Earnest Christianity

James Caughey

Hearken to my text! 2 Cor. 16: 13 — “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

Men, brethren and fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters. Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! You have heard the word of command from the Holy Ghost — “watch ye, &c. It is in a high degree military, as you may perceive; more of this by and by. I want to speak to you of our circumstances, prospects and duties, in the present crisis, on the rough edge of this war for God and souls.

Our late trials have done us all good, have driven us to our knees, to God, in mighty Prayer. My own faith is brighter. My heart is warmer and more tender towards God and you, and extremely humble withal; the reasons you know very well. If I acted with too much precipitation, or with the appearance of impatience, in refusing to preach on that bleak and dismal night to us all, forgive and forget. I was sorely tried, and pressed out of measure. There was a cause. Let that pass. Perhaps I ought to have preached, — perhaps not. The results might not have been so good. It may have been of the Lord. We shall know more in a few days. Some of you slept but little or none, but you got what was better, — more of God. You are better prepared now to fight the good fight of faith. Your sympathies are awakened for perishing sinners. Your hearts yearn for them as never before, and burn for the glory of Christ in their conversion, Praise the Lord! If I caused you sorrow and tears, his love has turned all into joy. Therefore you have suffered damage by me in nothing. Larger incomes of grace are at hand, when you thoroughly use what you have. When Christ sees of the travail of his soul and is satisfied, as Isaiah speaks, then you shall share in his satisfaction, and that will be exceedingly sweet.

My faith brightened in the night of trial, as a star in darkest night. The stars you noticed the other night were all the brighter for the blackness that lay upon the ground below. It was so with my faith, and I am persuaded with yours also.

The darkness that night was like that supernatural darkness which once fell upon Egypt, — such as might be felt. — Ex. 10: 21. We all felt it, — I more, perhaps, for it was intended, by the “prince of darkness,’’ to drive me from the field, — as if my work was done in Huddersfield. But faith grew brighter, as things grew blacker till stars were not brighter, Melancthon than tells us that trouble and perplexity drove him to prayer and prayer drove away trouble and perplexity. It was so with us. The Jews used to say the world would not stand without standing prayer; no, nor a REVIVAL neither. Let this prayerful agony for souls continue, by day and by night. What goes up in vapors comes down in showers. If much ascends, much descends, at one time or another. What goes up in prayer comes down in showers of blessings. If little ascends, little descends. The contrary will hold good the world over, — ay, and here in Huddersfield! “Hallelujah” Yes shout it to your hearts’ content.

It is said that battle proves the sword, and need the friend. Late events have certainly tested you as the unflinching friends of Jesus, and of this hoped for revival of his work. And now our swords are about to be tried, of what metal they are made.

Battles are not fought, nor fields won, without hard fighting. It is so in every great conflict for souls. Truth and error, light and darkness, — the aims of God Almighty and his enemy. — must now come in collision on thy “brief round.” O Huddersfield. This is God’s order. The standard of our Immanuel must higher wave, with rallying hosts of more determined spirits around it! Ay, and opposition hosts as well, — visible and invisible. Hear St. Paul “For we wrestle not with flesh and blood,” — with men like ourselves, — “but against principalities,” — one rank of devils, ruling spirits. — “against powers,” — another rank of them, ruled and authorized to rule by the higher rank, — “against the rulers of the darkness of this world,’’ — still another rank, whose power is over spiritual darkness — “against spiritual wickedness in high places,’’ — or, as the margin has it, ‘wicked spirits in high places,’’ — in commanding, advantageous places, having chosen their ground, may be, and taken their positrons here, before we were born, — “wicked Spirits,” — more vicious than others, foul, crooked, unruly, baneful and accursed in the highest degree; the schoolmasters, or drill officers, of the whole tribe of sinners, who are emphatically wicked. — Eph. 6: 12.

