The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-08
1HE rURIFYlNG HOPE.
{sa1ectod for Tho Times

Beloved now are we the sons of God.
and it doth not yet appear what we shall
pear we shall be like him. for we shall
sec Him as He isl And every man that
hath this hope in him purifieth himself,
even as He is pure."-I. John. ill.,, 2.
Here is a glorious hope held out to
us. We are the sons of God. The in
finite Eternal Being who made this
world and all worlds is our Father.
It is not for US to say who are not
Gods children. We must leave that In
Gods hand. All that we have to do
with is the awful, the blessed fact that
we are His; not for anything that we
have thought, or felt, or done, but simply
out of the free grace and love of God,
are we the children Of God.
It doth not yet appear what the next
life Will be like, and what He shall be
like in it. That there will De a next
life--that death does not end all for US,
the Bible tells us. Yea, and our own
heart and reason tells us SO. too.
That continent Of Immortality, that
instinct, that the death of the body will
not, cannot, destroy our souls, men have
held from Gil the past generations down
to the present day. We at least oeheve
that we shall live again; as certainly as
that we are alive now. What we shall
he like, we know not. st. John says that
he did not know, and We surely have no
more means of knowing than st. John.
Only one thing he knew Of that future
life and that he plainly tells US, When
Christ shall appear, we shall be IKE Tim.
Like God! No more, but no less: 10
be like God then is the very aim and
end of our existance.
That We might tie like God, lie sent
us forth from His eternal bosom, clothed
in mortal flesh, into this world OF sense.
That we might be like God, He gave us
the divine sense of right and wrong; and
continues to give us the inspiration OF
His Holy Spirit. which lightens every
man that cometh into the world Ihat
We may be like God He, Himself, is
educating us by every event which be-
falls us from the cradle to the grave.
How shall we become like God? Eve
shall see Him as He isl Herein is
great mystery, and one I dc not try TO
fathon2. Yet do we not all know how
ant we are to become like those with
whom we spend our lives, and, above
all, like those We admire and honor?
Eor good or evil, alas! it is So Those
who associate with evil persons are only
fob,
morals, but their very manner Of speak
ing, thinking, and acting Not only 90
they become scornfui if they live with
scorners: false, If they live with mars;
mean. if they live with covetous men,
hut they will catch the very look OF
their faces.
But, thank God! just in the same way
does good companionslip tend to make
men good; high-minded companions to
make the high-minded. Kindly compan-
ions will make them kindly; modest COM
pany make them modest; honorable com
pany make them honorable, and pure
company make them pure. 1t is not only
seeing Him as He is" but we will be
made holy and kept holy by that light.
What purity can we bring into that
presence which will not seem impure to
Him? What wisdom which will not seem
folly? What humility which will not
seem self-concet? What justice which
will not seem unjust? What love when
will not be boldness of heart? Who
loved Him better, and whom did He love
better than st. John?
Yet what befell ST. John when In the
spirit he saw Him somewhat as lie
isl? He writes, 'And when I saw Him.
fell at his feet as dead II ST. John
himself was struck down with awe, what
!! shall become Of even the best and purest
among US?
IF st. Johns words shall come true
to-dav-if We shall see Him as He is
what then? Would the sight of His all
glorious countenance warm Us into such
| life. and love, and longing for virtue and
usefulness as we never felt before?
| Or would it crush us to the very earth
with utter shame and humiliation?
| That is the question which every one
must try to answer for himself in fear
and trembling. for he that "hath this
hone in Him, purifeth himself even as
He is pure
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