Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-09-27
DIVINE PROVIDENCE AND DE
CISlVE BATTLES.
tiishop Warren A. Condler, in the
Midland McthOdist)

"dcr now many decisive battles in
tn worlds history have been deter
,.fincd for forces other than the bel
liGcrcnt armies engaged.
The battle of Potassium, according
to the Egyptian tradition rs reported
by ilerodotrs, was decided by ro-
cents, the camp Of the Assyrians he
Ing invaded :. ri;.h by a host of the
Field mice which gnawcd their bow
strings and shiicd straps, so that i'm
The morning, when the Egyptians
fell upon them, they were defense
less According to the Hebrew ac-
coant Of this battle, the host of the
ASHyr:ans WAS defeated by the angel
Of the Lord. Whether we take the
one account or the other, the Egyp-
ti2ns were victorious over the Assyr-
lahs by reason Of some power outside
oil themselves.
When Napoleon invaded RUSSIA
and penetrated as far rs Moscow, he
was defeated by heavy SHOWS; ana
at the battle of Waterloo 81 rainstorm
contributed to his defeat. With ref
etrncc to Waterloo, it is also said
that Napoleon at heartily of boiled
onion the night before the battle
an! suffered from them an epileptic
a., which disqualified him for the
highest gcncralship on the following
day. In both eases the great Corsi-
can, who blasphemously boasted that
Cod was ION the side of the heav-
est artillery" had all the heaviest
l.! tillory, and yet he was defeated
Recently the Austrians met defeat
nj the Place River by reason of n
great frcshet.
The first battle of the Marine was
Won by Jotlrc by the assistance of !.
Great fog and the triumphant often
src of General Foch, in the second
ha,uc of the Marne, was concealed
from the enemy in its first stages b,
Il terrific thunderstorm.
All these instances and many more
show that the battle is not neces-
Sarly to the strong, nor the race To
the swift. Men have to rcckon with
forces outside Of themselves and quite
beyond their control when they 20
20 war or when they engage in any
ether enterprise of moment God
does not abdicate his power because
lac allows men freedom of action in
the world. He rules by overriding,
ana none can stay the might of his
Lower.
1t is the crasscst sort of ignorance.
as well as the most ilippant iniiideli-
~, which declares that "God is ON
the side of the mighticSt military
Forces" and that battles can be won
by mere human strength. If we as
inme that God always ranges him
SELF on the side Of might, without re-
gard To right, we may as well give
"p our falth in Christianity and nc-
Yep; any sort of heather religion
tr"t may commend Itself to our
taste on whom.
The God Of Christianity is not q
cowar'liy deity who rushcs to the
side OF might, w ithout regard To-
right, because he finds himself help
less IN the presence of mighty fore
es On the contrary, he is revealed
to us as o ne having all power in
heaven and earth and putting forth
That power on behalf of the supreme
moral cause of the human race.
II God arrays himself on the side
OF that which is right, it behooves Il
nation going to war to stop and ask
II God can bless its forces in the
connect; for we may he sure That
God Will not permit any enduring
victory for nation who is in the
wrong. He will throw tie might OF
his poycr against all wronr-do;ng
nationalities, and in the end they
must perish, let their strength he
what it may.
The German militarists seemed to
have forgotten God when they brought
on this fearful war. They had been
preparing for fifty years to make y
conquest of the world, and they felt
themselves superior to all other M
tons that they had no doubt of Il
speedy and complete victory. In the
ruthless disregard of human rights
ana truculent contempt of the moral
Jaw, they over-ran Belgium. invaded
france and threatened all the allied
FORCES with destruction. But they
have failed, and every added day
makes their defeat more certain and
speedy. "The stars of heaven foteht
against SiSera," and focs a:rd fresh
els and thunderstorMs have FOUGHT
against the Gcrmans. They cannot
prevail, because they are cci;,cnd n.
for that which is wrong.
But while we thus note the divine.
~ directed forces of nature which
nave fought against them, we do well
20 admonish ourselves against mar
taking of their evil spirit. We NAV
imagine that because we have bound
less resources from which 10 create
army supplies and munitions and be-
cause we have millions of men whom
we can thrust into the fight. we can
win the war without reference to tho
DIVINE Providence; but this dclusion
we must put away. We must con-
sciousiy range ourselves on the side
OF God, and then wo may await the
nventualities with perfect confidence
as 10 the final outcome
THIS is war of faith against I'M
f"ith, and we must nourish our faith
IN order that we may be strong in
the Lord and in the power of his
might If the faith of our people
! should de cay, the strength of our
foes will decline.
such being the case, it behoovcs us
20. conserve all those customs and in
SiltutlOns whereby the relirious faiti.