Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-10-26
A; NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. The RE
CENT EPIDEMIC. I
lBv Rev. Z. r. Jackson, ID. D., Pas
tor of the First Baptist Churcf.)

"He that dwelleth in the secret place
f the Most High shall abide under the
shadow Of the Almighty."-Ps.9l:1.
These are wonderful days in which
20 are Ewing and our angle of oosef-
walton is constantly being shifted At
ter the war and the pestilence, many
IF - will perceive things that ".
never dreamed Of before. We are be-
inp impressed as never before tina
the roots Of sin and sickness are large
" obscure, but that to deny either IS
folly. There is dark mystery wrapped
m in human nature, and there arc
forces unseen but terrible, wrapped u
IN the world about us. The Hun is re-
leasing his grip upon the earth, uu;
", have been caught in the grip Of
So @ cover of darkness. Mems hearts
Lave been failing them for fear and
men; minds have been giving way
unde. the strain. We had supposed
trat such things belonged to the old
world but there came k:>rking at our
gates ..pestilence that walketh in
darkness, destruction thai waste;a
IT MONDAY" The unseen danger las
roi with the stranger but with t2ose
neare:. az: iearest to US. We might
treat the dagger as though il did not
exist but there is no pity IN an in
fluenza germ. We might laugh at the
precautions suggested by those in au-
,kority. but deadly results were nos
STAYED by this form of bravery. We
lave learned of some preventives and
they seem in line with the divine
e.oaomy viz. cleanliness, temperance,
cIeerful;ess. etc. But there is another
:rat David does not forget when he
lad similar experience, and it IS
r'ght relations with God. May it not
be that God is, by this war and by
this pcsti!ence. calling Us back to de-
pcndence upon Himself? 1t would seem
that already we were coming to a
Dlace in he great war, where we were
s.:ving:--"By our arms will we re-
deem the world."-Wc were not turn
ire to the God of Battles. Then this
pestilenc, swept our land. The medical
authorities were myStitied-they were
u, able 10 discover the germ. They
could only note that its effects wer"
different from any observed in other
enidemiics. Few remedies were used but
the medical fraternity said: we feel
cur hclnleSsness." Then men suddenly
evoke % the realization that our
Toasted knowledge is limited, and thai
God is calling US back to faith IN HIM
SETTLE is my refuge-my God, IN
whom | trust" These wonderful days
then ought to be times of heart search
jrr. Of course some will not heed. IL
tie great London plague centuries AFRO
mems hearts were stcelcd against pity
end humanity. But some are putting
aside fears and comfort in these days.
- nurse the sick. We = are learning
what He meant when He said: mas
much as yc did it unto one Of the least
Of these We did it to Me" | wonder II
this pc.tiIence is not the strong voice
o. God bidding us come back 10 His
Truth. With closed churhes have we
no: been listening more intcntly 10
TIE "still small voice? Some have
passed into the dark valley of the
shadow" and they have felt the COM
fcrt of his rod and his staff but
most of us today have gratefully fell
the meaning of those words: Neither
shall any plague come nigh thy tent,
for He shall give his.ange!s charge
over thee" Oh that we might expert
cree anew the meaning of the words:
because he hath set his love upon
me therefore will deliver him. Oh
that we might make this the time to
seek the Lord.