The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-12-15
BENTON. LOUISIANA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER Is, 1885,

world, we had better get ready by
Christian discipline, by holy self-de-
nial, by constant practice, by submit
ting to Divine supervisal and direc-
tion. DO not begrudge the time and
money for that young man who is in
preparation for the ministry, spending
two years in grammar school and four
years in college. and three years in
theological seminary. l know that
nine years are a big slice to take off a
mans active life, but if you realized
the height and strength of the archan-
gels of evil in our time with which
that young man is going to wrestle,
you would not think nine years of
preparation were too much. An un-
educated ministry was eXcuSable in
other days, but not in this time, load
ed with schools and colleges. \ man
who wrote me the other day letter
asking advice, as he felt called to
preach the Gospel, began the word
"God' with a small g" That kind of
Il man is not called to preach the Cos
pei. llliterate men, preaching the
Gospel, quote for their own encourage
ment the Scriptural passage: Open
thy mouth wide and | will fill it."
Yes. He will fill it with wind. Prepa-
ration for this wrestling is absolutely
necessary. Many years ago DR.. New
man and DR.. Sunderland, on the plat
form of Brigham Young's tabernacle
at Salt Lake City, Utah. gained the
victory because they had so long been
brigham Young, who was himself a
giant in some things, would have
thrown them out of the window. Get
ready in Bible classes. Get ready in
Christian Endeavor meetings. Get
ready by giving testimony in obscure
spicuous places.
Aye! you have been thrown twice;
but that does not mean. oh! worsted
soul, that you are thrown forever. I
have no authority for saying how
many times Il man may sin and be for
given, or how many times he may fall
and yet rise again; but l have author
ity for saying that he may fall 400
times, and 400 times get up. The
Bible declares that God will forgive
seventy times seven, and if you will
employ the rule of multiplication you
finds that seventy times seven is 400.
Blessed be God for such Gospel of
high hope and thrilling encourage
ment and magnificent rescue! A Cos
pei of lost sheep brought home on
shepherds shoulder, and the prodigals
who got into the low work of putting
home to iewelry and banqueting and
hilarity that made the rafters ring.
Three sketches of the same man: A
happy home, of which he and lassie
taken from neighbor's house are the
| united head. Years of happiness roll
on after years of happiness. Stars
| pointing down to nativities. And
| whether announced in greeting or
not, every morning was Good morn
ing" and every night Good night"
Christmas trees and May queens, and
| birthday festivities and Thanksgiving
| gatherings around loaded tables. But
| that husband and father forms an un-
| fortunate acquaintance who leads him
| in circles too convivial, too late
| houred, too scandalous. After awhile
his money gone and not able to bear
| his part of the expense, he is gradu-
ally showed out and ignored and
pushed away. Now, what a dilapidat-
ed home is his! \ dissipated life al
ways shows itself in faded window
curtains and impoverished wardrobe
and detected surroundings, and in
broken palings of the garden fence
and the unhinged gate, and the dislo
Gated door bell. and the disappearance
of wife and children from scenes
among which they shone the bright
est, and laughed the gladdest. If any
man was ever down, that husband anG
father is down.
The fact is, he got into a wrestlt
with evil that pushed and pulled ant
contorted and exhausted him worse
than any Olympan game ever treated
a Grecian, and he was thrown. Thrown
Out Vi prosperity llito SioohI. IHIO"I 1
out off good association into bat
Thrown out of health into invalidism
Thrown out of happiness into misery
But one day. while Sinking through
one of the back streets, not wishing
to be recognized, good though
crosses his mind, for he has heard O
men flung fat and rising again. Ar
irving at his house, he calls his wifi,
in, and shuts the door and says
Mary, | am going to do differently
This is not what | promised you whel
we were married. You have been yer,
patient with me. and have born
everything, although | would have ha,
no right to complain if you had lef
me and gone home to your father
house. 1t seems to me that once o
twice, when l was not myself. | struc!
you. and several times, know,
called you hard names. Now, l wan
you to forgive me | am going to d
better. and l want you to help me.
Help you?" she says: "bless you
soul. of course | will help you.
knew you didn't mean it when yo