The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-09-26

clrcu.ation; but to speak the same
trutns TO a congregation of vouI
nelghDors, with whom you must live
ana from whom you must draw your
is quite another matter.
When leading members will be Of
Iended by plain truth touching their
darling sins, it takes real prophe
stuff TO utter that truth. But Ezekiel
had to live with the Jews who heard
his message.
Putting it Up t the Church..
It is safer to preach about the
heather thar to preach about tax
lodging, Or bad temper, or injustice
to the laborer, or CROOKED politics.
But the sent man is, like Ezekiel,
commissioned first with a message to
the house of Israel. Gods concern
IS first Of all with Gods people. His
way of working, history shows, is to
equip a chosen company to i%ncarnate
his truth, and to be leaven and living
eplstles for their own times. There
is a sublime strategy in ne divine plan
Of seeking first a pure Church.
Many persons are scanning the days
horizon to discover, if may be, a
prophet with a message to Christians
"a man who with fearless ongue and
tender heart, will call the Church back
to the simplicity Of her faith and prac-
tice. A spiritual Church (Which
means, first Of all, q pure Church), a
free Church, a fearless Church, a Cod
devoted Church., is the supreme need
Of the world today. Set the Church
right and the ills of society Will quick
ly be r~emedied. But the bitter truth
is hat it oftentimes is difficult to dis
tinguish between the Church and the
world; they are too much alike for the
church to have power; she has con-
formed until she has lost her leverage.
Possibly the Men and Religion cam
alg now beginning, will develop
the prophet for whom some are pray
ing. A hard forehead and stiff
heart will confront him, as in Eze-
kieIs day. Yet, as in China and
Korea, where Pastor Ding Ii Mai n
Pastor Kill have appeared to their peO-
pie With the clear word Of truth, it
may be hat the hearts of the people
will respond to the hea~ven-blessed
message. The Waterman upon the
walls, about whom we study, vas COM
missioned to blow whether the in
habi:ants gave heed or not. Thus
saith the Lord holds good regardless
Of mems listening. A measure or
disregard for mems opinions is an es-
sential quality in the prophet.
Wheels Within Wheels.
How the message came to Ezekiel,
and how he delivered it, make hard
reading. This is not an easy book.
Like the HpOCdIy pSc, IL Ii
ingly full of imagery Some Of these
figures, of wheels and wings and
faces, are difficult to comprehend.
They belong to the time Of the writ
ing, though the truth they convey is
eternal. On the Babylonian and AS
syrian sculptures winged human hg-
ures. and forus half man, half beast.
are common. Ehe imagery was clear-
er then than now. For be 1t re-
marked that Ezekiel lived and prophe-
sled in Babylonia, on the banks or
one of the great irrigation canals. his
tomb, a high conical tower, is shown
there to the present day.
The antiquity of familiar phrases is
illustrated in his prophecy. Thence
comes our familiar saying, Wheels
| within Wheels" Likewise, from this
same source are derived the symbols
| Of the four E~vangelists, the eagle, for
st. John; the lion, for st. Mark; the
| OK for ST. Matthew; n the man, Tor
ST. Luke.
Another common allusion to this
prophecy in religious p~hraseology is
| that Of eating the Book. The Prophet
Ezekiel was prepared for his MISSION
| by being instructed to eat the roll OF
the laW-his own life had to be satu-
rated with Gods truth before he was
qualified to speak Gods message. Only
the taught can teach. Blble-hlled
! christians are Tie OuCS W liz @HS
world: otherwise, if they speak from
mere human wisdom, they will have
to compete with all worldly philoso-
ply.
So some teacner and preachers
wonder why they cannot hold interest
by their dissertations, which are mere
ly DOOR limitations of the editorials IN
the daily newspapers. 1t is the "Ihus
saith the Lord" that gives power. Be
filled with the word and then your
words will fill mems ears. And there
is no power that will fortify q man
for hard tasks like the Book Of COO.
'1Stand on Thy Feet"
"Son OF man. stand on thy feet ana
[ will speak with thee Ihat was
the preparatory word that came to
Ezekiel. A man must be a man, an
nnstandine fearless man. before ever