Behold the infernal army, “countless, invisible”! The wings and a centre; and “the wicked Spirits,” the corps de; reserve, — a select body of infernal troops, most like the devil, their master, and “red with the blood of souls,” drawn up for battle in the rear; reserved there for time of need, to support the lines as occasion may require; they are troops for an emergency. Satan depends upon them, as Napoleon Bonaparte did upon his Imperial Guard.

All these infernal legions are united under One head, called, in Scripture, Satan, or the devil, — for he has various names, — our great enemy and the adversary of our God, whose power Paul deprecated “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices, — an advantage something over and above his present advantage, a vantage-ground taken by our ignorance or inadvertence, — that is, our inattention or heedlessness, — and then usurp upon us and over us. He is as full of “devices” as he is of malice, subtle means to accomplish his ends, policies and stratagems The allusion is military. It is a mark of an able general to select the best and most advantageous positions, in case of a battle, Apollyon is up to this. Napoleon, almost his namesake, never had tactics superior. He is, besides, full of malice, envy, sagacity, and cruelty, and fury. The scorns mankind, and hates God and his monarchy. He is called in Scripture That Wicked One, The Old Serpent, and Apollyon, — which signifies the destroyer. He is also called a Lion, an Accuser, a Tormenter, a Tempter, Satan, the Devil, a Murderer, Lucifer, — perhaps you may remember others of his titles yourselves. But these are sufficient for one devil, I think. They are all significant, however, as I could show you, did time allow definitions. He is, in fact, the great centre of all the wickedness in the universe, and the rallying-point of all rebellion against God in earth and hell. This Goliath of hell is in the field against us. He has slain his thousands and his tens of thousands, his millions and his hundreds of millions It may be there are few families now present who have not had some of their ancestors, near or distant, slain and carried by him into hell. He has an eye of burning hatred upon every member of every family present; nor has he over yet, in our opinion, lost hope of basing some souls out of every family circle present. You is will never in heaven impute it to his lack of will if he fail in the perdition of any one or every one of your families. It is with him and his troops we have been lately skirmishing, — feebly enough, God knows.

I him said nothing of the multitudes of your fellow-citizens who are also in arms against God, and therefore cannot be friends to us. They are marshaled, and inspirited, and commanded, by infernal powers. Strange to say, they know it not. But they shall, and before long, if our God comes down in his power. But opposition first, and then they will get their eyes opened. When out artillery begins to thunder about their ears, and the sparks of celestial fire to fall upon their consciences, and the two-edged sword of truth to lay open wounds within, then look out. Opposition will begin in good earnest!

I say not these things to discourage you, but to apprise you of the enemies you have to encounter, in order to victory. Contrary to the mode of some generals, I have given the enemy credit due. Prepare for them! St. Paul says it is through much tribulation we are to enter the kingdom of heaven. Expect tribulation of some sort or other, before we gain this victory, — that is, if it is going to be an extraordinary one. If ordinary, then, probably, ordinary trials. My soul has been crying to God for a great work. I am willing to face, through divine help, whatever blasts of opposition may assail us in consequence. Are you willing? Every soul-saving minister is a witness of the truth of diabolical agency. He is made to feel, with an aching heart, as many times as there are hairs upon his head, the power of the enemy.

Let him who doubts, or estimates lightly such a power, enter the field for the conquest of soils. Let him give battle against sin and Satan, in downright earnest, night and day. Let him measure his success by the number of sinners driven to their knees with cries for mercy, — and converts to Christ O, I will say it, he shall be made to acknowledge in sorrowful defeat, or in agonizing conflict and victory, that he has encountered a power the strength of which he never had properly estimated. A power

“From thrones of glory driven,
By flaming vengeance hurled”

To hurl vengeance back again, is their element. Their malice and revenge are inextinguishable. To baffle effort, to defeat the victory, to intercept divine power, to neutralize truth, to harden sinners, they never tire, never give over, till they are driven from the field.

There are points of time in every revival when their power is unmistakable. When their shadow is thrown across the Christian host; when the gloom of their presence falls like a pall on hopes of victory. It is, as I remarked before, a darkness that may be felt, like that which covered Egypt.

