The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-10-07

comes a partaker of Gods right
ness.
There is not an intelligent being
to-day In heaven or hell but knows
perfectly we'll that it will not do to
draw line and put down right and
'CretchedRess on one side, and lcronq
and happiness on the other. They
are not associated that way, and
never can be world without end.
God does not separate men; they
separate themselves. Character
determines destiny.
~
1t is too soon to attempt to esti-
mate the value of man or to fix his
place in history until his work is
done, or at least approaches COM
pletion.
Here are men like Spurgeon
whose place has been long assured.
His work as a pastor has been
something wonderful or sublime.
1t lay along line we perfectly
comprehend. But now and then
God has raised up a man specially
equipped to war in some needed
reform, and to remind men that
they have not reached as high a
state of civilization and moral
health as they think they have, and
the way the man goes about it
excites confusion and hostility.
Witness Luther and Knox and
Wesley, and a host of others who
called the world severely to ac-
count.
What should be the estimate of
their work were we to receive as the
verdict of history the beclouded
opinions of their day respecting
them and what was termed their
disorder. Many of their assailants
were good men; but the thing con-
tradicted all their thinking and ex-
perience. Gould God be in such
work?' they reasoned.
In our own time Moody may per-
haps be termed a minor reformer,
voice of warming against putting
intellectual endowments before
spiritual endowments in the pulpit.
He was the subject of much opposi-
ton in the beginning of his course.
How ungraciOus and unseemly this
appeared when those ready to speak
against him found that he ac-
complished more for the kingdom
of God than they did
We remember when Sunday
schools were regarded by many
good people as of doubtful propriety
and dangerous tendency. I ven
ture to think there are associations
and men and movements and
methods, confusing to conservative
minds to-day, which will ultimately
be seen to fit appropriately into the
working of God in human history.
And all these have defects which
God does not undertake at once to
remove for our delectation. If we
must cavil we must cavil. Telling
people does not convince; they must
see it done. Some things must be
looked at through the centuries.
To-day a force gathers in the
Obscurity of a desert place; to-mor-
row it sweeps down upon the cities
of the plain, and knocks rudely at
the doors of the rich, crying, Ye
are but men We cannot coop up
the Almighty in our churches. He
dwells in Zion. He ruleth among
the inhabitants of the earth.
~
One of the greatest hindrances to
just judgment of the movements
of ones own time is this: we do not
know what we want. And so it
happens that the means the Master
employs to meet the wants of hu-
mainly untouched by us often
come up unrecognized from some
unthought of quarter; the move
ments set to work jar harshly upon
our views; and our little life time
may be too short to see results. One
thing we may and always should
do: reverenuy ponder all these
things in our hearts, and try to
act well our part.
Gods hand is all about usl
read the news" said the adj
mirable Gordon, who fell at Khar-
toom, and who exhibited the tenn
per Of mind we should possess, 81
read the news to see what God is
doing in the world"