The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-09-12

thlu peaks, bDu ehcu VI tnebe repre-
sents a certain degree OF prosperity or
adversely. The mountain heights
would represent the princes OF society,
merchant princes. bankers, as well as
political powers. AS from time i'm.
memorial there has been a conflict be-
tween the land and the sea, the latter.
in storms. violently attacking the
former and seeking to capture it, so
between the two classes here repre-
seDted-the "sea" class, helpless and
without property, is enviOus of the
earth" class, those who, under the
present order, seize and possess the
chief blessings
The mountains, the rocks Of society
Isocial institutions, lodges. financial
institutions, capitalists, combinations,
national treaties, etc. ], will all fail in
that great Day of trial and judging
and testing; the shaking and over
throw of every human institution is in
full accord with the Divine require
merits of Justice, righteousness.
Who Shall Then stand7
My dear hearers. where is your
treasure? Where is your security 2
This long-foretold Day of the Lord is
nigh. The great time of Trouble i'm
pends, u time such as was not since
there was nation" Daniel xii, u.
If our treasures are upon the earth
and our confidence rests in human Or
ganizations, the time is near when we
may be crawling into these holes, these
social and financial protective arrange
ments, calling upon them to cover us,
protect us, but there will be no pro-
lection possible. The Apostle declares
respecting that Day that everything
that can be shaken will be shaken
everything that is not in full alignment
with the Divine standards will go
down. In the language of the Scrip
ture, we should set our affections on
things above, not on earthly things.
The Master counsels further, Lay up
for yourselves treasure in heaven.
where neither moth nor rust doth cor
rupt, and where thieves do not break
through and steal"
If we have been careless in this mat
ter in the past. it is high time for us
to invest what little we have of time,
influence, talent and money in the
service of the King of kings-in laying
UP treasure in heaven, in promoting
the interests of the great Kingdom
wherein we trust, and OF which we
hope soon to be members. sharers with
our dear Redeemer.
We are not counseling foolishness-
the throwing away of money, of time
and influence. On the contrary. we
counsel the spirit of a sound mind,
that every hour, every talent, every
penny be used. not as our own. but as
the Lords not according to our selfish
desires. but according to the Divine
! will. so far as we are able to under
stand it: that we may glorify God in
our bodies and spirits which are His.
Every talent we possess is that much
of our stewardship, of which we must
shortly give account. The Lords serv-
ants. the consecrated. Spirit Begotten.
will be called to account before that
great Day of trouble upon the world.
| oCouo ouih, " avn sCs li4hN = Z may bO
accounted worthy to escape all those
things coming upon the earth. and to
stand before the Son of Man" Our
watching is in respect to our talents,
our faithfulness in their use.
In one of His parallels the Lord tells
| Kingdom, before beginning to deal
| with the world at all, He will deal
with His servants. The inquiry will
be, How have we used the pounds and
| talents given to us by our Master?
All those who use their opportunities
faithfully will be accounted worthy of
share in the Kingdom, as illustrated
in the parable, ENTER ye into the joys
OF your Lord" "You have been faith
full over a few things, l will make
I you ruler over many things" "Have
dominion over two cities" five cities, "
| etc.
There will, indeed, be some of Gods
people who will pass through the trou-
! BILE with the world. Those who are
| too fearful of the weight of the cross
will bury their talent in the earth.
They will fail to have their portion
with the Lord and His sanity few in
the Kingdom and, instead. will have
their portion with the hypocrites, in
the great trouble of that Day.
The Catastrophe Cannot Be Averted
1t is impossible for us. or for any
one. to avert the great catastrophe
which is surely bearing down upon
the world. The Lords people are to
have nothing whatever to do with
bringing about the great catastrophe,
any more than had the Prophets,
whose words we are using. 1t is for
us to make our own calling and cleo
tion sure" and as far as possible to
send out the Divine Message in no
uncertain tones to all of Gods people,
that each and all may be found faith
ful in the use Of their pounds and tai
ents--retrieying each possible loss of
| opportunities. or, as the Apostle says.
| .lr. AZ. 4, Al :,