The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-03-18

.noeBu snotay iuou 10 moko 1~pPkopk1uSo Tue
Bible warning, sBsware Of dogs" II any
Of you men on the outside OF the kingdom
expect to maks such Christians as that, we
do not want YOU to come, for the church has
already a million members too many OF Just
that kind. We do not want our ranks
crowded with serfs when We can have them
nlled with ouaves
There are men now. as In Christ's time.
possessed Of seven devils. In some instances
II seems as though at conversion only six OF
these evil spirits were cast out, while there
remains still one In the heart-the devil OF
a~varice, the devil Of lust Or the devil of
pride. Men OF the world. IL you would be
transformed and elevated by the power Of
the gospel, now is the time to come. 1t is
no mean ensign l lift this hour. II is a
time-honored flag. 1t has been in terrific
battle. Draggled in the dust OF a Saviour's
humiliation from Bethlehem to Calvary.
Rent by helrs onslaught. the spears OF q
maddened soldiery and the hands of men
who said, "Let him be cruciied." With this
ensign in His bleeding hand the Saviour
scaled the heights OF our sin. With this He
mounted the walls OF perdition, and amid its
very smoke aud flame and blasphemy He
waved His triumph, while demons howled
with defeat and heaven
Thronged His chariot wheels
And bore Him to His throne,
Then swept their golden harps and sung.
The glorious work is done.
Again, when n grand victory has been won
1t Is customary TO %nnounce 1t by flags float
ing from public buildings and from trees and
from the masts OF ships. They are the sig
nal tor eulogy and rejoicing and festivity.
So the ensign which the church HOSTS Is n
banner OF victory. There wa u time when
the religion of Christ wa not considered re-
spectacle. Men of learning and position
frowned upon 1t. Governments anathrma-
tiled its supporters. To be a Christian was
to be an underling. But mark the differ
ence. Religion has compelled the worlds
respect. InGdelity, in the tremendous
effort it has made TO crush 1t, has compli-
mented its power. And there is not now q
single civilized nation bur in its constitution
or laws or proclamations pays homage to
the religion OF the cross. In the war in In
dia. when Sir Archibald Campbell found, in
an hour of danger. that the men he ordered
to the field were intoxicated, and asked for
the pious men whom the Christian Havelock
had under his management. he said: Cali
out Havolock's saints. They are never drunk,
and Havelock is always ready" That Chris
tianity which gathered its flrsttrophies from
the fshermen's huts on the shore of Galilee
now has Samsonian strength thrown upon its
shoulders and has carried of the gates OF
science and worldly power. We point nottothe
fortresses and standing armies n navies rs
the evidence OF the church's progress. We
point to the men whom Christ mas redeemed
by His blood.
What II arsenals and navy yards do not be-
long 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 nc idea Of the strength aud
heroism which God will yet let out against
the forces of darkness. As vet 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 sou! 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 n faith
that was almost equal to sight. looking
through persecution and reverses with as
much expectation us through palpable
achievements. There have been men for
Christ who have acted rs did the ~favorite
troops Of Brien. attacked bv Fitzpatrick Of
Ossory. The wounded soldiers begged that
they might enter the fight with the others,
They said. "Let stakes be stuck in the
ground n 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.
1t is said that 700 or 500 men, pale and
emaciated from former wounds and thus
supported by the stakes. struggled through
thec combat. Thus has it been that multi
tudes Of the children of God. though feel.
ing themselves weak and wounded-per-
haps in body, perhaps in estate. perhaps in
soul-supported by the staff of Gods prom
len ho ta ~ rrn IL m % ehA bttt d., Ia ..I
iugation OF u world OF wickedness.
We are mighty in this cause, for we have
the help Of the piou5 dead. Messengers OF
salvation from high heaven. they visit the
field. They stand behind us to keep us from
ignominious retreat. They 90 before us to
encourage us In the strife. The McCheynes.
and the Paysons, and the Martyrs. and the
Brainerds, an uncounted multitude of the
gloriflei, are our conductors. Have YOU
heard the Swiss tradition The herdsmen
say that three great leaders of the Helvetic
nation, though seemingly dead, are only
lying 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 Immediate
ly spring to their feet aud drive back the
enemy. May | not have the thought
that II ever the church OF the blessed
Cuiist suhil 10 thFcuttueu with utSlructlOn
by the foes which seem too great for her
strength the Lord himself will not only come
to the deliverance. but those great a~ncients
who have seemed to he sleeping among the
dead shall Immediately hear tho trumpet
blast OF the church militant, and, full armed,
spring back to their old positions in the
ranks Of God, with the battlecry, "More
than conquerors through Him that loved
u.s." Although we have already much to
encourage us in tue work OF the worlds
evangelization, yet we must confess that
much Of our time has been consumed in
planting our batteries and getting ready for
the conflict. We have not yet begun to
preach. We have not yet begun to pray. We
not yet begun to work. On the coast
OF heathendom nre missionary stations.
They have scarcely yet begun to accom-
plish what they propose. 1t takes some time
to dig the trenches and elevate 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 welponry shall quake
every dungeon OF he'll and sound up among
the thrones OF heaven. Pagodas and temples
shall tumble under the shock and besotted
shall fly from their idols and super
shouting like the COMPOUNDED