The herald., 1894-04-16
WORDS ON SPIRITUAL MATTERS
Rev. A. G. Bane Declares That
the Narrow Gauge
Road Leads to Heaven. While the
Broad Gauge Goes to He'll.
Eov. j. W. cAmpbslI DiscourAes on the
Beauties or Taith, which Hs
Says Is Central Com
trolling Force.

Rev. J. W. Campbell OF the Fret
Methodist church preached yesterday
from Habakkuk pa, "The just shall live
by faith" He gave dissertation on
the Office OF faith. The subject was too
long to entirely treated at the morning
service, 30 il was finished in the even
ing. A great truth may, he said, be en-
bodied in few words. A profound in
tersst centers in subject of this char
acter. We stand at the head OF all that
is valuable in the gospel when we begin
with the doctrine OF faith. Like noun.
stream out to the ocean, so this sprinR
OF truth leeds all Christian history. II
came to the prophet as solution Of many
difficult problems. 1t WAS the starting
point OF new stage in the epirituaI
life of man. The glad tidings OF great
JOY kindled in the heart OF prophet and
apostle and Christian believer a fire
which Was never to be extinguished.
1t was lifted to an immortal place in the
eleventh chapter Of Hebrews, and we
hear the long muster roll Of the heroes
OF faith called out bsfore the world.
Faith casts ray of brightness even
across the dreary way OF the Talmud.
II started Augustine and Luther and
thousands of lesser believers on q fresh
career OF victory. When the doctrine OF
faith was promulgated great step for
ward was taken in the world of Christian
ethics. This doctrine has grown popu-
lar through the years because OF the
moral effects on believing world.
Faith becomes the power behind all
our moral actions to guide and to
restrain. 1t is also vital force infus-
ing itself through the whole fe-blood of
our spiritual experiences. No one has
been able to comprehend this unseen
element in spiritual life, and yet it dis
tributes itself through all high spiritual
attainments and enables the soul to
wing its fight across the interminable
sea of life. Take from us our faith and
our world would be submerged amid the
high tide OF this worlds troubles, as
Holland would be with her dykes de-
etroyed. Faith enters as the great
equalizer OF life's experience and says
to trouble: Thus far thou shalt go
and no further" With the exercise OF
this vital and spiritual force you are as
safe as il you had the Rocky mountaine
to turn back the sea from destroying
you.
Faith is a central force which CORE.
lates, combines. superintends and mod
lies all human action. If YOU take
the human mind when we do not direct
and control our thoughts along certain
grooves, which we call the law Of associ-
alton, then distraction is the result. A
current OF ideas 10 always flowing
through the mind, and ell we can do is
to guide, check, restrain and direct the
stream. So it is with faith in the spir-
itual realm. 1t modifies, guides, re-
strains, and it creates all beautiful pic
lures before the minds vision.
Every living soul is supposed to have
faith. The sinner mnst have faith or he
must never come to God. But dis
tinction should be made between liv-
ing and a passive faith, a general and
specific faith.
The speaker further stated that faith
was a controller. There were some
people in this world who were like rud-
derless ships in q storm, and they were
what bred fRnaticism. Faith must
always be the controlling power OF spir-
itual life