The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-12-21

hCN Albh
OF anneXing those r~orbiddipg regions
Many prophecies in regard to our
nation failed and many prophecies
concerning it's future will fail be-
cause it is travelling a new road.
Every step it takes on that road is
a novelty. The opinion of a Mon
roe or a Jefferson in the far past is
not OF as much value as the opinion
OF our wisest men now. How could
men know in 1923 what it would be
best for this nation to do in 1901?
IL is belittling as well as unwise for
our statesmen, who are quite equal
TO II statesmen of the past and
VINO have, in addition to the natural
talents of their predecessors, attain
ments i'll knowledge that were i'm
possible in any decade but our OWL,
to depend on advice of men who
have been dead three-quarters of a
century. In all other things the
world has advanced. Can it be that
in craftsmanship it has gone back
and that this opening of the TWEEN
tleth century must consult the open
ing of the nineteenth century? "Ye
have not passed this way before"
Yea, our entire world is Oh a new
pathway. 1t may be swinging in the
same old orbit Is when by the hand
of the Almighty immensely was
sprinkled with worlds, but it has
been rocked 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 valleys.
So it is another world than that
which was first started in the solar
system. Yet it is all the time chang
ing and will keep changing until the
hour of its demolition. OF this beau
tiful world, this lustrous world, this
glorious world, it may be said: "Ie
have not passed this way before"
What is the practical use of this
subject? Instead of putting so much
stress upon human advice and in
stead of asking of the past what we
ought TO do, follow the divine lead
ing as the men of Joshua. followed
the golden lidded chest of acacia,
which wa the symbol of the divine
presence. Not human, but divine,
leadership, Joshua not consulting
with his colonies and li%eutenants,
but consulting with God-the God of
individuals, the God of nations, the
God of worlds.
That three-quarters Of a mile dis
lance between the ark or sacred box
and the front column of Joshua's
troops nightly impresses me. 1t
was a forceful way of teaching rever-
ence for the Almighty. They needed
to learn that lesson of reverence, as
we all need to learn it. Irreverence
has cursed all nations, and none
more than Il own. I%rreverence in
not on the streets and in social
groups, and is not a profane word
sometimes thought necessary tc
point jocosity? Irrevercnce 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 legislative hall by the con.
ventional and mechanical mode of its
administration. Irreverence for tho
holy Sabbath by the way it is broker
in pleasurable excursion and ca
rousal. ~Irreverence on the part o.
children for their parents, insolencC
being substituted for obedience. II
reverence for rulers, which induces
vile cartoons and assassination. Ir
reverence in church during prayer
measuring off song and sermon BY
cold, artistic or literary criticism
and in prayer time neither bowling
the head nor bending the knee MOI
standing as one does in the presence
of earthly ruler, thus showing more
respect for a maj than to the King
of Kings. We ask not for genufleX.
ions or circumfexions or prostra.
tions, but when prayer is offered lei
us either bow the head or bend the
knee or let us in some way prove
that we are not indifferent. In how
many places have presumption ant
foolhardiness taken the place of rev
erence. That three-quarters of a mile
between the chest of acacia covered
with gold and mounted with wings
n symbol of the divine presence
and the marching regiments of Josh
ua suggests a reverence that i:
woefully lacking in social life, il
legislative hall and religious assem-
blage. A farmer went to the wheat
field, taking his son with him. The
child said: "These stalks that stant
straight up must have the best grain
Those stalks that bend over cannot
be worth anything" Then the fla
ther broke off two of the tops of the
stalks and said: "Child, that one
that bends clear over has the grain
1t is the soul that bows in deepest
reverence which is the best soul.
But though Joshua's host observed
the three-quarters of n mile com
mand, they followed the ark, ant
Won will do well to follow the divine
leading, as the path you tread now