Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-11-03

An ARMY'S SECRET SER.
VICE AND RESERVES.

A visitor once expressed to Lincoln
the hope that God would be on the
Union side. The great war president
made answer somewhat like this: II
am not concerned about having God on
our side, but I am tremendously con-
lcerned that we should be on Gods
side."--which is a different matter al
together. For only he who fights for
God can have God fighting for him.
This faith of Lincoln's is recalled by
the old testament story which IL the
basis Of the present Sunday school les
son. Consciousness Of Jehovah was to
Elisha a very living and present reality.
It made him an irresistible factor in
the life Of Israel. 1t is this faith which
makes conQuerors of nations and indi-
viduals. Only the other day a Scotch
clergyman, who has been visiting this
country for a few months past, when
questioned concerning the present con-
words that reminded M of the heroic
faith Of the old Hebrew prophet. The
Free churches have been dispossessed
Of their homes and their goods by the
famous decision of the British law
lords; yet their faith has no faltered.
In the words Of this visitor: The liv-
Ing Christ still leads His living church;
WI shall go straight on. II 1t must be
into the wilderness. well and good: 1t
will not be the first time that God has
led His church there. So long as we are
r to Him. houses and lands and
goods and everything else matter but
little."
4 PHASE OF THE WORLDS FAIR.
This buoyant, indomitable faith is
n OF h real needs of the present
time. The church requires nothing else
90 much as q vital conviction OF her
identity with the forces Of God. in the
world visible and In the world invis-
ible. These are materialistic times, and
the eyes Of many nave waxed fat, so
that they see not things spiritual. In
difference to the highest truth IL wide-
spread. Men are yielding the sover-
eighty OF their lives to their baser ma.
lures, because they have no eyes for
the unseen.
Where there is no vision. the people
PERISH" were the word of the wise man.
Ideals become dim and hazy. Fear sits
In the seat OF authority. Hesitancy
n questioning have supplanted conf
dence among Christians. and all be-
cause they have lost sight Of their
CLEAN. They nc longer endure, because
they cannot see Him who is invisible.
While we pity the young servant Of
Elisha In his panic, our greater concern
should be for the servants of God today
do?' when In calm and steadfast conf
dence they should be beholding the en-
circling chariotry Of God.
The heroes OF the old testament and
Of the new testament believed them
selves to be c~o-laborers with God. The
same conviction animated the Puritans
and Pilgrims who first established
American ideals. It was the guiding
principle Of those other pioneers whose
labors impressed that great section Of
the country included within the LOUISE
n purchase with it's present type of
religious civilization. The great meet
ings now being held in st. Louis by the
home missionary representatives Of all
denominations commemorate this truth.
They celebrate the achievements of
men whose eyes were opened to behold
in the new territory a section Of the
ooD's SECRET SERVICE.
The king Of Syria, who may be taken
~ . type Of all the foes Of spirituality
and truth, found his designs against
Israel thwarted by some mysterious
power. He thought there were spies in
his household who reported his doings
TO Jehoram, 40 that whenever he set q
trap for lsrael's king his efforts proved
IN vain. It never occurred ia him that
Jehovah had O secret service. illumin-
ating the minds of his friends against
his enemies: O secret service that has
been in operation since ever he called
out his own to be a separate people
and promised to be to them q peculiar
friend n defender. The mysterious
power. which Christians identify with
the Third Person of the Trinity, the
Holy Spirit, who has been the defender
and sustainer Of Gods people through
out all the ages. so that their heroisr1
In suffering made converts Of their cap
tors. and so that their ultimate triumph
over their adversaries constitutes one
OF n greatest marvels Of history-this
same Spirit illumined the mind of Eli
sha. making known to him the plans
Of Benhadad and his captains.
FIGHTING AGAINST GOD.
Elisha was more OF a patriot than q
preacher. We do not read Of his dis
courses. but we do read Of a constant
succession Of deeds Of public service
OF course he placed his knowleede and
power at the disposal Of the country
such II h duty Of every good citizen
80 pronounced was his reputation
which made him known alike to friend
and enemy. that servants Of the kins
suspected him as the agent Of the Syri-
An discontinue. and SO reported to the
king.
The matter had sorely troubled Ben
hadad. Well 1t might. Had be stopped
to think for q moment he might have
realised that he was fighting against
God. which is the worst business thai
can engage human powers. Yet thu
syrian mistake 10 q common one. Many
times we set ourselves, consciously OF
unconoci0usly, In array against Jeho.
yah. The Syrian king thought to wreal
HIS vengeance on Elisha. He .was to<
hind TO zee that God Identifies himself
with his servants. and that whatsoever
ppODoD the oerVnnt opnoae the Mae,