The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-06-05

* u
myrrh. They bowed in homage be-
fore the innocent babe, realizing, by
inspiration from Heaven, that wise in
the learning of the world though they
were, still here was gift from the
God of all knowledge which made their
learning pale into insignificance and
made them realize that the foolishness
of God is wiser than men, and the
weakness of God is stronger than men. 1
And thus from Heaven came the gift
of God to earth, for God SO loved that
He gave. We are to talk of the potency
of this gift, but we cannot pass the
ruling motive of the heart of God,
which enabled Him to give, and made
His Son obedient unto His will. God
loved in the beginning and has patient
ly kept on loving all through the ages,
though mans heart has been SO slow
to respond. Can we understand that
love? Can we SO speak as to convey
an idea of what that love is? If John,
the beloved disciple, who was nearest
to the heart of Christ, could not fully
understand, but exclaims: Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it
doth not yet appear what we shall be,
but we know that when He shall
appear we shall be like Him, for
we shall see Him as He Isl" surely,
we cannot hope t. fathom that love,
but also must wait until beholding face
to face, we shall then understand what
Gods love really is.
There are beautiful pictures of
human love running all through the
| Word of God, from devoted, loyal
Ruth to Mary with the alabaster box
of ointment, or Mary Magdalene.
whose love for her Lord made her
| linger at the tomb and gave her the
first vision of her risen Lord. Love!
AS the love of Christ fills our hearts
we can begin to know somewhat of
the love of God, but we cannot fully
know until we stand on the other
side and join in the grand chorus Of
the redeemed in praise of Him who
alone is worthy to be praised.
The potency of the gift of God be-
gins to be realized as we slowly read
the rest of our text. This gift is all
comprehensive, it is from everlasting
to everlasting. Aladdin's lamp, if it
ever had any existence beyond the
imagination of the one who tells the
story of it's wonderful potency, has
passed away, and only the memory
remains. The story of Midas touch
which could transmute to gold any
thing with which it came in contact
has delighted and held the attention
of readers. for generations, but it is
but tale. The story of the magic
carpet which used to whisk its owner
in the story book to every conceiv.
able and inconceivable nook anG
corner of old mother earth has per
formed it's mission in fairy land ant
given place to other fairy potencies
of the story writer's brain. But
where in history, prose or poetry will
you find an equal to the story of The
potency of the Gift of God to tht
world.
Moses rod, under the direction o:
God, could part the Red sea, coult
smite the rocks in the desert unit
|
trumpets of the priests and th'
shouts of the children of Israel coult
lay low the walls of Jericho. TIL,
Gideon's band of three hundred coult
; win mighty victory over the host
of the Midianites. The cry of ;
Joshua to God could cause the sun t,
stand still. The shepherds sling of
David could send crashing to eartl
the terrible giant and deliver iron
the oppression of the Philistines TO
. time, but all these wonderful poten
tialities of God passed away and al
we have is living, thrilling memory
l But the gift which God gave to tn
: world nineteen hundred years ago
: swaying the world more powerful
!, than ever before, and as we revie,
: the achievements of the past wonder
full century we hear it echoed O
every hand that it is the result of tn
Light which God sent into the worl
to light every man to Him.
: Young Solomon, called to the RI
sponsibilities Of great and prosper
> | Gus kingdom, sought a blessin
:. from God. In choosing wisdom,
: order that he might successfully cor
: duct the affairs of state, he foun
:. that the lesser gifts were included an
he had both riches and honor.
: In Gods Gift to the world we S,
: cure a Saviour from sin and find ths
all the lesser blessings of life are il
cluded. "Whosover receiveth (belie
.. eth in) Him hath everlasting life
The ambitious heart that receiy,
: Him as the center of his beir
= finds that instead of the horizo
- of his hopes being limited
the possible three score and ten,
, has all eternity in which to work o,
! Gods plans. The one who has pa
: = sion for gold and this worlds goo
\ may live to realize the accumulate
of great wealth, but when he lea
- thinks of it the call from his God W
"A come: This night thy soul shall
i required of thee" and there will
"a borne in upon his soul with crushil
!, defeat the words of Christ: 'sWh
+. shall it profit a man if he gain t
whole world and lose his own soul