TWO DIVERGING PATHS

 QUOTE OF GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE

"I cannot consent to place in the control of others one who cannot control himself."

 A Warriors’ Ideas of War

"For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Napoleon said at St. Helena, “The more I study the world, the more I

am convinced of the inability of brute force to create anything durable.”

(What a pity he could not have seen this before Austerlitz and Jena and

Moscow!) The Duke of Wellington wrote to Lord Shaftesbury, “War is a most detestable thing. If you had seen but one day of war, you would

pray God that you might never see another.” George Washington said,

“My first wish is to see this plague to mankind banished from the earth.”

"Only the dead have seen the end of war." Plato

THE FAMILY ALTAR

July 24.

"Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected." Luke 12:32.

"I love Thy Zion, Lord, The house of Thine abode, The

Church our blest Eedeemer saved With His own precious blood."

And who would not love the Lord's Zion, His holy Church, with

its blessed Gospel of free and saving grace which is our only hope

in life and death ? But have we not cause to fear that the Lord's

Zion, God's holy temple in which every believer is a living stone,

is facing destruction at the hands of its open and secret enemies

in these dangerous and evil days? It is true, God's believing

children in this wicked world resemble a little, helpless flock of

sheep surrounded by snarling, ravenous wolves. But they have

no reason to fear. Their fate lies not in their hands, but in the

hands of their reconciled and omnipotent Father in heaven.

Nothing can pluck them out of those loving hands. No power

on earth or in hell can thwart His holy purpose to give them

His kingdom of grace here and His kingdom of glory hereafter

in heaven. Their salvation is assured for time and eternity. Let

us but see to it that we are members of Christ's true, believing

little flock, then we shall have no cause to fear for our persons

or for the Church we love so much. Like soldiers sure of their

final victory in the battle, we will wage our Savior's battles with

unflinching courage and carry on His saving Gospel-work with

renewed zeal and energy in spite of all opposition. With God,

the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, on our side, we are in over-

whelming majority as compared with our numerous foes. "The

kingdom ours remaineth!"

Fear not, 0 little flock, the foe

Who madly seeks your overthrow;

Dread not his rage and power:

What though your courage sometimes faints,

His seeming triumph o'er God's saints

Lasts but a little hour.

Be of good cheer; your cause belongs

To him who can avenge your wrongs;

Leave it to Him, our Lord.

Though hidden yet from mortal eyes,

His Gideon shall for you arise.

Uphold you and His Word.