But, ye followers of the Crucified, listen! There is another great captain in the field, — Jesus, whom St. Paul calls “The Captain of our salvation.” If all is right in our little army, he is in the midst of us with his angels. It stands to reason; it is not against Scripture. It accords with the promise, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst.” ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Where the Lord of the universe is, there, undoubtedly, will be a concourse of angels. Where Christ is, angels are. He is never alone, never unattended, and where interests are pending such as we have here, never unprepared to take the part of those who are battling, for his glory with pure intention. Let none of you doubt this. Besides, is it not written, ‘‘Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” — Heb. 1: 14. Not are heirs, but “shall be,’ — to assist in making them heirs. But where are they more needed than on such a Spiritual battlefield? — to minister to the wounded, the weary, the dejected, the disheartened, the faltering, the fallen. To heal, to awaken, to inspirer, to strengthen, to cheer to glory and to victory.
The servant of Elisha cried, ‘‘Alas! My master! What shall we do? For he saw, by morning light, that the host of the Syrians, with horses and chariots, had quite encompassed the city, and there was no way of escape. “Fear not,” said the prophet, ‘‘for they that be with us are more than they that be with them;” and prayed, “Lord, I pray thee open his eyes, that he may see!” Elisha saw what the servant saw not. So it is said, “The Lord opened the eyes of the young man: and he saw, and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” — 2 Kings 6. If the enemy had a host, so had Elisha. Had they horses and chariots, Elisha had them also, — but “horses and chariots of FIRE!” So it is now; so it shall be in this battle of Huddersfield. I had a vision of this on Shelburn Point, in Lake Champlain, before l left America for Europe. The Lord’s host met me there, — in spiritual vision, with my eyes open. How inexpressible! — how inexplainable! But it encouraged me then, for it regarded my visit to the British islands, and success there. That scene cheered me then, — it cheers me now! If it was an illusion — some hallucination — it did me no injury, but inspired emotions sublime, humiliation profound, zeal ardent, courage, faith, determination!

There was nothing in it contrary to that declaration of the Bible, “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” — Ps. 34: 7. Thronging angels are round about us; their breasts burning with loyalty to Jesus, their hearts rejoicing in the evolutions of his wisdom in bringing about this crisis; their weapons burnished for the fight!

I looked up among the clouds, the other day, and noticed two layers of clouds moving in contrary directions, one underneath the other, owing to contrary currents of air aloft. It reminded me of what I had been thinking of, — contrary influences heavenly and infernal, which we have been realizing of late. A few hours after, and all the clouds were moving in one direction, — one of the air-currents having ceased. Let us look up and expect the prevalence of divine influences, to the exclusion of the diabolical.

Angels are with us. The lightnings are not swifter than they, to do the will of our Jesus. They are also great in strength. “Forty centuries look down on you from the top of yonder pyramids,” said Napoleon to his troops, on the eve of “the battle of the pyramids.” how many centuries of souls are looking down from the heights of heaven upon us this moment! Napoleon hinted to his soldiers they were about to add another leaf to the four thousand years of history which belonged to those pyramids and surrounding plains. We are about to add another leaf to the Spiritual history of Huddersfield. God grant it may be a bright one, such as may be read in heaven with joy by those there before us, and by our selves in glory afterwards. Brethren, there is no vagrancy of fancy in all this! Hearken. Luke 15: 7 - “There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” Hearken again. Luke 15. 10 — likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. “Why did our Lord make two such remarkable declarations almost in the same breath, but to assure and encourage us regarding heavenly sympathy, at least — ay, and assistance by inference? Epiphanius, of old, said of the prophet Elijah, that, “he sucked fire out of his mother’s breasts.” The Lord help me I but I would suck revival fire out of these two texts!

In all this, O Christ, let us look unto thee! To trust in man, men or means, or in self, or in anything short of thyself, is to learn upon a bruised reed, to seek light from darkness, warmth from cold, support from bruised reeds, victory from weapons of straw. Victory is of the Lord!

