrs, tho
Anarchists. the oppressors and the foes OF
S;ciety, the criminals OF all Nations. by
whatever namo they arc now called. or
, shall then be- called. They may not before
. that have openly taken sides but then they
will be compelled to take sde-. With what
rsEom. with what violence, with what ies-
; pcration they will fall into lno at the great
Armageddon. Is il not appalling, these
uncounted regiments of the earth. to bo
joined by the uncOunied regiments from
per !ition' Can any power cope with them?
; Especially when toll You who their com.
| ii"HNoi II, loi ~ "ucu III WITS ueIcnuS
, upon tho ch eftain. Their leader viii not
be political accident or u military hap
pen 80" BY talent, and a,lroitness and
courage. aEd unceasinS industry no has
come to tn bat emnencc. II disputed the
throne Of heaven with the Almighty, but
no one has ever disputed tho throne OF eter-
nal night with this monarch who will in the
, last battle take the field in person. Milton
calls him Luctfer Goethe calls him Mephis-
tophe:es, the Hebrew call him Abaddon the
] Crock calls him ApoIlyon Ho is the mpsr-
sonation OF all maevOlcnre. OF all oppres-.
sion, OF NIL cruelty. The summing up Of a II