The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-02-18
SATURDAY NIGHT
&NSERNoNS
Vs. BY
= REKSAMuEL
q W.pURVIS.Dl
MULBERRY TREE TOPS.

marching in the tops of the mulberry
trees then shalt thou go out to battle.
for God is gone forth before thee."-(R
W | ChrOn. xiv, Is
1t was the night before the battle.
The Philistines, David's ancient and
inveterate foe. were drawn up in ar
ray before his pitiful little army. The
lsraelitish general had formed his
plans and outlined his campaign.
What more could he do? He did what
many another God fearing commander
has done. When he had done his all
then he went to God, the Lord Of
hosts, the arbiter Of battles and ma
tions Like Robert E. Lee. Stonewall
Jackson, Cromwell and Havelock. he
went into bis tent and laid his sword
down before the Almighty and asked
for the sword of Gideon and the spir-
it The king Of glory told him to take
stand opposite grove Of mulberry
trees. At the break of day when the
first tint of dawn pnt color into the
foliage and the morning breeze r,lstled
among the leaves he was to listen, and
marching in the tops Of the mulberry
trees ne was to go forth knowing God
was going forth to battle before him
Is God Ahead7
What that sound was do not know,
whether it was simply the rustling OF
leaves or the tramp of horses hOofs
ard roll Of chariot wheel rs heavenly
armies marshaled into ranks In the
vibrant ether. but it was signal for
David to advance and an alarm to the
enemy. the hostile Philistines. that put
them into confusion. No foes harder
to battle with than those we cannot
see; no forces are so difficult, for we
cannot estimate numbers. detect move
ments or sense tactics. We cannot an
ticipate attack nor plan defense The
PhiiStines. hearing the march of an
unknown army against their front
rank, retreated with precipitation and
into David's forces. which lay In their
rear OF those who fight against God
| the Bible says. THE sound of leaf
shall chase them" The movement was
success David obeyed orders; God
performed promises. God always goes
before his people on the highways OF
righteousness.
When the kingdom of the Messiah
was to be set up the disciples were not
allowed to do anything or make any
move till they received the promise Of
the Spirit. who came ut PentecOst with
Il sound from heaven rs of rushing.
mighty wind. When they heard that
the tiny Christian church went for
ward to battle. going forth conquerihg
and to conquer.
Spiritual Oiscernmen..
A revival is not a divine caprice.
The history of the church-every great
forward movement of the church-has
been ushered in by revival. even
movements that have sometimes been
regarded as freak movements OF wild
| fire By revival" is not meant the
! particular mode OF any denomination.
OF course. but a general awakening. a
reviving of the truths Of God as old as
Gods truths themselves. When Gods
people are awake to a sense OF broken
affairs, the neglected Word, conditions
OF indifference in the church and sin.
fulness without. when the people are
so ready, then is Gods time. Lord
Macauley said long ago that it Is easy
enough after the raInparts are carried
to find men to plant the flag on the
topmost tower. The difficulty is to find
men who are ready 10 rush into the
first breach. 1t is also easy to manu-
facture the materials for Il set move.
ment OF the church, but another t.
wait for the going in the tops OF the
mulberry trees. The mill by the riv
er may be equipped with the most
modern machinery and managed with
the highest efficiency, but if the water
runs low and the dam becomes dry
there's no grinding of the grain. The
secret of the miracle of the revival Is
that godly men and women. having
done all things human, come out O1
themselves and wait for the holy Spir
II. There is no limit to divine power
Revival Versus Religious Boom.
A religious boom is not revival: /
is Il dangerous counterfeit. When
church declines in spiritual life. praye
meeting dying. communion neglected
finances dropping, there comes dissen
sion and factions What shall be done
, Employ an evangelist Machinery i
: organized Meetings are multiplied
There is much hurrah and excitement
,lo thpr I. thn 0epfr Nf
crowd. Results are measured by tn
number of accessions to the church
! II the number is large there Is mucl
self graduation: If snail the revival
was failure. 1t started with ma
chinery and ended with it. There ha
been no rise in the tide Of the spiritua
life of the church, the same nn-Chris
ton practices, the same dearth Of al
tendance amung members. lO'
!, finances. chickering's and atropny. TIL
real revival means n consecrated 60
fearing preacher. parents who will r,
pair broken affairs at home. Sunda
school teachers who are men and ".
:, men of prayer and take their boys an
: girls to God. church membershi
9 profoundly interested in the spiritu;
- interests of their friends and neigl
. bors and who are modestly withol
cant trying to live blameIess befOl
God ana min A people coming b
q fore God in such condition, rangin
themselves before his groves. waitin
6 for sound Of going in the tree top
y will not stand long in suspense. TT