O Jesus all that I have, or am, and all I shall be, now, hereafter and forever, I consecrate eternally to thee, and to thy glory!

“To do or not to do, to have
Or not to have, I leave with thee
To be or not to be, I leave:
Thy only will be done in me!
All my requests are lost in one, —
Father! Thy only will be done!

“ Welcome alike the crown, The cross!
Trouble I cannot ask, nor peace,
Nor toil, nor rest, nor gain, nor loss,
Nor joy, nor grief, nor pain, nor ease,
Nor life, nor death, but, every groan,
Father! Thy only will be done!”

Now, my soul, rouse thee! Gird on thy armor! It is on, my Lord — it is on! — buckled tight upon my soul, and to remain till the victory. Now, is it unsafe to say:

Rouse thee, heart!
Bow or my life, thou art full of springs,
My quiver yet has many purposes?‘‘

Unsafe? No, it is safe! My trust is wholly in the Lord. Self is conquered, the battle has been fought, the victory won, there! Self and unbelief have been made “to bite the dust” before the Lord! O, how unwilling a preacher is, sometimes, to become a fool! — I Cor. 3: 18. A fool for Christ; that he may become wise in winning souls for Christ; unwilling ever, till he gain this victory over himself. Now, I am willing to be as a madman in the eyes of the world, of the great and the wise; at least, to preach so as they will call me such, or a hypocrite, or knave, or schismatic, or any other name, old or new, coming as if “glowing from the lips of eldest hell;” all is well to me if souls are only saved, and Jesus glorified. Sin is the only evil I fear; God the only being I dread. Ye followers of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, hear me! I have counted the cost. Have you? I know you have, by your looks. Amen!

The effects will be seen. Truth honored. Yes, but he who sets truth on against error will be an offender; like his Lord and Master, a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence. — Is. 3: 14; Rom. 9: 33. Nor will the patrons of the offender and his helpers escape. You will all be called a parcel of fools, if not something worse. Will you bear it unflinchingly, till they know themselves to be fools? Till they become wise by cries for mercy, or shouts of praise to Him who is mighty to save?

I said to my heart, ‘‘Rouse three, my heart!“ Now, then, rouse ye, ye soldiers of Christ! To arms — to arms! The powers of hell surround; legions of wily fiends oppose; devils and men combine. The fallen souls of backsliders, and ‘‘the general wicked,’’ are under their control. Paul declares that the devil works in them, the children of disobedience — Eph. 2: 2. If devils oppose us, so will they, for the devil is in them. The herd of swine capered tremendously when devils got into them — Matt. 7: 32.

Be ready for all alarms, — false ones and real ones; for all reports, evil and good. Be surprised at nothing that may come, make nothing of all diversions — that is a military word, you know, signifying the tactics of a general in drawing away the attention of an enemy from the point where he intends to make the principal attack. The devil is full of these. He counts us all his enemies who are true to Jesus. If he mean to weaken or attack us upon any point of our lines, he will feign an attack upon some-thing else, — such as the noise in the meetings, or the hearty “Amens,” and “Glory,” and “Hallelujahs,” during the sermons, — which, when they come in the right place and time, from four or five hundred believers at once, are effective as a shock or discharge of artillery against the fortifications of an enemy; like the thunder-shout of Gideon and his three hundred, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon. “ I have seen many a Midanitist host routed by such a shout. The devil has been so busy of late years, that he has silenced this artillery in most parts of Methodism. A minister may preach as energetically as he pleases now, there is no response; the happiest and holiest believer dare not so much as chirp a note of “so be it!” May it never be thus in Huddersfield! The devil will leave no means untried to effect it. I could give you a whole list of diabolical diversions, to call the church off from her grand design, the conversion of sinners and overthrow of Satan’s kingdom; but time will not permit.

Be, ready for action — in the temple or street; in your counting-rooms, drawing-rooms, parlors, kitchens, shops, high-ways, by ways and hedges; everywhere, ready to speak, — that is, fight for God and souls!

