Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-09-21
NATIONS ARE JUDGED
GOD REWARDS AND Furnishes THEM
ON EARTH.

Rszor-SationaI Sins Cali Down the
Lords Wrath.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1G.-Dr. Talmage,
in his journey westward through Eu-
rope. has recently visited scenes of
thrilling historic events. lie sends this
sermon. in which he shows that ma
tons are judged in this world and that
God rewards them Tor their virtues
and Furnishes them for their crimes.
The text is Isaiah vii, 20 I'm the same
day shall the Lord shave with razor
that is hired, namely. by them beyond
the river. by the king of AsSyria."
The Bible is the boidest book ever
written. There are no Similitudes in
Ossian or the Had or the Odyssey SO
daring. Its imagery sometimes seems
on the verge of the reckless. but only
seems SO. The fact is that God would
startle and arouse and prOpel men and
nations. \ tame and limping simili-
tude would fail to accomplish the OBJ
iect. While there are times when he
employs in the Bible the gentle dew,
and the morning cloud. and the dove,
and the daybreak in the presentation
of truth. we often find the iron chariot.
the lightning. the earthquake. the
spray, the sword and I'm my text the
razor. This keen bladcd instrument
has advanced in usefulness with the
ages. In Bible times and lands the
beard remained uncut save I'm the sea-
sons OF mourning and humiliation, but
the razor was always Il suggestive
symbol David said of Doeg. his an
tagonist. "Thy tongue is a sharp razor
working deceitfully" is. II pre-
tends TO clear the face. but is really
used for deadly inciSion.
IN this striking text this weapon OF
the toilet appears under the following
circumstances: JudTa needed TO have
some of its prosper;ties cut OF. and Gcd
sends against 1t three Assyrian kings
first Sennacherib. then Esarhaddon
and afterwlrd NebuchadnezZar. These
three sharp invasions. that cut down
the glory of Judpa. are compared TO so
many sweeps of the razor across the
face of the land. And these dcvasta-
tons were called hired razor because
God took the kings OF Assyria. with
whom he had no sympathy. to do the
work and paid them in palaces and
spoils and anncxations. These kings
were hired to execute the divine be-
hests. And now the text. which on its
first reading may have seemed trivial
or lnapt is charged with momontous
import. "In the same day shall the
Lord shave with razor that is hired.
namely. by them beyond the river. by
the king Of Assyria.'
Well. If Gods judgments are razors.
we had better be careful how we use
them on other people. In careful
sheath these domestic weapons are put
away. where no one by accident may
touch them and where the hands Of
children may not reach them. Such
instruments must be carefully handled
or net handled ut all. But how reck-
lessly some people WELD the judg-
pents of God. If man meets with
business misfortune. how many there
are ready TO cry ont: THAT is n iudg-
ment OF God upon him because he was
INSCRIPTIONS or arrogant or ovc.rcach-
Ing or misery. thought he would
get cut down, What clean sweep of
everything! His city house and coun-
try house gone. His stables emptied
OF all the fine bays and sorrcls and
grays that used to prance by his door.
All his resources ovcrthrown, aud all
that he prided himself on tumbled into
demolition. Good for him." Stop. my
brother. Don't sling around too freely
the judgments OF God. FOR they are ra-
xors.
Two Sides to Every story.
Some OF the most wicked business
men succeed. and they live and die In
prosperity. and some of the most hon
est anu conscientious are driven into
bankruptcy. Perhaps the unsuccessful
mans manner was unfortunate and he
was not really rs proud as he looked To
be. Some OF those who carry their
heads erect and look imperial are hum
Ole as child, while many a man i'm
seedy coat and SLOUGH hat and unbiack-
ed shoes Is as proud as I.ucifer. You
cannot tell by mans look. Pertains
lie was not INSCRIPTIONS I'm business.
Tor there are two sides In every story,
ana everybody that accomplishcs any
thing for himself or others gets indus
triously lied about. Perhaps his bust
ness misfortune was not punishment.
but the fatherly discipline 10 prepare
him for heaven. and God may love him
Tar more than he loves yea. who can
pay dollar for dollar and are put down
In the commercial catalogues as Al"
Whom the Lord loveth ne gives $780,
OOO and lets die on embroidered piI-
lows? No; whom the Lord loveth he
chasteneth. Better keep your hand Off
the Lords razors lest they cut and
wound people that do not deserve IL.
III you want TO shave Off some of the
Dristiing pride OF your own heart, do
so. but be very careful how You put the
sharp edge on others. How | do dis
like the behavior Of those persons who.
when people are unfortunate. say. II
told you SO; getting punished: served
him right IL those told you SOS
got their desert. they would long ago
nave been pitched over the battle
ments. The mote IN their neighbours
eyes. so small that it ralles a micro.
scope TO find II. gives them more from
Die than Tire beam which ohScureS their
own optics. With air sometimes SUI
percilious ana sometimes pharisaical
and always biasphemous they take the
razor of divine Judgment and sharpen
IL on the hone of their own hard hearts
ana then 80 10 work on men Sprawled
out at full length under disaster. cut. |
ing mercilrsSly. They begin by soft
expressions OF sympathy and pity and
half praise and laihrr the victim all
over before ihey put on the sharp edge
Let us be careful how we shoot at
others lest we take down the wrong
one. remembering the servant of King
William Rufus who shot at deer. but
the arrow glanced against tree and
Killed the king. Instead of going out
with shafts to pierce and razors TO cut.
we had better initiate the friend of
Richard Ceur de Lion. Richard. i'm
the war OF the Crusades, was captured
hnd imprisoned. but none of his friends
knew where. so his loyal friend went
around the land from stronghold 10
stronghold and sang at each window n