Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-05-17

SCSASsS-SkS-------S h=SS-h<O3
WASHINGTON, May 12.-In this dis
course DIR. Talmage urges all Christian
workers TO increased fidelity aud
shows how much effort at doing good
fails through lack Of adroitness: text
Genesis X, ., "tIe was mighty hunter
before the Lord"
In our day hunting is sport. but in
the lands and the times Infested of
wild beasts ii was n matter of life or
death with the people. 1t was very
different from going out on sunshiny
afternoon with patent breechloader
to shoot reedbirds on the fats when
Pollux and Achilles and Diometles
went out TO clear the land of lions and
panthers and bears. Xenophon grew
eloquent in regard to the art of hunt
ing. In the far east people, elephant
mounted, chased the tiger. Francis l
was called the father of hunting. And
Moses. in my text. sets forth Nimrod
as hero when it presents him with
broad shoulders and shaggy apparel
and sun Drowned face and arm bunch
ed with muscle-"a mighty hunter be-
fore the Lord" l think he used the
bow and the arrows with great sue
cess pTacticing archery
L have thought if it is such n grand
thing and such brave thing to clear
wild Eeas,s out of country If IL is
not n better and drawer thing to hunt
down and destroy those great evils of
society that are stalking the laad with
fierce &C and bloody paw and sharp
tuSk and quick spring. l have Won
dered If there is not such n thing as
gospel archery, by which those who
have been dying from the truth NAV
be captured for God and heaven. The
- Lord Jesus in his sermon used the art
OF angling for an Illustration when be
said, Il will make you fishers of men,"
And so l think | have authority for
using hunting as an illustration of Cos
pei truth. and pray God that there
may be many n man enlisted i'm the
work who shall begin to study gospel
archery, of whom il may. after awhile.
be said, He was mighty hunter be-
fore the Lord
Religious BIupdererS
How much awkward Christian work
there is done in the worldl How many
good people there are who drive souls
away from Christ instead of bringing
them TO hiDi All their fingers are
ADMINISTRATIONS blunderers who up
set more than they right. Their gun
has crooked barrel and kicks as Il
goes of. They are like clumsy COM
rade who goes along with skillful hunt
crs. At the very moment he ought TO
be most quiet he is cracking an alder
loo
away the game. How few Christian
people have ever learned how the Lord
Jesus Christ ut the well went from
talking about cup of water to the
most practical religious truths. which
won the woman's soul for Godl Jesus
In the wilderness was breaking bread
to the people. | think Il was very good
bread. IL was very light bread. and
the yeas; had Gone its work thoroughly.
Christ, after he had broken the bread.
said 10 the people. Beware OF the
yeast or OF the heaven of the Phari.
sees So natural n transition II was.
and how easily they all understood
Mimi But how few Christian people
there are who understand how 10 fas-
ten the truths of God and religion TO
the souls OF men!
Ihe arche-S OF oIden time studied
their art. They were very precise In
Inc matter. The old books gave spc.
'lai directions "a 10 how an archer
should so AMI aS 10 what an archer
should DO. lie must stand erect and
urn, his left foot little in advance
or the right foot With his left hand
he must take hold OF the bow In the
middle, and then with the three EN-.
gers aud the thumb OF his right hand
he should lay hold the arrow and aflix
IL 10 the string. so precise was the d.
rection given. But how clumsy we ore
about religious work. How little skin
ana care we exercise! How often our
arrows miss the mark! I am glad that
'nere are institutions established n |
many or the cities OF our land where |
men may learn the art OF doing good |
studying spiritual archery aud become |
known as mighty hunters before the |
Lord"
The Gospel Arrow.
In the hrst place, IL you want to be |
ehectual In doing good you must be |
very sure OF your weapon. There was
something very fascinating about the
archery OF olden times. Perhaps Won
do hot know what they could do with
'he DOW and arrow. Why. the chief
battles fought by the English Plan.
'agenets were with the longbow. They
would take the arrow of poIished
WOOD and feather 1t with the plume OF
n bird, and then IL would fly from tho
Dowstring OF plated silk. The bloody
heids or Agincourt and Solway Moss
and Nevilles Cross heard ,be lond
thrum or the archer's bowstrIng. Now
my Christian friends. we have
nightier weapon than that. II is the
arrow or the gospel. IL is a sharp
arrow; IL is straight arrow; il is
feathered from the wing OF the dove
OF Gods Spirit: it tiies from a bow
made ont of the wood of the cross
AS far ms can estimate or calculate. II
has brought down 40O,0OO.0oo OF sonls
Iaui knew how to hiring the notch Of
that arrow on TO the howstring. and its
whir WAS heard through the Corinthion
theaterS and through the courtroom nm.
III the knees Of Felix Knocked together
~ was thai arrowtliat stuck In I.uIher's
heaft whca Ge cried out: lob. nv sjpsi
On. my siils. III il strike n man I'm the
mead. II Hi!.s his skepticism; IL ii strike
MIN In the heel, 1t viii turn his step: II
IL strike him in the heart, he throws ND
MS hands, as did one OF old when
wounded IN the battle, CRYING, 20
Gaiilean, thou hast conqueredw
iii tie armory of the Earl of Pom
broke there are old corselets which show
snat the arrow of the English used TO
go through the breastplate, throuSs
the body of the warrior and ont
through the backplate. What a SYM
Dol OF that gospel which is sharper
than a two edged sword, piercing to
the dividing asunder of soul and BODY
ana OF the joints and narrow Would
To God we had more faith in that
gospel The humblest man in the
world, If he had enough faith in IL.
could bring hundred souls to Christ
perhaps live hundred. Just in pro-
N ii |