See to your armor! — Your infernal foes are armed. ‘‘Stand firm; for in their looks defiance lours,” as Gabriel speaks in Milton “See to your armor! Your visible opponents are armed, not with civil power, — thank God for that! — nor with carnal weapons to wound your persons. But they are armed with prejudice, ignorance, error and enmity, and unbelief; with pride, profanity, sinful lusts and evil tongues; their eyes, and hands, and feel, are evil; the devil uses them as automatons without entirely outraging their free agency; he leaves them enough of that to render them accountable and damnable, — a harsh word, but terribly fitting and awfully true!

See to your armor, then, that it is on, and tightly on, and kept on; like Nehemiah and his builders on the walls of Jerusalem, “none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing! ’ as he tells us, Neh. 4: 23, — wearing them night and day, and building with one hand, while they held a weapon in the other, — always ready for battle, though builders, confounding their wondering foes. Thus keep on your Spiritual armor, working or fighting; at your tables, with the blessing craved; around your family altars, with your Bibles and your prayers; in secret, on your knees in mighty prayer and supplication; about your daily business, be clothed in the full panoply of God, ready for every good word or work to reprove, invite, comfort or alarm, as occasion may require.

Keep your armor on, then! Keep it bright by use, and free from rust. But see to it that you have on the whole armor of God, — not a part of it, but the whole panoply of God. Hear St. Paul, “Take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil day; and having done all to stand, stand therefore; having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, above all, taking the shield of faith, whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” — Eph. 6. What an expressive passage is this! Here you have the whole armor, the title of each part, its use, and how to use it.

St. Paul, like a true general to his troops, “on the rough edge of battle,” while it yet trembles to begin,

‘when the work of life and death
Hangs on the passing of a breath,”

reverberates his watchword along the Christian ranks, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” Thus twice in the same Chapter, and as if in the same breath, he commands on “the whole armor of God,” as if tremblingly alive to the importance of it.

Satan dreads this armor. An old writer says, “It dazzles the devil’s eyes, and daunts his courage, and drives him from the field. “Not so fast, my old friend!” Satan is not so easily daunted or dazzled as all this comes to. He will examine it and try its metal, to see whether it is all on, and whether it be genuine. He is an old veteran. He and his troops have been too long in the field to be outwitted by a son of Adam. Though a deceiver, he is not willing to be deceived, not fond of being the laughing-stock of hell. Your armor must be genuine. However, a sham armor will neither dazzle nor daunt Apollyon. He will soon try its metal till it ring again! “The whole armor of God.” That is it. If only part be on, what cares he for the remainder?

For instance Paul says, ‘‘Take the helmet of salvation,’’ in another place, “and for an helmet the hope of salvation.“ Now, you may have your head defended by such a helmet, but if your feet are not shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace,” — peace with God, with your neighbor’s, with your brethren in Christ, with your own family, with conscience, — what cares the devil for you or your helmet? He will cleave it through and through, and your soul with it!

Instance again: “Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” — Now, you may take up that sword, but if you have not on the girth of truth, — that is, true sincerity of heart and a conscientious belief in the whole Gospel of truth, — if these be absent from the loins of thy soul, Satan will care no more for your sword than a soldier would for a straw weapon on the battle-field. He will smash its power and application out of the hand of your soul, as you would an icicle from your house-eave in winter time.

Again: “Above all, taking the Shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked,” — faith in the Bible, in eternal things, above all, faith in the blood and atoning merits of Christ, which is truly a shield to the soul against the devil’s fiery darts. But mark! You may have such a shield, but if “the BREAST-PLATE of righteousness” be wanting, — outward morality and inward holiness to the Lord, — a holy life and a holy heart, or, at least, a sincere desire for purity and a panting after it, — if these be absent from your breast, what cares the devil for your shield? No more than a soldier would care for a piece of brown paper before an enemy on the field of battle. Satan will riddle it through and through with his fiery darts, and make a blaze of it speedily.

