The Penn's Grove record., 1897-02-19

~ aNh1O - $500 ~
The use that God makes of bad men. The
actions OF the wicked are used ~ instru-
ments for the punishment OF wickedness in
others or as the illustration OF some prin-
ciple in the divine government. Nepu'
chadnezzar subserved both purposes. Even
so l will 20 back with you to the history OF
every reprobate that the world has ever
seen, and 1 will show you how to q great ex-
tent his wlckedness va limited In its de-
structiye power and how God glorified HIM
self Ia the overthrow and disgrace OF HIS
enemy. Babylon Is full OF abomination, and
wicked Cyrus destroys Il. Persia fills the
cup OF Its iniquity, and vile Alexander puts
an end 10 IL. Macedon must bs chastised,
and bloody Emilius does IT. The Basttle Is
to be DESTROYED, and corrupt Napoleon
accomplishes 1t. Even so selfish and wicked
men are often made to accomplish great and
glorious purposes. Joseph's brethren were
guilty OF superlative perf1dy and mean
ness when they. sold him into slavery
for about e.. yet how they must have been
overwhelmed with tho truth that God never
forsakes the righteous when they saw He had
become the Prime Minister OF Egypt!
Pharaoh Expresses the Israelites with the
most diabolic tyranny yet stand still and
see the salvation OF God. The plaques de-
scend, the locusts, and the hail; and the de.
stroying angel, showing that there is a God
who will defend the cause OF His people. and
finally, after the Israeiites have passed
through tho parted sen, behold, in the wreck
of the drowned army, that God enemies are
as chat in a whirlwindl In some financial
panic the righteous suffered with the wicked.
Houses and stores and shops In n night
foundered on the rock OF bankruptcy, and
healthy credit without warning dropped
dead In the street, and money ran up the
long ladder OF twenty-five per cent. to laugh
down upon those who could not climb
after 1t.
Dealers with pockets full OF securities
stood shouting in the deaf cars Of banks.
Men rushed down tho streets with protested
notes after them. Those who before found
it hard to spend their money were left with
out money to spend. Laborers went home
for want OF work, to see hunger in their
chair at tho table and upon the hearth.
Winter blew his breath of frost through
fingers OF %icicles, and sheriffs with attach
ments dug among the cinders of fallen store
houses, and whole cities Joined in the long
funeral procession, marching to the grave OF
dead fortunes and fallen YER
fly the righteous suffered with the wicked,
but generally the wicked had the worst OF
II. Splendid estates that had CONF togeth-
err through schemes of wlckedness were
dashed to pieces like n pottar's vessel. and
God wrote with letters OF fire, amid the
ruin and destruction Of reputa-
tons, and estates that were thought
I0"lDTeRnuDltt tho OtN suohtOh0h tLuths
which centuries ago he wrote in
his Bible. 'sThe way of the wicked he turn
eth upside down." As the stars IN heaven
are reflected from tina waters of the earth,
even so great and magnificent purposes arc
reflected back from the boiling seq of thurman
passion and turmoil. AS the voice of O sweet
song uttered among the mountains may be
uttered back from the cavernous home of
wild beast and rocks split and thunder
Scared, so the great harmonies OF Gods
providence are run back from the darkest
caverns OF this sin struck earth. Sennacherib
and Ablmelech and Herod and Judas and
Nero and Nebuchadnezzar, though they
struggled like beasts unbroSen to the load,
were put into a yoke, where they were COM
PEELED to help draw ahead Gods great pro-
jects OF mercy.
Again, let rs learn the lesson that men can
be guilty OF polluting the sacred vessels of
the temple and carrying them away to Baby
Ion. III sacred vessels in the temple at
Jerusalem were the cups and plates OF gold
and silver with which the rites and cere-
monies were celebrated. The laying Of
| heather hands upon them and the carrying
them off as spoils were an ~unbcunded offense
to the Lord of the temple. Yet Neouchad-
nezzar committed this very sacrilege.
