St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-07-23
Faith Growing Exceedingly.

- Rev. 10: lJ.-ActS, IL: 21.-Lukc
:: 10.
Faith Growing Exceedingly.
HN THE LATE REV. WV. J. HOGE. -. u.
Faith admits of degrees We are not
to DENY its existence bcc;luISc of It's lit
tlcmcS>. Gold is gold. whether ii Ice in
the line dust or in the solid and massive
im-nt. Christ had SomrtImcs to up
braid his own Immediate disciples 80,
We of htIie faith, was his rcbukc: but
no charge WAS brought against them for
being entirely destitute of faith. To
the SlIo-Phuuician woman WAS uttered
the commentator 10y the son of cod.
How great is thy faith whiic to the
centurion it WAS. II nave not found 80
great iIith. no not in israel" The faith
of the primitive Christian church at
Rome MAS certified 10y Paul to nave
been of world Wide celebrity. At this
day we need not look far for little tailil ;
it may he found in our OWN breasts.
\ ct may We not hope that with some.
faith has 81 grown H. to have irrunc Il
shield in all assaults from without. Let
us walk through that long grand CORR
tlbl siil'llN Nv lIlt .hII'l>l ~
in the Ith chapter of Hebrews. foI gln-
Iinu~ instances of that enduring and
exalted faith. Even women. supported
10y Il vigorous faith. surpassed in noble
hcroi>m the Warriors of the battle field
not accepting dcliNcrInce from cruel
Torture when II WAS offered them. that
they might obtain Il better resurrection.
1t il we'll for u> to become familiar with
the examples ut these ilIu>tIiuu> mar
iNIS. clad :IS they were in the pauoplN
of God. and of Whom the world WAS not
worthy.
For oIIr encouragement. and that ir,
may hc strong. let lis consider that tines,
saints of antiquity had their day ot
small things. The time WAS W hen they
had little faith. They stumbled and fell
even Us We do. 80 may we, now weak
some time hrcoImc giants in faith: thrr,
aic no limits to Gods treasures ui grace
The growth of faith is not like III,
3Tovt of IL tree. Each wear Il tree ha,
its additional ring. We can read the
history of the s";tSou> to some extent in
the giant OAK. Whcm II has just been
flIcd. la some Years when the >c;i>oII~
have been moist and growing. the tree
has imhihcd the nutritious sap. and the
ring is large and the wood solid while
in Il season of dInuth. the ring has en-
banded but Il little beyond the proceed
,"S ing -. a.. s,..,. II, tI,;i,, -.
otherwise, however. there is always
growth: each year has its additional
ring. limt in Individual experience in
the kingdom at grace. there are wears
when no rings at all are formed. and in
some Years there is a subtraction oi
rings. These are the long dark year,
nt the Christians harl>>liding.
We are not to inter that of necessity
the old Christian has great faith. on thai
the young Christian has little faith. Oh,
Eli had less than little Samuel. Tn,
faith OF Young Christians sometime.
puts To shame that of gray headed Chris
tauS, who go haltin" and SHILLING on
their weary way. There are Spccia
times when the growth of faith is very
rapid. lit gr"wcth exceedingly" Faitl
gr"wrth exceedingly whcnto the Churcl
THE winter Is past and gone. and tn,
time of the singing of birds has come :
SEASONS of sunshine and shower thcl
are; AplIl days: nature is green an,
fragrant the vines give Il goodly smell
These are DAYS of PrntrcoStal vista.
iI"n faIrc>t examples of SpIingtimc t,
the church. Because faith is of ripi,
growth III these vi>itationS. it is no
necessarily feeble. Ii may grow fast
and he strong and enduring. Not at al
analogous l. II to some of the rank veg
citation of nature which springs up has
thy. To decay as hastily.
The faith of PcntecoStal DAYS WA
symmetrical. rich in the best of fruits
there i no such thing rs growing to,
fast in faith and grace. The rcvival
ot those times were not qOt uD hut cdB,,
down. DIR. PIumer has observed tina
any body can get mp II revival. hut Go,
alone can send one down.
Times of darkness and TEMPEST AND
storm have sometimes been f;ivorahl,
To the growth of faith. When blood,
tyranny has exercised its dcsp"tic hat,
ON religion and its professors. then i
WAS that some We're stirred up with I'M
womtcd power. In the times of print
tive christianity and since these season
OF persecution came and ecclesiastical
history dwellS on them aS days of he
brightest glory. The tree swept 10y tin
trrc" blast. struck its roots deep in tn
caIth and wound them around the rock
then putting forth its arms. il grapplc,
with Ilt tempest. ana II WAS found tina
the ure grew wonderfully. notWith
standing the roaring winds and tn
storm. When earth is blacklist an
wrapped in clouds. then Heavens sun
shine l. brightest.
Faith is the first work of tir IInl
Ghost i'll us. and 50 the Apostle attach,
special value toit. When faith gruwct
exceedingly. il Is honorable To the spin il
Faith is desirable. hecaul>e il is the grac
which unite> lis to Jesus Christ. Ii
the channel through which the Hol
spirit always communicates with tn
soul. To he full of faith is the sam
thing as - bc full of life. and full a.,
the Holy Ghost. This was the cas-
with stephen. and also with Barnaba
The rapid growth of faith is deSirahl,
hecau>c it is the mother of all the grace
They grow only as faith grows. 1t
the source of all Christian development
True faith always does work st Jam,
informs lis that anything called taitl
and resulting in no works is Il miscrahl
sham. A. the faith of the The>SIloniar
grew. 81 their love abounded
Greater zeal in Gods service must I,
suit from Il higher degree of faith sue
was the faith of some of the saints ,