Newspapers / Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.) / July 1, 1869, edition 1 / Page 6
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118 ZION’S LANDMARKS. that they still love sin, and hence cannot possibly be Christians. Chris- :ians hate sin, because they have already had their fill of it. “Ye that love the Lord, bate evil.” (Psl. : 10.) The disciples once return ed to Christ rejoicing because the devils were subject to them through :iis name, but he rebuked them and said, “notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.” In "ike manner the brethren are not to i’e]oiCQ\nyieldin(j to evil temptations, because Christ said, “watch and pray that ye enter not into tempta tion.” And Paul said, “Charity re- oiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth n tlie truth.” If persons feel an in ward aversion to ^yielding to the .'-eductions of Satan, it is an evidence that they do not belong to his family. When under conviction, while up on my knees trying to pray, wicked oaths were suggestel, and I clinched my teeth to keep them from being ut tered. Perhaps, some may conclude that this was a mere recurrence of my former habit, but this is not the case, for at no time during my life, nas an oath escaped my lips. This temptation was new to rut^, for, I loid ahvays believed that a man could govern his thoughts, and pray wlien he pleased. I now' “count it all joy” that I was made subject to this harassing of Satan, because this was the first thing that ever taught mo the ex ceeding sinfulness of my heart. No Altman being could have made me believe that oaths were in my^ heart, for they had hitherto remained torpid, like a snake in the winter season. I am glad that my eondiiion was made known to me, otherwiso, I should have gone to the bar of God, claiming a scat in lieaven, on the grounds that I had cast out devils in the name of the Lord. [to UE COSTiXUED. ] Yours in Christ. JAMES S. DAMEEON. Macomu, Ii.t., 3800. Wanting' About Zion. Twku-'tji A'l.sriA Jh'otlie)' Jio-dtiuhumei' :—(in niyy return to this distressed city I found ! iier condition to bo nobetlci- than it! was when I took mv leave of her last, i 1 ’ 1 ami I tiiought that in some rc-pcets, i her case was even vnore liopeless.-— Not only had very many of Jicr watchmen, or those who asgiimcd to. be such, forsaken her interests, and wore either asleep at their posts of duty, or had fled at the approach of danger ; hut some of them were even joined wdth the enemies of Zion and forming leagues of friendship and affinity wutli those that secretly sought her ruin. These false watch men, these pretended friends to the city, I found to be engaged in trying to blind the eyes of the inhabitants to the danger they Avere in, crying “Peace, Peac e,” Avhen their danger was iminent; saying, “Go up and prosper,” Avhen their King had told them that they should fall in battle. Although her enemies were multiply ing on every hand, and using all man ner of artifice and sorcery to deceive and ensnare the inhabitants, and to induce them to compromise the hon or, the laws and authority of their King, yet these “false shepherds,” these watchmen Avho “divined for money” Avere ready to capitulate with the enemy on terms detrimental to the interest and honor of the King. But Avhile her dangers Avere thus thickening, and the inhabitants Avere being Iel astray by these enemies to Zion, these “Avolves in sheep’s clotlm ing,” those faithful servants Avhom I saAV in my last visit, still cried in the name of their King, with many tears and entreaties, to the subjects of their King, saying, “BeAvare of false prophets, Avhich come unto you in sheep’s clothing, but iuAvardly they are ravening Avolves.” (Math. 7 :15.) “Take heed that no man deceive you,” “for many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many.” (ch. 24.) “Return, thou backsliding Is rael, saith the Lord; and I Avill not cause my anger to fall upon you.” (Jer. 3 : 12.) “O my people, they Avhich lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the Avay of thy paths.” (Isa. 8 : 12.) “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I Avill receive you ; and Avill be a Father unto you, and yo shall be my sons and daugh ters, saith the Lord iUmighty.” (2 Cor. 6 : 17, 18.) “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I Avill come in to him, and Avill sup Avitli him, :md he Avith me.” (Rgaa 3 : 20.) “Even from the davs of youi’ hitbers xa are gone uav; y from mine onlinanccs, and 'nave not kept tlicm. Betuvn unto me, anti I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. (Math. 3 ; 7.) Thus did these faithful servants Avarn, and en treat, and exhort the inhabitants to return to their allegiance to their King, that