The Progress., 1898-10-08
DIR. TALNAGE'S SERMON
AB2lEF SYNOPSIS OF THF OIVlNE'S SUN
DAY DISCOURSE.
Subject: "Enemies Overthrown"-1n the
Church Of God and in All Styles of
Reformatory Work What Is Needed
Most Is Battle Cry.

Most is Battle Cry.
TEXT: "Let God arise, let His enemies
be scattered" Psalms xviii, /.
A procession was formed to carry the
ark, or sacred box, which, though only
three feet nine inches in height and depth,
was the symbol OF Gods presence. As the
leaders Of the procession lifed this orna-
mented and brilliant box by two golden
poles run through four golden rings, and
started for Mount Zion, oil the people
chanted the battle hymn Of my text, "Let
God arise, let His enemies be scattered"
The Cameronians OF Scotland, outraged
by James l., who forced upon them relig-
lous forms that were offensive, and by the
terrible persecution of Drummond, Dalziel
and Turner, and by the oppressive laws of
Charles I. and Charles H., were driven to
proclaim war against tyrauts, and went
forth to fight for religious liberty; and the
mountain heather became red with car
mage, and at Boutwell, Bridge and Ards
Moss and Drumclor the battle hymn and
the battle shout " those glorious old
Scotchmen was the text l have chosen:
"Let God arise, let His enemies be scat
tered"
What whirlwnd Of power was Oliver
Cromwell, and how with his soldiers,
named the 'Ironsdes," he went from VIC
tory to victory! Opposing enemies melted
as he looked ut them. He dismissed Pariia-
ment as easily as a schoomaster school.
lie pointed his finger at Berkeley Castle,
md it was taken. He ordered Sir Ralph
Iopton, the general, to dismount, and he
lismounted. See Cromwell marching on
With his army, and hear the battle-cry of
fIronsides," loud as storm aud solemn as
b death knell, standards reeling before it,
and cavalry horses going back on their
launches, and armies flying at Marston
Moor, at Winceby Field, at Naseby, at
Bridgewater and Dartmouth-"Let God
arise, let His enemies be scattered!'
So you see my text is not like compli-
mentary and tasselled sword that you
sometimes see hung up in a parlor, a
sword that was never In battle, and only
to be used on general training day, but
more like some weapon carefully hung up
in your home, telling Its story Of battles,
for my text hangs in the Scripture armory,
telling Of the holy wars of three thousand
years In which it has been carried, but
still as keen and mighty as when David
first unsheathed it. 1t seems to me that in
the Church Of God and in all styles of re-
formatory work, what we most need is
now a battle-cry. We raise our little STAN
dard, and put on 1t the name of some man
who only few years ago began to live
and in a few years will cease to live. We
20 into conquest against the armies of
iniquity, depending too much on human
agencies. We use for battle-cry the name
of some brave Christian reformsr, but afteH
awhile that reformer dies, or 4ets old, or
loses his courage, and then we take an.
other battle-cry, and this time perhaps we
put the name Of someone who betrays the
cause and sells out to the enemy. What
we want for battle-cry Is the name of
come leader who will never betray US, and
will never surrender and will never die.
All respect have / for brave men and
women, but If we are to get the victory all
along the line we must take the hint of the
Gideonites, who wiped out the Bedouin
Arabs, commonly called Midianites. These
Gideonites had a glorious leader in Gideon,
but what was the battle-cry with which
they flung their enemies into the worst de-
feat Into which any army was ever tumbled?
1t was "The sword OF the Lord and OF
Gideon" Put God first, whoever you put
second. If the army Of the American reyo-
lutionis to free America, it must be "The
sword OF the Lord and OF Washington" If
1t must be "The sword Of the. Lord and
Won Moltke." Waterloo was won for the
English, because not only the armed men
at the front, but the worshipers in the
cathedrals at the rear, were crying "The
sword Of the Lord and OF Wellington"
The Methodists have gone In triumph
across nation after nation with the cry,
'The sword OF the Lord and OF Wesley"
The Presbyterians have gone from victory
to victory with the cry, "The sword Of the
Lord and of John Knox" The Baptlsts have
conquered millions after millions for
Christ with the cry, "The sword Of the
Lord and Of Judson." The American
Episcopalians have won their mighty way
with the cry, "The sword Of the Lord and
OF Bishop M'Ilvaine" The victory Is to
those who put God first. But as we want
battle-cry suited to all sects Of religion
lists, and to all lands / nominate as the
battle-cry of Christendom in the approach
ing Armageddon the words of my text,
sounded before the ark as it was carried to
Mount Zion: "Let God arise, let His
enemies be scattered"
AS far as our finite mind can Judge, it
seems about time for God to rise. Does 1t
not seem to you that the denominations of
this earth have gone far enough2 Was
there ever time when sin was so defiant?
Was there ever before so many fists lifted
toward God telling Him to come on II He
dare? Look at the blasphemy abroad
What towering profanity! Would it be
possible for anyone to calculate the num-
bers oftimes that the name Of the Almighty
God and of Jesus Christ are every day
taken irreverently on the lips? Profane
swearing Is as much forbidden by the law
as theft, or arson, or murder, yet who
executes It? Profanity is worse than theft,
or arson, or murder, for these crimes are
attacks on humanity-that is an attack on
God.
This country is pre-eminent for BIAS
phemy. Aman travelling in Russia was sup
posed to be clergyman. "Why do you take
me to be clergyman" said the man. "Oh, 4"
said the Russian, "all other Americans
swear" The crime is multiplying in inten-
sity. God very often shows what He thinks
of 1t, but for the most part the fatality Is
hushed up. Among the Adirondacks met
the funeral procession Of a man rho two
days before had fallen under a flash Of
lightning, while boasting, after Sunday
of work In the fields, that he had cheated
God out OF one day anyhow, and the man
ph0 lv>J ,v.ykH ha Gahhof I,