South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-02-28
SEES HAND Of COD
IN ALL HISTORY

THE God Of the Crisis" was the
striking subject discussed by Rev.
James l. Gardiner, d. D., before
a large audience last evening at st.
Paurs Memorial Methodist Epis-
copal church The sermon was
based upon the words of the Jew
Mordecai to Esther, the queen. as
recorded In the Book Of Esther 4:14,
who knoweth whether thou art not
come TO the kingdom for such a
time as this"
There is such a thing" said DR..
Gardiner. "as the hand Of God in
human history. There is such
thing as divine Providence God
who interests Himself in the affairs
% the nations of the world. There
is a God who knows There is a
God who is never surprised He is
one who is prepared for every
emergency He is a God who is
prepared for every attack of the
enemy; one who cannot be deceiv-
ed by the strategy of any foe. He
is the God of the Crisis
Look at the crisis hour in the
history of the Jews as set forth in
the Book OF Esther. Hannah has
carefully laid a cruel plot. He sits
yonder in his palace waiting until
the whole country about Babylon
runs red with rivers of Jewish
blood He is waiting until Nor
decai, the hated Jew who will not
bow to him. is hanged upon the
gallows. He is waiting until Esther.
the Jewish queen, lies weltering in
her own blood. But, alas for Hannah.
he has left one person out-that
One is God.
God Steps i'm i'm Crisis.
Everybody but one said that the
Jews must perish The decree SEN
fencing them to death had been
signed. But at the critical hour
God stepped in and through Esther
saved her people.
Read history and you will find
that God has always been the God
of the crisis. Take our own cOun-
try When the new nation on this
continent was oppressed by the
mother nation: when il looked as
if we were forever to be a servile
people. God had His man TO deliver
us-George Washington. In the
light of the past 100 and more years
who viii dare say that God had not
raised up Washington TO help this
country tear from the American
brow the crown of tyranny and place
thereon liberty's immortal wreath
Again when this country was
about 10 tOtter into ruins as a ma
ton because we were separated on
the question Of slavery. did not God
raise up a deliverer in the person
OF Abraham Lincoln? Did not God
help us meet the crisis in our his
tory by giving to us a president who
taught and believed that in all the
realm Of thought there was no
grander theme than that OF liberty?
sees Wilson a Man OF Hour.
yes Gods hand has helped us
write the history o. our country He
is still the God OF the crisis At the
present hour our country is facing
trying and crucial situation. I
hope that the future historian viii
be able 20 write that God raised up
Woodrow Wilson 10 save US in such
an hour as this-to save US from
war and at the same time with our
national honor untarnished.
May we remember that the God
OF Esther Is our God. May we re-
member that the God who guided
our fathers is still our God and He
Will not forsake Us. He is still the
God of the Crisis"
The sermon was enforced by the
great Biblical production. Queen
Esther" in motion pictures. The
pictures brought every detail OF the
thrilling story Of Ahasureus. the
king Esther. the queen. Mordecai,
the Jew. and Haman. the cruel plot
ter. before the eyes of the audi
ence. in such devout and reyerent
manner as TO make deep impress
sion upon all