Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-02-26

delphia because it makes them un-
comfortable. They are not permit
ted to rise into idle transports and
ecstasies. Just at the point when
they are getting ready to shout, the
preacher says some perfectly rude
things about the church members
who are the confederates of corrupt
politicians and the bulwarks of bad
big" business, and straightway all
the pleasure. goes from the revival
for those who want their religion to
be sort of spiritual luxury, not con-
nected with the realities of every
day If you've got religion, reasons
the evangelist, get out and work for
God. If you haven't, hit the trail.
But before you go up the aisle you
must be prepared to give up all that
would be inconsistent with the
Christian life.
One of the distinct contributions of
"Billy" Sunday to the religious life of
our day is his excavations of unright-
eousness. He is notably hard on the
ineffective church member in the pull
pit and in the pews. The limit of his
rather extensive and effective vocabu-
larry is used in penetrating the self
complacency of the professed Chris
tian who is living in sin. Yet BILLY"
Sunday could point to old Samuel on
this occasion at Mizpah as a prece-
dent.
The Prophet demanded that Israel
give up the worship of Baalim and
Ashteroth, and turn with whole
heartedness to Jehovah. The bed
rock of the message was that one
could not live in sin and be accept
able to Jehovah. The holy God de-
mands righteousness.
The big Meeting
Cheap and common criticism is
flung at convention going; vet If the
convention is made a means, and not
an end, it is a wise investment Most
Christians to-day need to achieve a
new horizon. They lack a knowl-
edge of the bigness of the enterprise
of which they are q part, and of the
joy of the larger fellowship. The
memories of such a gathering are
rich spiritual inheritance that are as
food through hungry years.
The religious assembly or revival
at Mizpah was epochal in the life of
Israel, for it mellowed and fired the
hearts of the people and made them
ready for the great task lying just
ahead.
AS coal kindles coal, so this great
gathering at MiZpah was set afire
with a common sense of spiritual
need. The truly religious convention
is an enemy of self-righteousness. The
delegates at MiZpah confessed their
sin in general and in particular. They
broke up their idols and turned in
penitence and in humble seeking to
Jehovah. 1t was a real revival.
Enter the Enemy
We may be very sure that when
ever religion shows exceptional vital
lity, then evil will militantly appear.
When the people of God get together,
then the Philistines are certain to
come up, as they did at Mizpah. The
forces of unrighteousness are never
| so vigorous as at the time of a revival
| The criticism and SANDER and back
biting that accompany revival are
enough to make one believe in even
BILLY" Sundays devil
| At MiZpah the battle was inevitable.
! Conditions assured 1t then or later.
| The Philistine conquerors of the Jews,
disturbed by this assembly, were ap-
preaching in full array. Now. how
ever, they fronted people of different
spirit, who had taken thought before
hand for the fundamentals of religion
and patriotism.
"It must have been with feelings
very different from those of their last
encounter, when the Ark of God was
| carried into the battle, that the host
of Israel now faced the Philistine
army near Mizpah. Then they had
only the symbol of Gods gracious
presence, now they had the reality.
Then their spiritual guides were the
| wicked Hophni and Phineas; now
their guide was holy Samuel Then
they had rushed into the fight in
| thoughtless unconcern about their
sins; now they had confessed them,
and through the blood of sprinkling
| they had obtained sense of forgive
ness Then they were puffed up by a
vain presumption; now they were ami
mated by a calm but confident hope.
Then their advance was hallowed by
no prayer; now the cry of needy chill
dren had gone up from Gods faith
full servant. In fact, the battle with
the Philistines had already been
fought by Samuel on his knees"
! A first class war correspondent
wrote this brief narrative of the bat
tie:
"And as Samuel was Offering up
the burnt-offering, the Philistines
drew near to battle against Israel;
but Jehovah thundered with great
thunder on that day upon the Philis-
tines and discomforted them; and
| they were smitten down before Israel
| And the men of Israel went out of
Mizpah, and pursued the -Philistines,
and smote them, until they came un-
der Beth-car."
| AS the greatest English poem
which our generation has produced
sings the refrain. Lest we forget" to
Samuel reared on the scene of this
Victory a monument saying, 'Hither-
to hath the Lord helped u.s." Nations
and individuals need their Ebenezers.
The past is eloquent with the admoni-
Ition Remember"