The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-11

over what is religion, or what the Bible
teaches here and there for truth is one,
and there are really no ~obscurity, no
uncertainty in the truths themselves.
What Christ had been saying was v
erlastingly so, the truth in ssence-
Calling him names did not change the
character Of those truths in h least
or make them less real. But there were
others who heard the marvellous teach
er who did not agree with his revilers.
They said, These are not the words
of him that hath a devil. Can a dew
| open the eyes of the blind?" There was !
no getting away from that fact-that !
| Christ, the despised and insulted, had
actually opened the yes Of people
known by them to be blind. a very !
| great and marvellous miracle. The ar
| gument was direct and unanswerable.
| There was no denying the fact, and,
therefore, the accusation was absurd,
was wickedly false. He was o mad
! and was possessed of no devil or evil
| spirit. How hot people will become in
discussing Biblical doctrine and the
dogmas of churches. How they will
fulmine and denounc those who can-
not and do not hold their particular
views and convictions. But all this dis
putation and bitterness exemplify no
Christian principle or virtue, n sure
ly do not alter a fact or overturn a
nth. The right is just as right, and
the. truth as much the truth as if no
controversy had occurred and no one
had grown "hot in the collar" The fact
is hat "the right is as distinct from
the wrong, The truth is as far apart
from falsehood; though we cannot
agree as to which is which," How
much easier is it to find the right when
the search is made with patience and
calmness, and with an eye single to
the truth. How much of clamor and
divergence and even evil speaking
would disappear if the truth were
sought with diligence and love and
without intense passion and intense
prejudice. In a long life this writer
has never met a half dozen men who
were really truth seekers-persons who
read carefully to find the truth, n
not to bolster previously formed opin-
ions and beliefs. If we would all seek
truth in the right spirit how much
sooner would it be revealed to our un-
~derstanding. The cry of the bitter sec
tartan is-"He hath a devil, and is
mad" In latter days of him it would
be saddle is a crank, and is ready
for the asylum. We must copy a wise
sentence or two from Girdlestone, long
g dead, out an able and pious minis
ter of the Church of England. He wrote
Of seeking the right and the true: "And
, this active search for truth, this char
liable allowance for error, this union
of eagerness to he right, with compass
Y sion for them that are out of the way
these appear to be the very duties
s which God does in this matter require
at our hands, the very good which it is
4 His pleasure to promote" 1t is really
astonishing some times how very diff
ferently an event, ar opinion, some
thing heard or read will affect peo-
: Christ and the impression was mar
velously different. One class denounced
e him as possessed of the evil one an6
o mad; the other pointed to His benevo
S lent, merciful, loving work and denied
n the accusation brought against Him
e Men read of hear, and indorse and en-
Joy, while others an(
abuse. Pious and judicious William
e Burkitt says in considering what wa:
5 sale of Christ by the two classes WE
" have been considering: Lear hence
that the doctrine Of Christ meeting
with diversity Of disposition, it is n
wonder hat it occasions different eff
fects, to the softening Of some ant
hardening of others; even as the sam,
q sun that melteth the wax hardened
y the clay; yet is not this to be imputed
l. to the doctrine of our Saviour, but t.
o mems corruptions which oppose tn,
truth, and the maintainers of it? Their,
was a division again amongst them
l, This is exemplified daily. One listens
n accepts, believes unto salvation, am
y lives for God and His glory. The othe
rejects, despises, goes out into great
x er sins, and dies and is lost. Choose y
e whom we will serve.
To Cure a Colo in One Day.
Take Laxative Rromo Ouinine Tablets