Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-02-05
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TAINiACE. DID,.
Pasior 81 Jefferson Park Presby.
tsrisn Church, ChieAsc

Los Angeles, Cal, Jan. 31.-To the
churches and religious communities
that have been torn by dissension or
weakened by discord and detection this
sermon conveys n powerful and inspir-
ing lesson, showing how even a small
company OF Christians, acting as a har-
monious unit. may win great spiritual
victories. The text is Judges vii, 8,
And the number OF them that Tapped,
putting their hand to their mouth, was
three hundred men,"
No sinecurist is the army's recruiting
officer. In most cases, whether in peace
or war, the problem which must be
solved by the war department is not
"How can we reject our volunteersP'
but How can we persuade or even
compel men TO enlist in the ranks?'
During Americas great civil war all
healthy men in the south between the
ages OF eighteen and sixty were forced
to shoulder musket IL unwilling to 20
ss volunteers. while In the north, after
the volunteers had ceased to respond to
Lincoln's repeated calls for troops, the
NAaAA OnNNAu WIFI 0NSIJWncTGs
The story OF Gideon's campaign Is
unique in history. Here was a general
about TO march against a powerful in
vader, well armed and equipped, whom
he must meet with a raw and undis-
ciplinsd force, actually reducing by a
capricious test the number of his fol-
lowers. Under Gods Command he dis
pensed with nine-tenths of his men.
When General Gideon raised his stand-
ard TO repel the invasion OF the Mid
tanites and Amalekites ZOO volun-
tsers answered the call to arms. But
God said TO Gideon. better quality than
quantity. Better a few loyal and de-
vossd meg to repel the invasion than a
great host made up OF disgruntled and
fault finding. Indifferent recruits. Gid
con, as directed by God, cut down the
numbers OF that Israelitish army. He
cut them down and down and down
and down until there were left only
three hundred men-only three small
companies TO follow their intrepid lead
er. But they won the victory. So 1t
may be in the great conflict between
good and evil in this world. Conse-
Grated, loyal, earnest men are needed
In the struggle for Righteousness. The
falling away OF the half hearted, the
Quarrelsome, need occasion no alarm.
The light is the Lords, and he can ac-
complish more with a few brave souls,
inspired with the Holy Spirit and de
vsted to him, than with a host of nomi-
nal Christians disloyal to him and an
tRgonistic 10 one another.
The Church Army.
The church should be harmonious
. ly organized army. The loyalty with
which one soldier holds to another in
the national army decides TO a great
extent the aggregate strength of that
army. When going into battle II is
just as important for a soldier TO know
that be is standing shoulder to shout
der with friends as TO realize that be is
standing face to face with attacking
foes Civil war veterans have told me
mat the affection which bound the
men or each company together was like
bands OF unbreakable steel II a SOL
der out foraging found food hidden
away in barn or IL he found desert
ed pile OF blankets or an extra pile OF
dry wood to be cut into kindling, the
nrst persons he thought OF were those
OF his company. There the men,
bers shared each others joys. They
sympathized with each ether in their
sorrows. II one OF their humber did
wrong or got into trouble. the different
members OF his company would always
come 10 his assistance. So. my friends.
the members OF each separate Chris
tan church ought TO be linked together
by gospel love. They should try to
shield each other and pray for each
other and care for each other and help
each other. They should never before
the world expose each others weak
nesses any more than n wife should be
willing. to publish before n cynical
ne.ghborhood the weaknesses and
shortcomings OF her husband. Church
members, In other words, should "be
kindly affectioned TO one another, with
brotherly love, in honor preferring one
another"
Not True Christians.
The church a harmonious gospel
company oh, no." says one. THAT
ideal Is not always n possibility. i
know IL is not possible for me to live
In sympathy and love with all the
members OF my church. Some OF them
have been too mean and have done me
TOO many injustices. / can truly say
do not want to harm them, but
certainly desire that they should leave
me entirely alone. certainly intend
TO leave them entirely alone. I do not
wish to keep them out OF heaven, but
do not wish some OF them to sit be-
side me In q celestial mansion or by
any common earthly fireside made OF
brick and stone" Ny friend, by such
an answer you are proving the Holy
Spirits power inefficacious. You are
demonstrating that you are unwilling
60 become one OF Gideon's band and
live in faithful harmony with the
chosen three hundred. God 10 willing
60 give you grace enough to love ali
yeur fellow church members II you
VIII only ask for that grace. Has not
.the sure testimony been given, at can
do all things through Christ which
strengthened me?" What an lids
tration OF that fact we had In the clos
Ing months OF the life OF General
Grant! In the darkest hours OF that
eventful life, when cancer, that most
horrible or all diseases, was slowly but
surely eating its way to the vital or
gaus, how bravely, how calmly, how
unselAshly the great soldier bore his
suffering and, sustained by Gods
grace, went unfalteringly to the grave.
The world may know him as a great
general, as successful politician, but 1
know him." wrote his family physi-
clan, DR.. Douglass, ''as a patient. gen.
tie. quiet, accomplishing sufferer, look
Ing death calmly in the face and count
Ing almost the hours he had TO live.
and those hours were studied by him
that he might contribute something Of
seneft to some other fellow sufferer.
If he was great in his life he was even
greater In his deathT'
The Grace Of God.
II the Lord God could give sufficient
grace to Ulysses 8. Grant to serve him