Connecticut western news., 1897-12-23

monsters capable or doing more than the one which swallowed the recreant prophet There stand the l, ,089 chapters of the Bible, notwithstanding all the attacks of ages. and there they will stand until they shrivel up in the final fires, which geologists say are already kindled and glow hotter than the fur naces of an ocean steamer as 1t puts out from New York narrows for Hamburg or Southampton. should not wonder if from the crypt of ancient cities the in- spired manuscripts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, in their own chirogra- phy, would be taken, and the epistles which Paul dictated to his amanuensis as we'll as the one in the apostles own handwriting. At the same ratio of archaeological and geological confrma- tion of the Scriptures, the time will come when the truth of the Bible will no more be doubted than the common almanac, which tells you the days and the months of the year, and the unbe- lievers will be accounted harmless lu- natics. Forward the telescope and the spectroscope and the chemical batteries and critically examine the ostacoids of the ocean depths and the bones of the great mammals on the gravely hilltops, and the mightier, and the grander, and the deeper, and the higher the explora- tions the better for our cause. AS sure as the thunderbolts of the Almighty are stronger than the steel pens of agnostios, the ark of God will ride on unhurt, and e. lss,ac cfo ting. The apocalyptic angel flying through the midst of heaven, proclaim ing to all nations and kindred and peo- pie and tongues the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ are mightier than the shying off of yoke of oxen.
 No Dilettante Religion.
 The geology of the Bible shows that our religion is not a namby pamby, nerveless, dilettantish religion. It was projected and has been protected by the God of the rocks. Religion a balm? Oh, yes. Religion a soothing power? Oh, yes, Religion beautiful senti- ment2 Oh, yes. But we must have a God of the rocks, mighty God to de- fend, an omnipotent God to achieve, a force able to overcome all other forces in the universe. Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valley is he, combination of all gentleness and tenderness and sweetness? Oh, yes But if the mighty forces now arrayed for the destruction of the nations are to be met and con- quered we must have God of the rocks-the "Lion of Judah's tribe" as we'll as the "Lamb who was slain. '" One hundred and thirty times does the Bible speak of the rock as defense. as armament, as refuge, as overpowering strength. David, the psalmist, lived among the rocks, and they reminded him of the Almighty, and he ejaculates: |:
 "The Lord liveth. Blessed be my rock. !" "Lead me to the rock that is higher than l. And then, as if his prayer had been answered, he feels the strength come into his soul, and he cries out |: ''The Lord is my rock" "He shall set me up upon rock. Would the Bible present sublime picture of motherly desperation in defense of her children, it shows us Rizpah on the rock for three months, with disheveled hair and wild screams, fighting back vultures and jackals from the corpses of her sons
 Would the Bible set forth the hardness of the heart and the power of Gospel to overcome it, it tells us of the hammer that breaketh the rocks In pieces. !" Would our Lord represent the durabil- ity of his church against all assault, he says, Upon this rock will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.. Would he close his sermon on the mount with peroration that would resound through centuries, standing on rock so high that it over looks Lake Galilee to the right, and on clear day overlooks the Mediterranean to the left, hear him stamp his foot on the rock beneath him as he cries to the surging multitudes at the base of that rock, ''Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them will liken him unto 0 wise man, which built his house upon Q rock, and the rain de- scended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon 8 rock. :"
 An, my friends, we want swarthy, a stalwart, brawny religion We have great many people who can sit and gently rock the cradle of their infantile hopes, and can faintly smile when good Is accomplished, and walk softly through a sickroom, and live inoffen- sive lives, and manage to tread on no one's prejudices, and their religion is at the best when the wind is from the l northwest and the thermometer at 70 degrees F.. and they have their spheres and may God prosper them. But we l want in this great battle for God against the allied forces of perdition some John Knoxes, some Martin Luthers-men of nerve and faith and prowess like the Huguenots and the pilgrim fathers and the Dutch at Leyden keeping back the enemy until the tides of the sea came in. Lord God of the rocks, help us in this awful struggle, in which heaven I or hell is bound to beatl
 The Rocks of Israel.
 How much the rocks have had to do with the cause of God in all agesl In the wilderness Gods Israel were fed | with honey out of the rock. How the rock of Horeb paid Moses back in gush- ing, rippling, sparkling water for the two stout strokes with which he struck it And there stands the rock with name II guess the longest word in the Bible | -sela- -hammahlekoth, and it was worthy | of resounding, sesquipedalian nomen- | clature, for at that rock Saul was con- pelled to quit his pursuit of David and go home and look after the Philistines,
 who were making flank movement.
 There were the rocks of Bozez and &c., neh, between which Jonathan climbed up and sent flying in retreat the garri-
 son of the uncircumoised. And wonder see David and his men hidden in the rock of Adullam and Engedi.
 But while l go on with my study of the geology of the Bible. or God among
 the rocks, get more intelligent and helpful idea of divine deliberation. | These rocks, the growth of thousands of