Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-15

the sermon by Rev. Mr.. Sunday al
the afternoon hour yesterday, when
he spoke on the theme, Gods Gre.
nadiers."
In the Gath chapter OF Luke, in
the 49th verse ''FSrry We in the
city of Jerussi lam. until We be en-
dued with the power from on
high"
Every natic: has its army and
navy for offens.v" and defensive
warfare, and every state its IA
lional guard, every county ITS sher-
iff, every city its police department
fer the protection of the lives and
the property OF the people in her
limits and her borders. And God.
tor the purpose o. advancing His
cause against the contending forces
OF evil that beat like a surging sea
against the church and everything
that is noble and inspiring; for the
purpose of advancing His cause
against the forces of opposition,
Pie has organized His believers
into a great army of soldiers or
| grenadiers.
The grenadiers were the bravest
men of the ancient army, and III
the drill they were always assign
ed conspicuous places, and in pass
ing in review their tall black bear
skin caps were entitled to and they
always received the first salute,
and in battle they always led the
charge, and when they were besieg-
ed the commander would detail a
special officer anG they would sally
| forth and beat back the enemy Xix ,
an eastern whirlwind would sweep
the chaff from the threshing floor
I The grenaqiers came into existence
long before the invention or intro
| duction of firearms. The cannon
had not yet been invented that can
| give one hoarse cough and hurl a
shell weighing 1000 pounds Is
miles into the besieged and doomed
city; and the Springfield rife that
can send steel bullet three miles
and then through 50 inches of solid
wood, had not yet been invented:
and the battleship and the super
dreadnaught, with her Is inches OF
steel and men enough on decks to
people a city, had not yet been in
vented; and the submarine that can
dive like a loon and spit 200
pounds OF guncotton against an
enemy ship and turn her into a
junk heap. had not yet been in
vented.
Origin OF Grenade.
The work that is done today b.
fingers Of steel at long range was
done by fingers of flesh at short
range, anC they used to make a
grenade. Thus originated our
grenade. They would make a gren-
ade out of glass, or wood, OF iron.
fill il with explosives and nails and
light a fuse and hurl it at an op-
posing force, and when close they
would&burl it into the ranks. If
hurled at the opportune time it
meant destruction of the enemy.
while if held too long the thrower
himself would be destroyed.
Later on the word broadened
until today it means our modern
soldier, as we understand the term
and the word.
In these days the Spirit of God
must have its grenadiers. or SOL
diers, who will go to the last ditch
for Jesus Christ and plant the
blood-stained banner of the Son of
God upon the ramparts of iniquity
that dare raise their heads
against justice and its cause, and
all join hands and sing "In the
Cross of Christ l Glory"
My purpose now is to briefly try
to show you that the modern
church member is the Holy Spir-
it's grenadier. or soldier. by AMI
through whom God hopes to con-
vert this sin-cursed world to the
Holy Spirit, because Jesus Christ
was the first great recruiting Off
Ger. The earliest biblical account
we have of Jesus organizing his
followers into an army is in the
10th chapter of Luke. After this |
the Lord appointed officers that
should go two by two to every city |
where He himself should after
ward come.
And these gospel grenadiers, or /
scouts, or sentinels, or forerun- |
ners Of salvation went out and !
viewed the enemy's breastworks, |
and they came back and made !
the plan of attack tina. |
should be pursued. and as the cru
cifiXion Of Jesus Christ drew near |
He chose the two disciples which |
formed the nucleus of the church.
for He knew that this work had to |
be entrusted to human hands.
Had Hit the Booze.
Then, at Pentecost, Peter stood !
up and said: Men of Judea and |
all ye that dwell in Jerusalem,
these men are not drunk from
wine" why the people said, Those
people are soused." They had hit !
the booze; they were going down
the line. Peter said: It's a bum
steer. It's wrongi" He said:
These are not drunk with wine
as we suppose, seeing it is but the
third hour of the day" They were
not a lot of fools like we are now
adays. We get drunk and stay
drunk all day and night. He said:
These are not drunk with wine,
seeing il is but the third hour of
the day. But this is that which
was spoken by the prophet Job:
And it shall come to pass in the
last days that I will pour out my
Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons
and daughters shall dream dreams
and your old men shall see Wis
ons." And Jesus in His valedic-
.orv said to His disciples: NOW,
you go back to Jerusalem and you
.arry there until you be endued
with power from on high" You
have got to do this work, but you
ire in no fit condition to do it.
And you go back there and wait
Until you are endued with the
power that you need in order to