Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1901-12-21


1901? 1t is belittling as we'll as un-
wise for our statesmen, who are quite
equal to the statesmen Of the past and
who have, in addition to the natural
talents Of their predecessors, attain
ments in knowledge that were impossl-
BILE In any decade but our own, to de
pend on advice Of men who have been
dead three-quarters Of a century. In
nll other things the world has adyanc-
ed. Can II be that In craftsmanship
it has gone back and that this opening
of the twentieth century must consult
the opening Of the nineteenth century?
"Ye have not passed this way before"
Yea. our entire world is on a new
pathway. 1t may be swinging In the
same old orbit as when by the hand
Of the Almighty immensity was sprin-
kled with worlds, but 1t has been rock
ed with earthquakes and scorched with
volcanic fires and whelmed with tidal
waves and wrought upon by climatic
changes-cities sunk, and islands lifted,
and mountains avalanched into val
leys. So it is another world than that
which was first started In the solar
system. Yet 1t Is all the time changing
and will keep changing until the hour
of its demolition. or this beautiful
world. this lustrous world, this glori-
GUS world, 1t may be said, "Ye have
not passed this way before"
What is the practical use Of this sub
jectl Instead of putting so much
stress upon human advice and instead
Of asking OF the past what we ought
to do, follow the divine leading as the
men Of Joshua followed the golden
lidded chest OF acacia, which was the
symbol Of the divine presence.
Teaches Reverence 20 God.
That three-quarters Of mile dis
tance between the ark or sacred box
and the front column Of Joshua's
troops nightly Impresses me. 1t was
q forceful way Of teaching reverence
for the Almighty. They needed to
learn that lesson OF reverence. as we
all need to learn II. Irrevercnce has
cursed all nations. and none more than
our own lrreyerence In the Use OF
Gods name. Hear you IL not on the
streets and in social groups. and is not
a profane word so.lctlmes thought nee
essary to point joc0S,iy? Ir"ycrcnce
for the Scriptures thr phraSeoloSy OF
the Bible often introduced into the
most frivolous conversation and made
mirth provoking. Irreycrence for the
oath In courtroom or custom house OF
legislative hall by the conventional and
mechanical mode of its administration
Irreverence for the holy Sabbath by
the way It Is broken in pleasure excur-
sion and carousal Irreyerence on the
part Of children for their parents, In
science being substituted for obedi
ence. Irreverence for rulers. which In
duces vile cartoons and assassination
Irreverence in church during prayer
measuring off song and sermon by
cold, artistic or literary criticism. anC
in prayer time neither .howing The
head nor bending the knee nor stand
ing as one does in the presence oi
earthly ruler, thus showing more re
spect for a man than to the King OF
kings. We ask not for genufexlon;
or clrcumflexlons or prostrations, but
when prayer Is offered let us either
bow the head or bend the knee or lei
US In some way prove that we are no
Indifferent. In how many places have
presumption and foolhardlness taker
the place Of reverencel That three
quarters of a mile between the chest ol
acacia covered with gold and mounted
with wings-a symbol Of the divine
presence-and the marching regiments
of Joshua suggests a reverence that II
woefully lacking In social life, in legis
latlye hall and religious assemblage
A farmer went to the wheatfeld, TAX
ing bis son with him. The child said
"These stalks that stand straight VI
must have the best grain. Those
stalks that bend over cannot be wortf
anything" Then the father broke Of
two Of the tops OF the stalks and said
Child, that one that bends clear ovel
has the grain" 1t Is the soul thai
bows In deepest reverence which Is thu
best soul.
Follow the Divine Leading.
But though Joshuas host observed
| Al Of mil
they followed the ark. and you will d.
well to follow the divine leading. al
the path you tread now has not ye
been trodden. "Ye have not passed
this way before" Many Of you ar
suffering from just such annoyance
as have not occurred In all your bis
tory. There have been meannesse
practiced upon you or you have re
celved Sights or you are the subjec
Of neutrality-suspicious. or you are In tn
midst of sore disappoIntments or Their
are demands made upon your strengtl
and time more than you can meet o
some physical ailment ls laying siege t
your castle OF health or you are unde
embarrassments that you cannot men
ton even TO nearest friends. You say
"Well. | never saw anything like this
never expected such treatment a
this. never thought 1t possible to b
placed In such circumstances. An
when you say all that you are onl.
translatlng the words OF my text Int
your own phraseology. If you had sui
fered something like this before. 30
would have known what 10 do. bu
here Is a flank movement for whic
you are not ready.
AS you have had no experience o
this kind upon which to draw for wis
dom and as you cannot fully state a
the circumstances to any human ear
10 to God and tell him all about II
He knows already, but 1t Will relieV
you and help you If you tell him. Ina
Is what he has been doing ever sine
the world got into trouble by disobedl