CHAPTER IV.

A CHARACTERISTIC DISCOURSE.

PERPLEXED, tried and tempest-tossed, by the apparent impossibility of achieving great success in Huddersfield, Mr. Caughey addressed himself to the task of stimulating his brethren and fellow-laborers to renewed endeavor. How he did this the following curious discourse will best explain. Unique and quaint as it is, we can readily conceive of its effects when delivered with the wonderful unction so peculiar to Mr. Caughey in his best moments. It doubtless fell upon their ears like the thrilling war-cry of some old warrior on the field of battle.

"Watch ye,

Hearken to my text! 2 Cor. 16: 13.stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

Men, brethren and fathers, mothers, brother and sisters! Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! You have heard the word of command from the Holy Ghost," watch ye," &c. It is in a high degree military, as you may perceive; more of this by and by. I want to speak to you of our circumstances, prospects and duties, in the present crisis, on the rough edge of this war for God and souls.

Our late trials have done us all good; have driven us to our knees, to God, in mighty prayer. My own faith is brighter. My heart is warmer and more tender towards God and you,

It

and extremely humble withal; the reasons you know very well. If I acted with too much precipitation, or with the appearance of impatience, in refusing to preach on that bleak and dismal night to us all, forgive and forget. I was sorely tried, and pressed out of measure. There was a cause. Let that pass. Perhaps I ought to have preached, -perhaps not. The results might not have been so good. may have been of the Lord. We shall know more in a few days. Some of you slept but little or none, but you got what was better, more of God. You are better pred now to fight the good fight of faith. Your symp s are awakened for perishing sinners. Your hearts earn for them as never before, and burn for the glory of Christ in their conversion. Praise the Lord! If I caused you sorrow and tears, his love has turned all into joy. Therefore you have suffered damage by me in nothing. Larger incomes of grace are at hand, when you thoroughly use what you have. When Christ sees of the travail of his soul and is satisfied, as Isaiah speaks, then you shall share in his satisfaction; and that will be exceedingly sweet!

My faith brightened in the night of trial, as a star in darkest night. The stars you noticed the other night were all the brighter for the blackness that lay upon the ground below. It was so with my faith, and I am persuaded with yours also.

The darkness that night was like that supernatural darkness which once fell upon Egypt, such as might be felt. -Ex. 10: 21. We all felt it, I more, perhaps, for it was intended, by "the prince of darkness," to drive me from the field, as if my work was done in Huddersfield. But faith grew brighter, as things grew blacker, till stars were not brighter. Melancthon tells us that trouble and perplexity drove him to prayer, and prayer drove away

trouble and perplexity. It was so with us. The Jews used to say the world would not stand without standing prayer; no, nor a REVIVAL neither. Let this prayerful agony for souls continue, by day and by night. What goes up in vapors comes down in showers. If much ascends, much descends, at one time or another. What goes up in prayer comes down in showers of blessings. If little ascends, little descends. The contrary will hold good the world over,ay, and here in Huddersfield! "Hallelujah!" Yes, shout it to your hearts' content.

It is said that battle proves the sword, and need the friend. Late events have certainly tested you as the unflinching friends of Jesus, and of this hoped for revival of his work. And now our swords are about to be tried, of what metal they are made.

The

Battles are not fought, nor fields won, without hard fighting. It is so in every great conflict for souls. Truth and error, light and darkness, the arms of God Almighty and his enemy,—must now come in collision on thy "brief round," O Huddersfield! This is God's order. standard of our Immanuel must higher wave, with rallying hosts of more determined spirits around it! ay, and opposition hosts as well,- visible and invisible. Hear St. Paul. "For we wrestle not with flesh and blood," like ourselves,-"but against principalities," of devils, ruling spirits," against powers, rank of them, ruled and authorized to rule by the higher rank," against the rulers of the darkness of this world," - still another rank, whose power is over spiritual darkness,-"against spiritual wickedness in high places," or, as the margin has it, "wicked spirits in high places," -in commanding, advantageous places, having chosen their ground, may be, and taken their positions here, before

with men one rank another

we were born,-"wicked spirits," more vicious than others, foul, crooked, unruly, baneful and accursed in the highest degree; the schoolmasters, or drill officers, of the whole tribe of sinners, who are emphatically wicked.- Eph. 6:12.

Behold the infernal army, "countless, invisible"! Two wings and a centre; and "the wicked spirits," the corps de reserve,— a select body of infernal troops, most like the devil, their master, and "red with the blood of souls," drawn up for battle in the rear; reserved there for time of need, to support the lines as occasion may require; they are troops for an emergency. Satan depends upon them, ast Napoleon Bonaparte did upon his Imperial Guard.

All these infernal legions are united under one head, called, in Scripture, Satan, or the devil,- for he has various names,- our great enemy and the adversary of our God, whose power Paul deprecated, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices," -an advantage something over and above his present advantage, a vantage-ground taken by our ignorance or inadvertence, that is, our inattention or heedlessness,— and then usurp upon us and over us. He is as full of "devices" as he is of malice, subtle means to accomplish his ends, policies and stratagems. The allusion is military. It is a mark of an able general to select the best and most advantageous positions, in case of a battle. Apollyon is up to this. Napoleon, almost his namesake, never had tactics superior. He is, besides, full of malice, envy, sagacity, and cruelty, and fury. He scorns mankind, and hates God and his monarchy. He is called in Scripture That Wicked One, The Old Serpent, and Apollyon,-which signifies the destroyer. He is also called a Lion, an Accuser, a Tormentor, a Tempter, Satan, the Devil, a Murderer,

Lucifer, perhaps you may remember others of his titles yourselves. But these are sufficient for one devil, I think. They are all significant, however, as I could show you, did time allow definitions. He is, in fact, the great centre of all the wickedness in the universe, and the rallying-point of all rebellion against God in earth and hell. This Goliath of hell is in the field against us. He has slain his thousands and his tens of thousands, his millions and his hundreds of millions. It may be there are few families now present who have not had some of their ancestors, near or distant, slain and carried by him into hell. He has an eye of burning hatred upon every member of every family present; nor has he ever yet, in our opinion, lost hope of having some souls out of every family circle present. You will never in heaven impute it to his lack of will if he fail in the perdition of any one or every one of your families. It is with him and his troops we have been lately skirmishing,-feebly enough, God knows.

I have said nothing of the multitudes of your fellow-citizens who are also in arms against God, and therefore cannot be friends to us. They are marshalled, and inspirited, and commanded, by infernal powers. Strange to say, they know it not. But they shall, and before long, if our God comes down in his power. But opposition first, and then they will get their eyes opened. When our artillery begins to thunder about their ears, and the sparks of celestial fire to fall upon their consciences, and the two-edged sword of truth to lay open wounds within, then look out; opposition will begin in good earnest!

I say not these things to discourage you, but to apprise you of the enemies you have to encounter, in order to victory. Contrary to the mode of some generals, I have given the enemy credit due. Prepare for them! St. Paul says