Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-08-12
Help from Above.

Rehold with thine eyes, and hear with thine lime
ears and set thine heart upon all tnaO siia'i
shew thee Ezekiel, XII, A.
In the history of the Hebrew race we
constantly read wonderful accounts OF
visions. The prophets were IN very
frequent communication with heaven,
and the revelations which came 10
them were received by the people ID
perfect faith and made the basis OF
their private lives as we'll as OF thelr
national policy. NO embarrassment
ever occurred in which they did not
look for divine guidance and protec-
tion. The pages OF the Old Testament
are so filed with these things that if
YOU were to eliminate them us ;ncredl
BILE there would be almost notnlnS Oh
spil itual value left.
The GOSPELS and the Epistles inherit
the same REGULARITY. Christ absolute
lv depended upon the angels fot
strength 70 perform His mission. BE
could get no sympathy from men. for
their relation to Ii i'm was one OF COLI
tinuous misunderstanding. The truths
he announced are but poorly compre
hended at even this late day, though
three times eighteen generations have
Wondered and tried to explain tbem.
The little we can catch glimpse OF
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 the most alone being that ever
lived, and He would certainly have
sunk under the burden imposed had 1t
not been for the companlOnship OF
those who walk the earth unseen.
| have always had a feeling that we
do not make as much practical use ol
heaven as God would like to 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 ennobling.
They are the ripened fruit of true
religion. and we ought not to be salts
fed until we have enjoyed some o.
them.
If there is a God at all, it is certainly
among our possibilities to hold such
relations with Him that these pool
lives may be literally flooded with
light. A God hidden from the souls
sight, enfolded in such obscurity thai
we can have no contact with Him, car
hardly expect US to love Him very
profoundly. Love is born of knowl
edge and it is strongest when the
knowledge is the result of intimacy
So long as God is at a distance, a dis
tance so great that our cries may never
compass it, so long He is to a large
extent mythical, and what We call oul
duties are perfunctorily performed. L
a friend sits at our side and gives III
daily advice, is part of our plans, is {
treasury of strength from which tx
draw, that is one thing; but if he live
| in the planet Mars and has very little
| to do with us, that is very differen
thing.
Too many peoples God is at the 9th
er end of the universe. and they hav.
such slender acquaintance with Hin
that they sometimes wonder whethe
they will ever get any nearer. The
Chris, on the contrary, received con
slant visits from New Jerusalem. Th'
grand reality was not here, but there
and there is no reason why we shOui(
not, as His heirs, occupy the same van
tage ground and enjoy the same privi
leges. He not only came to tell us wha
to do, bnt how it Can best be done, ant
| am bold to assert on the authority o
His own words that as an earthly faith
er shows himself to his children so th
| Heavenly Father will make Himsel
| manifest to US, if the right condition
| preyail, in a way which cannot be mis-
understood. There will be no miracl
in connection with it, neither will it b
| in any sense supernatural. for it will
be the most natural thing in the world
l can't conceive how God could hav
created mankind and made us depen
| dent upon Him, as we are. withou
! having at the same time furnishes
| means of constant communication. N
one can vividly believe in God withou
a strong feeling that He is near at hand
and that if we free the soul from th
| binding ENHANCEMENT of materia
things it will be conscious Of His pres
ence, just as we are conscious OF the all
emolding sunlight.
| And. moreover, if we believe in heav
en- and in the lasting bonds of love, an
that the dear ones yonder are concern
for US, are interested in our we'll being
then it must needs follow as the da.
the night that the door through whici
they went has not been and will not b
bolted against their return Think o
heaven in which a mother is sti
|anxious to do what she may for he
wayward child, but is forbidden An
think of a God of infinite wisdom an
love and pity who has been at SO muc
pains-I say it reverently-at so niue
pains to persuade and induce His chi
dren to lead holy lives, think of Hi
forbidding our dear ones to come nea
US, and ordering them to shut thei
leyes against our welfare and chec
their solicitude!
No; what the prophets of old saw W
could see. if the right frame of min
prevailed. God had methods by whic
He made Himself known to them, an
the same methods may be applied t
us. There are visions and impression
and subtle influence in these latte
days, and the man who opens his sor
to them will enjoy marvellous exper
ences.
Religion consists of belief that 90
is always nigh and that angels are bea
ing ns up lest we stumble. Until W
realize these things our life will lac
the most important Ingredient of hi
man happiness.