The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-06

| He can make an hours believing cffor
as effective as a years unbelieving toll
There are vast unguessed powers ~
ing ready to be welded by those t
whom he teaches His secrets.
And what grand opportunities ar,
lying open everywhere for young met
and young women to be soul-winner!
to Christ! Is there any wonder thai
thousands Of them In our educatlona
institutions are seeing visions Of use,
fulness, and hearing Gods call to 81
and preach. and teach the Gospel L
| "the uttermost parts of the earth?
The momentous question to be an
swercd by thousands of'our young PEG
| plen our colleges and seminaries Is
this: To what business or profession
shall devote my life and my acquire.
mcnts Of knowledge The doors o.
usefulness are many. Some vii
choose what Is called a business life
and perhaps become the most usefu
and hoHored men In the community
Others will make choice OF law, medi-
cine or theology. The true-hearted
Christian physician closely reproduces
IN his daily round OF professional duty
the ineNpressibly beautiful life Of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
The study of theology and the worl;
| OF the ministry must be regarded as
the highest Of privileges TO which man
may aspire. The. theme is greatest,
because 1t concerns God. The honor
Is greatest, because the minister goes
to his holy and helpful work as. in a
special sense. the ambassador of God.
The responsibility is greatest because
It's relations are particularly with the
soul. and with Its interests, both for
time and for eternity f,.
4. would mention only one other sort
OF vision that We have. We dream OF
the future, not future here merely,
but beyond, elsewhere. We refuse to
stop short at the barriers which earth
and time erect. Our visions project
themselves past these. Such visions
often get very faint as men grow old,
and some time die away altogether.
Thoughts that once scared toward the
setting sun come down TO earth like 4
bird grown weary of the wing. 1t Is
Christ alone. who, by His Spirit. gives
permanence to such visions. Gifr1pscs
of beyond which Is bright and real.
come from Him. 1t ceases to be q
day-dream. that is last among the foSs
and noises OF the city We get from
Him sudden flashes OF the glory OF the
New Jerusalem. He conjures up pic
lures which bear the evidence of their
own truth. He brings immortality to
light In our hearts.
l have been where, looking to the
north, one saw dim, white outline,
which might be mistaken at first for
moving cloud. But as you looked. 1t
grew more solid. became blocked out in
the clear sunshine till you were certain
II was no cloud. but vast rampant of
heaven-climbing snow-clad hills. So,
gazing over the far horizon Of life. we
catch sight Of something which We
might mistake for mere cloud vapors.
But as Christ enables us 10 gaze. it
grows more distinct. and we know It Is
the Mountain of God. These are SAM
pies OF the sort OF visions Christ gives:
or. rather, He takes the shadow out
line that waves In our mind. and gives
1t substance. He makes our better
dreams full and clear. till they become
like the visions which glowed before
the prophets. and were committed by
them to the living page-like the vision
which the painter fixes upon the can
vas.
The natural visions tend to become
less celestial day by day. The Christ
besoten visions become more and more
celestial. That Is the difference be-
tween them. which We would do we'll to
mark.
Which set of visions then Will you
choose-thc natural or the God-in-
sp!red? You say. perhaps, Il would
fain have such lofty visions: but I have
never got any from Christ; you are
speaking in 4 language more or less
unintelliEible to me- I am sorry for
you. my brethren, because l have not
been drawing fine pictures. but only
speaking of simple facts. The reason,
however, that You have never received
such visions is no doubt this: You
have gone 10 Christ. spoken TO Him In
n fiiful way. He only fills mems minds
with visions when they put themselves
ut His feet. You must come 10 Him
wholly-you must allow Him to be your
Lord and Master In reality II you
would put this power and gift of His to
the test.
But You say you have known Chris
tiGns. and they have no such visionary
power. Their religion is Of much
more commonplace caste. 1t does not
inspire them In this way ut ALL Yes.
but they have never opened their whole
nature to Christ: they are only mu-
tilated specimens of what He makes
men. They have not come near the
Christian model. Paul's idea. the true
idea, Is that Christ fills men-soul body
and spirit. When that is secured, the
visions spring up apace. and the indi-
vidual life shines and bears testimony
for the truth as 1t Is Jesus. Not long
since n college senior said: II have not
been much moved by the arguments for
Christianity which have heard In the
class rooms. and elsewhere during my
college course. but there is something
Il the life of my chum. that II 7 could
have 1t all In my life would give for
1t everything which I have gained In
college" Strong testimony this to
that everyday manifestation OF Christ,
which may dwell In lis all.
And have you never known how, as
n matter OF observation, when this in
sprntion of Christ has Just come to
Il man, new feelings, impulses. visions
have rushed through his soul? Do you
suppose the visions are only for the out
set Of the Christian life, not for the
whole?
Now. have described these visions
of Christ very mcagrely. You must
try them for yourself. You must find
for yourself how they enter the soul:
how they light up the dullest, gloomiest
passage Of life! how they make this
world n wondrous place full OF God.
It Is only by experience that you can
JuiRc HOW IHllIltely DettcF llley are,
than the best visions OF earth, how the
one fades away. how the others become
fixed in the heavens of Gods glory
and love. how they take the eternal
aud substantial shape. Ask Christ,
and Keep asking Him. for such an cv-
pcrlcnCc. and you will behold "In the
face of Jesus Christ the light OF the
knowledge Of the glory of God"
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THE EXISTENCE OF HELL