Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-03-25

more glorious victory. Cnhoiv a..o-
cmnons and indulgence in sin rob the
soul OF Its strength and place IL at the
mercy OF its enemy. Satan. 1t locks
II IN the dungeon of affection and sets
IT to grinding for the enemy. Itmske.
1T the object of the reproach and ridi-
Guile of the world. while the world OK
ats its own virtues and holds them
up as ITS gods OF superior power
ms is bad enough; the sin is black
the weakness is disgusting. the fall is
Tar. the affiiction is great. the reioic-
ing OF the enemy is loud and boisterous
but condition far worse. more sin
ful and more terrible is reached when
the soul. aba ndoning faith in God. and
persisting in its sin. is content. in
weak subsection. TO sit in the prison
house of affliction and grind the enc
my's grist. Then no glorious victory
comes TO brighten the last page of life's
book. But if the soul sits with shorn
samson and in repentance renews its
Nazaritc VOW of loyalty and faithful
ness To God. new power will come and
new victories follow. and. rs the fash
ing gold of the sunlight. bursting
through the black cloud after the aw-
tul tempest is past. eliminates the
heavens and uses the dark background
OF the angry-looking clouds to
heighten its splendor. so that soul
VIII shine with triumphant beauty
which will silence the worlds taunt
and bring swift destruction ia the
proud lords of the modern Philistines
THUS Samson comes with his warn
ing. and his message of hope for
the Christian OF to-day Let MS search
out the modern shorn Samsons. How
may we distinguish them? BY their
shorn locks. II was not hard to dis
cover the change in Samson II not
hard To identify the shorn Samsons of
to-day. IL We know where to look for
them and are able to discern their dis
figured countenanccs First OF all
Samson was abiding in strange land.
amidst worldly associates He was as
good as shorn when he went into
Philistia 10 dwell and took a = his bosom
companion that woman Delilah. The
Christian who dwells in the land 81
worldly pleasure and sinful indul-
gences is the shorn Samson. Like the
Samson OF old he is intoxicated with
the pleasure and JOY Of the moment.
Ills conscience is dcadened with the
sleep of Indifference rs he rests in the
lap OF ease and luxurious indulgence
and while thus reposing the seven locks
OF his strength are clipped close to
his head. God never intended that
Christians should be weaklings His
command ever 10 his followers is: "Hc
strong in the Lord and in the power Of
His might" SamSons. with DivineIv
given strength TO sIay evil on every
hand; Samsons. with the fearleSsucsS
of righteous purpose that will lead
them right into the heart Of the enc
my's country and enable them To ear
nv Oft the gates of the city and place
them on the summit Of the adjacent
hill which holds the commanding pn-
siiiOn against the city. But such sol
dicrS OF Jesus Christ arc not numer-
Gus
The reason the church to-day is so
weak and impotent in tho face Of evil:
the reason it is so sharply criticised
for its lack OF power; the reason il is
not finding "ihc Gospel Of Christ is the
power of God unto salvation" * be
cause il is filled with shoru Samsons.
and before the church will ever be a BILE
To win new and larger victories for
God il must either cast out its shorn
Samsons or awaken them to a realiza-
ton of their condition and set them
to grinding in the prison house of af-
Fiction until repentance brings new
milling of the strength and power OF
the Lord.