Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-08-03
PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION:
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 1884
SEARCHING AFTER GOD.
In tho np-God-4Gencsis

In tho ng-God-tGencsis l.. l.
1t is very great convenience, from
nm intellectual point of view, to be
lieve i'll God. 1t is SO much easier
to account for what is going OH in
the universe by asenmins HIS exist
ence than it is by having only chance
and accident to deal With.
1t is also very comforting, from II
spiritual point of view, that behind
the tanglo of life is Ono who secs it
rs our blind eyes cannot, and who
has arranged matters that even tan
giles subServe noble purpose.
Tears and struggles That are the
result OF accident are bitter tears and
terrible struggles, but the struggles
which are preliminary TO high
achievement and the tears which ena
bic the sun to paint rainbow OH our
sky ere ennobling.
A man may weep and still be glad
If Gods providence is guiding his
destiny; aud man may laugh and
still he wretched if his only religion
is defence of fate.
fort to Believe, may we also declare
that OUT filth is based on iuvinciblc
reasoning. Can we logically find our
way from the plan which il every
where manifest to the throne on
which sits the Palmer.
Let us ask science to come TO our
aid. Some years ago De Porlhes,
while exploring the excavations made
by his Torlinen, came across few
pieces Ct hint that had assumed Tie
shape of arrow heads. After careful
search he found moro flint of the
same kind. His method of reason.
ing was very simple. Ho said
"These are true arrow heads. IT is
impossible to be mistaken. They
did not como to this particular spot
by accident, ncr did they take that
special shape by clfunco. 1t is per
fectiy safe to assert that they were Mt
some time i'll the pnst hammered into
arrow heads by man WHO went to
work with that purpose in view" De
Perthes would have risked his repu.
tation on the truth of that statement,
and the whole scientific world would
have declared That he was justified in
doing so.
The process of reasoning was en-.
tirely sound. The ex plorer was no
more certain that the sun roso that
morning than that flint cannot re
peatedly take the exact shape of m
arrow head unless there is man be
Hind the flint with hammer in his
hand and distinct purpose in his
mind.
May we not be permitted to use
the same kind of logic in theology,
and need we be timid in declaring
that this vast machinery and enginery
OF earth and heaven must be the pro
duct of infinite power in which in.in
lite wisdom lies hidden? Shall we hes.
ltate to use the word 'must" in its
most imperative sense7
1t IS true that we cannot know nil
about God, but is it not also true
that we can know something abou&
Him? We are told of Phrygian Tan
thlus that he stood waist deep in
water always trying to reach the
fruit that was beyond bis grasp; and
every failure added to his remorso,
his modification and his uhappiness.
Reverse the picture. and YOU see
what the Christian is doing. He is
forever reaching up for the secret OF
God, but never quite grasps it. Aud
yet the constant effort enlarges his
soul and gives sublime dignity to
his faith in both the present and the
future
The bird that wings its way owe,
New York, seeking. by divine in
stinct, the sunny South when tht
coming frosts drive him from ths
northern zone, may have'a very poo,
conception of what is meant by thi.
aggregated population, and may b,
capable of knowing very little con
corning the intricacies of our govern
ment, but if that bird were endowed
With self consciousness and imapino
ton single glance would suffice t.
convince it that the city exists ant
that something beyond it's ken is be
ing done By the people who,liye in it
We cannot measure God. neithe
can we understand Him. Ho ishid
den from us by the binding mists Q
lime and the equally binding lieh
OF eternity. And yet there have bee,
moments in your life when through
the mists the finger tips of an on
stretched hand have touched Won
forehead, and you have been force,
10 believe that behind tho fipger Gin