Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-04-14

81
Kill, Death to the Ruguenots. kill.'
" han -ady lane irex,s bead rnllAd from
the eXecutioner's block when Calvin was
imprisoned in the castle. when John
Knox died for the truth. when John Bun
yam lay rotting in Bedford jail, saying.
III God will help me and my physical
life continues. | will stay here until the
moss grows on my eyebrows rather than
give up my faith" the days of retreat for
the church were days of victory.
The pilgrim fathers fell back from the
other side of the sea to Plymouth Rock.
hut ROW are marshaling continent for
the Christianizaticn OF the world. The
church of Christ falling back from Pied
mont, falling back from Rue ST. Jacques.
falling back from ST. Denis, falling back
from Wurttemberg castles. falling back
from the Brussels market place, yet all
the time triumphng. Notwithstanding
all the shocking revcrScs which the
church of Christ suffers. what do we see
to-laye Twelve thousand missionaries
of the cross on heather grounds; eighty
thousand ministers of Jesus Christ in
this land; at least four hundred millions
of Christians ON the earth. Falling back,
yet advancing until the old Wesleyan
hymn will prove true:
The lioa of Judah shall break the chain
And give us the victory again and again,
Reasons for Retreat.
But there is more marked illustration
of victorious retreat in the life of our
Joshua. the Jesus Of the ages First
falling back from TN appalling height to
an appalling depth falling from celestial
hills To terrestrial valleys, from throne
20 Manager; yet that did not seem TO suf-
tee him as a retreat, Failing back Stltl
farther from Bethlehem to Nazareth,
from Nazareth to Jerusalem back from
Jerusalem to Go.golha, back from Col
EothI IA the mausolcum in the rock. back
down over the prccipiccs of perdition I'M
til he walked amid the cayernS OF the
eternal csptivcS aud drank of The wine
of the wrath OF Almighty God. amid the
AhahS. aud the Jcscbcls. and the Bel
Shazznrs. Oh, men of the pulpit and
men Of the pew. Christi descent from
heaven 10 earth does not measure half
the distance, II was from glory 10 per
duion. lie descended into he'll. All the
records of earthly retreat are rs nothing
/ compared with this falling back. Santa
Anna. with the fragments of his army
dying over the piateaus of Mexico and
Napoleon and his army rctreatiug from
Moscow into the awful SHOWS of Russia
arc NOT worthy 10 he mentioned with this
{ retreat, when all the powers of dark
ness seem To hr pursuing Christ IT'S lac fell
/ back. until the body OF him who came To
do such wonderful things lay pulsrles~
! and stripped. Ncthjnks that the city of
/ ii WAS not so cmutied Of its inhabitants
! when they went 20 pursue Joshua as
/ perditiou WAS umpicd Of devils when
! they started for the pursuit Of Christ,
/ and he fell hHck and back. down lower,
( down iowcs. chaSm below chasm, pit he
/ low pit. until hc SCENE dto strike the
bottom OF ohjurgation and Scoru and tor
/ tuPc. Oh, the long, loud jubilant shout
of he'll at the defeat OF the Lord God
. Almighty,
! But let not the powers OF darkness re-
joice quite so soon. DO You hear that
disturbance IN the tomb Of Arimuthea
/ hear the sheet rcnding' What means
that stone hurled down the side of the
Z hill? Who is this coming outf Push
, him back, The dead must not stalk in
/ this open sunlight oh. il is our Joshua.
/ Let him come ont. He comes forth and
starts for the city. He takes the spear
of the Roman guard aud points that way.
Church militant marches up GA one side,
aud the church triumphant marches down
on The other side. And the powers Of
darkness being caught between these
ranks Of celestial and terrestrial valor
( nothing rs lrfi Of them save just enough
! 10 Illustrate the dircrul overthrow of hell
and opr JoShua's eternal victory. On
! his mead bc all the crowns. In his hands
/ be- all the scrprcrs AZ his feet bc all
/ the human hearts; and here Lord, is ON"
I Of jhem.
sin. Triumph Brief.