Didactos sat on a seat of stone by the river side, while his disciples were seated, or reclining all about him, on the soft grass, quietly waiting to catch his every word of wisdom.

     "There is no deity," said Didactos.   "The gods that the Romans worship, which are carved from milk white marble, despite their beauty, are still nothing more than stone.   They cannot even wipe the cobwebs, or dust, from off their faces."

     "Neither is there any Supreme Being, as is taught by the Jews, and by the new sect called Christians," said he.   "There is no God!   I have lived a full three score and six years.   I have traveled in many countries, from Britain to far off Babylon, and everywhere the only gods I have seen, have been the dead gods of wood and stone.   As a true scientist, I have come to believe that there is no God, and I believe I can also prove it."

     "How can you do that?" cried all the young men, as they gathered near.   "Just watch me," he said.   "I'm am going to defy God."   Standing to his feet, Didactos raised his hand toward heaven, and with a loud voice, cried out, "God, if you are there, and if you are so powerful, as they say, Strike me dead!   I dare you.   Strike me dead right now!"

     His disciples trembled with fear, as they waited, but nothing happened.   The sun still shone brightly through the trees.   The bees continued humming among the flowers, and Didactos, beaming with pride, said, "See!   I told you so.   There is no God!"

     That night, Didactos dreamed a dream.   Again, he was sitting on the stone seat by the river side, but there were none of his disciples there.   He was alone, and as he sat, he slowly became aware, of the throb and rush of teaming life, all about him.

     Bees, and numerous other insects, were going from flower to flower.   Grasshoppers and crickets nibbled the luscious grass, and sang their various tunes.   Suddenly he realized he could hear them talking to one another, and that he could understand what they had to say.    "How delicious this tender grass is!" said a grasshopper to his friend.   "The best flowers, full of nectar, are over this way," said one bee to another, and away they flew.   Didactos turned to watch the busy ants constructing an ant hill nearby.   He could hear the shouts of those in charge, "Bring that beam a little more this way!   Careful now!   Don't drop it!"   Just within the shadow, cast by his own body, two ants were talking idly while they rested, and Didactos listened to their conversation.

     "How nice is the cloud that has come and shaded us from the sun," said the one.  "Yes," replied the other.   "I was just about to die of the heat.   Really, I don't see the use of all this construction work, if, as the elders say, MAN might come and burn our city again."

     "That's just an old fable, handed down from our grandfathers," said the first ant.   "We have lived peacefully here, all our lives, and never suffered any such calamity.   I believe that fire, if they had one, was just a natural occurence, and not caused by some great, powerful being, called MAN."   As for me, I don't believe in MAN.

     "Why do you say that?"   asked the second ant in surprise.

     "I am old," he replied.   "I have lived a full forty and two days, and during that time, I have scoured the earth, for many feet, in all directions.   I have had many strange experiences.   Once, I even came upon a queer sort of textured earth, that moved, causing me to fall headlong, into the grass below.   But, nowhere, did I see MAN, so I don't believe in MAN.   You watch me, I'll prove there is no MAN."

     The little ant raised himself on his four hind legs, waved his two arms in the air, and cried, "MAN, hear me!   If you are there, strike me dead!   I dare you!   Strike me dead!"   Didactos bent over to look.   The two ants, that had been talking, were barely visible to him.   He chuckled, "Why, I could crush you both between my fingers, but why?   That would be quite beneath my dignity."   As he arose to go, he awoke from his dream.

     The next day, as Didactos gathered his pupils together by the river side, he had a very different message to give them.   "Young men," he said, "I have learned that there really is a GOD, who is above all, who knows what we think, and hears every word that we say."   "I was a fool," he continued, "and did not realize that, throughout my life, I had been enjoying the shadow of GOD'S kindness.   He even spared my life, when I defied Him.   I am an ungrateful wretch.   Will you join me in asking His pardon, and forgiveness, and in thanking Him for His great mercy toward us."

Link

     Bible Missionary Baptist Church of Portland, Oregon, has a missionary, Joseph Blalock, in Skamokawa, Washington.   He will be holding a tent revival meeting there.   We, at Bible Missionary Baptist Church, covet your prayers for this work.

Letters To The Editor

     There are many heresies coming into our ranks today, sometimes, even under the name of "Landmark Baptist."   One of them is "Hardshellism."

      You can always tell a "hardshell" preacher, because he has no gospel message, and never gives an invitation.   He calls the mourner's bench, "holy rollerism," and he is constantly referring to others, as Armenians.

     He is ignorant of the fact, that though Arminius and Calvin differed in doctrine, they were united, as enemies of all true Baptists.   True Baptists follow neither Calvin nor Arminius, but only Jesus Christ, and God's Word.   Old fashioned, Gospel-preaching, Baptists are needed today, who will move people to repentance, and to a real mourner's bench, experience of salvation.

~ ~ Editor.

     Folks if you want to respond to something you have read in "Baptist Landmarks" please E-Mail your response to edit@BaptistLandmarks.org   Your response will be printed here.

     I would like to have a cartoon in each issue if possible.   If there is someone reading this paper who can draw cartoons that will cause us to laugh at the foolish things we sometimes do and cause us to think of how we could better serve our Savior, please E-Mail me and let me know.

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