The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-03-14

This little incident contains the clew
in whole system Of spiritual philos-
ophy For many centuries we have
recognized its pathos without perceiv-
ing the truth that lay behind it. The
time has come. however. in the worlds
enlarged experience and widening
knowledge when We have taken au-
other look and found with glad sur
prise a revelation OF heretofore un-
known possibilities.
Not all that Christ said two thou
sand years ago is yet understood.
There are SUBMITS still covered with
mist. and it is more than probable
that scores Of generations must pass
before we can make practical use Of
many truths which are literally buried
in the Scriptures awaiting resurrection
The lightning has always been in the
clouds. but until the race mas reached
q certain intellectual strength the dis
eovery was impossible. You may state
the principles Of algebra to a child.
but he does not appreciate them until
he becomes a man. In the Bible more
is concealed than is revealed. but little
by little as we grow toward maturity
we open new windows and get new
views.
Look at the text once more. A sick
woman pressed through the crowd
knelt on the ground. touched his gar
ment. and was healed. II was a mir
acle. Names count nothing. but in
Gods world everything is orderly. In
that incident no law was broken. but
new law was announced. To produce
results in accordance with higher laws
than those generally known is appa-
rently to work miracles. Christs ways
were simply Gods ways. and therefore
in our ignorance We find It difficult
TO explain Him.
But stranger than the cure is the
fact that He Immediately knew that
virtue had gone out of Him Then
He suffered actual loss Of something.
and was concious Of the loss, and that
something was Of such a nature that
ii wrought a physical change in its
recipient.
Two great laws are laid bare. ami
We must needs tremble in their pres
snce, for they are far reaching in their
possible influence. If we ponder than
they Will make for US a new heaven
and a new earth.
In the first place. If the woman's
attitude had been one Of doubt instead
Of faith her disease would not have
been affected by contact. We are now
treading upon very sacred ground, and
the truth is made clear that when I
you and God are in close relations the !
storm ceases and there is calm. The /
woman believed. trusted, yearned fr
help, and that frame Of mind is the !
basis, the only basis. Of true religion. |
There were others in that crowd wbJ |
must have touched Him also either |
y
but nothing unusual occurred. And the
reason why they too were not healed 1
is that God never goes through the I
closed door Of a heart. If you open |
the door and stand on the threshold |
TO welcome the guest. He comes. ri
you turn your face toward the west |
then for you there is no sunrise but /
if you face the east and wait. the |
morning win break on your troubled |
life.
In the second place, if-and I say it |
seeking or worldly, no virtue would
have gone out Of Him. Selhshness is |
miserly. 1t would have clutched the !
wOndrous possession and kept it witt
narrow limits for narrow purposes.
The willingness Of Christ to give, be-
cause He loves with infinite compass
sion, and the anxiety Of man to re-
eeive-there and there only. can be |
found material out Of which to coh-
struct world-saving religion. Heav-
en- reaching down and man reach
fng up-then comes the union and the
communion which works miracles. |
What are your cold and chilling stale-
ments Of truths that are merely sec
ondary which you gathes together and
call a creed-what are they when COM
pared with these two glowing facts?
A creed is truth frozen into glitter
ing icicles. but Christ's words are