The whole armor of God, then, if you intend to fight his battles, or out of the ranks with you! You will do more harm than good with your deficient armor. A sham armor will make you a positive curse and nuisance in our ranks. The whole armor, then! Arise! Ye soldiers of our God, arise! Examine your armor piece by piece, I conjure you. Let it be the real, genuine metal of heaven, — heaven-wrought, polished and resplendent in the beams of “the Sun of Righteousness.“ Then, and not till then, will it daunt the devil’s courage, dazzle his eyes, and drive him out of the field. Then, and not till then, can you have any glorious share in that victory, which I believe in God is about to be awarded to Immanuel’s arms on this field of conflict.

Such an armor is the admiration of angels themselves, although it does differ so much from their resplendent shields and starry helmets, and spears, with diamond flaming and with gold, and swords, in glistering zodiac hung, fresh from the celestial armory, of which Milton discourses so eloquently, — all of celestial touch immortal. Yet to us our armor is of equal importance, and they know it, and will not despise it. If England should ever again become the ally of another nation in the field, her soldiers may see uncouth armor on the troops they have come to assist. But if those soldiers do good execution on the field of battle, the English soldier will give him honor due, although his own armor is beautiful and perfect as the genius of England could invent. Let us only be ambitious to quit us like men in the presence of angels. Be assured we are encompassed by a great cloud of witnesses, who have come from afar, to take a deep interest in what involves the eternal destiny of the multitudes around us. The angels of God will notice our courage, and the use we make of our armor, more, perhaps, than the armor itself. They have no fancy for a do-nothing soldier of Christ, though his armor were inland with gold and diamonds, and in his hand the true Jerusalem blade.

Lord Nelson, you remember, before the first gun was fired a Trafalgar, signalized his waiting host with these words: “England expects every man to do his duty.“ and what was the effect? Was there a here in all that mighty host the words did not thrill? Ay, the humblest sailor in that agitated fleet felt they made his very heart burn within him. “England expects,” — as if Nelson desired that, in imagination, every soldier should realize twenty-five millions of his countrymen were now present as spectators of the fight. Breathed there a heart among all that armed throng, along the decks of that heaving fleet; those words thrilled not, fired not, nerved not, to deeds of noble daring, throughout that conflict, which convulsed sea and air, ocean and sky?

You all realize the application. Heaven expects! Yes, expects every man to do his duty, — and woman, too. The eyes of angels and of disembodied Spirits are upon us, — “a great cloud of witnesses.“ — Heb. 12: I. Let us behave ourselves accordingly.

We must conquer; victory through the blood of the Lamb. The honor of Christ, his Gospel, of revivals, demand it. Let us not think of defeat, but of victory over hell, in the salvation of multitudes.

An eminent divine in Switzerland was asked this question, “What was the grand secret of the invincibility of the Roman legions’” he replied, it is found in that one foundation principle in Roman empire, ‘‘Never to treat with an enemy except as conquerors. “The Romans persuaded themselves at their origin that they could found an eternal city. This conviction was the principle of their disastrous greatness. It was perpetuated from generation to generation, and conquered the world. What an unheard of policy! Never treat with an enemy except as conquerors! Brethren, it would require no great acuteness in argument to prove this also a foundation principle in Methodistic empire! To it, under God, Methodism owes her greatness, — disastrous indeed to Satanic power. Alas I if we as a church abandon this primitive principle, it will be disastrous to Methodism.

It is a fact. It was one of our first principles as a people. But let us not make the idea sectarian. It is wrong to make a local idea of it, as the Jews and their expected. Messiah, It belongs to Christianity, and not to Methodism in particular. It is one of the foundation principles in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, expressed, indeed, in other words, thus, “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God” — James 4: 4. Now,

Observe, 1st. To treat with the world is to connive at its vices by forming friendships or alliances with it.

