The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-02-25
| chimney Of perdftion: wallOwing teri

Dia h0lus; wrath of the mountains III
full bloom; shimmering "Reminiscences;
pyrottchDics Of the planet; furnace
blast If the ages-Kilauea!
There is also the long range OF noun
tains, longer than Appalachian range,
longer than Caucasian range, longer
than Sierra Nevada range-the piled
up opposition of bad literature, bad
homes, bad institutions, bad amuse'
ments, bad centuries, bad rellglonI
Paganism, Hindooism, buddhism,
Mohamlnedanism, and buttressed
and enthroned Godlessness devoted
to ambition and lust and hydra
headed, argus-eyed abomirition, as
it stands with lifted fist and
hooking lips, challenging Jehovah up
on the throne of the universe to strike
if He dare. Oh, it is great mountain,
as my text declares. There is no use
in denying it. The most authentic
statistics declare it. The signs OF the
times prove it. All Christian workers
realize it. 1t is a mountain. The
mountain can never be brought down."
says worldly speculation. The noun.
tain can never be made plain"
saws small faith in the churches.
Well, let us see. Let us look about
for the implements we can lay
our hands on. Let us count the
number Oh oar side who are willing to
dig with shovel, to bore tunnel, or
blast a rock. Let us see if there IS any
foreign help that will come in to re.
enforce US. do not want to make
myself absurd by attempting an i'm
possibility. If it is only one spade at
| the foot of Mount Blanc; if it is only
one arm, capable of lifting but few
pounds, against a mountain that
weighs hundred million tons, let us
| quit before we make ourselves the trav-
esty and caricature of the universe. Ii
we are to undertake this job, first OF all
we must have d competent engineer,
| one who knows all about excavations,
about embankments, about tunnels,
about mountains. | know engineers
who have carved up mountains, cut
down mountains, removed mountains.
! will do nothing unless | know who
is to be our engineer. Zerubbab bel led
at the rebuilding of the ancient tenn
pie, and Matthew Henry, the greatest
of commentators, declares that our
Zerubba bel is the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Zerubbabel of my text was only
type of the glorious and ON
nipotent Jesus, and as | look
up into the face of this Divine
engineer and see it glow with all the
splendors of the Godhead, and see tina t
in His arm is the almightiness that
flung out all the worlds that glitter in
the midnight heavens. and that to lift
the Himalayas would cost Him no moro
c fort than for me to lift an ounce, my
courage begins to rally, and my faith
begins to mount, and my enthusiasm
is all atlame, and the words of my text
this moment just fit my lips and ex-
press the triumph of my soul, and
cry out: 'Who art thou, o great
mountain before Zerubbabel thou
, shalt become plain
Sometimes general begins battle
be fore he is ready, because the enemy
forces it on HIM. The general says
The enemy are pushing us, and so
open battle. We are not sufficient tc
cope with them, but hope the reserve
lOIctS Will COiIlo u y III tliuc. lit
battle RACES, and the general looks
through his field glass at the
troops, but ever and anon he sweep:
I his field glass backward anc
| upward toward the hill. to see i
, the reserve forces are coming. Hare
t pushed are Wei says the general. 9.
do wish those re-enfurce ments woult
h, come up After awhile the plume
e Of the advancing cavalry are seer
S tossing on the ridge of the hill. ant
e then the flash of swords, and then TIL
: long lines of mounted troops, the;
e horses in full gallop, and the genera
t says: "All is we'll. Hold out, m,
e men, little longer. Let TIL
7, sergeants ride along the line
n and cheer the men, and tell then
), re-enforcements are coming.' AM
u now the rumbling of the batteries an
;, gun carriages is distinctly heard, an
% soon they are in line, and at the frs
|, roar of the newly-arrived artillery til
l. enemy, a little while before SO jub
d liant, fall back in wild retreat, thei
: way strewn with canteens and kna1
q sacks and ammunition. that the de
Y. feated may be unhindered in thei
It flight. That is just the way now. l
n this great battle against sin an
n crime and moral death the encm
st seem too much for us. Nor
'e grogshops than churches. More ba
l. men than good men, and they com
II up with bravado and the force {
IS great numbers. They have opene
st battle upon us before we are, in on
IL own strength, ready to meet then
lie and great are the discourage ment
lie But steady, there! Hold on! Re-el
t. forcements are coming. Through tt
re glass of inspiration l look, an
lie see the flash Of the sword
t, Him Who Hath on His vesture an
'd on His thigh a name written, King
r kings and Lord of lords" All Heave
Is is on our side, and is coming to tt
IL rescue. | hear the rumbling of tt
to Kings artillery, louder than al
IN thunder that ever shook the earth, al
I'd with every roll of the pondero,
ne wheels our courage augments, ar
E,n -,