Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-09-26

1
speech. This minister was afterward
expelled from his church for his out
| rageous utterance. He denied that
Jesus was divine except that he was
| divine as we are divine" He denied
that the inspiration OF the Bible was
any more infallible than was the in
| SEPARATION Of Shakespeare's works, Aft
er he had finished and the applause OF
those amnng his hearers who sympa-
thized with his remarks had subsidized
DR.. Gottheil arose. DR.. Gottheil was
| Jew and at that time was the leading
| Jewish rabbi of America. Amid death
like silence he said: 81 know not how
others may feel; but, though I am not
disciple Of the gentiles Christ, like
not this talk Of the preceding speaker.
| II l had been In the place of nv
brother and had entertained doubts
and suspicious similar to his I would
| have quietly slipped out of the church
with which those doubts collided, keep
ing my lips tightly sealed. / do not
think / could do such an injury to
+ the church which gave me my ordina-
ton VOWS as when a member of that
church to attack it openly" All honor,
say l, to the answer of DR.. Gottheil,
| the Jew! l believe that the most seri-
| Gus damage which can be inflicted up-
on the church of the Lord Jesus Christ
is done not by his avoweda enemies
who are outside the church. but by
trattorous foes within.
The Best Year For a New start.
But l take step further in this
mighty subject. We have a wonder
full time In which we are to enter the
coming campaign for Christ. This is
the youngest Of the centuries, but into
it are gathered the ripe fruits of the
past The thought and experience of
all the centuries that are gone have
in these years come to fruition. It is
the mighty movements and trials and
struggles Of past generations which
have made the present time possible.
From the triumphs and failures Of the
past, from the wisdom and the mis-
takes Of our forefathers, we have learn
ed lessons which should make us mas
tiers in the art Of soul winning and sue
cessful leaders in the assault on the
intrenchments Of sin. This is the very
best year Of all years to start in q
gospel campaign for Christ.
But take another step further In this
momentous subject. We have another
campaign blessing in addition to these
two Of which we have spoken. We
have a church with all Of it's great
leaders as well as thousands and tens
OF thousands of members moved to
holy enthusiasm by knowledge of the
strength Of the Satanic enemies we are
about to meet In combat We know
that as the church Of Christ is strong
the Satanic enemies are strong also, 30
strong that unless we 60 forth to this
battle with a full endowment of the
Holy Spirit to fight az we ought to
fght for Christ we shall fail ignomin-
iously, as we deserve to fail.
Outside of his own intrinsic strength
nothing brings out the hidden power
Of a general more than the realization
that his enemy Is strong and willy
an adversary whose power it would be
folly to underestimate, against whom |
he must marshal his forces with all his |
ONAAA 0AAN A~fSAOP ShCA A6hLAA6 QudiA-
ties to the highest efficiency When |
Goliath saw the puny form Of David,
who was to give him battle, the Phil |
istine giant laughed him to scorn. He |
sneeringly cried, Am I a dog that |
thou contest to me with stonesT That |
contempt lost him the battle. Not so
with David. His weapons were those
with which he was familiar, and he |
employed the skill developed by long
experience. He knew his enemy to be
superior in might and cruel and relent-
less, and he nerved his strength for the
unequal struggle. The church of |
Christ Is made resolute by the knowl- |
edge that 1t Is to meet a strong arm
ed foe. We know we must fight hard
to win. And we also know that unless
like David, the shepherd boy, we go
forth in unfaltering faith in the divine
reinforcement we shall fail In the bat
tie. A stalwart foe always brings out
the best that is in worthy opponent.
Let me illustrate my thought by a
nomely scene Of vacation life. Some
weeks ago, with my wife and little
children, l was driving over the hills
OF southern California We were far
from any human residence. Suddenly.
just upon the hillside overlooking the
roau' l saw the cleaning eyes and the
crouching form of a coyote. I was ar
the time entirely unarmed pu+
though l knew that Door m,sorohIo
brute had just as sinewy a limb "a a
mountain lion, that he was as swift of
foot as a deer. that his teeth were as
white and sharp as a tigers molars
that he could, If he would, leap at nv
horses Threats and leave US helpless
before his attack, still I also knew that
he was coward. He belonged to a
race Of towards. Therefore / drove
right past him. When my children
hallooed at him he turned and skulked
away.
Must Ne Always ON Guard.
Had the church Of Christ only craven
hearted foes to fight it would become