Morning journal and courier., 1893-05-26

freedom moves on in Its glad course, AWAY,
sshind, to follow brightest guiding.star
wins aud L
AN INTERESTING PAPER
Vile Congregational Church.
The following paper was prepared by
our esteemed townsmsn, Mr.. L. W.
Fitch of Westville, as general answer to
questions asked of him by members of his
bible class-questions, which needed con-
sideration to answer satisfactorily. The /
paper was read to the class by Mr.. Fitch /
and afterwards by request to the church,
Westville Congregational. As will be
seen, though not comprehensive, the
paper touches upon vital points of belief:
WHAT DO NOT BELIEVE AND WHAT DO
BELIEVE.
The most recent form of infidelity is
known as agnosticism. The word is of |
which ia not and cannot be known The ag-
nostic asserts that the Limitation of the hu- |
man mind render it impossible, either to
affirm or to deny the existence Of God, or
Of an unseen world, and that such exist
ence is not only now unknown, but 1t Will
be always unknowable. The historical
facts that God has held supernatural com
munications with men, and that he has
condescended to visit this earth and to
dwell for a time among men in the person
of our Lord, he utterly ignores. His view
is limited entirely to the present life. He
ia without God in the world, having no
hope. The light that was in him has be.
come darkness, and how great is that. If
agnosticism is religion, 1t is the religion
of despair. 1t stiles every noble yearning
of the soul and falls back upon the cheer
less epicurean maxim, LET us eat and
drink, for to morrow we die"
Over against such a belittling estimate
of the meaning of life place the inspiring
realities that await our coming after life is
over.
Ny belief, in few of Its outlines, is as
follows:
came into being by the fat of the Al
mighty and, by reason of his gracious
choice, in the nineteenth century and in a
civilized land, rather than at any other
period and in the m!dst of barbarian. I
am passing through life under constant
divine guidance. all my steps being direct
ed by an overriding providence. When
life is over shall 60 to be forever with the
Lord.
As to Gods purpose in my creation, so
far as l can understand 1t, it was that I
should cherish kindly thoughts towards all
my fellow beings, and that should cause
such thoughts to flow out in q continual
succession of good deeds; and believe,
moreover, that he wished to have another
soul to love him, and whom he might love
and hide under the shadow of his wings,
comforting him ss mother comforteth her
| children. For the God, who has promi sed
| to wipe all tears from our eyes, must be an
infinitely gentle being.
believe in the eternal reunion of friends
| in the world to come. For as, according
to the scriptures, all who love the Lord are
| to be forever with Him, 1t follows logically
that they will be forever in one another's
society. This fact is thus expressed in q
verse of Henry Affords beautiful hymn
upon the general resurrection:
| Oh, then what raptured greetings
What knitting severed friendships up,
Where partings are no more
Then ey es with joy shall sparkle.
That brimmed with tears of late,
Orphans no longer fatherless
| Nor widows desolate.
believe that we shall have bodies like
the glorifed body of our Lord, bodies that
fire cannot burn, water cannot drown, and
that sickness cannot invade: that work
will be without fatigue. that employments
will be delightfully."- suited to our tastes and
canacities endthat as the vears and the
aces of eternity pass over our heads, there
will be no weakening or diminution OF
! our faculties, but an ever-increasing lusteI
to them all.
raoa If Adano and IN f4o5'a aisnlaasnr al
siT. Int that vhensver anyone tnrns viii
6xed nnrnose of heart awav from ali wrong
| th;nktnn "a r,-on1-do;n1 God 10 mot q
adm;t s5ch a, ono into hfs fn1l f.llowshin
and he not only foroives him hut neyer af
| +ar1vards r.nrceohas him for anv If hi,
| transarassions Vat do not halieva II
| the attainment of nerfect holiness in thi,
| world Chr,et;an,s life NAV he divided
| aS;s a. G. - ag5,,o ,zith h;
ih'o Two porous, Sne ehs' enons WIN nI
repentance and Gods forgiveness; the las
continuing until his death, and during
which ne is otten unwiInogly betrayed 10
70 slnInl scts tnrougn tne la'eh' s'rehetr
OF evil propeneltles or ey reason OF evi
surrounolngs; Socn aoes ne iaments' ans
therefore dod' instead OF oelng angry VIII
elm, oestows more grace upon MN anu
1a1tnIui TO connrm nlm 70 tne emu.
oS.oFe ta@. on,ons Euo s,0AA o"s oo
/ pensattons OF eternity Will be the opportu
| nity to repair any wrong that We may have
49, n opnona .;thar oorso;ors1v a. mn.
conscions1y IN thonobt word Or dsed
| otherwise cannot sss how Il Ia nossib1e
| for onr blassedness toNhs fnll and com.
nlete
helieve that God deals ont to us trial,
and. Affections, not from warton capric.
nor without cause; but their design is K
| wean as from an undue love of the presen
world and to draw us into a closer com
end shall be accomplished they will be en-
tirely Withdrawn. We shall then know
what 1t is to trust In the Lord toreVer- a.
u uuc ~ tha fHtnra vii vanisI
and we can adopt as our own these conf
dent words of Faber:
Ihave no cares, blessed will!
I've fos IN trinyn Ta5eI I arS for Thou
Hast made Thy triumphs mine.