The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-07-15
Faith, Mans Richest Endowment.

Written for The Republican,.
Mrs. Naylor was administering a
cordial to the invalid, as Louise re-
entered the room, and under its in
tluence he soon became brighter.
This delighted Louise, who felt that
it was like consulting an Oracle of
God to talk with this saint on the
threshold of heaven. His soul had
transcribed all earthly things. and
he was dwelling with the celestial
spirits.
II have been thinking a good deal
about faith, Miss Osborne" he said,
as she took her seat by the bed
Il suppose it seems to you the only
substance, and all else is shadow" she
remarked.
II see it in a new light, he said.
1.-The Holy Spirit has illumined my
dark understanding. Faith is the
medium by which our spiritual ma
ture grows, is developed. You know
we have three natures, Miss Osborne.
the physical, the mental and the spir-
itual and sOul-nature. The souI-na-
ture includes the mental, but themen
tai may exist without the spiritual.
1t is the soul-nature which distin-
cuisines the man from the beasts
They have mind or intelligence, but
not the sOul-nature, which perceives
moral good and evil, wOrships some
Supreme Invisible Being and assumes
its own Immortality"
Each of these three natures requires
nourishment for its growth. The
body is provided with organs which
furnish its relations and points of
contact with matter and supply its
own needs and requirements. What
the body takes in through these vari-
Gus organs it utilities for growing and
living purposes.
The mind has its faculties-or or
gans, we might just as well call them.
Through these, that is the percep-
lions, the memory, the imagination,
the judgment, the reason, the mind
takes in its food or nOurishment. and
grows and strengthens and natures"
Now can it be possible that our All
abundantly supply these two natures
with the organs necessary for their
proper development and make no
provision for the souls growth into
the full stature of the image in which
it was created? 1t is a fOregone CON
clusiOn, Miss Osborne, that there
must of necessity be an organ or or
gans for the souls nourishment,
growth, education, life. F0ith is that
organ. There must be some channel
OF intercourse between man and his
Maker entirely Independent of the
gross organs of sense or the proud ac-
tivities of the intellect. Fdith is the
channel by 1Chich things eternal and
spiritual .RO1C into the soul.
"Oh, beautiful" cried Louise, Il
otNs pCC' IL IL tI COlll lJlCA vi Stlll, MI.
NaylOr, comprising every sense orprin-
ciple necessaryto distinguish the invis-
ible and communicate with the unseen
for its active, progressive existence.
Fdith is the organ through a0hich
the soul receives its Sastendnce. The
pure, ETHEREAL soul has no connection
1,a t,,,, ,,I
terial aids for the performance of its
sublime functions; it has no necessity
for communication with matter and
earthly agents cannot aid its growth"
Yes, you have the idea exclaimed
Mr.. Naylor, every feature in his face
radiant with delight, land the object
which supplies this nourishment is
the triune God, in His supreme Els
sence, and in His manifold and wond-
erful relations to the children of men
as Creator, Preserver, Benefactor,
Comforter, Savior, Guide, Counsellor,
Lover, Friend, Prophet, Priest, King.
We feed on Christ, the living Bread;
we drink of Christ, the spiritual Rock
whence living waters flow Faith is
higher than reason; it is the highest
gift of God to man. 1t is as much
sense or combination of senses as are
the five mental ones which all pos
sess."
Louise felt like one intoxicated.
This sudden perception of the beauti-
full adjustment of all the parts and
relations of our being stimulated her
brain to unwonted activity. The
knowledge had been revealed in