The Leon reporter., 1901-12-19

ueIuolllioH. vi lHlS DeauLlIul WOrld,
this lustrous. this glorious world, it
may be said, "Ye have not passed this
way before
What is the practical use of this
subject? 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 lid
ded chest of acacia, which was the
symbol of the divine presence. Not
human, but divine, leadership, Joshua
not consulting with his colonels and
lieutenants, but consulting with Cod
the God OF Individuals, the God of ma
tions, the God of worlds.
The Israeites needed to learn the
lesson of reverence, as we all need to
learn it. Irreverence has cursed all
nations, and none more than our own.
Irreverence in the use of Gods name
Hear you it not on the streets and
in social groups, and is not profane
word sometimes thought necessary to
point jocosity? Irreverence for the
Scriptures, the phraseology of the
Bible often introduced into the most
frivolous conversation and made mirth
provoking. Irreverence for the oath in
courtroom or custom house or legis-
lative hall by the cnventional and me-
chanical mode of its administration.
lrreverence for the holy Sabbath by
the way it is broken in pleasurable
excursions and carousal. Irreverence
on the part of children for their par
ents, insolence being substituted for
obedience. Irreverence for rulers,
which induces vile cartoons and assas-
sination. Irreverence in church dur
ing prayer, measuring off song and SER
mon by cold, artistic or literary criti-
clsm, and in prayer time neither bow
ing the head nor bending the knee nor
standing as one does in the presence
OF earthly ruler, thus showing more
respect for man than to the King Of
Kings. We ask not for genuflections
or circumfleXions or prostrations, but
when prayer is offered let us either
bow the head or bend the knee or let
us in some way prove that we are not
Indifferent.
You will do we'll to follow the divine
has not yet been trodden. "Ye have
not passed this way before" Many of
| you are suffering from just such an
noyances as have not occurred in all
your history. There have been mean
nesses practiced upon you or you have
received Sights or you are the subject
OF neutrality-suspicious. or you are in the
midst of sore disappointmentso or there
are demands made upon your strength
and time more than you can meet or
some physical ailment is laying siege
to your castle of health or you are
under embarrassments that you cannot
mention even to nearest friends. You
say We'll, never saw anything like
this. | never expected such treatment
as this. l never thought it possible
to be placed in such circumstances
And when you say. all that you are
only translating the words of my tex
into your own phraseology. If you hat
suffered something like this before, yor
would have known what to do, but
here is flank movement for which
you are not ready.
AS you have had no experience OF
this kind upon which to draw for wis
dom and as you cannot fully state all
the circumstances to any human ear
go to God and tell him all about it. He
knows already but it will relieve you
and help you if you tell him. That is
what he has been doing ever since the
world got into trouble by disobedient
behavior on the banks of the Euphra
tes. If in the first chapter of the Bible
we see the gate through which the
woes of the world entered, in the thirt
chapter of the Bible we see the open
ing of the gate through which they are
to be driven out. Sacrifcial lambs fore
telling the Lamb of God. Rock stricke1
into gushing floods, typical of the fac
that the worlds thirst is going to bt
slaked. Pillar of fire hoisted above
wilderness march. Star of hope ovel
birthplace in barn. Sepulchers rem
open. Trumpets of deliverance sound
ed. The Infinite God listening with az
ear in which a whisper 10000 miles
away is as audible as thunder.
But follow the ark, and it will leaC
you to rivers of consolation. You will
find that your child has. gone into 6
heaven of children, land where chill
dren are in vast majority score OF
infant souls to one manly or womanly
soul, for the vast majority of the race
die in infancy. Heaven great play
ground for children. Palaces for kings
and queens? Oh, yes! But what wide
halls of pleasure, what gardens of de-
light, what raptures, such as on earth
with ball and kite and hoop they never
felt. Let them co. mother. You can
trust him in the land of music and
flowers. The front door of that eter-
nal home was opened by him who said
Suffer the little children to come unto
me and forbid them not, for such is the
kingdom of heaven" What a time the
children have up there! What rounds