the use and need of the life of carrie a. nation-第40章

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why　we　do　not　understand　the　figures　and　expressions　used　in　the
Bible；　because　I　have　had　several　experiences；　that　were　impossible　to
explain　by　human　language。

I　told　Mr。　Nation　that　the　Bible　was　a　new　book　to　me；　tried　to
explain　to　him；　told　him　I　now　saw　the　meaning　of　everything。　He
said：　〃Explain　Lazarus　and　the　rich　man。〃　I　turned　to　it　instantly。
The　divine　light　gave　a　new　meaning　to　me。　I　commented　thus　as　I
read　it：　〃This　rich　man　is　the　Jewish　nation；　with　its　gorgeous　temple
service。　The　poor　man　is　the　Gentile　nations　called　dogs；　no　temple；　no
altar；　no　God；　no　healing；　like　a　man　with　an　incurable　loathsome　disease。
These　begged　from　the　Jews　the　crumbs　that　fell　to　their　dogs。　This　rich
man　had　much　goods。　He　could　have　shared　to　bless；　but　through　lack
of　charity　he　withheld。

The　beggar　died；　and　angels　took　him　to　Abraham's　bosom；　the　very
place　the　Jews　thought　was　only　for　them。　This　is　a　figure　of　the
death　to　sin；　and　the　life　to　righteousness。　The　natural　must　die　before
the　spiritual　can　live。　The　rich　man　died；　and　was　buried。　The　Jewish
nation　died　as　it　is　here　predicted；　and　in　hell；　he　lifted　up　his　eyes；　being
in　torments。　It　is　not　said　that　the　Gentiles；　or　Lazarus　were　buried。
The　Jews　as　a　nation　are　dead；　never　to　be　resurrected。　They　have　been
scattered　abroad　in　torments；　a　people　without　a　land；　a　hiss　and　a　by…
word；　as　God　said。　The　Jew　sees　the　Gentiles　with　the　good　things；　he
once　had。　Has　time　and　time　again　begged　relief　from　them。　The　Jews
wish　no　companionship　in　their　misery；　have　no　missionaries。　Five　is
a　number　applied　to　humanity。five　senses；　five　fingers；　five　toes。　The
gulf　spoken　of　as　being　impassable；　is　the　separateness　of　the　Jews　from
all　others。

The　rich　man　wants　one　from　the　dead　to　go　to　his　five　brethren；　or
humanity。　Abraham　or　the　Gospel　reminds　the　Jew　that　Moses　and
the　prophets　were　as　convincing；　they　would　not　believe　them。　Christ
said：　〃If　ye　had　believed　Moses；　ye　would　have　believed　me　for　he
wrote　of　me。　If　ye　believe　not　him；　neither　will　ye　believe；　though　one
arose　from　the　dead。〃　Christ　in　this　parable　prophesied　of　his　own
death　and　resurrection；　they　did　not　believe　when　he　arose　from　the　dead。

Scripture　was　given　a　meaning　I　had　never　heard　of　before。　This
light　continued　for　about　three　days。　Oh！　if　I　had　devoted　all　my　time
then　to　reading　while　I　had　this　divine　light！　We　never　know　the　value
of　any　blessing；　until　it　is　gone。　Persons　almost　universally　say　of　me：
〃You　have　studied　and　remember　so　much　of　the　Bible；〃　but　this　is　a
gift　from　God。　I　know　why　God　gave　this　to　me。　Because　I　have　always
been　a　reader　and　a　student　of　holy　teachings；　even　when　it　was　sealed；
and　often　to　me；　contradictory。　〃If　any　will　do　His　will；　they　shall
know　of　the　doctrine。〃　Jesus　said：　〃Search　the　Scriptures。〃　Study　to
show　thyself　a　workman　well　approved　unto　God；　that　needeth　not　to
be　ashamed；　rightly　divining　the　word　of　truth。〃　'Tis　a　sweet　love　letter
by　an　independent　God　to　a　dependent　people。　〃Oh！　the　depth　of　the
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　th