Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-06-10

That woodman would not make much
clearing in the forest who should stop
to bind up every little bruise and scratch
he received in the thicket; nor will that
man accomplish much for the world or
the church who is too watchful and APP
preciative Of petty annoyances. There
are multitudes of people in the world
constantly narrowed because they pass
their lives not in searching out those
things which are attractive and deserv-
ing, but in spying out with all their
powers of vision to see whether they
cannot find a Mordecai.
Again, learn from the life Of the
man under our notice that worldly van
ity and sin are very anxious to have
piety bow before them. Haman was
fair emblem OF entire worldlineSs and
Mordecai the representative Of unfinch-
ing godliness. Such were the usages Of
society in ancient times that had this
Israelite bowed to the prime minister it
would have been an acknowledgment Of
respect for his character and nation.
Mordecai would therefore have sinned
against his religion had he made any
obeisance or dropped his chin half an
inch before Haman- When therefore
proud Haman attempted TO compel a
homage which was not felt, he only did
what the world ever since has tried to
do when it would force our holy re-
ligion in any way to yield to its dictates.
Daniel, if he had been a man of re-
ligious compromises, would never have
been thrown into the den Of lions. He
might have made some arrangements
with King Darius whereby he could
have retained part of his form Of re-
ligion without making himself so COM
pletely obnoxious to the idolaters. Paul
might have retained the favor of his
rulers and escaped maftydom if he had
only been willing to mix up his CHRIS
tian faith with few errors. His un-
bending Christian character was taken
as an insult.
How the World Demands Homage.
Fagot and rack and halter in all ages
have been only the different ways Ill
which the world has demanded obei-
sance. 1t was once, away up on the top
of the temple, that satan commanded
the holy one Of Nazareth to lneel 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 espousers Of the Christian
faith to kneel before him. Why was 1t
that the Platonic philosophers Of early
times as well as Toland, Spinoza and
Bolingbroke Of later days were SO mad
" opposed to Christianity? Certainly
net because il favored immoralities or
arrested civilization or dwarfed the in
tellect. The genuine reason, whether
admitted or not, was because the reli-
gion 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 II, as reptiles
crawl out Of 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 Mat
thew 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 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, scorntul OF
Gods Word, may foam and strut with
the proud wrath of a Haman, and at
tempt to compel the homage OF the
good. but in the presence Of men and
angels 1t shall be confounded- G0d
shall smite thee, thou whited wall. 10
When science began to make its bril-
liant discoveries, there were great facts
brought to light that seemed to over
throw the truth Of the Bible. The ar
cheologist with his crowbar, and the
geologist with his hammer, and the
chemist with his batteries, charged upon
the Bible. Moses account Of the crea-
ton seemed denied by the very struc-
ture of the earth. The astronomer
wheeled around his telescope until the
heavenly bodies seemed TO marshal
themselves against the Bible as the stars
in their courses fought against oisera
Obsorvatories and universities relolce'
at what they considered the extinction
of Christianity. They gathered new
courage at what they considered pas
victory and pressed on their conquest
into the kingdom of nature until, alas
for them, they discovered too much
Gods Word had only been lying IN am
hush that. in some unguarded moment
with a sudden bound, it might tear in
fidelity to pieces.
1t was as when Joshua attacked the
CITY of Al. lie selected 30, 600 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 inhabit-
ants of the city had been brought out oil
their homes and had joined in the pur-
suit of Joshua suddenly that brave man
halted in his flight and with his spear
pointing toward the city, 0,O0O 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 tossed 1t into
flame. Thus it was that the discoveries
of science seemed TO give temporary vic
tory against God and the Bible, and for
awhile the church acted as il she were
ON a retreat, but when all the opposers
of God and truth had joined in the pnr-
suit and were sure Of the field Christ
gave the signal to his church, and, turn
ing. they drove back their foes in shame
There was found TO be no antagonism
between nature and revelation. The
universe and the Bible were found u
be the work Of the same hand, two
strokes of the same pen, their author
ship the same God.
Pride Gosth Before n Fall.
Again. learn the lesson that prid'