Newport weekly independent., 1902-12-05


 lie Of the father of liars. to under stand what Truth is. Jesus declares: II am the Truth" He was the Truth, because He was in the beginning with God and as the Word was the express sion of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among uS," and He was stiI the Truth. because He was the perfect manifestation of God ;G the world. The foundations of ths universe were laid in Him, and before the foundations of the worlds were laid the eternal purposes of God cen tered in Him. SO that He was indeed the Truth. Oh, Eternal Rock on which to plant the purposes of God and the hope of the human race! No truth apart from Him. The world gone mad in it's quest of Truth, and Truth in it's midst unseen and un- known.
 The Samaritan woman had doubt less argued the point as to the proper place to worship with many a way faring Jew. and when Jesus came her way she brought out the same old ar eument and tried to start a discussion. But Jesus guided her erring judgment with infinite wisdom and patience to- ward the thought of the coming Mes siah, the One Who when He came would tell them all things, and then with sublime simplicity declared un- to her: II that speak unto thee am He" The world stands to-day with the readiness of the Samaritan wom- an to argue the question as to which is the proper place to worship, at the Mount Gerizim of this school of thought. or at the Jerusalem of that advanced learning and thinking, and while the argument goes desperately on, and while the learned searchers are delving down deep and taking the four winds of heaven to gather their knowledge, the lowly presence of the Eternal Truth of God stands in their midst. As He spoke to the Samaritan woman so He will speak to every heart and make His presence known. Oh. that the world would turn it's gaze from the Mount Gerizims and the Jerusaems and see the mighty rock of Eternal Truth in it's midst!
 The Bright Light of Hope.-''1t is a case of life and death. The doctors say there is no hope for me in this climate, that l must get away as quickly as possible and spend the rest of my days in the sunny, fowery land of Cal ifornia." And off the poor, sick, worn- out body goes in quest of life. Sweet life. A new hope burns brightly within the feverish heart, and the change, and the soft breezes and the gentle sun, seem to give new grip on life, and the days may be prolonged. An, how far the journey will be taken if the bright hope of renewed life burns in the dis tance. Seas will be crossed, conti- nents covered. mountains sealed in the ceaseless search for the fountain of life and youth. This shows how pre- cious life is. It is the boon that money cannot buy. It is the vital spark in the house of clay, which is clung to with such piteous tenacity IS to mako deathbed scenes a narrowing memory.
 And if life is so sweet and precious, the life that is but span, that covers possible three score and ten or a four score and ten, and then disappears into the grave, what must It mean to,come , into the presence of Him, who said: q am the Life" Who is there who can take in the scope of life in all of it's detail at a single stretch of the mind? It cannot be done. And yet Jesus , comes to you and me and says: q am the Life.'' q give to you Eternal Life" Don't try to grasp the thought, don't try to understand it. You can not. You must just believe it, and when the ages of eternity roll ben cath your feet, as they rest within the eternal city ofEod, you will only begin to understand something of the match less gift of Eternal Life.
 Count Ponce de Leon sought the springs of perennial youth in the ever. glades and garden spots of Florida. He braved the perils of the almost unknown sea and faced the hardships of soiourn in wild and unbroken country that he might search out the fabled spring and drink of it's miracu- lous waters. He died in disappoint- ment. Old Mother Earth has been laVlSn Tn ner SllIS or lln-SNlnS waters, but none have the power to restore the vigor of youth or ward off the stroke of death. No, the Hand which molded the earth and caused the gushing springs to burst forth has done better than that. He has given to all the world the Eternal Life of the Son, and whosoever will may drink a the Divinely-appointed fountain and never thirst again; for the draught of Living Water, which Christ the Life will give, will 'become a we'll of water, springing up into Everlasting Life"
 Jesus the Way, and the Truth and the Life; no one cometh unto the Father but by Him. Is it strange that when God has so wondrously provided for the needs of the soul in Christ, the l., II.