The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1898-06-17

titudes of people in the world con-
stantly narrowed because they pass
their lives not in searching out those
things which are attractive and dcserv-
ing, but in spying out with all their
powers of vision to see whether they
can not find Mordecai.
Again, | learn from the life of the
man under our notice that world Y
vanity and sin are very anxious to have
piety bow before Thorn Haman was a
fair emblem of entire worldiness, and
Mordecai the representative of I'M
hinching godliness. Such were the
usageS of society in ancient times that,
had this Israelite bowed to the prime
minister, it would have been an ac-
acknowledgement % respect for his char
acter and nation. Mordecai would,
therefore, have sinned against his re-
igion had he made any obeisance or
dropped his chin half an inch befo re
Haman. When, therefore, proud Hannah
attempted to compel an homage which
was not felt, he only dId what the
world ever since has tried to do, when
it would force our holy religion in any
way to yield to its dictates. Daniel,
if he had been a man of religious COM
promises, would never have been
thrown into the den of lions. lie
might have made some arrangements
with King Darius whereby he could
have retained part of his form of reli-
gion without making himself 50 COM
pletely obnoxious to the idolaters.
Paul might have retained the favor of
his rulers and escaped IN Irtyrdom if
he had only been willing to mix up his
Christian faith with few errors. His
unbending Christian character was
taken as an insult,
Fagot and rack and halter in all ages
have been only the different ways in
which the world has demanded obei
sance. 1t was once, away up on the top
of the temple, that Satan comm anded
the Holy One of Nazareth to l1neeI be-
fore him. But it is not now SO much
on the top of churches as down in the
aisle and the pew and the pulpit that
Satan temptS the espouscrs of the
Christian faith to kneel before him.
Why was it that the Platonic philoso-
piers of early times, as well as
Toland, SpinOza and BUlingbro!1e,
opposed to Christianity? Certainly
not because it favored immortalities,
or arrested civilization or dwarfed the
intellect. The genuine reason, whether
admitted or not, was because the re
hgion of Christ paid no respect to their
intellectual vanities Blount and Boyle,
and the host OF infidels Matched out by
the vile reign of Charles IL, as reptiles
crawl ont OF a marsh of slime, could
not keep their patience, because, as
they passed along, there were sitting
in the gate of the church such men as
Matthew, and Mark, and Luke, and
John, who would not bend an inch in
respect to their philosophers.
Satan told our first parents that they
would become as gods if they would
only reach up and take a taste of the
fruit. They tried it and failed but
their descendants are not yet satisfied
with the experiment. We have now
many desiring to be as gods, reaching
up after yet another apple. Reason,
scornrul of Gods word, may foam and
strut with the proud wrath OF
Hannah, and attempt to compel the
homage of the good. but in the pres
ence of men and angels it shall be con-
founded. God SHALL Snite thee, thou
whited wall" When science began to
make its brilliant discoveries there
were great facts brought to light that
seemed to overthrow the truth of the
Bible. The arch seologist with his
crOwbar, and the geolOgist with his
hammer, and the chemist with his bat
fnr-itaS fsitrrra1 tl,a Jihln MnCn5'
account OF the creation seemed denied
by tine very structure of the earth. The
astronomer wheeled around his tele-
scope until the heavenly bodies seemed
to marshal themselves against the
Bible as the stars in their courses
fought against Sisera. ObservatorieS
and universities rejoiced at what they
considered the extinction of Christian
ity. They gathered new courage at
what they considered past victory, and
pressed on their contest into the king
dom of nature, until, alas for them,
they discovered too much. Gods word
had only been lying in ambush, that,
in some ungarded moment, with sud-
den bound, it might tear infidelity to
pieces.
IL NNAo 40 NtICu - OStlud GuG
City of All. He selected 10000 men,
and concealed most of them; then with
a few men he assailed the city, which
poured out its numbers and strength
upon JoShua's little band According
to previous plan, they fell back in
seeming defeat, but, after all the proud
inhabitants of the city had been
brought out of their homes, and had
joined in the pursuit of Joshua, suddenly
that brave man halted in his flight,
and with his spear pointing toward the
city, 10000 men bounded from the
thickets as panthers spring to their
prey, and the pursuers were dashed
to pieces, while the hosts of
Joshua pressed up to the city,
and with their lighted torches
the discoveries of science seemed to
give temporary victory against God and
the Bible, and for awhile the church
acted as if she were on a retreat; but
when all the Opposers of God and truth
had Joined in the pursuit, and were
sure of the field, Christ gave the signal
to His church and turning, they drove
back their focs in shame. There was
found to be no antagonism between
nature and revelation. The universe
and the Bible were found to be the
work of the same hand, two strokes of
the same pen, their authorship the
81 me God.
Again: Learn the lesson that prids
goeth before fall. Was any man ever
SO far up as Hannah who tumbled so
far down? Yes, on a smaller scale
every day the world sees the same
thing. Against their very advantages