The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-05-29

much cushions as it wants saddle-bags and
arrows. We have got to put aside the
gown and the kid gloves and put on the
hunting shirt. We want pulpit on
wheels. We have been fishing so long in
the brooks that run under the shadow of
the church that the fish know us, and they
avoid the hook and escape as soon as we
come to the bank. while yonder is Upper
Saranac and Big Tupper's Lake, where the
first swing of the gospel net would break
it for the multitude of the fishes. There
is outside work to be done. What is it
that see in the backwoods? 1t is tent.
The hunters have made a clearing and
camped out. What do they care if they
have wet feet or if they have nothing but
a pine branch for pillow or for the
northeast storm? If moose in the dark
ness steps into the lake to drink. they
hear it right away. If a loon cry in the
midnight, they hear it. So in the service
OF God we have exposed work. We have
got to camp out and rough it. We are
putting all our care on the comparatively
few people who 60 to church. What are
we doing for the millions who DO not
come? Have they no souls? Are there
no dead in their houses that they need no
comfort? Are they cut off from God to
20 into eternity-no wing to bear them, no
light to cheer them. no welcome to greet
them? I hear to-day, surgins up from
that lower depth of our cities, groan that
comes through our Christian assemblages
and through our beautiful churches, and it
blots out all this scene from my eyes, as
by the mists of a great Niagara, for the
dash and the plunge of these great torrents
of life dropping down into the fathonlesss
and laundering abysm of suffering and
woe.
remark. further. if you want to succeed
in spiritual archery you must have cour-
age If the hunter stands with trembling
hand or shoulder that finches with fear,
instead of his taking the eatamoun1tt the
catamount takes him. What would be.
come of the Greenlander if when out hunt
ing for the bear he should stand shivering
with terror on an iceberg? What would
haze become of Du Chaillu and Livings-
tone in the African thicket with faint
heart and weak knee? When panther
comes within twenty PAGES of you, and 1t
has it's eye on you, and it has squatted for
the fearful spring, "Steady there" Cour-
age. O We spiritual archers! There are
great monsters of iniquity prowling all
around about the community. Shall we
not in the strength of God 60 forth and
combat them? We not only need more
heart. but more backbone. What is the
church of God that it should fear to look
in the eye any transgression? There ls the
Bengal tiger of drunkenness that Iprowls
around, and instead of attacking 1t how
many Of US hide under the church pew or
the communion table! There is SO much
invested in it we are afraid to assault 1T
millions of dollars in barrels, in vats, in
spigots. in corkscrews, in gin palaces with
marble floors and italian top tables, and
chased ice coolers, and in the strychnine,
and the logwood, and the tartaric acid,
and the nux vomica that 60 to make up
our "pure" American drinks. looked
with wondering eyes on the heidelberg
tun." 1t is the great liquor vat of Ger
many, which is said to hold 800 hogsheads
of wine and only three times in hundred
years it has been filled. But as | stood
and looked at i. I said to myself: "That is
nothing-SO0 hogsheads. Why. our Ameri-
can vat holds l0,20000O barrels of strong
drink, and we keep 100000 men with moth
ing to do but to see that it is filled" Oh,
to attack this great monster of intemper;;
ance and the kindred monsters Of fraud
and unceanness requires you to rally all
YOUR Christian courage! Through the
press, through the pulpit. through the
platform, you must assault it.
Would to God that all our American
Christians would band together: not. for
crackbrained fanaticism, but for holy
Christian reform! think it was in 1793
that there went out from Lucknow, India,
under the sovereign, the greatest hunting
party that was ever projected. There were
10000 armed men in that hunting party.
There were camcls and horses and ele.
plants On some princes rode, and royal
ladies under exquisite housings. and 500
coolies waited upon the train, and the des'
olate places of India were invaded by this
excursion. and the rhinoceros and deer and
elephant fell under the stroke OF the sabre
and bullet After awhile the party brought
hack trophies worth $4,000 rupees. having
left the wilderness of India ghastly with
the slain bodies of wild beasts. Would to
God that instead of here and there strag-
glcr going out to fight these great monster:
of iniuuity in our country the millions OF
members of our churches would band to-
cether and hew in twain these great crimes
that make the land frightful with, their
roar, and are fattening upon the bodies
and souls of immortal men! Who is ready
for such a party as that? Who will be
mighty hunter for the Lord?
I remark, again, if you want to be sue
cessful in spiritual archery you need not
only to bring down the game, but bring it
in. think one of the most beautiful pic
lures of Thorwaldsen is his " Autumn" 1t
represents a sportsman coming home and
standing under a grapevine. He has a
staff over his shoulder, and on the other
end of that staff are hung rabbit and
brace Of birds. Every hunter brings home
the game. No one would think OF BRING
ing down roebuck or whipping up a
the woods. At eventide the camp is
adorned with the treasures of the forest
beak and fin and antler.
If you 60 out to hunt for immortal souls,
not only bring them down under the ar
row of the gospel. but bring them into the
church of God, the grand home and en-
campment we have pitched this side OF the
skies. Fetch them n. Do not let them lie
out in the cPen field. They need our pray
ers :nd sympathies and help. That is the
meaning of the church OF God-help. 0
We hunters for the LORD, not only bring
down the game, but bring it in!
But, let me say, you will never work any
better than you pray. The old archers
took the bow, put one end of it down beside
the foot, elevated the other end, and 1T
was the rule that the bow should be Just
the size of the archer. If it were Just his
size, then he would go into the battle with
confidence. Let me say that your power
to project good in the world will CORE
spond exactly to your own spiritual stat
ure. In other words. the first thing in
preparation for Christian work is personal
conservation.
."Oh, for closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly Frame
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the lamb"
I am sure that there are some men who
at some time have been hit by the gospel
arrow. You felt the wound of that con.
viction, and you plunged into the world
deeper, just as the stag, when the hounds
are after it, plunges into Schroon Lake,
expecting in that way to escape. Jesus
Christ is on your track to-day. 0 impenl-
tent man. not in wrath, but in mercy. D