The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-18
sECO.llNIjDl.PRESBYTERIANC CHURCH.
,EsTl,lE.,RpAY . REsly,lEsIRs 70 rnp
YESTERDAY REFERS 10 THE
POSSIBILITY OF WAR BETWEEN
SPAIN AND THE UNITED
STATES. AND SPEAKS AT
LENGTH or THE CHRISTIAN,
WARFARE = AGNosTIc1ssr AN
ENEMY OF THE CAUSE OF.
cHR1sT-THE AFTERNOON SER
VICE AT THEY.M. c. A,-oTHER
SERVICES YESTERDAY.
SERVICES YESTERDAY.

9,st festerdaS, at tho second Presbyterian
church. IN the morning, and at Vance
Memorial church, Altenheim, In the
evening Rev Joseph speers preached
ION 1.-THE Christian Warfare king os
his text these words: "For the wcap-.
z ons OF our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God TO tho pulling,
down OF sirongholds," from Cor 1914.
( He said:
AS q natural consequence OF tho stir
5rlns and anxious time through which
We are passing, the mind naturally
Issdwells upon war, war! War! WARP
3sisi tllo headline which meets the eye, in
the daily press. on tho bulletin board OF
the stock exchange, to advertise the
latest patent medicine, or an advance in
the price OF wheat. Turn where you
will you cannot escape from It; the
pulpit and platform alike are absorbed
tnSthe result" which o few hours mag
reveal. (,
III The whole world is interested. The
peace of the world is at stake; the se-
acurlty OF thrones is In the balance. and
8sitsmlght be said OF some of these
Z thrones that they have been weighed
i nd found wanting, MS
II IL have introduced the subject OF war,
> but the warfare have In mind Is dis
&tngnished from that with which this
y NATION stands face to face. III that Sour
gwarfare" Is of good. It's divine and
( not human" origin.
War is the result OF oppression. ty-
Y ranny. slavery, ambition, corruption.
s5crime. Of fellish passions and sin. and
Z all .these have reached an unusual mag
z nltude In the great question which the
{ President..Of these United States and
his counclllorsfnre trying to decide, In
accordance with the natural law, the
I laws OF man. and the laws OF God.
We believe that our legislators are
I capable of interpreting all these laws:
4 that most OF them recognize the laws of
Y God as supreme. and having this law
written. on their hearts they are acting
accordingly, and so leaving the laws
4 and councils of men. let US turn to. the
q law and council OF God and see what
A our warfare holds for us as house OF
representatives. of whose head is the
Lord Jesus Christ
Since the Lord Jesus Christ Is accept
ed by us as the Divine Son of God. and
the captain of our salvation; ne ac-
Z knowledge the character of our warfare
as spiritual; based on rishteousness;for
truth, Justice, and equity. 1t Is a war OF
+ holiness against sin, of obedience
against rebellion. of the reign OF God
against the prince OF darkness; to bring
freedom TO all tho world, and joy to
: heaven.
When we turn to the volumes written
I on The War what misery. devasta-3
lion and death appears before our eyes!
Since the. day when Cain made war on
4 his brother Abel, It has been one insat-s
liable monster, spreading misery and
woe through the length and breadth Of
Y the world. Peace. comfort health, hap
piness arc e1iled by its terrible infln-
ence and our hearts grow sick at the
! very word war. But when VIC turn to
The book of books, the volume OF life,
we find .our war" Is one of mercy
( and love: our weapons are to pour out
great fire of compassion and good
ness upon sin-bound. sin-sick world:
our banner heralds. "peace on earth
= and good will toward men," and the &C.
4 cupation OF this army is to bestow
{ blessings and comfort in its triumphal
g.
I square In the paradise Of God.
4 81 OurSwarfarc carries in Its train bless
inps in abundance, to nation, to homes,
I TO individuals, for It Is specifically spir-
litual and effects the character OF men
rather than their bodies; It brings joy
9fnstead OF sorrow, singing instead OF
Z signing. The wilderness and solitary
places are made glad and the desert re-
joices and blossoms as the rose 1t lifts
men up, out of ignorance, superstitition,
and brutality. into intelligence. civilian
ton, and In some respects 10 an equal
ityj with angels.
sat Our warfare Is not spasmodic. Ie be-
gan with time and will only end with
eternity. The enemy which we are
4 fighting Is strongly entrenched. He for
titled himself in Eden, and he has been
strengthening his defenses ever since.
until to-day we find them harder to as
! sail than ever. for the prince OF dark
z ness is good at diplomacy and strategy.
and when we think ourselves match,
{ for him we find him using our very bes;
! methods to defeat our own plans.
s AT one time ignorance was q great
stronghold In which, satan entrenched
+ himself. There was n revival OF learc-
sing and 1t brought with 1t new weapons
ofgoffense and defense, and they have
Y been used TO advantage in the great
war Of the ages; men have been cnlight-
t&ened and with the !, enllshtment they
skhave discovered how ignorance has
raised up such gigantic prcjudces, that
~ when the truth is revealed they are
III ready 10 seize hold Of the most trininy
Z OBJECTIONS to religion; they hate the
truth. and they advocate any foolish
thing which is pre]udcial 10 Gods
S truth, because 1t requires faithfulness.
obedience and holiness to the Lord, and
d the devil through enlghtment is stir
ring up sedltion against God, because
83 He Is too strict. and as a consequence
the t..lntclligent" man IN the pride of
b his own Importance cntrenchcs himself
X a gainst the, spirit OF gospel truth which
y teaches humility. Is 1t not true that
pride Is j very common barrier to the
salvation of the men? We read that
w God resisteth the proud and giveth
grace to tho humble, and what an ar
ray OF testimony the ages furnish US,
3 In this respect.
Does It not make your heart sick
z within you when you hear men discred-
!i.ing tho gospel, denying its efficacy,
and yet they offer nothing in substitu-
tIon for it?t They tell us that religion
Y Is itheE halucina.ion OF fanatics and
= priests and sheer at n state OF sin. They
preach morality and deny the punish
yt,ment OF sin, they cntrench themselves
A In n logic as false as Its author. the
2 devil for if they would be consistent
( they need not even be moral; II immor-
taltYsi Is the Naturalization OF q disorder
ed mind, IL truth Is a mere formula for
ph!losophlc discussion, why do we even
= need the morality which they proclaim?
firmly impressed with the belief