The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-11

not the rich man glory in his riches,
but let him that glorieth, glory in this
that he understandeth and knoweth
me-
My brethren, it is clearly our bless
| ed privilege to be allowed to know
something of God-little, very little. If
you will; but still something. There
can, therefore, be question only of the
| degree of knowledge one may possess
of God. That the finite idea of God
can comprehend, that is, embrace the
divinity so as to comprise the length
and breadth and depth of Gods
attributes is nameless alb
sudity-'Who shall see him and de-
clare him, who shall magnify him as
he is from the beginning'-when you
exalt him, put forth all your strength
and be not weary, for you can never
go far enough. We shall say much and
yet shall want words, but the sum of
our words is, He is all.
Even the human mind of Christ, so
the fathers and doctors all agree, falls
short in it's masterful grasp of includ-
ing the totally of the PROJECTIONS or
the Father He is the ineffable God and
who can utter him: he is the incom-
prehensible God and who can under
stand him. What the eye hath not
seen. nor the ear heard; what has not
entered the heart of man, how can it
mount to the tongue or fall in accents
from mortal lips? Everything can be
said of God. but nothing worthily.
Yes, language is beggared in its at
tempt to express him; seek a fitting
name for him and you shall not find it;
| seek wherewitn to call him in some
imperfect way and everything is yours.
Scripture" however gives names
to God, names purely neg
alive or symbolical, yet which
are not empty or meaningless
demonstra tons. Whilst they are not
adequate expressions of his nature
still they designate determined mo-
ments of time-manifestati cores
ponding to the different periods of
revelation given in time. So we read
of Him as "Eloun,' a general term
expressing the silent awe of the soul
penetrated with the thought of God;
as Jehovah, the God of positive revela-
tomas Adonai the Lord of Lords, the
Prince, the Ruler, the Master.
Though the Deity cannot be fet-
tered by a definition, still a bountiful
providence has not left us in impene-
trail BILE darkness. God is the first cause,
and therefore, in Him. are found all
the projections of all creatures with
out any admiXture of imperfection.
Therefore he has, being the most per-
feet being, being without blemish or
limit-when human language asserts
that he has being, it simply stammers
He is being itself" Such we must
infer from the words uttered by AL
mighty God.
to Moses when that servant inquired
the name he should call him by. Tell
them, replied God, that l am who am
that he who is, sent thee, a being with
cut -beunds--the first source of all be-
ings. "Creat is the Lord, and greatly
to be praised and of His greatness
there is no end
yet there have been and are to-
day, among the creatures of God who
have said, There is no Cod who
deaf to the voice of nature, insensible
to the spectacle presented by this uni
verse, have not shrunk from uttering
the horrible blasphemy, There is no
God. What! Are not such men terri
fed by the solitude they have made
for themselves? Are they not conscious
that society shakes them like vipers
from it's bosom?
They cry out in their audacity, that
the testimony of all peoples is a lie;
they dare pierce with their discordant
notes the harmony of the universe,
and distort the concert of praise which
is ascending from every land towards
the creator That God of yours?
Where is Hep they ask in contempt
You have not seen Him-how do you
know he exists? might re-
ply that my faith is
that my Maker exists; that vision or
the testimony of the senses are not
the only channel of truth-for all ma
ture is full of voices declaring that
God is. So clearly, that st. Paul says,
The men who do not know God from
! the study of this visible world are in
excusable.' Humanity is in possession
of the truth that there is a God and
that truth is enthroned in the common
sentiment of our nature and cannot
be overthrown.
Il shall not trespass on your atten-
ton longer, as we promised ourselves,
and you, in commencing these Sunday
night instructions, to be brief, so l will
leave the further treatment of this
subject, The knowledge of Cod COM
ing, as it does, so logically in connec-
| ton with our creed, to the reverend
father who will speak to you on next
| Sunday night. So let us try, brethren,
in conclusion. believe with all our ma
ture in God, remembering that to serve
Him is to reign; to know Him, is to
love Him."