The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-03

the Lord for the preservation OF your reason.
See also in this story OF Nebuchadn ezzar
the use that God makes Of bad men. The
actions OF the wicked are used as instru-
ments for the punishment of wickedness In
others or as the illustration Of some prln-
ciple in the divine government. Nebu-
chadnezzar subserved both purposes. Even
so will go back with you to the history OF
every reprobate that the world has ever
seen, and will show You how to a great ex-
tent his wickedness was limited in its de-
structive power and how God glorifled Him
self In the overthrow and disgrace OF Els
enemy. Babylon is full Of abonination, and
wicked Cyrus destroys It, Persia fills the
cup Of Its iniquity, and vile Alexander puts
IN end to 1t. Macedon must be chastised,
and bloody Enilius does it. The Bastile is
to be destroyed, and corrupt Napoleon
accomplishes II. Even so selfish and wicked
men are often made to accomplish great and
glorious purposes Joseph's brethren were
guilty Of superlative perfdy and mean
ness when they sold him into slavery
for about 81, 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 oppresses the Israelites with the
see the salvation OF God. The plaques de-
scend, the locusts. and the hail; and the de-
stroying angel, showing that there is God
who will defend the cause Of His people, and
finally. after the Israeiites have passed
through the parted sea, behold, in the wreck
of the drowned army. that Gods enemies are
as chaff in a whirlwind! In some financial
panic the righteous suffered with the wicked.
Houses and stores and shops in q 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 II.
Dealers with pockets full, of securities
stood shouting In the deaf ears Of banks.
Men rushed down the streets with protested
notes after them. Those who before found
it hard to spend their money we're left with
out money to spend. Laborers went home
for want Of work. to see hunger In their
Winter blew his breath of frost through
fingers of icicles, and sherifHs 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 commerce. YER
ily the righteous suffered with the wicked,
but generally the wicked had the worst OF
it. Splendid estates that had come togeta-
er through schemes of wickedness we're
dashed to pieces like potter's vessel. and
God wrote with letters OF fire, amid the
tions, and estates that were thought
impregnable, the old fashioned truth.
which centuries ago He wrote in
his Bible. "The way Of the wicked he turn
eth upside down." AS the stars in heaven
are reflected from the waters Of the earth,
even so great and magnificent purposes are
reflected back from the boiling sea Of human
passion and turmoil. AS the voice of sweet
song uttered among the mountains may be
uttered back from the cavernous home of
wild beast and rocks split and thunder
SCARED, 80 the great harmonies OF Gods
providence are rung back from the darkest
caverns OF this sin struck earth. Sennacherib
and Abimelech and Herod and Judas and
Nero and Nebuchadnezzar, though they
struggled like beasts unbroken to the load,
we're put into yoke, where they were COM
pel!ed to help draw ahead Gods great pro-
jects of mercy.
Again, let US learn the lesson that men can
be guilty of polluting the sacred vessels of
the temple and carrying them away to Baby
Ion. The 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
neathen hands upon them and the carrying
them of as spols were an unbounded ofense
to the Lord Of the temple. Yet Nebuchad-
nezzar ne committed tits very sacrtIege.
Though that wicked king is gone, the sins
he inaugurated walk up and down the earth,
cursingi 1t from century to century. The
sin Of desecrating sacred things is com.
mitted by those who on sacramental
day take the communion cup. while
their conversation and deeds all show that
they live down in Babylon. How solemn is
the Sacrament! It is time for vows, time
for repentance. a time for faith. Sinai
stands near with its fire split clouds and Oal-
vary with its victim The Holy Spirit broods
seems to gather In the sanctuary. Vile IN
deed must that man be who will come In
from his idols and unrepented follies to take
hold of the sacred vessels OF the temple. Oh,
thou Nebuohadnezzar 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 secularlties OF the
week to remind US that we are immortal and
to allow US preparation for an endless state
OF happiness. It Is green spot In the hot
desert OF the world that gushes with foun-
tains and waves with palm trees This fs the
time to shake the dust from the robe of our
piety and In the tents of Israel sharpen our
swords for future conflict. Heaven,
that seems so far of on other days,
alights upon the earth. and the song
of heavenly choirs and the hosanns OF
the white robed seem to mingle with our
earthly worship. We hear the wailing 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 80, 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
day for neighborhood visiting. field ram
bling, hotel lounging and political caucus
ing. This glorious Sabbath, which was in
tended only as golden challce from which
the thirsty should drink, is This moment be-
ing carried down to Babylon. do not e1-
aggerate the truth when 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
he fed and refreshed, IS compelled to chase
up and down this worlds highway. HOW
shameful to rob God of His day, when DE
allows men 80 much lawful acquisition, even
of a worldly nature, on the Sabbath, for. al
though men themselves are commanded to
rest, the corn and the wheat and the grass
grow just as rapidly on the Sabbath as on
other days, so that while they sit In tine e
sanctuary they are actually becoming
richer in worldly things. While you are
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