The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-22
FOUR SHORT WORDS
Embrace, Says DIR. schneffer, All
Truths of Christianity.

| Embrace, Says DIR. Schnefer, All
Truths of Christianity.
Rev. DR.. w. C. Schaeffer. pastor of
the Lutheran Church of the Assem-
sion, preached yesterday for the first
time since his return from his vaca-
ton. At the morning service, to a
large congregation, he preached on
1.-The Everlasting Yes" taking for his
text II Corinthians, 1;19: I'm him was
yea"
How much of meaning we can crowd
into four short words!" said DR..
Schaeffer. Three words of three let
tiers, one word of two letters and yet
in these eleven letters are embraced
all the essential truths of Christianity
GAS we study the New Testament we
are impressed with the wealth of Ian
guage employed to describe the Saw
iour's place and work. Everything be-
longs to Him; everything comes from
Him; everything is done for Him. Just
see how many times this phrase in
him is used as the key to Gods word:
In Him all fulness dwells; in Him was
life; in Him the God-head bodily; in
Him the treasures of; in Him we have
redemption; in Him is no darkness at
all; in Him was yea!
Truly He was more than man! 1t
is too difficult a task to undertake to
explain our Bible with a human Christ.
There are two things which l want
to set out before you in connection with
these four short words: The first is
the common and uncontradicted fact
that the attitude of the human mind
is one of inquiry.
THE second is the corresponding
fact that the Savior of men never ask
ed a question-never raised an inquiry
never had a doubt There were no
| interrogations with Jesus. He was not
in the same class with mortals who
do not know and must be asking. We
| are always asking our questions. You
might represent the state of the soul
or mind of man by an Interrogation
| point. knowledge has progressed
| through asking questions.
THE sum of science is just this:
| Correctly answering questions concern
| ing nature.
"Of course, the greatest questions of
all pertain to the unseen universe.
| Here our Interrogation point is drawn
! large. We lie under such limitations
as compel modesty, yet we want to
know. We want to know of life, of
duty, of Cod of the future life.
What is the greatest question ever
| asked? You will find it in the Bible:
If man die, shall he live again?' All
men have been seeking on all sides for
an answer to that question.
Let me set down just a few of the
things concerning which men have
most earnestly prayed to know-haEe
cried like children for some answer to
| their questions. We shall find before
we state them that they are questions
concerning the spiritual being-not
questions of philosophical speculation
not material matters; but the old, old
questions as to the Creator-as to evil
as to good-as to the hereafter.
All other questions sink into insig-
nifcance Take the question as to i'm
mortality. What millions have wanted
to know about the future life! Is there
a conscious existence beyond the
grave? What proof can we have that
win satisfy us? The whole race stands
looking into the darkness, inquiring,
doubling hoping, fearing, asking the
question which no one of our kind has
the ability to answer.
when we do get an answer, it will
be from One who is not asking the
question with us. 1t will be answered
by One who comes affirming, not ask
ing. The Interrogation will be replaced
by an affirmation. Instead of looking
out into the darkness with US, One must
come with light, facing toward us, an
| SWeIlHB our questions, qulellnS our
fears, because he is able to speak
with the confidence of authority.
Some things are left to the wit of
man, to human ingenuity, to the prog
ress of time, to the development of
civilization. Will wars ever cease?
Who will find the North Pole? Is the
planet Mars inhabited? Was the solar
system once a mass of nebulous fire.
| mist? How long will it be till the
| q
runs down? There are many strange
problems unsolved-hard questions I'M
answered, things we should like to
know, but under our human limitations
we must be content to wait
But, if you think of it, the greater
questions are answered. Christianity
is the farthest removed from agnosti-
cism The skeptic disbelieves, rejects
and is not certain about any truth
But any man who will take the words
of Jesus for direction must come into
positive knowledge.
The value of an answer to our ques-
tons is in accepting the answer as
final. If you ask some one to give you
| the proper directions In the street, you
will come to peace of mind by follow
ing the directions you get If you
should doubt the accuracy of the in
| formation given you, there is nothing
to do but stand still and wait for an
| other guide. Christs directions be-
come valuable as they are followed.
Our perplexities and hard questions
stay with u.s. unless we receive the
| positive directions of Christ. The
doubter can only pass from negations
to confident utterance through hav-
ing some guide, some teacher, some
truth, to accept and follow absolutely.
so, the simple question meets US,
What is this Savior to us? Does He
answer our questions? Have we rest
ed in His word? This is faith-to be-
lieve the information given us by our
guide; so we get rid of fears our
doubts, our everlasting questions by
accepting Jesus Christ as our ever
lasting yes. In Him was yea"
E0R THEFT 0E G10