Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1902-12-17

InallicSttH, and His power realized
In the dcljverance wrought. The
words OF our text were spoken TO the
children OF Israel during one of the
most trying crises i'm their history. It
is the third day since they have
fed from the cruel bondage an
Egypt. They are on the edge of the
desert. and short distance moro
IN their journey will carry them be
yond the pursuing chariots of Pha
Iaoh. And when confidence is grow
ing strong in their breasts that they
are safe, suddenly the cloudy pillar
vecrS TO the southwark and leads
them between the mountains and the
sea. ard as the afternoon wears away
and the sun sinks to rest the noun
tains on the right hand cast their
deep shadow of gloom over the long
irregular column OF helpless mer
women and children, and on the LEFT
hand the roar and splash of the sea
are heard. Suddenly upon their ears
breaks the dull rumble of the on
rushing chariots OF the pursuing
Egyptians, and their straining ewes
penetrate the fading light Of the
evening. and make out in the dis
tance the advancing enemy. Escape
seems impossible. They are panic
stricken. and in agony of fear they
turn upon Moses and begin to up
braid and abuse him
Here was trying crisis, indeed!
The Nengeful enemy threatening
them in the rear, the walls of rock
and the rolling sea on either hand.
and rebellion in the camp. In the
face cf such awful peril. but with
eye fixed on that pillar of cloud.
which was even now beginning to
glow with light as the darkness set
tied down around them. Moses
showed sublime confidence in God as
he calmly speaks: Fear not. stand
still. and sec the salvation OF the
Lord which He will show to YOU to-
day: for the Egyptians whom We
have seen to-day, We shall see them
again no more forever The Lord
shall fight for you. and We shall hoid
your peace" And then follows tn,
mighty deliverance Of the children of
Israel from their peril, and the ut
ter destruction of the enemy of God
and Gods people
And this thrilling bit of history
from the pages of Gods Book has lis
lessons for you and for me-Cri>cs
and the glory which shines out Of
them II Gods hand is leading. and
His power controlling There are
crucial periods in the lives of every
individual and every nation which
mark the complete breaking avvav
from old conditions and the entrance
comes at the point where il is uncer-
tain whether the one who has been
led out will surrender to the pursu.
ing enemy and 60 back to the land
OF bondage and to a worse slavery
than ever before, or whether i'm tho
gathering gloom with the relentless
foe pressing upon him. he will lift
his eyes {" the glowing cloudy pillar
of the Divine presence and stand
still and watch for the salvation Of
the Lord. which never fails to come.
Watching FOR the Crisis under.
stand that in cases Of typhoid fever
the careful physician exercises the
greatest precautions in detecting tho
crisis IN the disease. for carclcseuess
ana failure 10 note the true conGi
ton ct the patient might bring about
a fatal issue. He watches for the an
proach Of the crisis. and SO is u. cuared
for 1t when il comes There il pcril
IN not discovering the crisis
sleeping nurse and careless doctor
would miss the critical period There
is peril for YOU and for me i'm NOT
discovering the crisis as IL comes T.,
MS in lifc'~ experiences. The sIccpiup
conscience and the careless mind will
make MS miss The critical period
The crisis came in the life OF Saul
when at Glgal he usurpcd the priest.
" office and offered burnt ofTcripos
before the Lord His sIccpiug con
science WAS not sensitive toward.
God and 30 permitted his careless
mind 80 plunge him hccdIcssly ON to
holy ground Tic was not vl,cbino
Tic crisis came when he Httr,
dreamed 10 was there. HARDLY had
nc completed his sacrifice of burnt
Offering when Samuel Gods propboi
and priest came. Oh. what nm
eternity Of difference q few moment.
make in life. sometimes Saul ihc
King. hy The amounting Of thc Lord
with tine possibility of pcrpefuafiur
n Zinc ~ king through his ppstcrity
Saul. thc rejected one. because he
was not watching for the crisis and
was not prepared TO meet if, IF hc
had not allowed his conscience to FAN
asleep after be- had been called from
Tho humble occupation Of herding hi-
fathers cattle TO the responsibility
Of railing q Kingdom he would have
realized that on the new and higher
road he was travelling ihc crisis
would surely come and make or mar
his name and destiny. But Saul let
conscience sleep and carelcssncss
crcpt into las life and wien the
cri... came ~ GlLnaI he falIcd 10 roo.