Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-06-12
His Love Never Fails.

We have very seldom referred liz
these sermons to the terrOrs connected
with theology, because we believe that
people need to be encouraged rather
than threatened.
If preacher can make virtue attrac
tive he need have little to say about
consequences of vice.
If the preacher can 80 depict the
happiness of heaven that his hearers
turn their faces in that direction he
need never utter word about the 9TH
er locality.
| When the beauty of holiness is rec
ognized love of harmful pleasures will
be displaced and the appetite for them
destroyed.
| 1t is larger and better work to
teach men to do good for goodness sake
than to menace them with nameless
torment if they fail to keep the law.
/ Moreover, a careful study of human
nature reveals the curious fact that fear
| of future punishment is not an opera
| tive motive in the religious life of the
majority.
There is more power for good in one
paragraph concerning the love Of God
than in whole blazing chapter on His
wrath. There is actually more spirit
ual influence in a picture of the Man of
Sorrows placing His finger tips on the
blind peasants eyes than in the most
vivid description of an angry God that
ever fell from human lips.
| For these reasons we have dwelt more
on heaven and heavenly things than on
the forked lightning of wrath. There
are so many men and women to be lift
ed up from the slough of despond; so
many whose heavy burdens can be
lightened by pointing to the dear Faith
err whose everlasting arm may be their
stay and their support; SO many whose
eyes are dimmed with the tears of be-
reavement and whose hearts will be
made lighter if they can catch glimpse
of the Celestial City, where their loved
ones await their coming; so many who
are tried and tempted almost beyond
endurance, but who may be redeemed
from evil by words of kindly sympathy.
They are to be found in every nook and
corner of the earth. Shall you not lift
up your voice to tell them, one and all,
that thorny paths are all roads to heav-
en-; that Providence has neither forgot
ten nor neglected them: that God and
the angels are not afar off, and will
come with healing in their wings" for
all the sorrows and trials and troubles
of earth?
Because we do this, do we fail to rec
ognize the facts of punishment or the
seemingly memorable law of retribu-
| ton? Is it not true that the larger
number of US know by hard experien nee
that penalty and guilt are effect and
cause, while only the smaller number
have actual personal knowledge of
Gods love and pity?
| Punishment Alas it abounds ev-
erywhere. Who have not been stung
by it? No one can ignore it, and no
one can evade it. One shoulders to think
how much punishment there is on the
earth, what wretchedness and suffering
prevail on account of our misdeeds.
The consequences of sin hold us in a
grasp of iron. They are before our eyes
all the time, and none but the mental
ly blind can fail to see them. There
isn't wayfaring soul On the planet
who does not recognize in his own life
the direful effects of broken laws. We
do not need to be told that vice brings
misery, for we are ourselves an object
lesson illustrating that fact. But we
do need to be told again and again, I'M
| til we are convinced of the glorious
truth, that there is weeping in the up
per world on our account; that the hosts
of heaven are solicitOus about our wei
fare; that God loves US with a fathom-
less love and pities US ''even as father
pitieth his children" and that there
isn't constellation in the sky that
would not shine with a brighter glow
if we would turn our faces from the
darkness towards the day.
The most solemn fact in this world is
that men and women feel friendless.
They know that they are paying penal
h1,& h do tIa% %I,a
great God has any interest in them. or
and suffering. The inexorable nature
of consequences they are forced to rec
ognize, but the truth of providenoial
love is as unreal to their spiritual con-
seriousness as the figures that wander
in dreamland. This may be bold
statement, but if you analyZe your own
feelings and by introspectiOn explore
your own inner being you will find that
the statement is true. Strange that it
should be SO, but so it is
| What, then, does the world need most
of all The thunder of Sinai or the
gentle sayings of Him who preached to
the multitude on the Mount Shall we
least the first stone" or shall we whis-
per into wondering ears the words of
hope and love, He shall give His an
gels charge concerning thee?" Shall it
be stern denunciation or the voice of
sympathy and brotherly kindness
Shall we call attention to roaring clouds
or to the rainbow with which the gen
erous sun spans the armament?
Look at the long procession that is
slowly marching to the grave! There
are bowed heads and broken hearts and
soiled consciences. God help them, we
pray, for we know He pities them. If
there is a word of encouragement, let
us say it; if we can do anything to cheer,
let us do it; if we can calm the troubled
soul, or point the erring to the paths
which make for peace, in the name of
the dear Lord. who walked through
Via Dolorosa to Calvary out of infinite
love for US, let US open our arms and
take wicked world to our embrace
! ~ y. Herald.