Though that wicked king is gone, tho sins
he inaugurated walk up and down the earth,
cursing it from century to century. The
sin of desecrating sacred things is COM
miited by those who oil sacramental
day take the communion cup, while
their conversation mt deeds all show that
they live down 10 Babylon. How solemn is
the Sacrament! 1t is q time for vows, a time
for repentance. o time for faith. Sinai
stands near with Its fire split cloud aud CAL
vary with its victim. The Holy Spirit broods
over the scene, and the glory of heaven
seems to gather In the sanctuary. Vile In
doad m,,at that upn he who will anna In
from his idols and u~nrepented follies to take
hold OF the sacred vessels of the temple. Oh,
thou Northumberland Back with you to
Babylon!
Those also desecrate sacred things who
use the Sabbath for any other than religious
purposes. This holy day was let down from
heaven amid the intense secularities of the
week to remind us that we are immortal and
to allow us preparation for an endless state
OF happiness. 1t is a green spot In the hot
desert of the world that gushes with foun-
tains and waves with palm trees. This Is the
time to shake the dust from the robe OF our
piety n In the tents of Israel sharpen our
swords for future conflict. Heaven,
that seems 30 far of on other days,
alights upon the earth. and the song
OF heavenly choirs and the hosanna of
the white robed seem to mingle with our
| earthly worship. We hear the waiting in
fan. of Bethlehem, and the hammer stroke
of the carpenters weary son In Nazareth,
and the prayer OF Gethsemane, and the bit
ter cry of Golgotha. Glory be unto the Lord
of the Sabbath With that one day in seven
God divides this great sea of business and
gayety, that so, dry shod. we may pass be-
tween the worldly business OF the past and
the worldly business of the future.
But to many the Sabbath comes only as a
day for neighborhood visiting, field ram
bling, hotel louuging and political caucus
Nn~ m {. II - O.ltoAG II -. H.
tended only as a golden chalice from which
the thirsty should drink, is This momentbe-
ing carried dowl to Babylon. 1 do not ex-
aggerate the truth when I say that to tens
of thousands there is no distinction between
the Sabbath and the week days except that
on the Lords day they do not work, while
they eat more largely and dissipate more
thoroughly. Sabbath breakers are like
hunters who should COMPEL their hounds
to take rest while themselves continue
on the weary chase, for men on the
Sabbath allow their bodies, which are
merely the animal nature, sufficient repose,
while their immortal nature, which should
be fed and refreshed, is compelled to chase
up and down this worlds highway. How
shameful to rob God Of His day, when He
allows men so much lawful acquisition, even
of a worldly nature, on the Sabbath, for, al
though men themselves nre commanded to
rest, the corn and the wheat and the grass
grow just as rapidly on the Sabbath as on
other days, 80 that while they sit in the
sanctuary they are actually becoming
richer in worldly things. While you are
doing nothing your bonds and mortgages
are all accommodating interest for your
estate just as fast as on other days. Men
hired by the month or year are receiving
just as muen wages while quiet on the Sab
bath as they are the lard working week
days. No, / say how unutterably mean it Is,
when God is adding to FOUR worldly estate
ON the Sabbath rs certainly as on other days,
that any should not be satisfied with that,
attempt to seize additional secular advan-
tage from the Lords day. Have you never
noticed the curious fact that our worldly &C.
cupation frequently seems to be divided into
sections OF six days each?
Every week we nave Just enough work
given us 20 do In six days. God makes Just
enough breaksin our continuous oceupations
to thrust In the Sabbath. II you have not
before noticed, observe hereafter that when
Saturday night comes. there is almost always
n good stopping place In your business. All
things secular and spiritual in providence
and revelation seem to say, 'Remember the
Sabbath day 10 Keep it holy" When the six
d1va of eraufton had nasaad Go6 ofonnaa