Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-10-16
M(istellameuns &eading.
THE KNOWN AND THE UNKNOWN.

Paul says: eve know" John says; ut
doth not yet appear" Both refer to the
same thing, but to different aspects of the
same thing. Paul refers to the fact of a fu-
ture life; John to the form. Paul says:
1T doth not yet appear what it shall be-"
unknown in all departments Of our knoWl-
edge. The simplest pebble in the street
would puzzle us if we should undertake to
solve all the mysteries connected with it.
Truth is like the ocean, plainly seen on its
hither side, but stretching unknown leagues
beyond our sight. The most familiar OBJ
jects are familiar only on the side that touch
es us. They say the charm of Millet's paint
ings is that they expand and deepen as you
study them. They keep suggesting more
and more as you look at them, until they
seem to bring all the senses into play. AS
you look on forest you begin to fancy. you
the water you fancy you can hear the waves
ripple. When the painter Millet showed his
Angelus to his friend that friend looked at it
for awhile, and then said: "Why, l can
hear the BELLS" In all true poetry there is
something beyond what is expressed an
echo Of far-aWay music, a glimmer of far
away light-music after music has ceased,
glimmer after the light has gone. The true
orator is he who suggests more than he
says, anu tWikCIlS Ill OuE SOulS lllOIe tIlttl iC
or we could express.
The Bible has this quality to very re-
markable degree, as we might well suppose,
dealing as it does with the infnities and the
eternities. Its mysteries are not conceal
ments, but glimpses of truths too great for
full expression. How it struggles to unfold
the idea of God, yet fearful lest what it un-
folds should be taken for the whole truth !!
His was the npronounceable name; His
was the unapproachable light; His was the
form no image must attempt to represent.
And all this was not to conceal God, but to
show that, however, much might be re-
vealed, He was still the "Unsearchable
God," past finding out.
The story of Jesus is as simply told as any
story can be. We can follow Him from the
footsteps, number His works, and repeat all
His words which have been left on record.
We become familiar with the events Of His
life; but we see them only through the veil
of His flesh:
"As through translucent clouds of light
We see the noon-day SUM-"
All along His simple, human life, there
are openings through which His infinity
shines, as riffs in the clouds show us the un-
fathomable star depths. He is revealed as
one who can never be unveiled. We search
the unsearchable riches Of Christ:
Like some bright dream that comes unsought
When slumbers DER me roll"
There is the same mingling of the known
and unknown in the matter of human life.
We know the face, but not the form; we
know we shall be, but we know not what we
shall be; we see, but only Sin mirror
darkly." So we see the sun in the reflector
of the telescope. The reflector is glorious,
and gives us real knowledge of the sun; but
| it is only the faintest glimmer to the sun
itself. The word of God does not seek to
make mystery of the future life, any more
than the telescope is designed to hide the
sun. But the subject and the distance are
too great for more full revelation. The tel
escope gathers all the rays it can, and makes
its image as clear and sharp as possible.
But the sun is too far off for minute lpspec= pee
ton. The knowledge we nave, thougI gei-
| ..;..s, s., "a OF emtoncivo. What Is revealed IN
the future is real, but not complete knoWl-
edge. There is no attempt to hide the stars
| from us. They Shine as brightly as they
can. But they are hidden in the distance:
There is no attempt to hide the eternal
world from us. Its nature and vastness and
distance do not permit a full unfolding. In
all departments Of knowledge, we know
only in part. AS we advance in knowledge,
it is still only in part. Not till that which
| is perfect, we shall know as also we are
known.
"But though do not see, and still
Must live by faith alone,
love Thee, dearest Lord, and will,
Unseen but not unknown
Chicago Adra1ce.