The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-04-22
NO.. 8.

ried off the gates of science and woldly
power. We point not to fortresses and
standing armies and navies as the
evidence of the church's progress
We point to the men whom Christ
has redeemed by His blood. What If ar
senals and navy yards do not belong to
the church? We do not want them.
The weapons of our warfare are not
carnal, but spiritual, and mighty
through God to the pulling down of
strongholds. The world and Satan
have no idea of the strength and hero
ism which God will yet let out against
the forces Of darkness. AS yet they
have had only one round from the first
regiment. The Lord of hosts will soon
appear in the field at the head of His
troops. Depend upon it, that when
God inspires the soul with a new life
He puts in it the principle of never
give up" In all ages of the church
there have been those who have
had faith that was almost
equal to sight, looking through
persecution and reverses with as
much expectation as through pal
pable achievements. There have been
men for Christ who have acted as did
the favorite troops of OBrien, attacked
by Fitzpatrick of Ossory. The wounded
soldiers begged that they might enter
the field with the others. They said:
Let stakes be stuck in the ground and
suffer each of us, tied to and supported
by one of these stakes to battle in the
ranks by the side of a sound man." Ii
sS hot ;rrh{
men, pale and emaciated from former
wounds, and thus supported by the
stakes, struggled through the combat.
Thus has it been that multitudes OF
the children of God. though feeling
themselves weak and woun ded, per-
haps in body, perhaps in estate, per-
haps in soul, supported by the staff of
Gods promise, have warred it up to the
hilt in the subjugation of world Of
wickedness.
Now the church goes forth bearing
precious seed, but after awhile it will
be the sheaf-binding, and reaper angels
shall shout the harvest home. Now it
is tents and marching and exposure,
but then in the ranks of postrate in
iquity and on the very walls of Heaven:
In the name of God we will set up
our banners"
My subject has taught you that in
this contest we are not without ensigns
and colors. All we want now is men
to carry them. Before l sit down I
must propose to each of you this great
| honor. Becoming Christian is not so
| ignoble a thing as many have thought
it oil
II know it, but it is only the stoop Of
an heir of royalty, who on his
| knees is to receive a crown of do
minion. We want standard-bearers in
all pulpits, in all places of business
everywhere. do not ask you how old
you are, nor how young; how weak or
| strong; how dull or how sharp; nor
what your home, nor who your ances-
tors. Without any condition, without
any reserve, in the name of the God
of Israel, l offer you the honor
of carrying the church's ensigns.
Do not be afraid of the assaults of
devils who will oppose you with in
fernal might. 1t were more blessed to
fall here than stand anywhere else. 1t
fwere more of an honor, engaged with
Christ to be trampled under foot with
this army of banners, than, opposing
Christ, to be buried like Edward l. in
Egyptian porphyry.
The prophecies intimate that there
shall before the destruction of the
world be one great battle between
truth and unrighteousness. We shall
not probably see 1t on earth. God
grant that we may see it, bending
from the battlements of Heaven. On
the side of sin shall be arrayed all
forms of oppression and cruelty,
led on by infamous kings and gen.
erals. The votaries of paganism, led
on by their priests. The subjects of
Mohammedanism, following the COM
mand of their shieks. And gluttony
and intcmperance and iniquity of every
phase shall be largely represented on
the field. All the wealth and splendor
and power and glory of wickedness
shall be concetrated on that one
decisive spot, and maddened by
10000 previous defeats, shall gather
themselves up for one last, terrible as
sault With hatred to God for their
cause and blasphemy for the battle cry,
they spread out over the earth in
square beyond square, and legion be-
yond legion, while in some overhang-
ing cloud of blackness foul spirits Of
hell watch this last struggle of sin and
darkness for domion.
Scattered by the blasts of Jehovah's
nostrils, plunder, and sin, and Satanic
force shall quit the field. AS the roar
of the conflict sounds through the
universe all worlds shall listen. The
air shall be full of wings of Heaven
. ly cohorts. The work is done, and
in the presence of a world reclaimed
for the crown of Jesus, and amid the
, crumbling of tyrannies and the defeat
of SatanSssorce, and amid the sound
' of heavaaE acclamations, the church
6 shall rise up in the image of our
> Lord, and with the crown of victory
on her head and the scepter OF
dominionFin in her had, in the name Of
r God shall set up her banners. Then
r Himalaya shall become Mount Zion