Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-08-13
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.


i 17-conament By Rev. $. n. Doyle.
7 Topie.-Tsis life OF faith-Gen xii is
Heb. xis lG
One or TIE severest criticisms Of The
world iron the church Is the emphasis
that the church places upon the sub
Sect o. fash. From many sides We
hear the ery and demand that the
church should preach more about The
practical <hiags Ct life and should net
SO often dwell upon the realm OF faith
This criticism. however Is most unjust
and uuwurranted. The Importance ct
faith to life cannot be estimated. Men
live as they behave. What they are
and what they do are above everything
else determined by what they believe.
The Puritans believed firmly in God.
in Gods control of the affairs Of this
life ard 10 the teachings of the Scrip
ture that there would be punishment
for sin here IA the life TO come. The
effect OF this belief was clearly seen
80 their lives. At a certain period In
the history OF the people Of France
they practically discarded all belief In
God and sacred things. The result OF
this unbelief was most apparent In
their lives. They gave themselves up
almost entirely TO the things OF this
life that make for destruction rather
than for development. and history has
never seen worse effects OF unbelief
than were manifested In France at this
time. Faith inspires life; Its fruits are
works, and therefore too much I'm
portance cannot be attached TO the
subject OF faith and Its relation TO life.
L The life OF faith is necessary. Paul
says, eve walk by faith and not by
sight" There are many people in the
world who try TO walk by sight, but ii
Is absolutely impossible. Our almost
every act Of life requires some faith.
We eat because we believe that the
food which we eat win support our
lives. This Is an exercise OF faith. We
believe In past history. In places that
we have never seen and people that
we have never known, and thus we
constantly exercise faith In all rela-
tons OF our lives. This being true, II
IS absurd folly that the exercise of re-
iigious faith should be 20 often dis
countenanced. II we must live by
faith, why should 1t be incredible that
we should exercise religious faithY III
we can believe in men whom we have
not seen, why can We not believe IN
God although we have not seen Him.
II we can believe in distant countries
which we have never visited, why can
we not believe in a land beyond this
life and look forward TO habitation in
ttf
2. The life OF faith Is possible. To
some people II seems impossible 10 be-
leye In the great religious truths. in
God, In the inspiration OF the Scrip
lures and in the future life, but this is
not impossible. That life of faith is
not impossible is proved by the multi
tude Of those who have lived life of
faith. whose entire lives have been con-
troIled and directed by their supreme
faith In God and eternal things. The
life Of Abraham was purely a life OF
faith. God called him to so forth to
country that he had never seen. He
went forth not knowing whittier he
went, but trusting the results OF the
future entirely to God. In the eleventh
chapter OF Hebrews We have a long
array of patriarcks whose lives were
based upon their faith In God and
eternal truths. They endured hard
ships, they suffered many Affections
and prosecutions because of their su-
preme faith In God. What is possible
to them is also possible TO Us. If Abra-
ham could live a life OF faith in God.
so can we Such life is possible. and
IT should be the aim OF every one 10
base his life entirely upon his faith In
God and Gods control Of this life and
also OF the future.
8. The life Of faith is profitable.
Without faith it is impossible 10 please
God, but life OF faith is well pleasing
in His sight. and God has promised
great blessings TO those who please
Him in their lives. When Abraham
was called 10 le.ve Ur OF Chaldees.
God made rich promises to him upon
the condition OF his obedience. These
promises were all fulfilled. A life OF
faith and OF service based upon faith
Is the most profitable life that We can
live in this world.