The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1902-04-18


Many prophecies IN regard to our
nation failed and many prophecies
concerning its future will fail be-
cause ii is travelling a new road.
Every step Il takes on that road is
novelty. The opinion Of a Mon
roe or a jefferson in the far past is
not Of a. much value as the opinion
Of our wifest men now. How could
men know in 1923 what It would be
best for this nation TO do in 1901?
10 is belittling as well as unwise FOR
our statesmen, who are quite equal
20 the statesmen of the past and
who have, in addition to the natural
talents OF their predecessors, attain
menis in knowledge that were i'm
possible in any decade but our own.
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 statesmanship IL has gone back
and that this opening Of the TWEEN
tieth century must consult the open
ing Of the nineteenth century? "le
have not passed this way before"
Yea, our entire world is on a new
pathway. 1t may be swinging in the
same old orbit as when by the hand
Of the Almighty immensity was
sprinkled with worlds, but it has
been rocked with earthquakes and
scorched with volcanic fires and
whelmcd with tidal waves and
wrought upon by climatic changes
cities sunk, and islands lifted, and
mountains ayalanched into valleys.
So it is another world than that
which was first started In the solar
system. Yet 1t 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, 1t may be said: "le
have not passed this way before"
What is the practical use OF this
subject? Instead of putting 80 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 7
presence. Not human, but divine, /
leadership, Joshua not consulting
with his colonels and lieutenants,
but consulting with God-the God OF .
individuals, the God Of nations. the /
God OF worlds.
That three-quarters Of mile dis
tance 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 1t. Irreverence
has cursed all nations. and none
more than our own. Irreverence in
the use Of Gods name. Hear you il
not on the streets and In social
groups, and is not a profane word
sometimes thought necessary to
point jocosity? Irrevcrcnce for the
Scriptures. the phraseology OF the
Bible often introduced into the most
frivolous conversation and made
mirth provoking. Irreyerence for
the oath in courtroom or custom
house or legislative hall by the con-
ventional and mechanical mode OF IT'S
administration. lrreverence 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. Ir-
reverence In church during prayer,
OF song and sermon by
cold, artistic or literary criticism.
and in prayer time neither bowing
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 70 the King
Of Kings We ask not for genufex-
Ions or cioumfexions or prostra-
tions, but when prayer Is offered let
MS 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
taken the place of rev
srence. That three-quarters OF mile
between the chest OF acacia covered
with gold and mounted with wings
4 symbol OF the divine presence
md the marching regiments OF Josh
IA suggests reverence that is
voefully lacking in social life. in
legislative hall and religious assem-
1lage. farmer went to the wheat
ield, taking his son with him. The
'hild said: "These stalks that stand I
straight up must have the best grain.
Those stalks that bend over cannot
1e worth anything" Then the ia (
her broke of two Of the tops Of ,hc !
talks and said: "Chld. that one
hat bends clear over has the grain"
L is the soul that bows in deepest
.cvcrence which is the best soul.
But though Joshua's host observed
he three-quarters OF mile com
nand, they followed the ark. and 6
-ou will do well to follow the divine !
eading. as the path YOU tread now {
las not yet been trodden. "Ye have 81
lot passed this way before" Many |
4 you are suffering from just such s
nnoyauces as have not occurred in {
n your history. There have been a
practiced upon you or 5