Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-23

| That is, of course, evident. "He Himself
| knew what He would do" And He knew
also just as surely what Philip would do.
| The proving was for Philips sake The
| proving is for our sake. We are all ignorant
about ourselves. AS the years 60 by we
grow wiser about ourselves; we get to realize
some OF the unknown possibilities of good
| and of bad that are in us. And these
lessons we learn by Gods proving US. God
teaches US what we are by putting US to the
test. We start out, most of us, with the idea
that we can accomplish anything. Youth
sees no barriers. Step by step, this hard task
presenting itself, this temptation meeting
us, this opportunity opening for us if we are
strong enough to take it. this and that load
to lift, this and that battle to fght-these
disclose us to ourselves. We learn where
the limits are. This is Gods proving.
WELCOME THE FAILINGs.
And the man who is wise and in earnest
and has had the courage to set high ideal
be ore him welcomes even the failures which
follow these testings of God, because they
show him what he needs. Here he must be
on his guard, there he must increase his dill
igence. Every honest man ought to desire
to know the truth about himself That is
the only path to any kind of worthy success.
And along this path God guides us by His
provings.
Philip, no doubt, discovered more about
himself, by his answer to Christ's proving
question, than he had learned from all the
sermons he had ever heard But what was
the defect In Philips answer? 1t was
perfectly true answer; it was eminently rea-
sonable, matter-oG-fact and practical. 1t
was the answer which q sensible man, ac-
quainted with the cost of bread and the
Of -
such a question. And vet Philip of Beth
saida failed. That is the evident teaching
of the record. Philip failed. But why, and
where? What was the defect in Philips
answer?
would say that one defect in Philips
answer was that it was hasty answer. He
spoke at once taking no time for thought.
Perhaps if he had considered a little he
might have answered differently. Certainly
if he could have known, as we who read the
story know, that Christ was saying that to
prove him, he would have bethought him.
self and met the test little better. 1t would
be we'll if we could all remember what
Philip failed to remember-that Christ is
all the time proving us. The CONSCIOUSNESS
Of being tested puts US on our mettle.
THE TESTS THAT COME.
Here is hard load to carry. Now we
shall see how strong you are. Here is hard
provocation straight in your face. Now we
shall see what command you have over your
temper. Here is one coming to you, as the
Greeks came to Philip, saying alter some
fashion, 'Sir, we would see Jesus" Now,
we shall see what sort of sight Of Jesus you
have yourself. For no man can give to an
other what he has not himself Here is an
other. objecting to you as Nathaniel objected
to Philip, "Can any good thing come out of
Nazareth? Is your religion which you offer
to me true? Can we not say this and that
about it? Now We shall see what kind of
Christian you are. What will you answer?
Here is a call to duty, and OH the other side
summoning in an opposite direction is call
to pleasure or to rest. Now we shall see
what spirit you are Of"
In thousand ways we are being forever
put to the proof; and if we could remember
that and not forget it as Philip forgot, and
not speak hastily as Philip spoke, it would
be the better for US. The conscious of the
proofng would strengthen US to stand it.
Philip ought to have known better than
to have made that quick decision that the
whole matter was impossible. Whatever
Christ proposes is forever possible. When
we look out over the needs of men. as Philip
looked, and become aware, as Philip was, of
Christ's good purpose for their help and
betterment, we have no right to pronounce a
verdict of impossibility. All that is best is
possible because God is behind it.
ALL THE APOSTLES FAILED.
But Philip, even after taking time, still
made a failure of it. 1t seems to have been
early in the day that this conversation took
place. By and by the hour came when
must be done. The people must
be fed or not. In the meantime the apostles
had been talking the matter over. Philip
had gone to the others and repeated the
Masters question and his own answer, and
the whole company had deliberately decided
that that was the best answer that could be
given.
For it is written: "And when the day
was now far spent His disciples came unto
Him and said, This is desert place and
now the time is far passed; send them away
about, and into the villages, and buy them
selves bread, for they have nothing
to eat. He answered and said |
,at. And they say unto Him, Shall
we 60 and buy 200 penny worth of bread,
and give them to eat?''
That was the carefully considered conclu- |
zion OF the united wisdom of the Twelve |
Apostles. There was accordingly another de-
ect in Philips answer. Itwas a selt-suficient |
lnswer. Philip ought to have said, when
Christ proposed that generous plan, and he
,ould see no way of carrying it out-he
ought to have turned to Christ and an
'wered, Lord, Thou knowest." Instead Of
hat he tried to puzzle the matter out him.
elf. And afterward the whole II en-
leavored the same foolish experiment.
they tried to figure out the problem, and
when they failed to get an answer they con-
entedly considered the thing settled. They
ould find no answer; therefore answer there
vas none, except negative, and that they
ixed upon.
HOW THE PROVING COMES.
1t was as If party of people should dis
,ute and wrangle for an hour as to whether
jeylon is an island or a peninsula, with
geography lying unopened on the table.
t does not seem TO have occurred to Philip
nd the others to ask the Master. Christ's
rowing question comes sometimes to-day in
he shape of some difficulty about the faith,
nd there are not lacking good, practical,
men. like Philip, who return
he same foolishly selfsuficient answer.
here are plenty of difficulties in these
ays. No young man can work week in
n Office with a dozen other intelligent
oung fellows without encountering theo-
3gical difficulties; no thoughtful young
roman can read the literature of the day
'ithout discerning some questi oning of the
reeds.
Now here comes the difficulty.
low will you meet it? Will you
stem, like Philip, and say hastily and
! the spirit of self-suficiencv, there is no
nswer? Or, will you consult some master?
he dilemma is your proving. 1t would
.em to me that there is but one way to deal
Il L.
nd that is to take the difficulty to some
I'D v who can answer IL The Christian re-