Observe, 2nd. We cannot do so without being at “enmity with God’’

Observe, 3rd. No “enemy of God” is a subject of Christ’s kingdom.

Observe, 4th. We are necessitated to treat with the world only as conquerors; otherwise we must be at enmity with it, — other wise at enmity with God Middle ground there is none. We must oppose the world, or oppose God!

Observe, 5th. If we cannot be conquerors we must enter into no treaty with the world, involving principle, on pain of eternal outlawry against ourselves.

Observe, 6th According as ‘this principle is maintained, the kingdom of Christ prevails anywhere and everywhere

Observe, 7th, On this principle I draw the line of demarcation between you and the world. I demand, in the name of Christ, that every soul of you dissolve your worldly friendships from this hour. Is this harsh? Is it unwise? Is it impolitic? Impute it not to me, but to that primitive principle I have quoted. Nor is that the only text to prove it. Hearken to God himself; “Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” — 2 Cor. 6: 17, 18. I call upon you, then, to obey God, or else leave our ranks. O, I conjure you, do not, by your friendships for a world at enmity with God, constitute yourself an ‘Achan’ in the camp. If you do, we may possibly suffer for your sake. But be assured God will require the injury at your hand. Your punishment will be terrible.

Now, my brethren, we understand each other. “Quit you like men’” by quitting the world, — that is, by departing from all its evil maxims and Spirit, — renouncing it forever. “Quit you like men! “ That is, behave yourselves manfully, as becometh the soldiers of Christ O, that a noble ambition to signalize yourselves in this holy war, in this great and decisive battle, may fill your hearts! And the Spirit of burning, — an inextinguishable ardor for the glory of Jesus, and an unquenchable love to poor, perishing sinners, — may it also inspire you!

To arms, then, ye soldiers of the cross! “Be strong” in the power of his might. ‘watch ye’’ for opportunities to injure Satan’s power. “Watch ye!” Look out lest he take you by surprise, — lest he steal a march upon you, and so get fire advantage “Stand fast in the faith,” in the true doctrines of the Gospel, in the great principles involved in this war against Satan in his works, and in the primitive principle of Christ’s kingdom, — Never to treat with the world except as conquerors! “Stand fast!” be FIRM to sustain, to endure, to bear, to resist “Stand fast!” Keep in your RANKS, without yielding, or receding, or getting into disorder! “Stand fast I” in unity of mind and purpose. “Stand fast!” in the faith, with good courage, believing that our Lord Jesus is leading us to victory. “Quit you like me!” in full accordance with your principles; “like MEN! “ in strength, in vigor, in bravery, honorably, courageously, unflinchingly, and with magnanimity and judgment!

“We’re soldiers fighting for our King,
Let trembling cowards fly!
We’ll stand unshaken, firm and fixed,
For Christ to live and die!

‘‘Let devils rage, let hell assail,
We’ll fight our passage through
Let foes unite, let friends desert,
We’ll seize the crown our due.

“A Saviour! Let creation sing’
A Saviour! Let all heaven ring
’Tis almost done, ’tis almost o’er!
We’re joining those who are gone before,
We soon shall meet to part no more.”

My fellow-soldiers! What do you propose? What are your intentions? Anything short of throwing your whole selves into this conflict, — independent of wind, weather or circumstances, — to conquer or to die? I need not ask you; I see it in your eyes, your looks, your motions, your uplifted hands! Yes, Hallelujah again and in your shouts, your acclamations for Christ, for truth, for souls, for victory! There is the shout of king in our camp “The Lord of hosts is with us! The God of Jacob is our refuge! Selah!“ Mark that! Yes, let it be inscribed on the banner’s of our faith in letters of flame. “The Lord of hosts is with us! The God of Jacob is our refuge! Selah” Amen! Hallelujah! Now is the battle of Huddersfield to be fought and won!

O for the spirit of that Swiss warrior of which I was reading to-day, in poet’s song, — “Victory or death!” Ay, that was his watchword! It fires my soul now. Let anything fire us now, if it lead to Christ and victory, to Gospel arms and to Gospel power.

