The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-23


terian church yesterday morning Rev.
James Mcleod, ID. D., delivered a very
interesting address, taking for his
topic "A Message from God to the
American People," He took for his
text the words found in Judges 3-16:
II have message from God unto
thee" In discussing his topic Dr.
Mcleod said
It was Ehud, Judge in Israel, who said
this. The man to whom he spoke was
Eglon, the king of Moab. Ehud's mes
sage to Eglon was n deadly thrust from a
double edged dagger. lie killed the king
in his summer parlor," and having done
SO he coolly locked the door md walked
deliberately past the royal guards and es-
capped.
Did God commission Ehud to deceive
EglOn and to stab him to the heart? Can
Ehuds act be justified on the ground Of
either partition or piety? 1t is true that
Ehud held a divine commission to rescue
the Israelites from oppression. The rec
ord Is that "the Lord raised them up a
doliverer, Ehud, the son of Bera, a Ben
jamite, man left handed"
But did Ehuds commission authorize
him to commit an act of treachery, and to
use the dagger of an assassin? Assuming
that the King of Moab was a cruel ty-
pressed the children of Israel, did that
justify Ehud in dlspatching Eglon as he
did? May an occasion occur, as such an
occasion has occurred when, under cover
of flag of truce a daring and patriotic
soldier would be justified In deceiving and
in killing his country's most bitter foe?
THE CASE OF EHUD.
These are questions in casuistry. 1
do not intend to discuss them. Ehud,
like Brutus, has had his apologlsts. If
Brutus was IAN honorable man." Ehud is
entitled to equal honor. But would ii be
just to call Ehud IAN honorable MANI
No. His conduct in this case, was most
dishonorable. If Eglon was a tyrant
! Ehud was an assassin. If EglOn was an
idolator, Ehud was hypocrite Ehud
used pious words, intending at the time,
to do an impious decd He said: II have
| a message from God to thee" but that
| message was a drawn dagger. 1t was u
| message of death.
But these words which sound so
strangely in the lips of Ehud may with
| great propriety, be used In the Christian
| pulpit. Indeed it is the chief business Of
| the pulpit to deliver messages from God.
| Gospel ministers are Christs ambassa-
dors. They are bearers Of dispatches
| from the King of Kings They have no
| right either to withhold or to modify a
single message. If faithful they will de-
clare to the people "all the counsel OF
| God" God says: Speak unto them all
! that ] command thee"
Note two points: First! Gods messen-
| gers; second, Gods message.
The messengers OF God are both numer-
Gus and various. God speaks with many
voices and He reveals Himself in many
| ways.
The book of Nature is Gods messenger
| for "the heavens declare His glory and
| the ornament showcth forth His han1i-
work" The book OF Providence is Cod s
| messenger Py means ot this book. II,
| makes His appeal 10 tie human reason
| ana to the human conscience, and to hu'
man faith. II the aaDk Of Nature pro.
claims Gods Almightiness. the book OF
! Providence prOClaims His immanenCe
This book more than suggests that God
is moral governor, and that He rules in
| righteousness.
GODS MESSENGERS.
Numerous indeed and strange, too
| sometimes, have been Gods messengers
fIe makes the clouds His chariot and JIt
| speaks, riding on the wings of the Wind
! lie has spoken i'm laundering tones, an(
| again in n voice as still and small, anC
| sweet as when u mother bushes her child
to sleep. He has made the lightnings His
SNlll IucSStlScI, anu more imam once III
| sent an angel to tell the story of redeem
ing love. Joy and sorrow health and
sickness, prosperity and adversely, wealth
and poverty, disease, disaster, a mother!
prayers and tears, and a fathers en-
treaty, q strong temptation, n frienilI
| warning, a religious tract a gospel ser
mon, a severe sickness, the death Of q
loved one-each of these, in it's own way
has said to one and aroth 4: 81 have
| ss u
fingers of a mans hand" writing on
wall, God sent a message to a grea
king that made him tremble. BY tn,
mouth OF a brute beast God rebuked tin
madness of a great prophet, and by tn,
lips of a little boy, He warned and re
proved a great priest.
| Numerous and various. indeed, ar
Gods messengers. Best of them ALL sav,
the Son of God, Himself, the Bible is tn
most outspokcn, and the most satisfac
tory. Indeed 1t is to the Word Writer
that We owe our knowledge of the Wore
| InCarnate. The Bibles messages ar
more 20 be desired than gold, yea, thar
much fine gold they are swecter than tn
sweetest honey fresh from the comb. Oh
the most important Of all subjects, thl
messenger of God speaks with the utmos
Candor and clearncss and simplicity. |
reveals God in His holiness and man il
his sinfuness 1t tells us how God cal
he just, and yet Justify the ungodly. |
tells us how Jesus Christ, by Ills hol,
life and meritorious death and gloriou
resurrection, has opened up the kingdom
of heaven to all believers.
SPEAKS WITH GODS VOICE.
The Bible is Gods messenger to tn
Individual, to the family, to the chUrc
and to the nation. 1t speaks to each wit
Gods own voice, and woe to the individu
al or the family, i'm the church. or tn