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longs to our country. Only a few hundred paces in breadth, of no ma terial worth at all, it is only a speck in this never-sun-setting Empire. For gotten surely will be this wave- washed tip of foreign stone. Nay, let another flag than the Union Jack this night wave its folds across the beetling cliff, let another hand be laid on the little place, and at the first click of the telegraph needle in the Foreign Office in London, the 'whole mighty ironclad force of our Thun derers and Devastations, the whole ponderous line of the men o’war and battleships of Great Britain will put their “bulwarks on the brine.” The British Navy will steam at once to its rescue and defense. And why? Because Great Britain “knoweth” the Rock. It is a possession of our coun try, and the whole honor of the United Kingdom is pledged for its in violate keeping. In this pin-point of a place the Imperial Throne is at stake! Oh, poor humble downcast child of God, isn’t this comfort for you? “The Lord knoweth” you. Do you think He will let the Devil press too hardly upon you? Do you think the black fist of the smutty fiend will ever catch hold of your fainting, fee ble soul? Never, never! The Gov ernment of Almighty God is pledged for your keeping. The seizure of your soul would be the signal for the" down-topple of the throne of the uni verse. Oh, eternal safety of- the be liever in Christ! “The Lord know eth them that are His,” you are His, He knoweth you, saveth you, keepeth you. “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my right eousness. Behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded; they shall be as nothing, and they that strive
drowns them, and the frost bites them, and the mildew blasts them. “My stock,” and horses drop, and cattle take rinderpest, and empty byre and empty stable keep empty company with the empty barn. “My,” you farmer, never! The possessive pronouns belong to God alone. “My” and “Mine” are only for Him to say, not for you, and He says them, and means them, too. The word is “His.” Blessed “His” ! “The Lord knoweth them that are His.” So the Lord after all has property in this world. The Devil after all dare not yet run up to the masthead the pirate’s black flag of exclusive, defiant possession. The Lord has possession on this sin- sodden earth, and He will look after it, never fear, “The Lord knoweth,” that is, not merely enumerateth, not merely runneth over in finger-tip reckoning, as the eager-eyed miser yon golden heap he cannot keep from the sprouting wings of speedy flight. The word “knoweth” means “grasp- eth, embraceth, pLdgeth, looketh aft er, standeth surety for, keepeth! Ah! yes, poor doubting believer; God hath sworn a mighty Oath to keep thee, and concerning thee His Highest honor is to-day at stake. He hath said, “I will never leave you nor for sake you.” “The Lord knoweth them that are His,” “knoweth” with all the assurance and power of the pledging of Infinite love. What more for your safety can you, have than the guarantee of the throne of Al mighty God ? Isn’t doubt, then, an awful thing? Isn’t disbelief? Isn’t even trembling and fearing? Dare we give God the lie, and fling back His word in His very face? “The Lord knoweth them that are His.” Oh, isn’t that enough for you and me to make a soft, soothing pillow of for the last long sleep of the grave? It is ! It is ! Gibraltar is a barren rock on the shores of Spain, but it be
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