Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-24
TRUST GOD IN ALL THINGS

! tions. Mrs. Burress shows US the heart
and determination of true American
| motherhood Two sons in the war, one
right on the line, and a sick husband
/ is enough to prove the mettle of any
woman But it has not taken this war
! to prove her mettle; she has been
welding her influence for good 10, these
| many years, and now her boys are show
! ing their training as well as their in
| heritance
| The little. boys who can eat biscuits
! only on Sunday and can. put their dimes
| and nickels in Thrift Stamps are go
| ing to be the men we shall rely on
/ when these cruel days are over. Many
| a man and woman has been spoiled
| by their parents indulging them When
| they were little children. L heard a
woman say that her husband was a fine
man spoiled by his mother and grand
| mother He was one of the sort to
| wheedle, they thought it a shame for
! him not to have all that he wanted.
! for the world would treat him mean
| enough. He has never outgrown the
| idea that it is absolutely necessary that
/ he get what he wants, and of course
somebody else goes without what is ac-
| tually needed
! We are told that our ways and Gods
| can, all the time, and remember that
| in Gods own good time we shall be
| delivered from all evil. The woman or
man that prays for the victory to be
ours and openly says, or inwardly thinks,
| that God is with the kaiser is in the
| wrong country. The kaiser will not
| give such people money to go there. but
will furnish all they want just. to keep
| them over here spreading his propa-
| ganda
| '"The, angel of the Lord encampeth
round about them that fear Him, and
delivereth them" s-.
| do not believe that every one that
| delivers these pessimistic remarks
means to be a German-helper. They
have not looked at the matter from the
right point. They are like the people
| who say they are Christians and so
ahead gossipping, whispering ugly in
situations, calling ugly names, and
thinking themselves smart when they
use the poverty, helplessness or ignor-
ance of others to build up their own
worldly schemes.
In the beginning of this war the Ger
mans were not known for what they
have proved themselves to be. The
! kaiser takes upon himself the power
of vengeance and yet calls himself
Gods instrument SO did Mahommet.
Both may be, in one way, Gods instru
ments to teach the world a lesson. In
the last two or three decades there
have come, in many high places, men
that were mad with learning and failed
to give God his praise. Glass has been
arrayed against class, and the luxuries
of ancient Rome has been doubled and
their debaucherieS a common occur
renee. The world, the flesh and the
devil have conspired to lure humanity
as far from God as the east is from the
west and only the prayers of Gods
people have held civilization as a gar
ment to hide the awfulness of the under
current. Ambition and success. are fla
vorite instruments foE-sSatan to- use .te.
lure men and nations from God.
You remember that at one time France
SO far forget God as to put up the
statue Of a bad. beautiful woman and
called it the goddess of Reason and tried
to make her people forget God. But
there were enough true Christians to
hold on to Gods promises and the
''age of reason" failed TO become per-
manent Uzziah was king of Israel
when he was sixteen. He felt his in
competence and leaned on God. He
prospered and his architecture, his
agriculture, his war organization and
his engineering gave him fame and
prestige, "aS long as he sought the
L-OIu, GOu HlduO MIN 10 prosper. But
think what a dreadful death he died.
Not on the battlefield leading his hosts
against the enemies of right. His sue
cess made him think as the kaiser
does, that he was better than a mere
man. He took the liberty of going into
the temple and assumed the role that
God had definitely put on certain
tribe His punishment was swift and
awful. Read second Chronicles and see
if the kaiser is not pictured there.
If this war is not victory for us
it will be our own fault. Mere praying
doing without things and giving to the
allies is not all. We must get right
with God and say to Him, "I'll fight
Satan wherever l find him, even though
it be my own secret sit, my own vile
temper my own nice manners for the
public and brutality in my family" Not
till we can govern ourselves can we
assume to help God We have conf
dence in our president because he is d
man of prayer.
The American nation must remember
these words, when thou hast eaten
and art full and all that thou
hast is multiplied. beware lest then
thy heart be lifted up" In the midst
of our busiest hours, whether Red
Cross work. blowing the field, or feeding
chickens, let us continually say our help
Peter was, and our Savior is as much
interested in us. in our army, our crops
and our plans as he was in poor, i'm
pulSive Peter.
Jehovah hath dealt wondrously,
Lift up they heart and praise!
For greater things thine eyes shall see
Child of His loving choice"
Now about feeding the German pris-
oners. In many places they are work
ing just as the convicts. They are fed
war rations and are made to earn what
they get. AS a Christian nation that
is all that we can do. We must fight
them. Literally we are fighting the
devil with fire, but we must not use
his methods with our captives. Who
knows but what the way we treat our
captives is one of. the tests put upon.
us just as Job was tested.
Trust God, do right keep your pow
der dry and in HIS own good time He
shall deliver US. Faithfully yours,
LIZZIE o. THOMAS.
Tuscumbia, Ala
AFTER SEVEN YEARS
Dear Mrs. Thomas and Sisters