Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-12-21
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know in 1928 what it would be best for
this nation to do in 1902 1t is belittling
as we'll as unwise for our statesmen, wh0
are quite equal to the statesmen CT the
past and who have, in addition to the
natural talents OF their predecessors, at
tainments in knowledge that were impos-
sible in any decade but our own, to de-
pend on advice of men who have been
dead three-Quarters of 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
twentieth century must consult the open
ing of the nineteenth century? "Ye have
not passed this way before"
Yea, our entire world is on a new path
way. 1t is another world than that
which was first started in the solar sys-
ten Yet il is all the time changing and
will keep changing until the hour of its
demolition. or this beautiful world, this
lustrous world, this glorious world. it
may be said, I'VE have not passed this
way before"
What is the practical use Of this sub
iect: 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 ldded chest of aca-
Ella, which was the symbol of the divine
presence. Not human. but divine, leader
ship, Joshua not consulting with his colo
nels and lieutenants. but consulting with
God-the God of individuals, the God of
nations, the God of worlds.
The Lesson of Reverence.
That three quarters of n mile distance
between the ark or sacred box and the
front column OF JoShua's troops nightly
impreSscs me. 1t was a forceful way of
teaching reverence for the Almighty.
They needed to learn that lesson of rev
erencc, as We all need TO learn it. lrrev-
erence has cursed all nations, and none
more than our own. lrreverence in the
use of Gods name. Hear you it not on
the streets and in social groups. and is
not a profane word sometimes thought
necessary to point jocosity? Irrevercnce
for the Scriptures, the phraseology of the
Bible often introduced into the most friv-
olOus conversation and made mirth pro-
VOking. lrreverence for the oath in court
room or custom house or legislative hall
by the conventional and mechanical mode
OF its administration. Irreverence for the
holy Sabbath by the way it is broken in
pleasurable excursion and carousal. lr-
reverence on the part of children for
their parents, insolence being substituted
for obedience. Irreyercnce for rulers,
which induces vile cartoons and assas-
sination Irrevcrencc in church during
prayer. measuring off song and sermon by
cold, artistic or literary criticism. and in
1. 4. a.
| 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 genu-
| hexions 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 indif-
fcrcnt In how many places have pre-
sumption and foolhardincss taken the
place of reverence That three-quarters
OF q mile between the chest Of acacia
covered with gold aud mounted with
wings "A symbol Of the divine presence
and the marching regiments Of Joshua
suggests reverence that is woefully
lacking in social life. in legislative hall
and religious assemblage 4 farmer went
TO the wheat field. taking his son with
him. The child said "Ihese stalks that
stand straight up must have the best
grain. Those stalks that bend over can
not be worth anything" Then the faher
broke off two Of the tops of the stalks
and said. Child, that one that bends
clear over has the grain" It is the soul
that bows in deepest reverence which is
the best soul.
But though Joshua's host observed the
thrce-auarters of mile command, they
followed the ark, and you will do wen to
follow the divine leading, rs the path YOU
tread now has not yet been tr0ddcn. "Ye
have not passed this way before Many
Of you are suffering from just such an
nOyanccs as have not occurred in all your
history. There have been mnanncsscs
practiccd upon you or you have received
Sights or you are the subject Of misintcr-
prctatiOns or you are in the midst os sore
disappointments or there are demands
made upon your strength and time more
than you can meet or some physical all
ment is laying siege to your castle of
health or yOu are under cmbarrassmcntS
that Won cannot mention oven 10 nearest
friends. You say; We'll, / never saw
anything ike this. | never expected such
treatment as this. never thought it pos
sible TO be placed in such circumstances"
And when you say all that you are only
translating the words Of my text into
your own phraseology. If YOU had suffer
ed something ike this before, you would
have known what 10 do, but here is
flank movement for which you arc not
ready.
Ask Gods Help.
As you have had no experience Of this
kind upon which TO draw for wisdom and
"a you cannot fully state all the circum-
stances to any human car, 20 70 God and
tell him all about it. lie 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
Euphrates. If in the first chapter Of the
Bible we see the gate through .ehich the
woes Of the world entered, in the third
chapter Of the Bible we see the opening
Of the gate through which they are to be
driven out. Promises by the score and
hundreds and thousands. Sacrifcial