The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-03-11
RELIGIOUS READING.
OUR VIEW POINT.


I!i coming to the truth Of the Bible. every
thing depends on our point Of view. lnI ne
scientific student of nature has lirst OF all
10 learn how to observe; he has not 0nil "
get his eyes open. but to put hlnlseil III Il
position to see. He must get the corIect
| view, or the great book Of nature VIII ian 10
! open to him. On visiting the wnhe hi,is
once, we had great desire 70 see the
"Old Man of the Morntain. - ms 'tt !t
| place Was near our hotel. we visited IL
before thc ten hour, but to our surprise
! we sa,y no sold "--n0tt:ng but q mass
nj hnCc and rugged rocks. On reporting
our IN suncess, one of the guests gave US
fnJler directions as to the single place where
/! tbn marvel could be seen; but even then we
succeeded no better. The fellow-guest then
accompanied us, indicating the precise spot
where We must stand to obtain view, When
at once the proportions OF the great stone
fare came into the field of vision. The feat
ures were all there before, but our eve
failed to see because not placed at the right
angle.
50 are there phases of divine truth which
can be understood only when viewed M
the proper angle. By little variation
of our position the whole Is lost.
There are indeed, some divine truths
which. like the great mountain ranges, ever
lie before us and can be seen from all SIDES,
!
cali for the eye OF the artist. And even the
the artists eye is in vain without the sklii OF
adjustment. Some get more out OF the Blole
than others, not because they have pet1er
powers or knowledge, but better adjustment:
They learn to come in the temper and mentai
attitude in which alone it is possible to real
ize the excellence and beauty Of Gods truth.
Tho soul is taken of the book. and we see,
as it were, the great things OF God.
best EFFORT BRINGS FORTH NOBLE WORK.
The expression of self in work reacts on
tic mnn, and makes him larger. The hum
biest work gives dignity to the worker VINO
has put himself into it. Such an archltect
as tho great Richardson OF our own time
must have feit this enlarged seishood. as be
saw his ideas soaring skyward. like birds On
wings Of stone. Such poet az our own
Lowell must have felt this enlarged selfhood.
as he wrote the "C0mmem0ratI0n Ode or
TIE Cathedral" Such rumancer as our
own Hawthorne must have felt this maSnl-
fled mower OF himself as he created the I'M
mortals. Il seems to me that this is some
what the meaning of the words written ot
the very beginning Of the Bible. Ii whicn II
is said, "(iod saw everything that he
cood.'' This self-satisfaction OF God with
His own work helps to prove how good ana
great He Himself was. The necessity OF
work carries alongwith itself enlargement OF
seIfhood. And this enlarged selfhood means
a larger humanity, and if q larger humanity
better and stronger one. Work mnsnifies.
Ignorance minimizes. Tho person OF tho
worker becomes 80 great that his own per
sonality goes out into other personalities. he
masters them by his own cnlarglng sell
mastery. Work is thus both cause and o
result In this salf-mastery Of man. o my
friends, thank God that you are put IN q
world Of work. Thank God that you are put
in an age that calls for work. As you love
your own self and wish to have for yourseit
the largest selfhood. ever and everywhere De
a vorker.-Rev. Chas. f. Ihwn".