they might avert the im pending calamities that Avere about to fall upon the ungiateful and re bellious city. WTiile these true ser vants Avere thus bearing testimony to the truth, they Avere clothed in sack cloth, and sat in ashes many days, beAvailing the sad condition of the city. One of them declared to the disobedient inhabitants, in the bitter ness of his soul, saying, “I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” (Acts 20 : 26, 27.) But after the larger portion had been led astray and beAvitched by false teachers, and bad rejected their King and his laws, and joined themselves to the enemies of Zion ; the King spake to his true Avatchmen, saying, “Ephriam is joined to idols ; lei; him alone.” (Hosea 4 : 17. “Let them alone : they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Math. 15 : 14.) Noav I saAv, Avhile in the city at this time, that an open rupture and division were ineAutable, betAvecn the true friends of the King and those Avho had pretended to be such ; and the Avay the division Avas finally brought about, Avas about as folloAVS: When the true servants become convinced of the evil designs o of those Avho had been crying Peace, Peace, AAdiiie they Avere lying in Avait to deceive, they became more decided in their defence of the laAvs of Zion, and of her King, and refused to submit any longer to the rebellious course of these impostors; and this course droAm these deceivers to assume more openly their belligerent attitude against the King of Zion and his subjects. The deceivers noAV made open Avar against the King’s serAmnts, and mustered all their force, and arm ed themselves to the teeth to destroy the memory of Zion and lier King from the earth. And for a Avhilc it ap- pear.ed as though they Avould succeed. They Avorried and annoyed the citis zens much, putting many of them to death, and even attempted to storm the very battlements of the city.— The inhabitants for a time Avere much discouraged, their patience Avell nigh Avorn out, and their .strength nearly' exhausted ; but tliis state of things! arose from a Avant of proper fore-1 sight and prudence on their part.— | They had gone into the conliict Avith- ^ out instructions from headquartersy and had even left some of their prin cipal weapons behind, and hence they Avere at times, driven bv their ene- niics. But in their distress they sent up to headquarters a cry for help, for instructions and for arms. Thcf- Captain of the hosts of Zion came doAA'n among them, and by his Avord of command, and by his presence, in spired them Avith ncAV courage ; and he also distributed SAvords (old Jeru salem blades) among them that had failed to provide themselves Avith that Aveapon from the armory. Thus equipped and commanded, they rc- neAved the attack Avith confidence in their Captain and in their Aveapons, crying, “The SAvord of the Lord, and of Gideon,” (.Judges 7 : 18.) During' the hottest of the battle, Avbioh raged long and fiercely, the King himself passed along the lines of his Avarriors on a Avliite horse, vrith a sharp tivo- edged SAvord proceeding out of Ids mouth, and his countenance Avas like tlie sun shineth in his strength. Be fore his face, and that of his host, the enemy fell on heaps, and the bat tle Avas turned aAA'ay from the gates of Zion, and the armies of the aliens Avere put to flight. Noav went up a shout of A'ictory that made the Avails of'Zion ring. “Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates, and be lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory ? Tlie Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in bat tle.” (Psl. 24r: 7, 8.) “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through OUT Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15 ; 57.) “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and poAver, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne.” (Rev. 5 : 18.) After the battle was over, and a victory Ar’on over the enemies of Zion, and the faithful servants of the Kinir had returned to their respective places in the city, the King had them called together in a conspicuous place, and by orders fromUieadquarters caused to be read the folloAving proclama tion for their encouragement and in struction, to Avit: “Hear, 0 .Israel i Not for thy righteousness, nor for the uprightness of thy heart dost thou posssss this land; but for the Avickedness of these nations doth tlu- Lord drive them out from before thee. L'ndorstand therefore, that the Loial thy God giveth thee not litis good land to possess it for thy righteous ness ; for thou art a stiff-necked peo ple.” (Dcut. 9 : I, 5, 6.) Remember
Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.)
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