Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-10-03
WHY AMI A CHRISTIAN /?
Il. Iteoause i want7Jo Dt.

(. (d) One fine morning, as 1T IL
said, Peter the Great, Emperor of
Russia, took a sail. In the after
noon he landed to avoid a storm
which was suddenly. coming upon
him. One Of the boats, filled mostly
with soldiers, failing to land before
the storm burst, was dashed by the
furious wind upon reef. The in
mates knew not how to do. The
Emperor ordered boat to their re-
lief, but its crew was too unskilled
and cowardly to perform the dan
gerous task. The poor, deserted
men on the reef rent the air with
piteous cries for help. The Empe-
ror sprang into hia own boat and
bade all who had hearts to dare for
their brethren to follow him. I'm
able, on account OF the reef, by the
greatest exertions, to bring his boat
within succoring distance, he plunged
into the raging pillows and swami
now OH the top of the mountain wave,
; now in the depths bencath-to the
stranded boat, and himself became
the skillful pilot which they needed.
The men, revived by the self-sacri-
flee and courage of their great chief
tain in their behalf, renew their ef-
forts and he dextrously guides them
through the rocks and breakers safe
to land. want to believe that that
famous ruler lived; thas he possessed
such nobility, such courage, such
love for his fellows, even his humble,
helpless subjects.
(b.) I have heard that there is a
God; that he created and preserves
me and all things; that he is tho
perfection Of goodness, mercy, JUS
tice, truth, wisdom and power; that
he is the one only living and true
God; that there are three persons in
the God-hcad: the Father, the Son
and the Holy Ghost, and these three
are one God, the same substance,
equal in power and glory; that he
requires mo to worship, honor and
obey him, and love him with all my
heart and my neighbor. as myself.
I want to believe that God is; and,
believing that, feel that his require
ments are just. I also feel that I
have, through my negligent igno-
rance and willful folly, broken his
commandments that I am rightly
condemned-.am shipwrccked SOL
der. know not what to do with
out pilot. I have heard that Jesus
: Christ, God the Son, came into the
world and died to save me and all
believing sinners. I want to believe
it. I want to love and be grateful
to him. I have heard that the Holy
Ghost constantly offers to teach me
the truth and guard me in its OBJ
scrvancc. I want to bc 80 taught
and guarded. I feel the need of it.
have heard that all things work to-
gethcr for good to Gods elect; that
: the happiness Of this thought is ever
present with the highest type of
Christian; that he ehdures pain with
joy, knowing that his light affiction,
which is but for a moment, worketh
for him far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory. In this
world of disappointmcnts and trials
want tho consolation of such be-
lief. have heard that there is q
Heaven, where Christians will 90
where mortal will put on immortali-
ty; where no sin is; where my own
sinful nature and all my sinful
thoughts, words and actions will be
left behind; where the same may be
said of all its inhabitants; where
can have perfect confidence in my
self and in all my associates. Iwant
to believe that there is such q place
and such perfection. long to live
there.
I'd. Because the evidence satisfies
my mind.
(a) It is chsy to believe that there
is God. I am 50 constituted that
am convinced that wheresoever there
is an effect, there must be cause ;
wheresoever there is design, some-
thing moving for an apparer pur-
pose, thorc must have been designer.
A watch, for instance, keeps time,
and am convinced that it aoos made
for that purpose. So God gives us q
great time keeper, the earth revolv-
ing on it's own axis, producing day
and night, and around the sun pro-
4 ducing the regular return of the sea-
sons, and thus demonstrates creative
power, which could only be that of