The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-11-04
rh,r.tlng for COD.

water brooks, so panteth my soul
after the, o God. My soul thirsteth
for God; when shall l come and
appear before God?" Psalms xiii,
liz
One OF the most appalling truths
that ever flashed on the mind of
a sinner awakened to the tremend.
Gus realities Of religion, is his dis
tant and periious estrangement to
God. Answering to this, one of the
most powerful attractions expert.
enced by the convert, is that which
inclines him to withdraw from the
reach Of earthly influences, and
seek that Divine presence which
before he had carefully stunned.
TO the truth of this remark the con-
seriousness of every renewed soul
must bear unequivocal testimony;
for the very idea of conversion i'm
plies voluntary forsaking Of the
world and turning unto God, or a
cheerful yielding of ones self to
some inviting influence eminating
from God. And this influence,
whatever it be, holds its subject
ever after in willing captivity,
aud draws him continually nearer
and nearer to the Infinite One. In
other words, the child of God has
conscious tendency toward, his
heavenly Father, an uprising of the
soul towards Him, which, notwith-
standing all its Interruptions and
attachments, never wholly loses its
power, and at times seems to ele-
waite his spirit into actual commun-
ion with his Maker. 1t was under
the power of this Divine attraction
that the Psalmist exclaimed, in the
words of our text: GAS hart pant
eth after the water brooks, so pant
eth my soul after thee. o God. My
soul thirs.eth fM God, the living
God; when shall Irnme and appear
before God ?" In the present dis
course it is proposed to treat of that
part of the Christians experience
which is called, in the expressive
language of David, Thirsting after
God. This interesting theme will
te sufficiently calculated by COLI
sidering, first, the causes Of this
spiritual thirst; and, second, the
means OF gratifying it.
OF the causes Of the renewed
souls longing for God, We may
name, LIST, Admiration of Divine
Attributes. The human mind un-
satisfied, commonly, If not always,
takes repulsive view Of God. This
is owing to the eamity Of the h, art
operating on the intellect, and caus-
ing it to contemplate Jehovah In a
false light. Looking at God from
the position of q rebel, the individ.
nails vision is disoolored by selfish.
ness and prejudice, so that his whole
conception Of the Divine Being be.
comes not only untrue but altogeth.
er unlovely. But the Christian
loves his Maker and hence is dis
posed to discover the beauty and
glory which adorn his Makers
character. Consequently he does
In fact behold, in all the Divine self.
manifestations, somewhat that is
attractive and admirable, and by
this means forms an idea of God ~
possessed Of every quality that rem.
der Him glorious and adorable In
the view of his creatures. Now this
admiration Of the perfections OF
God, whatever its degree, naturally
awakens a desire for clearer and
more magnificent views of those
PROJECTIONS. Hence it is that the
thoughtful and spiritual Christian
finds himself thirsting for fuller
displays of the Divine attributes,
and praying in the words of Moses:
II beseech thee show me thy glory"
Of all the beautiful and charming
objects which attract bodily or his
mental eye, there is no one by any
means so rich and ravishing as that
sublime and perfect Being whose
radiant glories shine forth from
every part of his universal empire.
The infinite variety of phenomena
in the natural world, SO valuable
for their utility and so marvellous
for their beauty and grandeur, are
\ source of happiness for the Christ
ian, chiefly because here he per-
ceives the adorable attributes of
natures Author. And the complex
being of man, admirable IS it is in
itself, is infinitely more so as de-
velcpment of the power and wisdom
and goodness of God. The stupen-
dous plan of redemption. too, al
though unspeakably and eternally
valuable to the believer for the per.
sonal benefits he derives therefr0m
"a a sinner saved nv grace. and for