The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-06-06

~ HS$8 God. This il the
greatest testi-
mony which can
be borne OF any
soul. We who
read the complete
story of Noah's life and see plainly
the reward of that obedience may be
quick to exclaim: "How foolish and
how fatal il would have been for him
to do otherwise than all that the
Lord commanded him." But IL we
will try to forget for the time being
the glorious ark riding in safety on
the crest of the mighty flood, bear
ing it's living freight above the wa
terry graves of those who refused to
hear Gods voice or heed His warn
iDgs, and stand with Noah when the
command of God first came to him,
VIC will see that only implicit faith in
God could have given Noah the cour-
age to act. Is il not probable as
Noah saw the sun rising day after
day, in his strength and glory, as
his feet passed through his grain
laden fields, and bearing orchards. as
he heard the music of the birds, as
he beheld the busy rush of life all
about him, people marrying and be-
ing given in marriage, commercial
and industrial enterprises command
ing and occupying the skill and en-
crgy and brains of mankind: is Ii not
probable that Noah found it hard
to believe and obey God? In obey
ing God he could not hope to secure
the support or even Endorsement OF
his neighbors and friends. Perhaps
he knew that at first it would mean
opposition in his own household.
PUT there were other things besides
- ridicule and opposition and perse-
cution which would make the obeying
of God no easy thing. He must give
up personal plans and ambitions. 1t
must not be supposed that, up to the
time the command came to Noah.
he had been standing around idly
waiting for something to turn up.
The Lord always seeks out the busy
hands and brains to work for Him.
lie has no more love for the drone
than has the employer whose sue
cess depends upon the industry OF
the men he employs.
And ], for one, believe that Noah
was one of the most industrious and
successful men of his time. He was
respected and looked up to in the
community. The godly life always
commands the respect of the wicked.
There is no doubt that the times in
which Noah lived were distressingIy |
bad, for the record preserved by God |
declares that "the wickedness of
man was great in the earth. and every |
imagination of the thoughts of his |
heart was only evil continually"
But Noah lived an upright life, and
his cxcellencies made him COM
manding figure in the country in
which he lived. He was an important
and influential citizen, and as such
was undoubtedly full of his own
plans and ambitions. And so, when
the command of the Lord came to
him to turn from these things and
build the ark, II doubtless cost him
NO little struggle to obey.
THE Christian has to meet the
I same conditions to-day in yield
ing obedience to God. but the reward
is as certain as that which came to
Noah. We see so clearly the glory
which issued from Noah's obedience,
that we forget that, when Noah per-
formed the Lords command, the re-
ward Of that obedience was still
n II 4. l.
the skepticism and opposition all
about him strove to drive him from
his task, and make him unhappy and
rcbcllious under the command of the
Lord. But he obeyed God in the
face of it all, and reaped sure re-
ward of that obedience. This is the
first thought which we wish to drive
home to the heart of the Christian,
yes, and to the unsaved soul. as well.
ObcyiDg God paves safe roadway to
final victory and glorious reward. To
the Christian il leads to all the riches
that are in the treasure house OF God:
it leads to the crown of life, the crown
OF righteousness, and the crown of
glory. And to the unsaved soul IL
leads from the land of death to life
and liberty in Christ Jesus. The one
command to the unsaved is: Repent
and believe on Jesus Christ. Obedi-
ence TO this command reveals the re-
ward Of Eternal Life to the soul after
that obedience is rendered. The
soul that walks with Noah and docs
all that God commands IL will not
pass over an easy pathway, but the
glory of the certain reward which
rests at the other end tiDges the hori-
zon of the sky of life. and encour-
ages and leads the soul on. IL is no
imaginary pot Of gold at the end
of the arching rainbow. That Is what
the world is chasing after. Man Is
obeying his own impulses and desires
with the vision of the yellow gold
drawing him on to the end of the
rainbow of life. and when he comes to
the end he finds IL disappears, as the
mirage in the desert fades before the
disappointed gaze of the dying trav-
eler. There is no sure reward await
ing the soul that obeys man rather