The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-11-12
A SAD WARNING.
The Man Who Lost His Faith In God
Simple Trust Better Than
AgnOsticism.

hearts OF his friends and the Chris ian
public generally by the announcement
that he was no longer in sympathy with
evange lical views. His divergence, ap-
parently slight at first, became more
and more radical with each passing
week. until. burning ali bridges behind
him. he declared that the Bible stood
across the path of human progress and
that Jesus had no message for this
present age. His mission, he said, was
to emancipate the human mind from
the slavery of superstition and belief
in traditions. New songs were writ
ten, which struck at old beliefs and
heralded a new pantheisiic God of love
and reason. With smile upon his
lips and the air of a man who has found
Il new world Of unfettered liberty. he
spoke to crowded houses in one of our
great cities. II was soon apparent,
however, even to his admirers, that
the smile and manner were but masks.
He had no message that men needed.
Like one in whom all sweetness has
turned to bitterness. he only could de-
nounce where once he had praised, and
destroy where once he had builded. 1t
was nightly contlagration in flames
of lurid rhet oric of all that he had for
years asserted were the eternal truths
of God.
Not far from where he had erected
the funeral pyre Of his own faith and
that of his ia hers. lived friend of his
young manhood. The years had but
strengthened the friendship. They
had spent many days together in
Christian service and had seen wit
nesses of he fact that "the Gospel is
the power of God unto salvation" 1t
was to this friend that the evangelist
contided his changed views before he
proclaimed them to the world, and it
was this friend who ktrw better han
any other the forces which worked
the deplorable changt. A trusting
Christian himself hd did not turn
from his old colnpaIi on in the faith.
even when that crtlpanion turned
from the Lord. lie attended his meett
ings, spoke words of friendliness.
made him welcome visitor to his
house. One night as they sat together
on the eve of long separal ion, their
voices ceased and hush fell upon
them. Both knew that their thoughts
were with the past. The Christian
man knew that the hear, of his friend
was not at rest. In the silence he
prayed.
by the way. old fellow" said he,
speaking at last, II was over at the
town of B. last week. Do you re-
member the meetings You held there
several years ago?" The evangelist
looked up and nodded atfirmativ
"Well, do you remember he night that
you asked some one to shut the door Of
the church and drunken man called
out: Don't shut the door, Jesus
Christ never shut the door on anyone
and Won took his words as your text.
and at the close of the sermon went
down to where he sat and talked with
him?' Again the evangelist indicated
that he remembered. 81 saw that man
when l was there. When you went to-
B. to hold your meetings he was
drunken, brutal sot. He was menace
to the peace of the community and
worse than worthless to his family
To-day he is one of the honored citi-
zens of the place. He lives in a beauti-
full home. and issurrounded bya happy
family. He is foremost Ia every good
work, and 10 blessing his community
by the example of 8 splendid Christian
manhood. He says it all grew out Of
the talk which you had with him that
nigh when he came to hear you. and |
in his drunken condition interrupted
you. Dear old friend, have you any
thing in your new gospel that will work
such a transformation in a man as
that?' He did not answer, but bowed
his head, and as the tears started from
his eyes and unspeakGb BILE sadness stole
over his face. said: 81 could not come |
back If would"
What did he mean? know not. Was |
it because he had drifted SO far that he
felt he could never reach the harbor
of faith again? Was it the barrier of !
pride that kept him from seeking the
Fathers face? Was it the overwhel I'm
ing sense of his sin in denying his Lord? !
Was it his fear that Christian people
would always distrust him and would
never more give him their confidence?
In his heart he knew that he had wan
dered far from home. With an insane
fury like that produced by demonacal
possession, he had hurled opprobious
epithets al his Lord. His Word aud His
church. 1t was a fit of spiritual mad
ness. 1t was -4he eclipse of faith. He
has come to himself. He Is sane enough
now to recognize the supreme test of
any teaching-by its fruits ye shall
know it. But yet he wanders, because
he cannot come back.
In this sad experience is a warning
to all who trihe with that faith which
is the gift of God. He who loosrns him
self from his moorings to the supreme
truths Of the Word of God is ever in
danger of drifting out into a shore
less sea of despairing doubt. Here is
an exhorta tion to all of us to be pitt.
ful, gentle and long-suffering as the
Lord with those who have been seized
with the spiritual maady of doubt and
TO believe that God will hear
our prayer for them. aud that they will
be restored to spiritual health and
power. Here Is a plea TO every wander
ing child OF God who has renowned
faith and turned from the old ways to
apply the supreme test. Call to mind
The facts OF the life of simple trust,
!, nd nnu na 70 The 1ui1h iha fncts nk |