Semi-weekly interior journal., 1883-09-14

edge Of Godr Thrice blessed they who
discover the "open secret" revealed yet
hidden. And 90 see that God is hidden
in disguises all through scripture-in
scores Of places rough, repu lsive, even
odious the Creator Of evil AZ we'll AZ good;
indeed no evil that he s not the doer Of
as in Isai. XIV; or drowning a world Of
sinners In frenzy Of fury; or torturing the
the wreiched Canaaniies, sparing neither
age nor ser; leaving nothing alive that
breatheth" in the purpose Of His ven-
geance; sIaying half the human race, aud
more, in helpless infancy, and with linger-
ing torments unimaginsble in the aggre-
gate; damning men in hell Of mingled
FIRE and birthstone for apparently intermin-
able sges and calling upon His saved ones
to exalt and rejoice in II, III ough husbands
wives, children furn ished fuel for the
dreadful FIRE; and all those features Of hor.
ror appearing plainly, boldly, with no
seeming hint that all is not right. "Veri-
~ Thou art God that hidest Thyself,"
said one ofold. Joseph spAke roughly" TO
his brethren -swore at them "by the life Of
Pharaoh" called them spies and put them
10 prison. How many Of US have been
there; utterly ignorant Of the love and ten
derness Of our "Elder Brother" that yearn-
ed, wept and patiently endured until we
came into the light and saw Him for our
selvesl There Is not a book written by the
masters Of the pen. that does not owe its
chief interest to the fact that its characters
are disguised. How tame and insipid elsel
Bot TO find that under rough, uncouth ex-
teriors luiked the trnest, tenderest hearts;
all this gradually developing as the story
goes on 10 its climax, until genius does its
perfect work" and fills us with the Joy Of
the beautiful discovery Of a glorious char
acter; who Is there but knows this TO be
true. Andyet we come TO the book OF
God and expect that il is 10 come into
world full OF practical people and give
them nothing practical; to world full Of
people educated TO look for disguises and
yet no Disguise; a monster Of book to re-
quire nothing Of faith; to try nobody; to
have every thing so insipidly plain that
love and confidence shall grow with moth
ing to grow upon; no surprises Of discovery;
no ecstacy Of loyal affection; no nothing that
human being ought TO have; hoS fearful
ly unreasonable and unrighteous TO look
for such book from the God Of Truth !
Yet such ia the atheists demand; such is
the acknowledged authority Of thousands
Of believers in God and the bible. Ex-
tremes meet and Ingersoll and Tslmage
stand together-one attacking the other
defending-on precisely the same plat
form. The only remedy is Gods. "The
letter killeth-the Spirit giveth life." The
dear God has been going about for 5000
years inquiring, "whoDl cay ye that amY'
o, how varied and confused the answers,
though He Himself has put one unvarying
in our very mouthsl 1t is this: GOD is
LOVEl This is the one name by which
He will be known. He will put any one
"on high" II he will but know that name
(Ps. xcI He refuses to be called by any
other either in law or grace. "The LORD
GOD-merciful and gracious; slow to anger;
abundant in goodness and truth" is the
Old Testament's equivalent OF "God is
Love" Of the New. This name is the touch
stone; to this all doubtful scriptures are to
be brought, for Interpretation; this name
solves all mysterious providences;" lets us
out Of our prison-house Of difficulties; puts
US where we can love in the darkness more
than in the light; and enables US to throw
our arms around our Fathers neck, even
while the smart Of the rod is on our backs;
because we know that ian enemy" not He,
is inAicting the pain. Our Father only
takes the sting OF the agony away and new
er inflicts il. He makes alive-never kills;
heals, never makes sick; bindeth up, pever
wounds. Love can do none Of these last.
IL only is good. Zone is good-thst is God"
When my earthly father chastised NE, i
never could feel like throwing my arms
round his neck while the smart Of the lash
was on me. / would gladly have kicked
his chins, had / dared; though perhaps
willing 20 believe after the smart pds Ouer that
all was for the best. But now, kHOWing ChO
inaicts pain dllcayS l can run to my fathers
arms the moment feel the smart and say I,
"Dear Father, you are not doing this; you
have nothing to do with il; but you can
heal; heal me now" And He does il with a
touch. No waiting till the smart is over
and the wound heals bye natural process.
"Do not publicans the sameg" want a
God who will do better for me than "Na-
ture," OF second causes" or the forces
which one may have without faith. re-
fuse 20 let my wounds heal slowly-as sim
ners do-by the "lapse Of time" My God
is better to me than that. o, what Joy to
know Him, at last l will defy any one to
"kiss the rod" about which there is 30
much sentimental palaver. l will defy
any one to say honestly that they lOue God
for affecting them Goo may bring good out
Of the evil; extort meat from the eater
honey from the lions carcass; that is true,
but very different thing But every one
knows the struggle in trying TO be recon
ciled 10 the Divine will" when they think
God sends the calamity. ., the torments
needles.ly enduredl Alasl is this array ol
pleasantness a path Of peacep Far from
IL. The remedy is TO know that the devil
Ia the author Of all our misery, all pain, a J
our Affections, all our stripes. Then VI