Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

man."come"stand?"glory."already.)"The Editor's PageHERODITIS "He gave not God theActs 12:23Heroditis is by no means an uncommon disease,though it is seldom so suddenly fatal as it was inHerod's case, which was somewhat unique.The people of Tyre and Sidon were in distress,for the temperamental Herod was highly displeasedwith them, and since they were dependent on hisdomain for their market and especially for their foodsupplies, it was highly important that they shouldavert a hot war or even a cold war. But happily theywere able to get on the good side of Blastus theKing's chamberlain who put them wise to the weakspot in Herod's defenses he was very susceptibleto a little flattery. He (Blastus) would arrange ameeting at which Herod would make a speech. Itwould be their part to keep the applause meter registering 1000. Of the outcome there would be no doubt.The plan succeeded beyond their fondest hopes.Herod could hardly finish a sentence until therewas a burst of applause, and when he finally finished, the audience cried in unison, "It is the voice ofa god and not of a Five days later, Josephustells us, Herod was just a corpse. The autopsy revealed the immediate cause was a mass of wrigglingworms, but the divinely inspired coroner's verdictglory."was "Because he gave not God theIt was a Chinese layman who remarked afterthe reading of the story of Ananias and Sapphirathat if the Lord would do that today, we wouldsee men and women falling down dead all aroundus. Yes "a thousand shall fall at thy side and tenthousand at thy right hand" but can we claim therest of the promise"it shall not come nigh thee?"There is an amusing story in the DecemberReader's Digest entitled "The Time God Didn't"Strike Us Dead." A girl and two boys pulled a fastone on their grandmother who had offered a prize often dollars to each, if they committed the ShorterCatechism. They divided it among them, each learning every third question, which they recited gliblyenough in rotation, but when it came to the question,"What doth every sin deserve ?" "Every sin deservesGod's wrath and curse, both in this life and thatwhich is to they were all conscious-smitten andwould not have been able to finish had not the questions from there on out brightened with hope ofredemption. They had scarcely accepted their illearnedrewards when a sudden thunderstorm sentrhem scampering for shelter, not scampering fromthe rain but from "the wrath and curse of God."lliey were not long in deciding that they should eachcommit the two thirds of the Catechism they hadskipped before they would cash Grandmother'schecks."If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, 0Lord, who would Not Herod. Not Ananiasand Sapphira, and not I. Herod does not seem to havereplied to his compliments he just swallowed them,just as I and very many other ministers have done,at the church door with outstretched handstandingand eager ears, passing the compliments of the sea-404son. I remember one in particular from Father IsaiahFaris, enclosed in quotes, "That was a fine sermon(if the devil hasn't told you soAh, howmany of them come either directly or indirectly fromthat source we little suspect ! Sweet morsels for ourvanity !But why go back into ancient history? My doctor told me that I had a good recovery, implyingthat I had been a good patient. And I returned thecompliment, "I had a good doctor!" And the GreatPhysician to whom all the glory belonged was leftout of the picture, Lord, forgive us. This card hasrecently come to our daughter :"Can't you take time out and tell us aboutfather? Preachers don't as a rule sign into hospital,just to smell medicine and visit with three or fourdoctors and special nurses, just to rest from labor.Take us into the secret. Do hope father is better . . .Was Taggart sick, or just playing for sympathy?Whether I owe it to the public to tell you thedetails of my sickness, or not, maybe I do owe it tothe Lord. If it bores you, skip it from here. This wasnot done in a corner. Our Kansas City congregationwas made aware of my disability on October 10. Twoweeks previously they had invited me to preachtheir Preparation sermon, and though under a doctor's care at the time, I trusted that this was a divine intimation that I would be better when thetime came. Though neither strength nor appetitereturned in the meantime, the family drove to ahotel in Kansas City on Saturday. Until midnight,I could not be comfortable either sitting up in a chairor lying in bed, but from then on I slept soundly inbed. By morning I looked and felt so much betterthat the family consented that I should preach.But after the invocation, I thought it best to tell thecongregation that the service was a venture of faith.They gave good attention, but I could not get awayfrom the thought of the Apostle Paul shaking theviper from his hand into the fire. "They looked whenhe should have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly."But the promise was good, "As thy days is soshall thy strength be." As I had hoped, we were invited to Dr. Paul Wright's home for dinner that dayand he went over methoroughly with stethescopeand blood pressure gage, and recommended clinicaltests that these instruments could not reach, chest X-ray, blood count and sedimentation, and cardiograph.and quiet rest. Rest? Ah, that's too bad. This weekis full. Publication Board Meeting Tuesday, and arrangements will have to be made for someone tocarry on the Witness just in case; PresbyteryTuesday evening and three sessions Wednesday;home Thursday, and moderation of a call Thursdaynight ; Friday for finishing up the work on the nextweek's Witness ; Saturday we will arrange about theclinic. It s not exactly what the Doctor ordered butthe mill of the gods grinds on.Monday morning I took those tests, and thatevening the doctor at the Medical Center reportedthat the cardiograph shows that I have had a heartattack within the last two weeks and that I shouldgo to the hospital for two weeks or so, for a rest.COVENANTER WITNESS