第 36 节
作者:
谁与争疯 更新:2021-02-19 00:36 字数:9322
wisdom; both of the knowledge and power of God! How unsearchable
are his judgements and his ways past finding out。〃 Yet His love can
be felt and known by all。 Not one of the severe judgements of God but
they reflect this tender love of God; in destroying that which love hates;
because sin is the enemy of love; the bitter foe to the happiness of mankind;
therefore 'tis an evidence of the intensity of love to destroy sin。
Take for instance the destruction of the Amalekites。 This people was a
curse to the earth and the enemy of all good。 〃Remember what Amalek
did unto thee; by the way; when ye were come forth out of Egypt。〃
〃How he met thee by the way; and smote the hindermost of thee; even
all that were behind thee when thou wast faint and weary; and he
feared not God。 Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God hath
given thee rest from thine enemies; thou shalt blot out the remembrance
of Amalek from under heaven。〃 God waited four hundred years from
this time。 They still were murderers。 Then he told Saul to utterly
destroy this cruel nation。 The state kills a man now。 This is not a
cruelty but a mercy; 〃And those which remain shall hear and fear and
shall henceforth commit no more any such evil。〃 〃 'Tis a righteous
retribution to recompense tribulation to those who trouble you。〃
Persons often argue that the books of the Bible are written by man
and cannot be said to be written by God。 I illustrate the way God wrote
the Bible by this: You have a package of letters from your mother。
Some are written with red ink; some with black; some with a stub pen;
some with a fine point; some with a pencil; etc。 You do not say; the pen
wrote me this letter and the pencil wrote me that。 No; this is not spoken
of or considered。 You say: 〃My mother wrote these letters to me。〃
Just so; Moses is God's pen; with which he wrote the five books of the
Pentateuch。 Joshua was also a pen; and Ezra; Job; David; Solomon; and so
with the writers of the New Testament。 God guided them as we do
our pen。 The Bible carries within itself its own evidence of divinity。 It
requires no proof。 It but weakens its own evidence; to appeal to human
aid。 The fulfilled prophesy; its inimitable poetry; is proof to the natural
man to KNOW it to be above the human mind; and to a child of God it
speaks with life; and love more potent than an earthly parent to their
child。 The Holy Spirit only can interpret his own words: 〃 'Tis foolishness
to those who perish; but unto us who are saved it is the power of
God。〃
I have a great benediction on my work。 Wherever I go the dear
mothers shake my hand and kiss my face; saying: 〃God bless you。 I
want to help you。 You did what I wanted to do。〃 It is the heart of
motherhood running over with love。 〃The gentle are the brave; the loving
are the daring。〃
I got a telegram from a man saying: 〃Your article in Physical
Culture on the use of tobacco has cured me of the vice。〃 One man from
Omaha; Nebraska; wrote: 〃Three years ago I was a drunkard。 I had a
drug store。 I was losing business and going to ruin generally。 When
I heard of what you did; I said: 'If that woman can do that to save
others; I ought to do something for myself。' So now I am a changed
man。 My wife is a changed woman。 I have to thank you and Almighty
God。 My business is growing every day。〃
Upon several occasions I have had people to put five dollars in my
hand。 While I was lecturing in Pasadena; California; for the Y。 M。 C。
A。 one young man put in my hand what I thought was a silver dollar;
but on looking it was a twenty dollar gold piece。 I said: 〃I will lay
that up in heaven for you。〃 And so I have。 I never learned his name
but he will certainly find that twenty dollars in the bank of heaven with
interest。
When I first started out in this crusade I was called crazy and a
〃freak〃 by my enemies; but now they say: 〃No; Carry Nation; you are
not crazy; but you are sharp。 You started out to accomplish something
and you did。 You are a grafter。 It is the money you are after。〃 Jesus
said: 〃John came neither eating or drinking and ye say; Behold a wine
bibber and a glutton。〃 So it is the world never did understand an
unselfish life。 It is a small thing to be judged by a man that withers
as grass。 〃If I yet please man; I should not be the servant of Christ。〃
CHAPTER XV。
SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY FOR MY CHRISTIAN WORK。
There have been from the first time I started out persons who understood
that God moved me。 These were students of the Old Scriptures。
