The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-07-19
HELP FROM ABOVE.


we constantly read wonderful accounts
Of visions, The prophets we're In very
frequent communication with heaven
and tho revelations which came {,
them were received by the people II
perfect faith and made the basis oi
their private lives as well rs Of theii
national policy No embarrassment
ever occurred In which they did moi
look for divine guidance and protec'
tion. The pages Of the Old Testlmenl
are 10 filled with these things that II
YOU were 10 eliminate them as lncred,
ible there would be almost nothing Of
spiritual value loft.
The Gospels and the Eplstlcs inherit
the same popularity. Christ absolute
ly depended upon the angels fol
strength 10 perform His mission. IIe
could get no sympathy from men, foT
their relation 20 Him was one Of con.
tlnuous misunderstanding The truthi
he announced are but poorly compre-
hondcd AT even this late day. though
three times eighteen generations have
pondered ana tried 20 explain them
The little we can catch n glimpse oi
has given us the chief elements Of our
civilization. but the profound depths
OF His philosophy Of life have never
been fathomed except by the rare few
He was thc most alone being that ever
lived, and He would certainly have
sunk under the burdcn imposed had II
not been for the companionship OF
those who walk the earth unseen.
have always had feeling that we
do not make ms much practical use OF
heaven as God would like 10 have us
do. The religious life includes great
many personal experiences which the
nominal Christian knows nothing
about. These experiences are deep
helpful. wonderful and ennobllng
They are the ripened fruit Of true re-
llgloh. and We ought not 10 be salts
fed until We have enjoyed some OF
them.
II there IL God at all, II Is Ger.
tainly among our possibilities 10 hold
such relations with Him that these
poor lives may be literally flooded with
light a God hidden from the souls
sight. EMBODIED In such obscurity that
We can have no contact with Him
can hardly expect us TO love Him very
profoundly. Love In born Of knowl-
edge and II II strongest when the
knowledge II the result Of intimacy.
So long as God IN at distance, a dis
tance 30 great that our cries may new
er compass II. 10 long He Is 10 large
extent mythical. and what We call our
duties are perfunctoriiy performed. II
friend sits at our side and gives us
daily advice. Ia a part OF our plans,
is a treasury OF strength from which
10 draw. that is one thing: but II he
lives In the planet Mars and has very
little 20 do with us. that Is a very
different thing,
Too many peoples God Is at the
other end OF the universe. and they
have such slender acquaintance with
him that they sometimes wonder II
they VIII ever get any nearer. The
Christ. on the contrary. received con.
stant visits from New Jerusalem. The
grand reality was not here, but there
and there Is no reason why we should
not. as His heirs, occupy the same
vantage ground and enjoy the same
privileges. lie not only came TO tell
us what to do. but how II can best be-
done. and | am bold TO assert on the
authority OF His own words. that as
an earthly father shows himself to his
children so the Heavenly Father Will
make Himself manifest to us. II the
right conditions prevail. In a way
which cannot be misunderstood. There
viii be no miracle In connection with
II, neither will Il be in any sense su-
pernatural, for It will be the most nat
ural thing In the world. l can't con-
celve how God could have created
mankind and made us dependent upon
Him, as we are. without having at the
same time furnished means OF con-
slant communication. No one can viv-
idly believe in God without strong
feeling that He is near at hand, and
that II We free the soul from the blind
Ing ENHANCEMENT Of material things 1t
win be conscious OF His presence, Just
as We are conscious OF the all-enfold-
Ing sunlight
And. moreover, II we believe In hea-
ven In the lasting bonds of love, and
that the dear ones yonder are concern
ed for us, are interested in our well
being, then II must needs follow as
the day the night that the door
through which they went has not been
and win not be bolted against their
return. Think Of heaven in which
mother is stlll anxious To do what
she may for her wayward child but is
forbidden! And think of God OF in
finite wisdom and love and pity who
has been ut so much pains-1 say 1t
reverently-at so much pains to per-
suade and induce His children TO lead
holy lives, think of His forbiddlng our
dear ones 10 come near us. and order
ing them to shut their eyes against
our welfare and check their sollcltudel
No: what the prophets of old saw
we could see, IL the right frame of
mind prevailed. God had methods by
which He made Himself known to
them, and the same methods may be
applied TO u.s. There are visions and
impressions and subtle influences in
these latter days. and the man who
opens his soul to them will enjoy mar
vellous experiences.
Religion consists OF a belief that God
Is always nigh and that angels are
bearing us up lest we stumble, Until
we realize these things our life will
lack the most important ingredient Of