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6 THE PRESBYTERIAJ*
pit is opened, and smoke ascends and locusts come
forth. They are "commanded not to hurt any green
thing"?not to hurt that which possesses spiritual life?
"but only those men which have not the seal of God in
their foreheads." Does this point to a flood of infidel
doctrines and teachings obscuring the truth and stinging
those who do not cling to God? So with the sixth
angel or agency. It introduces an immense army
breathing fire and smoke and brimstone. We pause
only to inquire whether this points to a mighty array
of wickedness and iniquity on earth.
If so, we have a very strange answer to the prayers
of God's people. Naturally we would expect these
prayers to be followed by the progress of righteousness.
But God seems here to say to his praying people, Be not
surprised, if, instead, there shall come an outburst of
wickedness, of locusts or brimstone breathing iniquity.
His vision is wider than ours, and God may see that a
far different answer is needed from that which we would
desire. The vision is one for our comfort when our
prayers meet with an answer exceedingly variant from
what we would expect.
Such has been the experience of some of God's noblest
coriF?>?i4-f -'J J- * T
tains in me oia dispensation. it is recorded by God
for our comfort when our prayers seem unanswered.
This same Elijah prayed earnestly for fire from
heaven. The fire came. He expected that the answer
would bring the people of Israel to penitence. It did
not. The smoke of infidelity still rested on Israel and
Elijah (who had yet to learn this lesson concerning
God's strange answers to prayer) fell into the deepest
dejection, fled to the wilderness and cried, "Now, oh
Lord, take away my life." Let the reader of this ninth
chapter of Revelation expect a strange answer and thus
escape the sorrow of Elijah's dejection.
As we open chapter 10, the sixth angel is still sounding.
Its prominent feature is verse 9, which bids John
"Take the book and eat it up" (appropriate its teachings),
"and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be
in thy mouth sweet as honey." Verily every one of us
has found it so. We have prayed, and at first we have
found answers coming that were sweet as honey. But
before the work was ended we have found that in this
answer were some things exceedingly contrary to our
natural appetite. Such contrariety Jeremiah found when
to him the order was given that "Thou must prophesy
again before many peoples and nations."
In the ordering of the sixth trumpet, there is one more
lesson. It is the death of the two witnesses, the paralysis
of the activities of the Church of God. The
limits of space lead us to defer the explanation of this
till our next.
At this moment we can only note that when the
seventh trumpet sounds (in like manner as when the
seventh seal was opened) there eomes a glorious triumph.
"The seventh angel sounded and there were
great voices in heaven saying: The kingdoms of this
world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his
Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.' " However
strange may be the answers to our prayers they shall
be fulfilled at last in the complete triumph of the Redeemer
and his cause..
I OF THE SOUTH. April 14, 1909.
r t ; : A
DEATH OF REV. F. M. FARRIES.
The beloved pastor of the church at Goldsboro, N. C.,
suffered a stroke of paralysis on Saturday, April 3. Four j
days later, the Lord called him home. He was born in
Scotland, at Dumfries. Mav r. 18.10. While he n
child, his parents moved to western Ontario, in Canada.
Knox College in Toronto and Princeton Theological
Seminary shaped his mental powers for future usefulness.
His labors were at Otisville, N. Y.; at Paris, Ontario;
at the Knox church, Ottawa; and since 1893, at Goldsboro,
N. C. He has made a noble record of faithful service.
At his request his body was laid to rest in Willow
Dale cemetery at Goldsboro.
Among his contributions to the work of the Church is
the "Handbook of the Presbyterian Church in Canada."
HELPS (?) TO A COMMUNITY!
What breadth of view it displays when a group of
business men get together and declare that the encouragement
of horse racing and saloons is necessary to
mc prosperity ot tueir community, that these attract
people to it for residence, that they build up the place,
that they increase business, fill its hotels, secure tourists
and sightseers! A pretty kind of permanent citizens
is it that such a policy brings! If those who have
allowed themselves to become the agents of the race
track and liquor traffic would only know it, they advertise
to right minded people that such a community
is the very place to keep away from. If their policy
becomes known multitudes will regard it as proof positive
that the place is the very one to be shunned. Good
people, desirable people, will prefer to sacrifice their
interests and find some other community where they
will make less money but have greater assurance of
good order and freedom from temptation to their young
people and employes. They, are not.looking for places
dependent upon the race track and saloon as cities in
which to conduct business, rear their children and make
happy homes. Have Monaco and Monte Carlo proved
great residence resorts and gathered to themselves desirable
citizens?
"SPECIAL DAYS."
"Special Days in the Sunday School," by Allan Sunderland,
and coming from the Westminster Press, of
Philadelphia, is another booklet of a very practical nature,
giving suggestions as to the manner of conducting
Special Day exercises, as well as programs for them.
Advice is given as to New Year. Faster PKilrlr*?n'c r>o*r
- " ' ' ..? v.. a 1
Patriotic, Independence, Good Citizenship and Flag
Day, Rally Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Decision
Day, Anniversary, Installation Day, and Graduation or
Promotion Day. The suggestions are very good and
Vip1 nfn1 Knf xira ricn 4-^. ao1- If ??? *- ?*
^ i uv, uai\ ii liicic tiic not so many
"special days" observed in some schools that they cease
to be "special" in any such way as to attract? The
"special" may be overdone.
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