the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第36部分

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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