The Austrian phalanx stood upon usurped soil, — a living wall, a human wood, a forest of armed men, every man a tree, with a Spirit within ready to strike death to every soul of yonder patriotic band, who stand up for their right on native soil against the Austrian invaders.

There is a solemn pause, the mark of life and death hanging upon time passing of a word from lips of Austrian commander. The fire of conflict burns, the battle trembles to begin. The words “Forward! Charge!” Have not been given.

O, poor Switzerland, this is thy hour of trial! God help thee, or thou art undone! Thy children, a hovering band of peasantry, love thee, Switzerland, even to the death, but falter to strike the first blow for liberty! Behold them, armed, indeed for the fight, to fight for fatherland, for fathers, mothers, sisters, wives, little ones, for their homes and sanctity of their household hearts: but against is well-fed, armed and highly-disciplined troops; besides, at fearful odds in numbers, but against the hated Austrian yoke and tyranny. They, poor souls, have beaten their plough-shares into swords, and their pruning-hooks into spears, and have come out to learn war on the bloody field They are there at Freedom’s call, as Freedom’s sons. Their hands grasp the sword as firmly as their hearts a trust in the God of their fathers. They cannot, must not fly, — cannot, must not fall. What is to be done? — the or fight, fight or die. O Switzerland! Gather thy departed Spirits around thy hills and mountain peaks, like yonder mist wreaths, to cheer their sons in battle strife, — in this their final struggle for their rights, and lives, and liberties! What are they to do? Must they assail yonder waiting host, “all horrent with projected spears”? Where is the point of assault? Strength is every where, and weapons bristling at all points. A gap must be wade in yonder blazing hedge of lances Who is to make it? Has Switzerland, like Rome, a Marcus Curtius, who will plunge into the gulf of destruction, and perish to save his country? Yes, there stands one amid that patriotic band who will do it! Victory, phœnix-like, is preparing to arise out of the ashes of that heroic one, mid battle’s blaze! Where is he? Yonder he is, out in bold relief ruminating, his face all thought, his heart all prayer, his affections now with loved ones at home, next in a blaze of love for his oppressed country, — hatred and death to tyrants in his compressed lips and flashing eyes. Angels protect that poor Swiss, that fearless mountaineer! See! As a bounding hart, as the chamois leaps along Alpine crags, he rushes headlong against yon hedge of spears, with the cry upon his lips, “Make way for liberty” Ten spears are dashed aside by his impetuosity, the eleventh pierces his heart, — he falls in the breach his valor has opened! His comrades enter it like a thunderbolt, re-echoing his cry, ‘‘Make way for liberty!” Panic seizes the Austrians “Make way for liberty!” — it has the power of an earthquake, as if the voice of God is in it. The Austrians are mown down as they fly in all directions, and Switzerland is free!

All this for love of country, home, and friends, and liberty. What then, may we not expect from the love of Jesus, heaven, souls, victory? “Make way for liberty” from sin and Satanic tyranny! Jesus, our great Captain, was the first to enter the breach, where he fell in death, but rose again, conqueror of hell, death and sin, and lives to the no more. “His own arm brought salvation’ he is with us new, as with his people in ages past. Millions now in glory once cried upon the earth, in revival conflict, with Jesus at their head, “Make way for liberty” and won it. It is our turn now. “Make way for liberty!” Yes, and the slaves of sin and hell in this town shall soon their liberty receive. Hallelujah! To God and the Lamb hallelujah To the Holy Ghost be hallelujah’ Amen.

Forward, then, to the fight of faith! And, as a good brother said, “Be sure you take with you to the fight that great grant LOVE!” Ay, so be it, — Love unspeakable; this war must be led on by Love.

“Strive with spirit, soul and mind,
For the mighty mastery;
Fling the scabbard far behind,
‘Heaven and Christ’ the watchword be
To God the Father; Son and Holy Ghost, be all the glory! Let us pray.