The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-30
THE GOSPEL PARADOX.

A paradox, says Webster, is "a sentiment
seemingly absurd and contradictory; one
that in appearance and language is absurd,
and vet is true in fact" We have the state
ment of such paradox in Cor. II: 10:
"For when am weak, then am strong
How contradictory! And yet it was true in
Paurs case, and has been true in the case Of
millions since. Spiritually, We cannot be
strong until we are weak. Our strength as
Christians is in Christ. "As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in
the vine no more can We except ye abide in
me-" Ifthe branch was strong in ITSELF or
thought that it was, and ceased to abide in
the vine, it would not only be fruitle:s, but
would soon wither and die.
We have illustrations Of this paradox OF
weakness as sn element Of strength in mate
rial things. A man who preferred to trust
his reason rather than observe the facts
wanted to make an electro-magnet. ne
said: Now every part Of this machine must
be as strong as possible" So he took bar
of the hardest steel, and put it within the
coil of wire called the helix. He connected
the helix with the poles of battery, but he
could not lift a needle even. When, how
ever, he gave UP what seemed to be reasona-
BILE, and but bar Of soft iron in the helix,
he had a powerful magnet. The subtle tiuid
could not magnetic the steel, but it could
the soft iron. The grace OF GOO IN
Christ is like the magnetic current. 7 can
not enter the heart that is proud and self.
confident. But the lowly and contrite heart
it pervades and anlmates ana energies. M un.
til the believer can say with Paul: MY
strength is made perfect in weakness"
An ivy came up ont Of the warm ground
in The spring-time. 1t was frail, and knew
that it was. Beside it lowered an an oak,
monarch Of the forest. IT said: .'Oh that l
were as strong as that oak" And the angels
whispered You can be if you will" They
told it to clasp the tree with its tendrlls, and
climb up by it. The ivy !obeyed. 1t cluns
and climbed Until its head was among the
topmost branches Of the oak: The tempest
for it clung with its thousands of arms to its
protector. Until the oak falls the ivy Is safe.
It is as frail today as when it crept to the
trunk of the oak, but it is strong-as strong
as the oak itself; because it clasps every
branch, and has almost made itself part Of
the tree. If the ivy bad tried to grow alone,
how different would have been its fate.
Every wind would have tossed and torn it;
every beast would have trampled upon It,
We are like the ivy, and Christ is our oak.
He IS not the monarch of the forest merely,
but the monarch of the ages. live chng 70
Him. and climb up by Him, We become par
takers of His strength and of His glory.
To think that we are strong when we are
weak is the most fatal of all delusions. 10
think that we are wise when we are lg'
norant is the supremest folly. How often
has the strong swimmer sunk amid the
breakers while the timid passenger. who
clings 10 a fragment of the wreck is iloated
to the shore. How often has the coneeited
scientist drifted into some soul-destroying
error, while the humble student OF COOS
word has become wise unto salvation 1t
is wise for us all to remember that we are
weak, and that Christ is our strength
Herald and Presbyter.