The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-11-30

Saviour's excellence. BY image, and
sweet rhythm of expression, and start
ling antitheses, Christ is set forth-His
love, His compassion, His work, His
life. His death, His resurrection. We
are challenged to measure it, to compute
1t, to weigh 1t. In the hour of our
broken enthrallment we mount up into
high experience of His love, and shout
until the c~ountenance glows, and the
blood bounds, and tho whole nature is
e~xhilarated:
81 have found HIM"
And yet 1t Is through a glass, darkly.
We see not half of that compassionate
face. We feel not half the warm tn of
that loving heart. We wait for death
to let us rush into His outspread arms.
Then we shall be face to face. Not
shadow then, but substance. Not hope
then, but the fulfilling Of all prefgure-
ment. That will be a magnificent un-
folding. The rushing out in view of all
hidden excelency; the coming again Of
a long-absent Jesus to meet us-not in
rags, and in penury, and death, but
amidst a light, and pomp, and outburst-
ing Joy such as mono but a glorifed in
telligence could experience. Oh! to
gazo full upon the brow that was LAGER
ated, upon the sido that was pierced,
upon the feet that were nailed; to stand
close up In the presence of Him who
prayed for us On tho mountain, and
thought OF us by tho sea, and agonized
for us in the garden, and died for us in
horrible crucifxion; to feel OF Him, to
embrace Him, to take His hand, to kiss
Ills feet, to run u fingers along the
scars OF ancient suffering, to say:
This is my Jesus! He gave Himself
for be. | shall never leave His pres
eno& shall forever behold His glory.
I<tkll e%ternally hear His voice. Lord
j<>ns, now | see Theel l behold where
She blood started, where the tears
coursed, where the face was distorted. |
have waited for this hour. | shall never
turn my back on Thee. No more look
ing through imperfect glasses. No
more studying Thee in the darkness.
But as long as this throne stands, and
this everlasting river flows, and those
garlands bloom. and these arches of
victory fremain to greet home Heavens
conquefors, so long | shall see Thee,
Jesus Of my choice. Jesus of my song,
Jesus of my triumph, forever and for
ever-face to facet"
The idea Of my texts is just as true
when applied to Gods providence. Who
has not come to some pass In life thor
oughly inexplicable2 You say
"What does this mean? What is God
going to do with me nowP He tells me
that all things work together for good
This does not look like it."
You continue to study the dispense
ton. and after awhile guess about what
means.
HE means to teach me this. think
He means to teach mo that. Perhaps 1t
is to humble my pride. Perhaps it is to
make mt feel more dependent. Perhaps
to teach me the uncertainty Of life"
But, after all, 1t is only a guess-a look
ing through the glass, darkly.
The Bible assures us there shall be a
satisfactory unfolding.
What | do thou knowest not now,
but thou shalt know hereafter"
You will know why God took t. Him
that only child. Next door there
a household Of seven children.
Why not take one from that group, in
OF your only one? Why single out
the dwelling in which there was only
one heart beating responsive to yours?
Why did God give you a child at all, if
He meant to take itaway? Why fill the
cup of your gladness Drumming, If He
meant to dash it down? Why allow all
the tendrils of your heart to wind around
that object, and then, when every fiber
Of your own life seemed to be inter-
locked with the child's life, with strong
hand to tear you apart, until you fall
bleeding and crushed. your dwelling
iesolate, your hopes blasted, your heart
broken? Do you suppose that God will
that? Yea. He will make it
-as plain as that two and two make
four. In the light of the throne you
will see that it was right-all right.
"Just and true are all Thy ways Thou
King Of saints!' Here is a man who can
not get on in the world. He always seems
to buy at the wrong time and sell at the
worst disad vantage. He tries this en-
terprise, and fails; that business, and is
disappointed. The next door to him has
o lucrative trade; but he lacks custo-
A new prospect opens. His in
come is increased. But that year his
are sick, and the profits are ex-
in trying to cure the ailments.
gets a discouraged look. Becomes
faithless as to success. Begins to ex-
poet disasters. Others wait for. some
hing to turn up; he waits for 1t to turn
Others, with only half as much
'ducation and character, get on twice
IS we'll. He sometimes guesses as to
What 1t all means. He says:
perhaps riches would spoil me.
Perhaps poverty is necessary to keep
ne humble. Perhaps [ might, If things
we're otherwise, be tempted into dissi-
But there is no complete solu-
ion to the mystery. He sees through a
lass darkly, and must wait for a higher
Unfolding. Will there be an explana-
ion? Yes; God will take that man in
light of the throne and say: "Child,
immortal, here the explanation! You
emember the failing of that great en-
erprise. This is the explanation"
And you will answer: st is all
ight"
l see every day profound mysteries of
Providence. There is no question we
SIX oftener than Why@ There are hun
Of graves that need to be ex-
Hospitals for the blind and
anne, asylums for the idiotic and in
ane, ~almshouses for the destitute and
world Of pain and misfortune that de-
more than human solution. Ali
rod will clear it all up. In the light
hat pours from the throne no dark
mystery can live. Things now utterly
will be illumined as plainly
~ though tho answer was written on
he jasper wall or sounded in the tenn
pie anthem. Bartimeus will thank God
hat he was blind; and Lazarus that he
was covered with sores; and Joseph that
he was cast into the pit; and Daniel
that he was denned with lions; and Paul
he was humpbacked; and David
hat he was driven from Jerusalem; and
md the sewing m that she could
get only a few pence for making a gar
nent; and that invalid that for twenty
years he could not lift his head from
The pillow; and that widow that she had
such hard work to earn bread for her
children. You know that In a song diff
voices carry different parts. Tho
sweet and overwhelming part Of tho
lallelujah of Heaven will o be carried
those who rode in high places and
md give sumptuous entertainments, but
oauper children will sing it, beggars
will sin0 IL redeamnd hnd "a rriera will