The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-17

Il
 A and inspiring spiritual truth that divine re-enforcement comes to all wno in the crisis of life place their trust In God and do their duty cheerfully ana faithfully. The text is Isaiah i'll, lZ, Ihe God of Israel will be your reward.
 An old officer said to me sometime ago; Though the details of fighting may change. yet after all, the great forma- tions of battle lines from time immemo- rial have been practically the same. Ine battles of the civil war were specimens of this formation First comes the for ward line of skirmishers. These sharp shooters are scattered abroad about oW yards in front of the main body Of men. These are the men who spy out the lana and receive the first attack and give the main troops time to prepare for action. Then comes the main line of battle Shoulder to shoulder the soldiers are formed, sometimes in one rank some times in two and even three ranks deep. This line stretches away, with its right and left Hanks firmly entrenched. Then back of the main line of battle Is what we old soldiers used to call the reserve force"
 "What is the purpose of that reserve force?" asked. well" answered the old soldier "the general in command, with his field glass takes his position Tar to the rear on some eminence oVerlook- ing the entire army. There he watches the mobilizing of the enemy. He sees where the attacks are to be made Ineh when the crash comes and the charging troops are hurled against any one part of his lines and that part threatens to give way the commanding general sends forward his reserve force. Then the way erng troops are steadied and the battle goes on, until at last the victory is won by one side or the other"
 oil T -.l h.n In of this guard or reserve force is to keep a large part of the troops back of the main line of battle to re-enforce any part of that line which is being over whelmed by too great an attacking force?" r"Just that and nothing else,' my old friend said. "It is absolutely impera- tive for a line of battle to be kept straight. If one part is defeated all will be defeated. Thus, in order to help the wavering troops of one part of his line, the commanding general keeps some of his best soldiers by his side in reserve force to send them forth to succor those who are being worsted in the conflict An I answered, this is the first tune I have ever had clear conception Of what Isaiah meant in a familiar passage. In the 52nd chapter he exhorts the church to go forth and do the work God has given her to do, and he encouraged her with the promise, For ye shall not go out with haste nor by flight, for the Lord will go before you and the God Of Israel will be your rereward' That means the Lord God Almighty will be reserve force for his people in the hard struggle of life Now I want to show you how God manipulates his rear guard so as to help us in our fight against sin and in our battles for the redemption of the world.
 I realize in the first place that it would lzn tn hox. rd a n army unless at the same time you have a commanding general who is in abso- lute control of all the different parts of the army. That general must not only be in supreme command, but he must be able to detail every individual soldier of every body of troops to just the position he would have him take upon the battle field. As the chess player can move for ward his queen and knights and pawns. in order to overthrow the stronghold of his antagonist, so the commanding gen. eral must have absolute control of all the army or else there is no practical use for a rear guard. And it is the general who has the most perfect control of all his troops who can make the most effective use of his rear guard.
 Use of Rear Guard.
 Perhaps you have seen that wonderful picture of Napoleon at Austerlitz. There he is upon the hillside. seated upon his famous white horse. overlooking the field of battle. He is surrounded by his stan The field glass is in his hands. The or derlies are galloping everywhither. on in the distance you can see the smoke or carnage You can almost hear the shouts of triumph and the groans of the dying. Yet you focus your study not so much upon the battlefield as on the flashing eye of the emperor, for you know that every part of that line of battle has been or dered by him. You know that this one military chieftain can speak word and his troops move in strict obedience to his will. Now, the application of this fact Is this: Upon the great battlefield of life can God. as the Divine Commander, be sure that we shall be and do exactly as he pleases? Can he say unto us. Go" and we go; Stop" and we stop: 'Do this" and we do it? There is no use of a rear guard for our succor unless we are in the place where the Divine Com mander has willed You know what that position is, You know deep down in your heart what God wants you to do. Broth- CT, are you obeying his will? The ques- ton is not as to the situation and work of other men, but are you willing in Gods sisft to stand in the position he has ap- pointed for you?
 Hut there is another fact which forces itelf upon me, God not only details us {, certain positions in the line of battle, but he expects us to bear our part well