Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-06
;OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW.

Written for the Times Republican.
Here is an extract from letter
Written June IL by Mrs. Lyons:
We think of the Pao Ting Flu and
sPekin friends constantly and dream of
them by night. But We constantly pray
that Gods Astounding grace may be
sufficient in life or death. We feel up
borne by our prayers. How wonderful
that We are not among the besieged.
We simply can't understand it. but we
only know the Lord led US step by step
and we are safe
The above was written by good wo-
man In China who has escaped from the
clutches OF Chinese mob. No wonder,
she thinks the Lord led her step by
step And ii is no part OF this scresd.
of Which the above is the text, to doubt
,he lireratures Of her faith, or 10 dis
trust others who enjoy the same
blessing" But there is faulty bit OF
logic in the above, in fact. permeatingl
the whole Of this personal providence.
belief. that needs correction. The ef-
Even from&a Christian standpoint 1T is
wrong in sentiment.
Let US see how it will do to apply
fats literally. The Lord created the
men and women from which descended
the present Chinese peoples. He also
treated the allied forces now fighting
them. Therefore He either allows the
Chinese nation to acquire the traits de-
NelopedI in China in the last four
months or He directly implanted such
characteristics IN the Chinese. There
is no disputing these facts IL we are led
step by step. Again, the Lord by a.
direct act Of His providence sd we'd Mrs.
Lyons. Admit that there the logical.
Christian Inference is that He allowed
these Chinamen to murder and ravage
other women missionaries. We can go
further and state that logic of this kind
inevitably points out the Almighty as
i the direct moving power behind this
whole Chinese rebellion. II He led Mrs
Lyon step by step" then He must have
led the old doWager empress step by.
STEP or allowed the devil TO lead her.
which amounts to the same thing. so
far as responsibility goes. Once more,
land this is said In all Kindness, for
Mrs. Lyons has not thought Of II in this
light II the Lord saved Mrs. Lyons
/ and doomed other women missionaries
to a fate worse than death. or even all
lowed II TO be done, II implies that Mrs.
Lyons and her friends were especial
friends OF the Almighty, and other wo-
1 men pursuing the same praise worthy
/ work were out OF favor. This kind of
logic is repulsive. savors OF sacrilege:
/ but admit the step By step theory and
all logically follows
s@sSs
\ This Is not the first attempt OF the
writer TO show up in literal way
i what special providence means. A
4 crowd gathers Sunday afternoons on q
4 bridge In Illinois to witness bap-
tisma, ceremony. The bridge breaks.
many are drowned and MANNED. Its q
/ deplorable accident. a Sunday excur-
4 sion Is run down to fashionable
watering place in Maine. The steam
sfboat landing, crowded with hundreds,
lis demolished and twenty or more are
4 suddenly killed and drowned. This Is
4 a providential punishment for Sabbath
i desecration. "A man profaining the
4 name Of his Maker suddenly drops
q dead. The Lord thus Furnishes him. "A
young oman.cngagedsin prayer on her
knees is accidentally shot. This is the
unforeseen, careless work Of the owner
4 of the gun. In one ward In Grinnel
Il at the time OF the terrible tornado the
4 lives Of many good Christians were
Host and their homes demolished. In
4 that same ward lived four whist play.
\ ers, their houses streets apart. Around
them were the wrecks OF many Chris
y tan homes. but none OF the four card
= players had serious losses. Therefore
a the Lord loves card players.
4 And did the good Mrs. Lyons stor
and think while the Lord was leading
her step by step OF how much the AL.
mighty had to do Just then. Was He
4 leading the Boer or the English army;
Z Is. He leading our generals In the Phil.
u ippines or Asuinaldo? Is He directing
u the lightning In the hundreds OF places
In this world and Of other millions 81
worlds and striking and killing infdeli
4 in all Of. these places. Just % an exam,
a pie OF His wrath? Is He causing tn,
4 famine In india and the tremendous
5Icrops here? - He allowing the terri
Bile destitution and suffering In all o.
4 the biz cities of the world u He tn
4 author o. III of the terrible Wars TIM!
II hayA exiataA ;aifea The world hAaan. arf