The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-03-27


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 sound man" 1t
Is said that seven or eight hundred
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.
We are mighty in this cause, for we
have the help of the pious dead. Mes
sengers of salvation from high Heaven,
they visit the field. They stand be-
hind us to keep us from ignominious
retreat They go before us to encour-
age us in the strife. The McCheynes
and the Paysons and the Martyrs and
the Brainerds, an uncounted multi
tude of the glorified are our coadju-
tors. Have you heard the Swiss tradi-
tion9 The herdsmen say that three
great leaders of the Helvetic nation,
though seemingly dead, are only ly-
ing down under the ground, in their
old-time dress, refreshing themselves
with sleep, and that if at any time the
liberties of their country are in danger
they will Immediately spring to their
feet and drive back the enemy. May 1
not have the thought that if ever the
church of the blessed Christ shall be
threatened with destruction by foes
which seem too great for her strength,
the Lord Himself will not only come
to the deliyerance, but those great
ancients who have seemed to be
sleeping among the dead shall
Immediately hear the trumpet
blast of the church militant, and
full-armed, spring back to their old
positions in the ranks of God, with the
battle cry: More than conquerors
through Him that loved u.s." Although
we have already much to encourage us
in the work of the worlds evangelical
ton, yet we must confess that much of
our batteries and getting ready for the
conflict. We have not yet begun to
preach. We have not yet begun to pray.
We have not yet begun to work.
On the coasts of hcathcndom are
missionary stations. They have
scarcely yet begun to accomplish
what they propose. 1t takes
some time to dig the trenches and cle-
vate the standard and DIRECT the great
guns. From what | hear, | think they
are about ready now. Let but the
great Captain wave the signal, and the
ringing of celestial weaponly shall
quake every dungeon of hell ana stand
up among the thrones Of Heaven.
pagodas and temples shall tumble un-
der the shock, and besotted nations fly
ing from their idols and superstitions,
shouting like the COMPOUNDED worship
ers of Baal: The Lord, lie is the God!
The Lord. He is the Cod
We go not alone to the field. We
have invinciblc allies in the dumb Gle.
ments of nature. As job said we are
in league with the very stones OF the
field The sun by day and the moon
by night. directly or indirectly, shall
favor Christianity. The stars in their
courses are marshaled for us, rs they
fought against Sisera. The winds of
Heaven are now as certainly act
ing in favor of Christ as in
reformation times the invincible
Armada, in its pride. approached
the coast of England. As that proud
navy directed their guns against the
friends of Christ and religious liberty,
God said unto His winds: Seize hold
of them" and to the sea: Swallow
them" The Lord. with His tempests,
dashed their hulks together and splin-
tered them on hc'r0cks until the flow
er of Spanish pride and valor lay
crushed among the waves of the sea
beach. All are ours. Aye. God the Fa-
ther, God the Son, and God the Holy
Ghost are our allies.
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 | sit down l
must propose to each of You this great
honor. Becoming a Christian is not SC
ignoble thing as many have thought
IL. III makes man SlOOp, You say,
II know it, but it is only the stoop of
an heir of royalty, who on his
knees is to receive 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, 1 offer you the honor
of carrying the church's ensigns.
Do not be afraid of the assaults Of
world whose ranks you desert nor of
devils who will oppose you with in
fernal might. 1t were more blessed to
fall here than stand anywhere else. IL
were more of on 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.
Scattered by the blasts OF Jehovah's