The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1900-02-09


acumCn, and We will use their grind
stones and will borrow their phiIos-
optical apparatus to make our expert
ments, and we will borrow their print
ing presses to publish our Bibles, and
we will borrow their rail trains to car
ry our Christian literature, and we will
borrow their ships to transport our
missionaries. That was what made
Paul such a master in his day. He not
only got all the learning he could get
of DR.. Gamaliel, but afterward, stand
ing on Mars hill and in crowded thor
oughfare, quoted their poetry and
grasped their logic and welded their
eloquence and employed their mythol-
ogy until Dionysius the Areopagite,
learned in the schools of Athens and
HeIiopolis, went down under his tre-
mendous powers.
That was what gave Thomas Chal-
mers his power in his day. lie con-
quered the worlds astronomy and
compelled it to ring out the wisdom
and greatness of the Lord, until, for the
second time, the morning stars sang
together and all the sCHs of God shout
ed for joy. That was what gave to
Jonathan Edwards his influence in his
day. He conquered the worlds meta
physics and forced it into the service
of God, until not only the old meeting
house at Northampton, Mass, but all
ChristendOm, felt thrilled by his Chris
ton power. Well, now, my friends, we
all have tools of Christian power. Do
1o+ = I,oS 7 U,
no rusty blades in this fight. We want
no coulter that cannot rip up the glebe.
We want no goad that cannot start the
lazy team. Let us get the very best
grindstones we can find, though they be
in possession of the Phihstines, COM
pelling them to turn the crank while
we bear down with all our might on the
swift revolving wheel, until all our
energies and faculties shall be brought
up to bright, keen, sharp, glittering
edge.
1 learn from this subject what sad
thing it is when the church of Got,
loses its metal! These Philistines saw
that if they could only get all the
metallic weapons out of the hands of
the Israelites all would be well, and
therefore they took the swords and
the spears. They did not want them
to have a single metallic weapon.
When the metal of the Israelites was
gone, their strength was gone. This
is the trouble with the church of God
to-day. 1t is surrendering it's courage.
1t has not enough metal. How seldom
it is that you see a man taking his po-
sition in pew or in pulpit or in a re-
ligious society and holding that posi-
ton against all oppression, and all
trial, and all persecution, and all criti-
cism. The church of God to-day wants
more backbone, more defiance, more
consecrated bravery. more metal.
How often you see man start out
in some good enterprise, and at the
first blast of opposition he has col
lapsed, and all his courage gone, for
getting the fact that if a man be right
all the opposition of the earth pound
ing away at him cannot do him any
permanent damage. 1t is only when
man is wrong that he can be damaged.
Why, God is going to vindicate His
truth, and He is going to stand by you,
my friends, in every effort you make
for Christ's cause and the salvation of
men.
Go forth in the service of Christ and
do your whole duty. You have one
sphere. l have another sphere. "The
Lord of Hosts is with US, and the God
of Jacob is our refuge. Selah." We
want more of the determination of
Jonathan. 1 do not suppose he was a
very wonderful man, but he got on his
knees and clambered up the rock, and
with the help of his armor bearer he
hewed down the Philistines, and a
man of very ordinary intellect attain
ments on his knees can storm any
thing for God and for the truth. We
want something of the determination
of the general who went into the war
and as he entered his first battle his
knees knocked together, his physical
courage not quite up to his moral
courage. and he looked down at his
knees and said: ''Ah, if you knew
where [ am going to take you you
would shake worse than that!"
There is only one question for you
to ask and for me to ask: What does
God want me to do? Where is the
field? Where is the work? Where is
the anvil? Where is the prayer meet
ing? Where is the pulpit? And find
ing out what God wants US to do, go
ahead and do it, all the energies of our
body mind and soul enlisted in the |
Oh, my brethren, we
have but little time in which to fight |
for God! You will be dead soon Put |
in the Christian cause every energy |
that God gives you. ''What thy hand |
fndeth to do do it with all thy might, |
for there is neither wisdom nor device |
in the grave" whittier we are all has
tening. Opportunities of usefulness
gone foI ever, souls that might have |
been benefited three months ago never |
again coming under our Christian in
huence. Oh, is it not high time that |
we awake out of sleep?
Church of God, lift up your head at |
the coming victory! The Philistines
will 60 down, and the Israelites will |
20 up. We are on the winning side. I
think Just now the Kings horses are
being hooked UP to the chariot. and |
when He does ride down the sky there
VIII Dc Sucu d HOSduud among Ills
friends and such wailing among His
enemies as will make the earth trem-
BILE AMI the heavens sing. I see now
the plumes of the Lords cavalrymen
tossing in the air. The archangel be-
fore tie throne has already FURNISHED
his trumpet, and then he will put its
golden lips to his own, and he will
blow The long lOud blast that will |
make ali the nations free. Clap your
hands, al ye people! Hark! ] hear
he falling thrones and the dashing