The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1901-12-27

crises to meet and new questions 70
settle. So prophecies made about con-
ditions in this country So years from
now NAV turn out as far untrue as the
prophecies made so years ago by the
greatest of American statesmen when
he declared on yonder Capltol NIL
that it was unwise to think OF clvlllza-
ton or prosperity the other side OF the
Rocky mountains, and according TO ms
belief the Pacific coast would be lne
perpetual abode of barbarians ana
mountain lions, and we must not think
of annexing those rorbidding regions
Many prophecies in regard to our
nation failed and many prophecies
concerning it's future will fail pc
cause it is travelling new roao'
Every step it takes on that road is
novelty. The opinion OF a MOI
roe or 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 lsol!
1t is belittling as well as unwlse 1or
our statesmen, who are quite equal
to the statesmen of the past ana
who have, in addition to the naturai
talents of their predecessors, attain
ments in knowledge that were I'M
possible in any decade but our own
to depend on advice OF men VINO
have been dead three-quarters OF a
century. In all other things the
world has advanced. Can it be that
in craftsmanship is has gone BACK
and that this opening OF the TWEEN
tieth century must consult the open
ing of the nineteenth century? 1e
have not passed this way before"
Yea, our entire world is on new
pathway. 1t may be swinging in the
same old orbit as when by the hand
of the Almighty immensely was
sprinkled with worlds, but it mas
been rocked with earthquakes ana
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 it's demolition. Of this beau
tiful world, this lustrous world, this
glorious world, it may be said: "1e
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 was the symbol of the divine
presence. Not human, but divine,
leadership, Joshua not consulting
with his colonies and ieutenants.
but consulting with God-the God OF
individuals, the God of nations, the
God of worlds.
That three-guarters of mile dis
lance between the ark or sacred box
and the front column of Joshua's
troops nightly impresses me. 1t
d
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 our own. Irreverence in
the use of Gods name. Hear you it
groups, and is not a 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 legislative hall by the con-
ventional and mechanical mode of it's
administration. Irreverence for the
holy Sabbath by the way it is broken
in pleasurable excursion and ca
rousal. Irreverence on the part of
children for their parents, insolence
being substituted for obedience. r.
reverence for rulers, which induces
vile cartoons and assassination. r.
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 nor
standing as one does in the presence
of earthly ruler, thus showing more
respect for a man than to the King
of Kings. We ask not for genufiex-
ions or circumfexions or prostra-
tons, 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. In how
many places have presumption and