The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-08-15

!
catch glimpse OF them, as hunter through
the trees gets momentary sight OF part
ridge or roebuck. The trouble is, we ar
waiting for the game TO come TO us. We az
not good hunters. We are standing in som
street or highway expecting that the timi,
antelope will come up and eat out OF GU
hards. We are expecting that the prair
fowl will light on our church steeple. 1t i
not their habit.
III the church should wait 0,000, 900 o
years for the world to come in and be saved
il will wait in vain. The world will no
come. What the church wants now Is to lift
its feet from damask ottomans and put them
in the stirrups. We want pulpit on wheels.
The church wants not so much cushions as
it wants saddlebags and arrows. We have
got to put aside the gown and kid gloves and
| put on the hunting shir. We have been fish
ing so long in the brooks that run under the
shadow OF the church that the fish know us:
that they avoid the hook and escape as soon
as we come to the bank, while yonder is Up
per Saranac aud Big Tupper's lake. where
| the first swing of the gospel net would break
it for the multitude of the fishes. There is
outside work to be done. What Is that see
in the backwoods? 1t is tent. The hunters
have made clearing and camped out.
What do they care if they have wet feet. or
IL they have nothing but pine branch for a
pillow or for the northeast storm? Ii Il
moose in the darkness steps into the lake to
drink. they hear II right away. II a loon
cry In the. moonlight, they hear ii. So in
the service OF God we have exposed work.
we have got to camp out and rough il. We
are putting ali our care on the people who
come to our churches. What are we doing
for the thousands upon thousands tnat do
not come? Have they no souls? Are thew
sinless that they need no pardon? Are there
po dead in their houses that they need no
comfort? Are they cut of from God to 90
into eternity-no wing to bear them. no light
to cneer them, no welcome to greet them? I
near to-day surging up from the lower
depths grcan that comes through our
Christian assemblages and through our
beautiful churches, and it blots out all this
scene from my eyes to-day, as by the mists
OF great Niagara. for the dash and the
plunge OF these great torrents of life drop
ping down into the fathonlless and thunder
ing abyss OF suffering and woe. Isometimes
think that just as God btotted out The
churches of Thyaiira and Corintb and
Laodicea, because of theirs.oth and stoliditv.
He will blot out American and English
Christianity and raise on the ruins q stall
wart. wideawake. missionary church tina.
can take the full meaning of that command.
go into all the world and preach the gospel
to every creature"
!remarx, further. if you want to succeed in
the hunter stand with trembling hand or
shoulder that fiinches with fear, instead OF
MS taking the catamount, the catamoupt
takes him. What would become of the Green
lander If. wnen out hunting for the bear. he
should stand shivering with terror on IN ice
berg! What would have become of Du
Chaillu and Livingstone in the African
tnicket with faint heart aud weak knee?
When panther comes within twenty PAGES
OF you and 1t has its eye on you and it has
squatted for the fearful spring, "Steady
there.'
Courage, o We spiritual archers! There
are Sreat monsters in iniquity proving all
around about the community. Shall we not
OF the strength OF God go forth and combat
them! we not only need more heart, but |
more backbone, WHAT is the church o. God |
that 1t should fear TO look in the eve any |
ransgression? There is the Bengal tiger |
Oh drunkenness that prowis around. and |
instead OF attacking it, how many OF us |
hide under the church pew or the com |
munion table, There is SO much invesle ed in |
{ we are afraid to assault it; millions of dol
ars IN Farreis, in va:s, in spigots, in cork
crews, in gin palaces with MAI BILE floors and
Italian top tables, and chased ice coolers and |
n the strychnfne and the lo2wood and the
ortaric acid and the nux vomica that go to |
make up our pure" American drinks. L
ooked vita wondering eyes on the "Heidel-
'erg tun." 1t is the great liquor vat of Ger
many, which IS SAID to ho.d S9l hogsheads
II wine. and oaly three times in 100 year,
has been filed. But, as 1 stood aud
ooSed at it. said TO myself: "That is moth
ng-S00 hogsheads. Why, our American vat
lolds 2. 100000 barrels of strong drinks. and
We keep 200, 900 men with nothing to do but
0 see that it is filed" Oh! 10 attack
his great monster of intemperancp, and the
inbred monsters OF fraud and uncieanIiness.
IN. ofl all -
ge. through the press, through the pulpit,
nrough the platform you must assault it.
yoIid to God that all our American Chris
ians would band together, not for crack
rainod fanaticism, but for holy Christian
eform. i
1 think it was in 1898 that there went on
rom Lucknow, India, under the sovereign.
ne greatest hunting party that was ever
Fojected. There were 10,e09armed men in |
nat hunting party. There were camels and
orses and elephants. On some princes rode,
nd royal ladies under exquisite housings,
nd QUO coolies waited upon the train, and |
ne desolate places of India were invaded |
Y this excursion, and the rninocerous. the
eer aud elephant fell under the stroke OF
aoer and bullet. After awhile the party
rought back trophies worth 50, 900 rupees,
aving lett the wilderness OF India CHASTITY
nth the slain bodies of Wild beasts. Would to ,
cd that, instead OF here and there a stray
Ter gong out to fight these great monsters |
inquiry IN our country, the million men,
sfship OF our churches would band togeth- {
: and hew in twain these great crimes that
axe the land fEghtful with their roar and
re- fatteGing upon the DO lies and souls OF {
nmortal mem Who is ready for such ,
arfy as thai? VINO will be "a mighty hunter
r the LORI?
remark. again, if you want to be success
II IN spiritual archery you need not only 10 '
ing down the game, but bring it in. | {
ink one OF the most beautiful pictures of :
lCrwaldsen is h Autumn" Irrepresents ..
sportsman coming home and standing I'M
x a grapevine. He mas staff over his {
oulder, and on the other end OF thar staff a
. hung rabbit and brace of birds. Every !
inter brings home the game. No one would \
ink OF bringing down reindeer or whip
ng up stream for trout and letting them
IN the woods. At eyenti6e the camp is
orned with the treasures of, the forest q
ak and I'm and antler. Ii you go out to !
int for immortal souls, not only bring them | q
wn under the arrow of the gospel, but
ing them into the church OF God, the en-
we have pitched this side of the Y
les. Fetch them in. Do not let them lie b
t IN the open field. They need our prayers h
d sympathies and help. That is the mean !,
3 OF the church of God-heIp. o ye hun
IS Tor the Lord. not only bring down the
me, but bring it in, q
Ii Mithrldates liked hunting SO well that Fl
: seven years he never went indoors, what n
thusiasm ought we to have who are hunt
2 Tor immortal souls! IfQomitianus prac-
ed archery until he could stand a boy u
wn In the Roman amphitheater with a | h