Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-08-22
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church. Chicago

preacher pOtHto V"' '"~ NY
cessful life and the secret whereby
even seeming reverses may be trans
formed into triumphs. The text Is
Joshua 1. 3. "As was with Moses
so will be with thee"
One of the greatest novels ever writ |
ten. so considered by many of our best
critics. is Victor HugO's masterpiece
LES Misuables." Amid all the art gal
lerv of that treasured book the most
wonderful description Is the woru
painting by which the denunciator OF
Napoleon the Little pictures the
downfall Of Napoleon the Great AT
the battle field of Waterloo. When TINS
great master of literature topples over
the French colossus, the earth trem-
bles and the dead centuries come forth
out of their musty tombs and look on
in perpetual wonderment
In that marvellous recital you can
hear the booming of the artillery $
guns and the crack Of the infantry $
muskets and the groans of the dying
and the cheers of the charging cav
airy. and the tramp Of the British lines
forming themselves into the unbreaka-
BILE squares against which the Ola
Guard flung itself in vain. In
II Won can see the flushed cheeks ana
the flashing eyes Of a conQuering host
and the pale. wan, haggard faces or
flying mob.
Yet after all in reading the thrilling
story | am impressed not so much by
what happened as what did not nap
pen. For many hours the eagle OF vic
tory seemed undecided upon which
standard to alight. She huttered this
way and that, as though awaiting some
ones expected advent to help her to
decide Napoleon himself was waiting
anxiously waiting, for the same helper
Every little while he would take his
field glass and scan the surrounding
hills and valleys. Every little While he
would turn to his staff officers and say:
DO you see him? Have you heard
any news from Grouchy? We must
have re-enforcements or we are lost
In the meantime over the hills march
ed Marshal Butcher with his German
re-snforcements. That was the de-
cIsiye event. Victory hesitated no
longer. She flew TO the standard OF
Wellington and perched there. The
Napoleonic star set in gloom TO rise no
more in this world. 1t was the lack or
re-enforcements at critical moment
which DESTROYED the French army. II
is the lack of divine re-enforcementS
which may destroy us in the battle OF
life
al VIII He With Thee" Said the Lord.
The text tells us of another general
who also needed re-enfOrcements. 10
Joshua was committed the task of con
Ouering a country held by warlike peo-
pie. To him at the supreme moment
comes the assurance Of the Lord OF
Hosts. IL will be with thee" Now, my
friends. the same kind of divine re-en
forcement which came TO Joshua wheI
he took command of the Israelitisl
forces may also be given to us. Wher
God gave 10 him his commission he said
Joshua, If you will be true to me anc
fight under my standard I will be witt
thee. as l was with thy predecessor
That divine succSr which God gave u
Joshua he gave to our Christian IA
theirs: that divine help he will give t
as II we will trust him and believe OF
him and live for him. Therefore
would inspire every Christian t
prayerfully go forth and do what Coz
wants him to do. l would inspire al
Christians to live and work with
brave heart, because the results OF ou
future conflicts are as sure as Cod
promises are sure.
First. God will be with the Christian
workers of this present generation. W.
fight under his glorious banner. DaviC
had proved it by experience when b
wrote. Thou hast given a banner L
them that fear thee, that 1t may b
displayed because Of the truth" Unde
that banner the church of God has Wol
victories in all ages. Solomon saw
on its march and pronounced it terri
BILE as an army with banners" He say
II later. triumphant over all evil, enter
ing like a bride into the home of
bridegroom and her lord leading he
into the banquet hall and placing owe
her the banner OF love.
Now, q banner is not merely a piec
of rag or flaring bit of tiutterin
bunting or dress parade endazzi'
ment. The banner of God is a flag or
standard. 1t is the symbol of supernf
authority. Whoever therefore strike
at Gods banners strikes at the divin
heart. When, some years ago, a
American citizen was arrested by I'll
Spanish authorities in Cuba ana sci
fenced to die, the American consul
first protested in vain. But on the da
set for the execution the Cuban al
thOrities dared not shoot because thu
consul wrapped an American flag aDol
the condemned man, saying: He
an American citizen. Now shoot hi
darew Today, in symbol, God wral
about every Christian worker his ba
ner. 1t is the symbol of protection.
is the symbol Of Omnipotence. 1t Is Il
symbol of the atonement 1t is Il
symbol Of divine forgiveness. 1t is Il
symbol OF a glorious and never endiI
life.
Symbols In the Gospel Banner.
We all can see the beautiful symbo
In the American flag. Is there mol
TOR us in the gospel bannerf We 81
there never was national flag
poetic as ours! When George Was
ington and Robert Morris and Colon
Ross, the committee appointed by Il
Second Continental congress, visit'
Betsy Ross In her Philadelphia HON
they accomplished a great work. Tn
flag symbolized thirteen different go