The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [80]
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
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