Jesus told the people before the New Testament was written to 〃search
the Scripturesthese are they that testify of me。 ALL Scripture is given
by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine; for correction; for
instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be thoroughly
furnished unto every good work。〃 To be thorough one must know the
old as well as the new。 In all the sermons of Paul; Peter and the rest;
they quote from old Scripture。 So did Jesus。 Read Peter's first sermon
on the day of Pentecost。 There is a tendency to study the New
Testament more than the Old。 It is not possible to understand the New;
unless we first study the Old。 One of my favorite books is Deuteronomy;
the dying words of Moses。 He here repeats the great mercy; consideration
and power of God's dealings with his people。 Tells the kind of
characters God will bless。 How God loves the pure and good。 How He
hates the wicked。 We here see that God creates good and evil; and holds
us responsible for the choosing。 While God rules in all things we have
the power to bring on ourselves blessings or cursings。 This book declares
the man or woman invincible that abandons himself or herself to do
God's will。
〃True merit lies in braving the unequal。
True glory comes from daring to begin。
God loves the man or woman; who reckless of the sequel;
Fights long and well; whether they lose or win。〃
In the seventh chapter of Deuteronomy; God commanded the
children of Israel to 〃destroy the images;〃 〃break down〃 the altars
and 〃burn the graven images〃 of the Gods of the heathen。 This was
smashing。 Also said to them: 〃If you do not drive them out they shall
be thorns in your sides。〃 God gave them power and ability to do this;
then he required them to do it。 God supplies man's cannots; not his
〃will nots。〃 In Numbers twenty…fifth chapter; Phineas was given God's
covenant of peace and the priesthood; because be slew the woman and
man that were committing sin: 〃Because he was jealous for his God
and made an atonement for the children of Israel。〃 This was smashing。
God himself smashed up Sodom and Gomorrah。 In the seventeenth
chapter of Deuteronomy; God says: 〃The idolator and blasphemer shall
be stoned with stones till he die。 So shalt thou put away evil from you。〃
This is smashing。 I could write a book recounting the incidents recorded
in God's Word。
〃What is in thine hand; Abel?〃
〃Nothing but one wee lamb; O God; taken from the flock。 I purpose
offering it to thee; a willing sacrifice。〃
And so he did。 And the sweet smell of that burning has been filling
the air ever since; and constantly going up to God as a perpetual sacrifice
of praise。
〃What is it thou hast in thine hand; Moses?〃
〃Nothing but a staff; O God; with which I tend my flocks。〃
〃Take it and use it for me。〃
And he did; and with it wrought more wondrous things than Egypt
and her proud king had seen before。
〃Mary; what is that thou hast in thine hand?〃
〃Nothing but a pot of sweet…smelling ointment; O God; wherewith I
would anoint thine only One called Jesus。〃
And so she did; and not only did the perfume fill all the house in
which they were; but the Bible…reading world has been fragrant with the
memory of this blessed act of love; which has ever since been spoken of
〃for a memorial of her。〃
〃Poor woman; what is it that thou hast in thine hand?〃
〃Only two mites; Lord。 It is very little; but then it is all I have; and
I would put it into thy treasury。〃
And so she did; and the story of her generous giving has ever since
wrought like a charm; prompting others to give to the Lord。
〃What is it that thou hast in thine hand; Dorcas?〃
〃Only a needle; Lord。〃
〃Take it and use it for me。〃
And so she did; and not only were the suffering poor of Joppa warmly
clad; but inspired by her loving life。 〃Dorcas Societies〃 even now continue
their benign mission to the poor throughout the earth。
〃What is it in thine hand; Shamgar?〃
〃Only an ox goad; a stick with which to drive oxen。 I slew six hundred
enemies of God and man delivering from slavery God's people。〃
〃What is it in thine hand Samson?〃
〃The jaw bone of an ass which was a power in the hand used by God;
to slay a thousand wicked cruel infidels。〃
〃David why do you lay aside the armor of Saul and meet the giant;
with only a sling?〃
〃My God will give me the power to slay the foe to mercy and truth。〃
〃Carry Nation; what have you in your hand?〃
Sometimes a rock; sometimes a hatchet; God told me to use these to
smash that which has smashed and will smash hearts and souls。 The
sound of this loving deed will stir conscience and hearts and while I
can not finish the smashing; the