Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-14
HUTzLER'S SONS,
3l5 East Broad St.

our senses are blunted. We are shut
in. SO that we may not fully see, feel,
hear, touch, and taste and really know
orr SURROUNDINGS. Suppose them all to
be free and perfect, the blue armament
TO be rolled away, that we may see the
sun. the moon, the stars moving in their
orbits. and revolving on their axes,
then each sense intensely to take In It's
surroundings. Our present minds
hearts, our souls, could not survive the
enlargement. .
1t is easy to understand the baoynood
of our present condition.; how 1t is that
we are in swaddling clothes. the vel
of the covering that is over all flesh.
II Is not hard to understand the words
of Scripture: "There shall no man see
Me and live" Therefore, we must see
through a glass darkly for a season.; or
we will die in the blaze Of the Infinite.
And vet the infant mortal Graves the
Immortal: the finite starves. hungers'
and thirsts for the Infinite, as the germ
swells and presses for ~panslo 10 the
light of the sun. All the warnings OF
man bespeak their satisfaction, which Is
the nature and attributes OF Cod, the
Father. the counterpart and response 10
man, the son.
The divine business Of the messiah
shin was as much to show ana estao-
lish the humanity OF God as 1t was 10
set the seal of Heaven to assure the
divineness OF man.
Until the coming Of Jesus CHRIST tne
Almighty God was wholly wrapt in
clouds and darkness. Nature and reve-
Iatjon displayed His attributes. HIS
mower. His wisdom. His righteousness,
uis loving care Of man. On Mount
sinai when. IL was said, His presence
was manifested, 1t was in the MIDST OF
fire and smoke, lightning and hunde
Terror and awe commanded the SUP
mission of the people Of His care, ana
profound mystery surrounded the dlViho
idea So mystery, with accompanying
hewilderment everywhere, up TO the
Coming of Christ, was Identified with
religion and the worship or Deity. A
dim light was religious, and PROFOUND
darkness and impenetrabie mystery Gov
cred me idea Of God. And now coulu
Door. helpless. ignorant, h~aIi-huinah
man expect or hin of the sympathy
of the great God? The heather made
his God after his own image, an EN-
bodiment OF his vices and lusts and
cruelties. Heathenism imbruted Deity.
HeathenIsm was almost as ignorant OF
humanity as IL was OF Deity. Humanity
was ali mere philosophy. and Deity was
nao $50
a mere abstraction. Christianity snoWeo
God i'm His own holiness, righteousness
and mercy. and humanity as His refiec-
lion and image. The Saviour was a d.
vine medium, exhibiting graces and VIZ
tues. as of the divine character, anu
vet OF the same nature n qualty as
those hat dignifed man. He manifest
ed in one being God and man-God as
human and man as divine. Love that
snent itself on q brother was or the
same nature as hat given 10 COD. 10
learn TO love a brother was 10 learn 10
love God. And God felt for the ooe-
| dent the same love hat was warm LOT
brother. sister, and mother. Twas all
| I'm the family. We cannot love an awIul
| mystery. We cannot love a mere ab-
~straction. distractions dry up the soul
| and bewilder the mind. And mere den-
nitions. whether In articles or confes-
| sions of faith, inspire no love. m
| rules and regulations, restrictions ana
tasks. will never make a good man.
The embodiment OF the great Coo IN
the person OF the Messiah, M His
| walk and conversation among men, ana
| His divine self-sacrilce could alone I'M
press upon the soul Of man the hu-
| manity of the Great God. The prophecy
was fulfilled: /, II / be lifted up, VIII
| draw all men unto Me. And men
| learned humbiy and lovingly TO address
| the most High and Holy One as our
Father" And tho grand ana compre-
hensive principle OF our holy religion
is universal fa~therhood n universal
| brotherhood-a whole family OF earth
and Heaven: One Lord. one faith, one
baptism.