Henry Ward Beecher
Published: 2009-08
Total Pages: 408
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Scope And Function Of A Christian Life. STJNDAY MORNING, APRIL 18, 1869. Pet on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to PlanJ. 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, wherewith 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 supplication for all saints.?Km. vi. 11-18. I Need not say what the source of this figure is?a figure of war. After all, there is something in a soldier, and in his career, that attracts the admiration of those that hate war, and who, looking at it in its details, abhor its phenomena. The reason is worthy of speculation. Partly, I suppose, we admire war because it is the grandest organization of material forces that ever human genius executed. It is also a force that appeals to a very strong animal impulse in ourselves. We understand the conflict of material forces. There is, however, another and a better reason, I think. However frivolous the world may be, and however insincere, it never fails to admire an earnest man?a man who believes, and who is willing to put his life at risk for the sake of his faith. A man who once emb...